“Okay.” Angelique backed away. “I guess I’ll go talk with Odette. I imagine I’ll be here a while—why don’t you return to thesky?”
Pegasus narrowed his dark, unfathomableeyes.
“I didn’t say you were crabby!” Angelique unnecessarily defended herself. “It’s just, it might be a while, and you’ve been traveling with me. I thought you might need the rest—and never mind,” shegrumbled.
Pegasus had stopped listening in the middle of her babble and ambled into the forest, his coat glittering in the darkshadows.
“Such a charming and warm constellation.” Angelique stalked across the shore and toward the bridge. She glanced at the wyvern as she passed it, then peered out at Rothbart’s home as she marched down the bridge, closing in on it. A short wall topped with nasty-looking spikes encircled the castle, which was perched on a tiny island. The castle itself had three towers and a square-shaped keep that was several storieshigh.
She found the soldier waiting for her just past the castlegates.
He pointed to the castle. “This way, Lady Enchantress.” He led her past a set of grimacing gargoyles—their stone faces blurred slightly by years of wind and rain—and into the ricketycastle.
The place was dark and dirty and smelled faintly of sulfur. Its walls lacked any ornamentation and were instead cracked and sported an occasional brokenwindow.
But above the ruin, Angelique heard the tones of Odette’s expressivevoice.
She paused at the base of the stairs, cocking her head as she listened. “It seems they are just up thestairs.”
“Very likely, Lady Enchantress,” the soldier said. “They were going through Rothbart’sstudy.”
“Thank you for escorting me, but you needn’t take me any farther.” Angelique tried to smile at the soldier, but when she inhaled deeply, pain stabbed through her ribs, making it a task not tocringe.
“Of course.” The soldier bowed andleft.
Angelique waited for a moment and was delighted to hear Odette’s voice draw closer—which hopefully meant she wouldn’t have to climb the wretched steps—which would make her breathe deeply for her troubles and stab her in the ribs somemore.
Instead, she was soon able to make out theconversation.
“…Too much science for me to ponder the stupidities of Yakov’s character,” Odette said. It was quiet until Angelique saw her boots at the top of the stairs, and the Swan Queen continued. “We’ll have to take care of those houndssoon.”
“There’s no need,” Angelique called up toOdette.
As she watched, Prince Alexsei, and a young woman with fine black hair and liquid-black eyes joined Odette. The trio hurried down the stairs, and Alexsei and Odette bowed when they reached the laststep.
“Lady Enchantress,” they said. Alexsei had dirt smeared across his light armor, and it looked like a bruise was forming on his neck, while Odette’s clothes stank faintly of lakewater.
Angelique took in their rather disheveled appearance with sympathy—a night of fighting would makeanyonelook rough, and smiled. “I believe I said to call meAngelique.”
Ever the prince, Alexsei nodded. “Angelique, please allow me to introduce you to Odile—a good friend ofours.”
He held out his hand to the dark-haired young lady, who trembled slightly as she stared atAngelique.
Angelique tilted her head as she studied her. “You are Rothbart’sdaughter?”
Odile trembled. “Y-yes.”
Fear lived in Odile’s eyes—but Angelique thought she could see hints of steel to the girl aswell.
She knows what it means that her father is—or rather was—a sorcerer, and she’s willing to pay for it.Thawed by Odile’s heart, Angelique made a greater effort to smile in an attempt to reassure her. “I am glad to meet you—I have heard much about you from Odette andAlexsei.”
Much is perhaps stretching the truth, but I don’t want her worrying about me—or any other mages for thatmatter.
“If you’ll excuse my interruption, Angelique, Yakov is in Rothbart’s workroom,” Alexsei said. “He’s searching for any trace of reference material that will tell us how Rothbart made the wyverns. He could desperately use yourhelp.”
Angelique was going to ignore the request in favor of speaking with Odile, but she didn’t miss the way Odette’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration at the mention ofYakov.
Let’s see…Yakov. He was the brash, loud one. Yes, I can see how leaving him alone in a sorcerer’s workshop is a recipe fordisaster.
