Both Misha and Nadia snorted and lookedaway.
Odette briefly turned bright red. “I’m not a Swan Queen,” shemuttered.
“On behalf of Verglas, I welcome you and your compatriots. Queen Linnea will be thrilled to hear of your arrival,” Clovicus said dryly. “She was less than elated when I showed up, sans weathermages.”
“You’ve been light on the details that explain why your assistant sent you running to Verglas,” Angeliquesaid.
Clovicus rolled his eyes. “How much time do you have to hear my complaints?” He shook his head, then smiled charmingly at Odette and her smugglers. “I can escort you all to the dear queen and her sensible husband. Thisway.”
He led the way to the Verglas palace—pausing to exchange a joke and a laugh with the guards while Angelique bid farewell to Pegasus, who picked his way west, toward LakeSno.
Angelique watched with narrowed eyes as Clovicus greeted a maid by name, slapped the back of a passing noble, and moved through the palace with a familiarity and general comfort that belied the fact that he was an incredibly powerful LordEnchanter.
“Exactly how long have you been here?” Angeliqueasked.
“Not too long,” Clovicus said. “If I dawdle too much in one location, there’s a good chance my dratted assistant will findme.”
Odette turned around to make a hand motion at her smugglers—who casually shifted the pattern in which they marched—then walked side-by-side with Angelique. “And what exactly does this Wallace do that you find so disturbing?” she asked with an archedeyebrow.
Clovicus sharply frowned. “He believes he is a very effective herding dog, and unfortunately, he thinks I am a sheep.” He shook his head. “I’ll flatter myself in saying that I am one of the most skilled Lord Enchanters alive today, but I got so because I take on missions and complete them quickly. I fill out the minimal required paperwork, which seems to offend my assistant’ssensibilities.”
“What does he do?” Angeliqueasked.
“He has absolutely no sense of personal boundaries. The Council has a yearly discussion for all high-level mages,” Clovicus said. “Traditionally, it is a meeting I avoid given how excruciatinglyboringitis.”
“This year you were forced to attend?” Angeliqueguessed.
“My oh-so-efficient assistant confirmed on my behalf, then showed up outside my door at four in the morning to escort me to the meeting, all so he could ensure I really went.” Clovicus scowled. “If I skip out on answering even a single correspondence, Wallace will track me down during my mealtime, interrupt me at a social gathering—he once followed me across the Arkane Mountains when I snuck from Baris to Erlauf in an effort to avoid him so he couldn’t make me fill out the wretchedly stupid annual survey the Veneno Conclave sends to all enchanters and enchantresses.” He sighed but brightened long enough to wave to a kitchen girl running down a sidehallway.
“If he’s not The Council’s spy tasked with keeping them apprised of you, he’s likely the Council’s punishment against me for turning the grubby students they sent me off to Verglas to ‘mentor’into a mouthy bunch of rebels,” hefinished.
“I can see how he would hinder you, as you are such a…freespirit,” Angeliquesaid.
“I’d be less bothered if he was just a punishment,” Clovicus said as they approached the doors to the throne room. His frown turned less theatrical and more worried. “But despite his diligence on my so-called behalf, I suspect he might be a plant after all—knowingly orunknowingly.”
Angelique shrugged. “It’s notunexpected.”
He tilted his head. “It doesn’t botheryou?”
“I don’t believe the Veneno Conclave will evernotbe wary of me,” she dryly said. “I’m more pleased that they have followed my wishes and stopped with the endlesssummons.”
Clovicus slightly bowed his head. “May it continue to be so.” He nodded to the guards standing at thedoor.
“Lord Enchanter Clovicus,” they greeted before they set about opening thedoors.
“Have youreallyonly been here a short while?” Angelique asked in awhisper.
“I left as soon as I got your letter,” he admitted. “But I took a ship south to Ringsted first in the hope of throwing Wallace off. We can only pray that itworked.”
He held out his arm, indicating that Angelique should enterfirst.
Like the rest of Ostfold, the feel of the throne room had changed drastically since Angelique had last stepped foot insideit.
The glass throne was still positioned in front of the massive window, but more sunlight seemed to play across the land—making the entire room glow a warm gold color. The air was fresher and held the faint hint of pine to it, but the most marked difference were the soldiers’ expressions. Their shoulders were set but not stiff, and their expressions were stoic but free of tension lines andwrinkles.
A young man and young woman stood at the massivewindow.
Angelique recognized the young Queen Linnea—beautiful with her blonde hair and quick smile—though she was in an interesting wardrobe choice for the day given that she wore trousers and a violet shirt tucked into the waistline of herpants.
