“What?”
“And I’m not entirely certain it’s going to work,” she offhandedly added. “It’s better to test it,first.”
Clovicus rested his hands on his hips. “And what is it that you’re going totest?”
I’ve fought a basilisk, a wyvern, and put an entire city to sleep. I’ve countered curses, had a shouting match with The Council, and I ride a constellation. I cando this.I have to.She took a deep breath. “This.”
Angelique extended her hand. Her fingers shook as her silver magic threaded around her palms, twisting under her direction as she thought of Evariste…andPegasus.
She took a deep breath, then loosened thespell.
Fire and raw power roared to life, creating a globe of fire bigger than a war elephant. The globe emitted such pure light it hummed, flames of fire wrapped around a center of solidpower.
The ground shook as the globe—which Angelique had modeled after a miniature star—lowered so it touched the valley floor, then slowly rolled forward, carving a path through the mountains like a heated blade slicingbutter.
Odette started swearing and didn’t stop as she braced herself against the raw power of Angelique’sstar.
Clovicus laughed in glee, though Angelique felt his magic flare to life as he stabilized the shaking mountainsides, holding back loosened rubble and snow. “And you say you aren’t the Snow Queen?” He was barely audible above the howl of Angelique’smagic.
Angelique gritted her teeth as she forced more and more power into her magical construction, fueling it as it rolled forward, consuming ice and rock alike in its inescapableblast.
The heat was strong enough, it felt like her eyebrows were getting burnt off, and the steady thrum of power the modeled star radiated rattled Angelique’sbones.
Her stomach prickled slightly—the first sign of nausea—but she grimly pushedon.
She plowed a clear path through the mountains, leaving an evenly cut blackened trail carved instone.
Clovicus misted water over it, making the rock hiss andcool.
Angelique started down the newly cut path, nudging her magic starahead.
She eradicated the entire length of the valley before the nausea became too much. She cut off her magic and threw herself to the side, clinging to a stone boulder as sheheaved.
Clovicus was by her in a moment, his cool hand resting on her temple as he pushed a healing spell into her. “So this is why you wanted to know if I could keep going,” hemused.
Given that her nausea was due to her price, not an actual physical condition, Angelique doubted his magic would help her, but the sickening sensation cleared more quickly than sheexpected.
When her stomach stopped its violent rejection, Angelique shut her eyes and tried not to shudder at the sour taste that filled her mouth. “My price is wretched, but in a bit, I can get up and go anotherround.”
“Here.” Odette offered her a waterskin. “Rinse your mouthout.”
Angelique did as she was advised while Odette turned to Clovicus. “If she can keep this up, it won’t take long at all to reach the area—you’ll be able to ride horses in like it’s a road toOstfold.”
“Tell the others to pack up the camp,” Clovicusadvised.
“Yeah.” Odette hesitated at Angelique’s side. “I’ll see if anyone in the camp has anything to easestomachs.”
Angelique boosted herself up so she could sit on her rock. “Just put me on Pegasus. I can lean far enough over his side I won’t get anything on him, and he’ll make sure I don’t falloff.”
“Angelique…” Clovicus’ eyebrows slanted down inworry.
Angelique forced herself to meet his gaze. “We have to get there. We have to know for certain just how bad itis.”
“If you push yourself too far, I’ll stop you,” Clovicus warned her. “Don’t think that just because you’re powerful doesn’t mean I won’t knock you out like a waywardstudent.”
Angelique laughed, then reached out to Pegasus—whom Odette had leaped away from so he could take herspot.
The constellation breathed into her hand, then looked at the slightly smoldering gutter she had carved and maneuvered so his side faced her, ready for her to slipon.
