Donaigh moaned in pain andwinced.
Angelique leaned closer, carefully studying his face. “Donaigh? Donaigh, can you hearme?”
“Angelique?” His forehead wrinkled, but he didn’t open his eyesyet.
Firra smiled tightly. “At least he can recognize yourvoice.”
Angelique tilted her head to the side as her healing spell spread through Donaigh’s body. “I don’tthinkhe has any injuries besides this shoulderone.”
Firra let out the breath she had been holding and nodded. “Thank you,Angelique.”
“Capture them! Don’t let them getaway!”
Angelique looked up as a squad of Magic Knights thundered past on their blood-thirstymounts.
Suzu and the two other black mages—who must have freed her from her bindings—ran, almost tripping on theirrobes.
They’re trying toescape!
Angelique stood and grappled for her magic, throwing the first spell she could think of at the trio, calling out forhelp.
Three hawks screamed and shot out of the nearby forest, diving at the mages and scratching at their faces with their powerfultalons.
The male black mage’s face was twisted in a snarl and he tried to engulf one of the hawks in flame—but the bird was too smart and veered out of reach while its brethren sweptin.
Suzu ignored the uproar and pulled out a black diamond, which she flung at theground.
“No!” Angeliquescreamed.
A door of light bloomed in front of Suzu. It started as a rectangle of golden light, but blue magic swirled around it so it hardened at the edges, turning from light into gray rock. Chipped rock dusted with snow formed the frames of a door. The inside danced with light before blue fire roared to life, then abruptly faded, leaving a portal to what looked like the base of amountain.
Her heart squeezed as she could feel the familiar pulse of Evariste’s magic. It struck her heart with such strength, she almostcollapsed.
Then the first black mage hopped through thedoor.
Chapter 29
“No!”sherepeated.
She didn’t measure her magic and didn’t carefully twist a spell. Rather, she let her unyielding power slam into her and ripped out the first spell it couldform.
The ground in a twenty-foot circumference around the door peeled off of the earth like a giant was picking at it, then curled in on itself with athud.
But Angelique was too late. She saw the second black mage and Suzu jump through and collapse the portal just before earth slammed intoplace.
Suzu hadescaped.
And her method only confirmed Angelique’s fears. She was with the Chosen, and it seemed they were milking Evariste for hispowers.
Angelique finally did drop to her knees, her disappointment and relief vying forattention.
She was glad it was over, glad they had won, and glad Tavo wasn’t entirelydestroyed.
ButEvariste…
“Donaigh, are you all right?” Firra crouched next to him and helped the war mage situp.
“I’ll be fine in a bit. I can feel Angelique’s magic at work.” He chuckled. “That will teach me not to overestimate my own speed. Thank you,Angelique.”
