“It’s spelled,” Angelique said. “Master Evariste got it for me.” She tucked her hands in her muff as they started toward the Loire/Verglasborder.
Stil made a noise in the back of his throat. “Hm. Spared no expense for his apprentice, didhe?”
Angelique rolled her eyes. “Enough,Stil.”
Stil chuckled and walked in stride with her. “You know,” he said after a few steps of silence. “I don’t mean to pressure you into using your core magic or to imply that you have to useit.”
Angelique glanced curiously at the younger mage. “I’maware.”
“It’s just that I know with Evariste gone, I doubt there’s anyone telling you that youcanuse it, much less that you should,” Stil continued. “Which is stupid, because your core magic is amazing. So it’s my responsibility to do itnow.”
She sighed, but it was easier to hold her words in than start an argument about her core magic that would never besettled.
“I heard about the basilisk,” Stiladded.
“I think every mage in the Veneno Conclave heard about the basilisk,” Angelique drylysaid.
Stil shrugged. “I don’t know of anyone alive who took a basilisk on single-handedly andwon.”
Angelique scoffed. “That’s not the reason everyone heard about it, and you knowit!”
“It doesn’t matter why people know about it—because they’re all wrong about you anyway,” Stil said. “What matters is that you took on a basilisk and defeated it, Angelique. You arepowerful, and you’re growing more and more skilled with every season that passes. That’s why I talk about your core magic. Because you need to be reminded thatyouare the real genius and prodigy. Not because I’m trying to manipulateyou.”
“I’m aware,” Angelique repeated. She smiled fondly at him and gave him a reassuring nod. “I used to get mad at Evariste for preaching to me about my magic, and sometimes youdogo too far, and I find that I want to strangle you—or perhaps tell your newfriendabout the time you tried to invent a new heat charm and set your clothes on fire instead—but I know you meanwell.”
Stil scoffed at her threat and rearranged his cape before he responded. “Well, I’m glad you’ve realizedthat.”
Either she was too relaxed because it was Stil, or the sense of apprehension that plagued her made her overly casual, for she shrugged. “When Evariste was taken, I realized I was offended over things that were, in hindsight, rather stupid. So what if he thought it was important that I needed to use my core magic? Not that I have changed my view on my powers or am any more willing to use them, but fighting with him about them was just so…stupid.”
There were a million other words Angelique could have used instead of stupid, but some of them hit perhaps a little too close to home, and she was about to face off with a nightmare, its rider, and a hellhound.Now is not the time to growidyllic.
Stil cleared his throat and awkwardly swung his hands. “We need to make a plan,right?”
“I’ve already thought of one,” Angelique said. “We find the border. You stand at the edge and tempt your hunters. I’ll hide on the Loire side of the border and attack from behind. With a good enough spell, that should be all that’snecessary.”
Stil nodded his head. “Right, because I can attack them headon.”
“Only if you’re cautious,” Angelique warned him. “I want you toremain on the Verglas sideof the border, no matter what. Do youunderstand?”
“Why don’t you shake a finger in my face and shake me by the collar of my shirt just like old times?” Stilscoffed.
Angelique onlysmiled.
“So what’s this ‘good enough’ spell you’re planning to use?” Stil asked, unable to leave the silence alone. “Since you are against using your ownmagic.”
“A fire spell,” Angelique said. “It will take some time to cast, and I can’t very well cast it ahead of time since we don’t know precisely what angle they will come from, but I think it’s the best option given nightmares’ antipathy to light and its destructiveabilities.”
“Hit ‘em once and hit ‘em good,” Stil said. “Sounds about right. If you take too long to beat it, the nightmare and rider will slip away. Watch out for that hellhound,though.”
“Yeah,yeah.”
A few more minutes of walking, and they finally reached theborder.
Angelique tapped into her silver magic and let it thread through her hand, allowing her to see the Snow Queen’s latent magic. It sparkled and churned down the border like a trickling stream. Though it was bright and beautiful, Angelique could feel the icy end that would meet any person or creature who attempted to cross the country’s border with impuremagic.
“How about a little more east.” Stil gestured down the border, pointing to a little thatch of trees that crouched on the Loire side of the border. “You could hidethere.”
Angelique tilted her head. “It might work. The breeze is from the west tonight, so I’ll be downwind; the hellhound won’t be able to sniff me out ahead oftime.”
