“The village of Ippari is just a bit south,” Firra said. “I imagine the villagers who escaped were fleeing there. It will be safe fortonight.”
Angelique rested her hands on her hips and tried to discreetly stretch her back. “Then that’s where we’ll go. SirIsaia?”
He stood tall, though his eyes rested on Rosalinda’s sleeping face. “Yes?”
“I assume you will be the one to bear Rosalinda toIppari?”
He swallowed and was silent for several long moments. “Yes.”
Angelique nodded, then shifted her gaze to Odette, Misha, and Nadia. “You three will come to Ippari to rest for the night?” Though it was a question, she put enough weight in her gaze to make it into astatement.
“I suppose it would be wisest,” Odette agreed. “Flying while fatigued is never a good idea. Although…” she flicked her eyes to the side. “Misha?”
“Yes?”
“Could you run and inform the other Magic Knights of our location—and that we haveCarabosso?”
Misha was gone before she finished herrequest.
Odette nodded in satisfaction. “The battle was a bit hairy, but everything will settle down with this much helparound.”
“Yes,” Angelique said, genuinely surprised by the realization.I’ve fought alone for the past few years…I have forgotten what it’s like to havehelp.
* * *
“Where are you holding him?”Angelique barely kept the snarl out of hervoice.
Carabosso smirked and saidnothing.
Angelique dropped the quaint illusion that colored her eyes and revealed their eerie silver shade. “Where isEvariste?”
Her magic flowed across her shoulders and swirled at her feet like a predator looking for something todevour.
“Where indeed?” Carabosso laughed. “All these years, and youstillhaven’t found him, littleapprentice.”
The burning fury of rage pulled at Angelique, pillowed with the promise of violence as her magic unfurledhopefully.
Stop it,Angelique told herself.I will not behave like a monster. If I unleash my powers on him, I’m no better than the Chosen—as tempting as it maybe.
Still, the allure wasthere.
Carabosso’s smirk flickered when a tiny bit of her cold magic brushed him, and a muscle in his cheekjumped.
How much would it take to make him talk? Just a few weapons pressed into his gut? Perhaps another arrow digging into his scabbed shoulderwound?
Enough.Angelique shook off the pesky bits of her magic like a housewife cleaning cobwebs from thekitchen.
She studied Carabosso with a tilted head. “It’s over, you know. Reinforcements are on theway.”
They should have been here before I arrived, but that is a separatecomplaint.
“They won’t just seal your magic this time,” Angelique continued. “And I doubt you’ll ever see the sky again once you arrive at the Veneno Conclave—and that’s only if King Giuseppe doesn’t rush a death sentence for you before Conclave representatives arrive. You have nothing to gain by hiding Evariste’s location. And even if you don’t tell me, there are mages with the Conclave who canmakeyoutalk.”
Angelique held his gaze until he lookedaway.
He stared at the wall of the inn’s wine cellar where they had stowed him. “It surprises me,” he saidabruptly.
Angelique quirked aneyebrow.
