“How you continue to work with and serve an organization that has so wronged you,” Carabosso said. “You lack the will to stand up for yourself, it would seem, and the courage to take what is alreadyyours.”
Angelique narrowed her eyes.There is danger in speaking to him. But in this area, I think I’m safe enough.“I stay because before I was an apprentice—before I was amage—I knew that honor and duty are important.” She paused for a moment, remembering her father, a valiant soldier, and his warm bear hugs and his unshakable sense ofintegrity.
His heart would break if he were alive and I turned from this path, and that says nothing about Evariste…He’d be disappointed,and—
Angelique savagely cut the thought off. It didn’t matter—because despite what everyone said about her, she wouldn’t sway. Notever.
She waited until Carabosso’s dark eyes met her gaze. “I took a vow to protect the people of this continent, and I’lldiebefore I break myword.”
Carabosso’s head snapped back as if she had physically slapped him, and for a breath pain swam in his eyes, but faster than she could identify it, rage swept through him. He clenched his jaw and glared at her, his upper lip curled back in asneer.
There was something in her words, something in what she had said that upset him—a thing worth noting given the grim future she had cheerfully reminded him of numeroustimes.
“Go ahead and struggle,” he spat. “It will end in failure! The Conclave will break, and these lands will beplundered!”
Angelique kept her expression cold, though a shiver traveled up her spine. Knowing she wasn’t going to get anything useful out of him unless she resorted to torture, she nodded to the four Magic Knights guarding him, then climbed the creaky stairs out of thecellar.
“All your struggles will be for naught,” he shouted after her, his rage building so it made his voice hoarse. “And then where will your shining honor be? What good will yourdutybe to you in a world as black asnight!”
Odette—her forehead creased with worry—waited for her at the top of the stairs. “Did he say anythinguseful?”
Angelique shook her head as she walked into the kitchen. “No. Just moreranting.”
Odette chewed on her lower lip and followed Angelique behind the bar of the inn and outside. “Do you think he’s speaking the truth? That the Chosen have some kind of plan to bring the darkness of night to theland?”
That’s exactly what I fear. But there’s no use letting terror fester in our hearts.Angelique smiled pleasantly. “The night doesn’t bother me,” she said. “I’veriddenit.”
Odette released a deep breath. “That’s right. Pegasus.” She grinned. “Someone ought to remind that git that the darkness of night hasstars.”
Together they left the inn, stepping out into the afternoon sunshine. Brightly colored leaves fell off a giant oak tree and dizzily twirled through the air, which held the bite ofcold.
“I don’t know that we’re going to get any information out of Carabosso very soon,” Angeliquesaid.
Odette caressed one of her daggers in her thigh bandolier. “Should Misha, Nadia, and I fly out to Severin, then? I know this morning we decided to wait and see if Carabosso said anything helpful,but…”
Angelique nodded. “I’m not willing to inflict any torture to get him to talk. If he’s taken to Ciane, I imagine the Magic Knights will get him to sing, but I don’t want to delay sending Severin the information on Foedus. And while I’m certain that by now he’s been informed that the Sole princess is awake, your firsthand account will beuseful.”
“Now that Carabosso is taken care of, do you think King Giuseppe might agree to send the Magic Knights to help the rest of thecontinent?”
Angelique sighed. “I don’tknow.”
“Angelique!” Donaigh zipped down the main street of Ippari with his magic, grabbing his straw hat when it almost fell off his head after he skidded to a stop. He looked markedly better than he had the previous day just after the battle. His pep was back, and his wound was almost entirely healed up. (Rosalinda also showed no ill effects of her tangle with Carabosso, thank goodness. Angelique didn’t want to think of how King Giuseppe would holler if Rosalinda returned to himinjured.)
“Is something wrong?” Angeliqueasked.
“Not at all! The reinforcements you requested from the Veneno Conclave—they’vearrived.”
I must have heard him wrong.She folded her hands together. “I beg your pardon…what did yousay?”
“The Council received the message you sent and dispatched Master Weather Mages Blanche and Rein—they’ve got four war mages with them,” Donaigh said. “Firra sent me. They want to talk toyou.”
Angelique was so shocked, her jaw almostdropped.
She had requested backup from the Veneno Conclave on at least a dozen different occasions—her journey to Kozlovka to face Rothbart and his wyvern, fighting Clotilde the witch queen in Arcainia, the storms that had isolated Ringsted—the list went on andon.
And now theyfinallydecide to help? Frankly, I’m shocked—I had given up all hope. Although it is likely The Council is all too aware that if Sole falls, the rest of the continent will rock. Perhaps this is a sign that the Conclave will be more active in our battle against the Chosen?She tried not to get her hopes up—after all, it was very possible Clovicus had finally harassed the Conclave into doing something, and the organization had no intention of doing anything else at all helpful or useful afterthis.
“Where are they?” Angeliqueasked.
