Angelique frowned at the rusty red fingerprints that dotted outside as she unrolled it, and then her heartstopped.
They tookGemma
* * *
Evariste was still at it—feigninga slow recovery from another draining while really listening to Liliane and Suzu complain about their spells—when a sorcerer prowled into thecavern.
“Suzu!” he roared in a hoarse voice. “What is the meaning ofthis?”
Suzu sighed in long suffering and turned away from a smiling Liliane. “What is the meaning of what?” she asked in a voice brimming withexasperation.
The sorcerer brushed snow off his shoulders, then brandished a handful of letters in her face. “These!”
He paced like a caged creature as he watched Suzu glance over the letters, his burnished-gold chestplate gleaming in the flickeringtorchlight.
Evariste hadn’t seen many mages who weren’t war mages wearing armor, and this sorcerer had gone allout.
His chestplate was decorated with spirals that made Evariste’s eyes hurt and seemed to move if he caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye. He had pauldrons that were covered with neatly arranged layers of dark feathers—a pattern that carried over to his somber gold cape that was brushed with melting snowflakes. It took Evariste a few moments to realize he stomped with the volume of a war elephant due to his metal boots—the same sort knightswore.
Strange garb for a sorcerer indeed, Evaristethought.
Suzu folded up the last of the letters. “I fail to see what you do not understand, my dear husband. I meant every word Iwrote.”
“You are no wife of mine.” The sorcerer snatched the letters from her hand. “And you would threaten the life of your ownchild?”
“Odile is useless,” Suzu scoffed. “She has the magical talent of astone.”
“She is yourdaughter.”
“I am just as astonished,” Suzu said. “As it stands, her only use to me is to serve as a tool to drive you forward. If you wish for her to remain with you—blissfully and stupidly content—you’ll make those wyverns for us and take care of the Kozlovkan royalfamily.”
Liliane glanced in Evariste’s direction. “You’re up,” she observed over the squabbling of the sorcerer andsorceress.
“I’d like to be unconscious as much as possible so I don’t have to see your face, but evenIcan’t sleep through such shouting.” Evariste yawned and made a show ofgroaning.
Liliane smiled wider. “Captivity has done nothing for your charm, LordEnchanter.”
“Funny, I could say the same for you all,” Evariste said. “Each week you seem just a bit uglier and moreannoying.”
Liliane narrowed her eyes but said nothingmore.
Behind her, the sorcerer bared his teeth. “Tread carefully, Suzu. I am not one of your minions you can order to do yourbidding.”
“But I think I can.” Suzu smiled, self-satisfaction making her red lips form a cruel smirk. “For if you don’t do as I humbly request,ourdaughter shall pay theprice.”
The sorcerer growled like abeast.
“You’re being rude,” Suzu continued. “You ought to greet Liliane and tell us who granted youentry.”
Liliane smiled beautifully when Suzu gestured to her. “Hello,Rothbart.”
The sorcerer, Rothbart, ignored her. “No one ‘granted me entry,’” he mocked. “Your defenses are too weak to keep me out!” He turned and stalked around the cavern, eyeing Liliane’s stack of completedpaintings.
Liliane airily laughed. “It would seem you are right. You are immensely talented, after all. We could use someone with your strength. Are you certain you don’t wish to joinus?”
Rothbart slightly puffed up his chest and smoothed back his mottled brown hair. He strolled back around the room, visibly preening, and for a moment, Evariste thought Liliane’s flattery might haveworked.
He circled back to Suzu and Liliane and smiled wolfishly, then leaned in and whispered in a harsh voice, “I’d ratherdie.”
