It had foundnothing.
Evariste wasn’t inZancara.
Angelique nodded twice and walked a few steps before the crushing defeat caught up withher.
Despair flattened her, and she dropped to herknees.
He’s not here. He’s not in Zancara. Then where in the blazes ishe?!
The world seemed to shift so she couldn’t tell up or down, and she tried not to think of what thismeant.
He’s still alive—he has to be! But what do I do now? Have I missed something? Do I need to search the rest of the continent more thoroughly? Or perhaps…did they use his magic to go to a differentland?
Angelique felt like a fish suffocating outside of water. She couldn’t get any air, and hot tears welled up in hereyes.
Then a stickcracked.
Everything in Angelique stilled. Her thoughts fell away, and she stared down at the ground, unflinchingly, as she strained her ears andlistened.
There was only silence—pure silence. No birds, no breeze,nothing.
Angelique narrowed her eyes but stayed where she was as she felt for any magic in theair.
There!
She threw herself to the ground, and something whistled overhead. It struck a tree trunk just in front of her with athump.
Angelique craned her head, her heart beating faster as she saw the black blade embedded deep into thetree.
She rolled, flipping herself over her shoulder so she was in a crouching position and facing whoever had thrown the knife. She expected to see a uniformed escolta emerging from the forest, but instead a disheveled young man stepped out of thetrees.
He had fine black clothes lined with black fur and a leanly muscled frame that most girls would sigh over, but what Angelique noticed first about him was his red eyes. They were a dark, glittering shade of blood red, and—Angelique suspected—were even more unsettling than her own strangeeyes.
He has magic for certain. Perhaps he’s an off-duty escolta?Angelique cautiously flexed her fingers behind her back and let some of her magic curl around her fingers as the mage glared ather.
She couldn’t and wouldn’t hurt a Zancarian. The country had done nothing to provoke such a response—it was she who had flagrantly ignored their laws.But I cannot let myself be taken.As her magic tickled her senses, she started to angle herself into a position that would best let herrun.
“Finally,” he growled. “I’ve foundyou.”
The black fur and heavy fabrics of his clothes spoke of money, but he had a leaf in his tousled black hair and dark circles around his eyes. The closer he drew to Angelique, the more she could swear the air carried the faint scent of driedblood.
Something is off—he’s not an escolta. He’s not even from Zancara! He doesn’t have theaccent.
His breath was uneven and his smile a bit unhinged as he took another step toward Angelique. “You,” he said. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been tracking you? What anirritantyou’vebeen?”
For a moment, Angelique almost relaxed.Is he from the Veneno Conclave? They’re the only ones who are eternally frustrated with me likethis.
She winced when more magic than she wanted flooded her, making her feel colder than she already was.No…he’s a threat.She glanced at the black dagger still dug into the tree trunk. It was made out of a black substance, and Angelique could feel the spark of magic within it.More than a threat, it would seem, if he has war magic. But war mages are usually excited to see me, andhe…
“I even had to chase you here. ToZancara! You cost me weeks! And I had to lower myself to flatter thatmusic mageto learn you were coming here.” He grimaced in revulsion and glared at Angelique with anger. Abruptly, he flicked his hand out, and smoky black shadows condensed into the hardened shape of a sword. He lunged at Angelique with unnatural speed, stabbing his sword at hergut.
She ducked to the side, avoiding the strike, and darted behind a tree.He’s a black mage. He must be—but why is he followingme?
“And still you keeprunning,” the young man growled. “Like a stupid little mouse.” He tried to chase Angelique around the tree, but she was able to stay just ahead ofhim.
She threw a water and an ice spell at him—hoping to freeze him in place—but an iridescent green shield flashed into place, blocking thestrike.
He has magical protection? This is bad; that means he’s prepared. But forwhat?
