Angelique stared at the black mage and licked her cracked lips. “Whatdid you say?” she asked, barely able to speak louder than awhisper.
The mage’s face twisted with rage as he pushed his palms out in front of himself and poured more of his magic into hisweapons.
Angelique let more of her magic flood her. Through her powers, she could feel the sharp, magic-formed weapons. They were a stinging, smoky sensation, but a flicker of her magic eradicated thefeeling.
The mage pushed his daggers with more and more magic until his face was red with strain and a vein throbbed in his temple, but Angelique held them withease.
“What did you say?” she demanded. Magic was the only thing keeping her up, but she wouldn’t give upnow.
He has to be referring toEvariste!
Angelique’s stomach churned—she wasn’t sure if it was the price of her magic or the emotions that rippled throughher.
“Who sent you? Who are your allies?” She took a wobbly step toward him—her entire body protesting the abuse—and something in the magechanged.
There was an odd light in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Not malice, notglee…
Blood dribbled from her wound, and Angelique finally realized the ringing in her head was not from shock, but bloodloss.
I…I’m going to faint. And then he’s going to killme.
Her knees started to wobble, but before she collapsed, there was a deafening thunder—a triumphant note blasted at the volume of alandslide.
Cold, black nothingness enveloped her, and it took Angelique a moment to realize she hadn’t fallen unconscious, but thatsomethingsurroundedher.
Vaguely, she heard the war mage scream, and her heart beat faster withfear.
But then there were a few pinpricks of dazzling light, warmth, and—when her legs finally did give out—a soft sensation draped around her shoulders and brushed her neck. As she finally drifted off, she frowned inpuzzlement.
Is that…am I feelingfeathers?
Chapter 9
Angelique woke to stars.
It took her several long and confused moments to confirm the stars were not, in fact, in the sky, but glowing on Pegasus’belly.
Aching, she pushed herself up on her elbows and squinted in the dying sunlight, learning that Pegasus stood directly over her, his back legs braced on either side ofher.
She froze infear.
If he steps on me, I’lldie.
Pegasus sneezed and flicked his flamingtail.
He stepped over her—Angelique held her breath forthatmoment—then turned around and sniffedher.
“Hello, old friend.” Angelique raised her hand to scratch her forehead. The gesture made a knife blade of pain shoot through her injured back, but she relaxed when Pegasus pressed his muzzle to her temple and lipped herhair.
She flipped over so she could boost herself up onto her knees as she groaned. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” Angelique coughed, trying to clear the rusty sound from hervoice.
She blearily peered around, but the war mage was nowhere to be seen. She rubbed her aching wrist and glanced up at Pegasus. “Did herun?”
Pegasus audibly ground histeeth.
Angelique laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Shakily, she rose, taking inventory of her injuries before placing a few slow-burn heals on herself that would address the worst ofthem.
“It’s good he’s gone—he would have killed me while I was out of it. But I think he was with the group that held Evariste. If I could have questioned him…” She shook her head and tried to dislodge the thought from hermind.
