Where are Puss and Gabrielle? If they come down, I might be able to beg off speaking with the othermages.
The talking cat and crown princess had arrived with Fürstin Elise and four of the Arcainian princes that afternoon, just in time for Angelique to have tea with them. Unfortunately, neither the black-and-white cat nor the princess werepresent.
“Lady EnchantressAngelique!”
All of Angelique’s air left her when someone slammed into her, gifting her with a rather forcefulhug.
“I thought you would be here as well! Callan, come meet the Lady Enchantress!” Dylan—the exuberant selkie princess whom Angelique had encountered the previous summer—laughed as she huggedAngelique.
When Angelique was assured her feet were securely under her, she patted the selkie princess’ back. “It’s good to see you again, Dylan. I’m glad you have your voiceback.”
“Of course! You must meet Callan—my intended. We’re getting married in early summer—I tried to send you an invitation, but it does not seem like it ever caught up with you.” Dylan frowned a little, but the expression transformed into a brilliant smile when her fiancé, Prince Callan, caught up withher.
The prince was perhaps a hair shorter than Dylan, but he was handsome with sand-colored hair and an easy smile. “Lady Enchantress Angelique, I must thank you for helping Dylan in her time ofneed.”
“Please, I insist both of you call me Angelique. And it is to my sorrow that I couldn’t do more for you—or forRingsted.”
Dylan shook her head. “We’ve got it sorted out now—all it really took was our people working together. But I couldn’t have done it without you sealing myvoice.”
“I see. I am glad you could make theSummit.”
“Naturally, my parents recommended our attendance,” Callansaid.
The conversation was interrupted by a rather loud and throaty growl from Dylan’sstomach.
The selkie grinned unapologetically. “Shall we go in? Maybe they have put out some food even if the dinner hasn’t startedyet.”
Callan’s smile was full of sympathy. “The ham and cheese platter you had an hour ago wasn’t enough, wasit?”
“It could have been a little bigger,” Dylannodded.
“I’m sure we can find something inside.” Callan offered out his arm, his smile turningplayful.
Dylan oddly laughed at the gesture, but set her hand in the crook of his arm. “Will you come with us,Angelique?”
Angelique glanced at the mage table—which still lacked Sybilla or Stil—and felt physically ill at the idea. “I believe I shall wait another minute ortwo.”
Dylan nodded. “We’ll see you inside!” She strode in, a whirlwind of smiles and laughter, with Callan at herside.
Angelique took a breath.It’s not so much that I’m afraid of the other mages, but I have no desire to sit there and be sneeredat.
“Lady Enchantress Angelique?” asked an unfamiliar femalevoice.
“Yes?” Angelique turned around and tried to place the beauty standing beforeher.
The woman was tall and lithe, with a set to her shoulders that said she was both comfortable with herself and unafraid—obviously she had trained with weapons at some point in her life. Her terracotta skin set off the aqua blue of her gown beautifully, as did her silky black hair—half of which was pulled up into an artful braid secured into a bun at the back of herhead.
The woman curtsied. “You might not remember me. I am Princess Astra of Baris, daughterof—”
“King Solon,” Angelique finished. She tried not to gape at the princess, having a difficult time reckoning the tiny princess who had scolded King Solon for his loose braids with the woman standing before her now.I saw her multiple times as a child, but it seems Evariste and I haven’t visited Baris since she grew up.“My…you…” Angelique floundered, searching for an elegant way to note the princess’ aging without blurting it out like an idiot. “You looklovely.”
Astra cracked a smile, and her father’s good humor played in her eyes. “I thought I ought to introduce myself in case you were unable to recognize me. At the risk of being as impertinent as my father accuses me of being, you are as beautiful as ever and have not aged atall.”
Angelique’s smile faded slightly. “Yes, I’m starting to understandthat.”
Astra tilted her head as she studied Angelique. “It seems, however, that you have become one of the most respected enchantresses on thecontinent.”
Angelique slapped a hand over her lips just in time to capture the “HAH!” that threatened to explode from her mouth. When she thought she could speak without snickering, she cleared her throat. “I’m not certainthatistrue.”
