Angelique rubbed her eyes, trying to get the tears to stop flowing.I’m not certain he’s entirely right. When Evariste was captured, it was because he was hit by a spell meant for me. Unless they thought the easiest way to subdue him was to first capture me? But I’m glad Stil also sees a pattern. Before I spoke with Severin and Elle about it, I wondered if I was going mad and seeing black mages under everyrock.
“They seem to be doing a fine job of sabotaging themselves.” Angelique snorted and dropped her hands when tears finally stopped leaking from her eyes. “Every blasted country I run into has someone cursed—a curse which can be broken bytrue love.” She scowled at the fire crackling in the fireplace, barely noticing when Stil’s female companion appeared in the parlor doorway, a tea tray in herhands.
“I’m so sick of true love, the very thought makes me ill,” Angelique declared. “I know love is the most powerful, righteous emotion possible, but this is sheer folly. The number of curses that have popped up in the past few years with love as the counter-agent is mind-boggling.”
The young lady approached Angelique and Stil, but Angelique couldn’t find it within her to muster enough elegances for her stupid enchantress act.What I really want to do is stab a dummy straight through…maybe scream a bit. But now isn’t the time for tempertantrums.
Stil made calf-eyes at his lady as she set the tea tray down, but he managed to say, “It does seem rather odd that such a wide-spread campaign to spread darkness would have such a specific, repeatable weakness. One would think they would grow aware of this detail and change theirarrangement.”
“Why bother? Even if we manage to break the curses, I still wouldn’t say we are winning,” Angelique dully said. She glanced at Stil, but his gaze was fastened on his lady-love.
Hilariously, the object of his affection studiously ignored the craftmage and gave Angelique a black tea served in a beautiful blue teacup painted with whitereindeer.
Ho-ho, Stil’s finally met a girl who doesn’t fall over him, hmm? He always had girls chasing after him at Luxi-Domus. This ought to be good for him.Angelique slightly shook her head and quickly slapped a smile on for the sake of manners. “Thank you,” she told the interesting young lady as she took thecup.
“Aye. There are plenty of predicaments that have yet to be addressed,” Stil said. “The Sole Princess, the Princesses of Farset, and soon.”
Stil’s friend—Angelique would have to chide him soon if he didn’t make introductions—turned to leave, but Stil caught her by thewrist.
The young lady tried to tug her wrist from Stil’s grasp with noluck.
Though the sight was a fun one to witness, Angelique’s exhaustion made her slump. “It gets worse. Ringsted is plagued by a seawitch.”
“What?” Stil blinked, surprise and unease coloring hisvoice.
Angelique nodded. “The selkies are trying to take care of her, but the humans are proving to be more of a hindrance than a help.” Angelique sipped her tea, almost purring as its warmth spread through her body. “I ran into a selkie who was forcibly landed—some terrible man stole herpelt.”
“What?”
“She feared he would make her use her powers over water for ill and asked me to seal her voice. I didn’t want to take it forever, so I gave her the only escape contract I have learned touse.”
“True love?” Stilasked.
“As usual.” Angelique was aware of the bitter tone to her words, but she didn’t much care. It was all too…irksome. “I meant to stay and help her, but I needed to be in Sole for the princess’s birthday, and I was forced to leave her. I hoped to return to Ringsted with Blanche and Rein, but then I received word that you were introuble.”
She smiled, hoping Stil wouldn’t detect the falsehood.If he finds out Blanche and Rein all but told me they didn’t want to travel with me, he’ll throw a fit the next time he returns to the Conclave. And at this point, I’d rather have people willing to help me—even if they don’t want me around while they doit.
Angelique saw the way Stil’s eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.Distract him!She flicked her eyes purposefully at his friend and raised aneyebrow.
“Ah, please forgive my terrible manners.” A bright and sunny smile bloomed across Stil’s face. “Allow me to introduce you with great pleasure to Gemma Kielland, one of the most talented seamstresses on the continent. Gemma, this is Enchantress Angelique—one of the highest-ranked magic users in the VenenoConclave.”
Gemma Kielland was a serious little thing. She curtsied dutifully and murmured respectfully, “Good afternoon.” But her practicality seemed to give her a hidden fire—or perhaps a backbone of steel? For she frowned down at the hold Rumpelstiltskin had on her wrist and didn’t seem at allcowed.
“I am charmed, Gemma.” Angelique smiled sincerely. “Although, I fear Stil has misled you: I am only an enchantress-in-training.”
Stil heaved a disgusted sigh. “Everyone knows you have the capabilities. It is merely that with Enchanter Evariste…missing, he cannot bring you to the Conclave and declare you. You’re an enchantress,Angelique.”
Angelique shook her head. “If I was ready to be an enchantress, I would know more ways to counter curses besides using love. And all these years of running around on my own have shown me how little experience I have. Though I will venture to say my cast time and abilities have improved.” She watched Gemma try to pull her hand from Stil’s grasp without success. “I received your letter. You said you were beingfollowed?”
“Hunted, really,” Stil said. “By a hellhound and a rider mounted on anightmare.”
“What?” Angeliqueyelped.
Nightmares were loosely equine in form—though they were skeletal, rotting, and frankly terrible to look upon. They moved at night and hunted like a carnivorous animal. Alone, they were a terrible threat, but matched with arider?
In her shock, Angelique set her teacup down with more force than necessary. “How can thisbe?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand why, either,” he said. “But it’s why I fled toVerglas.”
