Her mouth twisted with thought, Angelique began to experimentally twine a water spelltogether.
“Sent off another search spell, didyou?”
Angelique twisted her hand, making the spell structure disappear. “Good evening,Sybilla.”
“It is a good evening,” Sybilla mildly agreed. “I won a bet against that roughish Mage Donaigh that Princess Dylan of the selkies could eat an entire pheasant on her own. That girl’s endless appetite is going to buy me new robes!” She chortled to herself. “But why are you casting spells out here like a magical miscreant?” Sybilla peered at Angelique over the rim of herspectacles.
“I didn’t want to bother anyone,” Angeliquefibbed.
Sybilla shook her head and looked up to the heavens. “Dearie. Your magic has the subtlety of the moon crashing into the earth. No one could possibly miss your casting when you’re thisclose.”
Angelique winced. “Then Iapologize.”
“No need for that! I didn’t say it’s an unpleasant experience. You’re still searching for Evariste,then?”
Angelique shrugged. “In a way, yes. That particular spell was for the mage who attacked me. If I could justfindhim…” She trailed off and stared at the flickering flames of the braziers fastened to the sides of the chateau and stables, too broken tocontinue.
Sybilla nodded. “You know—once this mess is over—I reckon you could make a fortune at finding missingpersons.”
“I beg yourpardon?”
“You have got to be more skilled at spells that search and track than any other mage in recent history.” Sybilla pointed a finger to the dark sky. “Which means there is a business opportunity to befound!”
Angelique’s lips twitched in a briefly-lived true smile. “Given that my success rate is woefully low, I don’t know that I’d be certain aboutthat.”
“Pish-posh.” Sybilla planted her hands on her hips. “You can’t help it that these rogue mages are impossible to pin-point. It seems to me they must have either a mage with a particular set of skills that can block our searches, or they’ve been in hiding so long they’ve developed spells we don’t knowof.”
Sybilla sighed and shook her head. “Once the Summit is over, I’ll be the one to deliver a report of what we’ve learned to the VenenoConclave.”
“My deepest and most heart-felt sympathies,” Angeliquesaid.
Sybilla cackled. “You are a fun one when you’re so tired your primness can’t stayup!”
“Iapologize.”
“There is nothing to apologizefor.”
“May I impose upon you and request that you present a report to Lord Enchanter Clovicus as well?” Angeliqueasked.
Sybilla swatted her hand. “Of course, of course. I was already planning on it, for I’d never hear the end of it from him if I didn’t—and Clovicus can be a true pest when he wishes to be. But I did want to warn you…I mean to inform Lady Enchantress Lovelana of our various discussions—including the attack on you by that blackmage.”
“The other mages didn’t seem to think the attack was important and that it is merely a sign the black mages are no longer content to hide,” Angeliquesaid.
Sybilla shook her head. “I’m not convinced. There must be more to it—given how strategic our enemy has been. But although Lovelana is all but useless as the head of the committee searching for Evariste, she has been doing her job inearnest.”
“What do you mean bythat?”
“She’s studied every reported activity of black mages over the past few decades in great detail,” Sybilla said. “She might pick up on something we’vemissed.”
Angeliquenodded.
“You don’t mind?” Sybillaasked.
“No.”
“Good. I know she’s sometimes been a bit rude to you, but I thought she’s been less of a twit since Evariste wastaken.”
Angelique blinked at the frank assessment and carefully chose her response. “I’m grateful that she’s even tried to locate Evariste.”Even if she’s been going about it in the most ineffective mannerpossible.
