is good to see you again.”
Pegasus flicked his tail, then twitched his head down in an almost bow. He held his head in the lowered position for a moment, then struck his front right hoof on the ground, shedding sparks while he once more trumpeted—this time in a more musical tone.
“I think he’s welcoming you back,” Angelique said.
Pegasus snorted.
Evariste smiled. “He appears to be in high spirits.”
Pegasus nodded his head again, then grabbed for Angelique’s hair—his teeth making a clicking noise as he snapped them.
“Perhaps he’s in too high of spirits.” Angelique yanked her hair from his teeth and fled across the courtyard, but he followed after her, wiping his muzzle and starry spit off on her skirts. “Pegasus, ew!”
“It seems Pegasus has decided you are his…I’d say rider, but that doesn’t properly allude to the dynamic given that he is far more powerful than you or I. Pet, perhaps?”
“Maid is closer to the truth.” Angelique scowled at Pegasus, who bumped her with his hindquarters and almost sent her sprawling.
“You’ve been riding him a lot,” Evariste said. “It greatly infuriated Liliane—though I was surprised when I heard her complaining about it, given that Pegasus has an arrangement with me, but not you. Unless…did you make one with him?”
Angelique shook her head as Pegasus finally stopped bumping and spitting on her. “No. I told him what happened to you, and he…stayed with me.” She patted his neck, admiring the glowing stars that defined his muscles. “He’s saved me on more than one occasion.”
Pegasus sweetly pressed his muzzle to her left temple.
“When Emerys took Quinn and left for Farset, I knew I had to send him back to the sky for the sake of secrecy. It’s been a few weeks since I last saw him.” Angelique grinned as Pegasus peered down at her, his unfathomable eyes swirling. “That might account for some of his good mood. I imagine he’s celebrating that he gets to be brushed again.”
“I beg your pardon?” Evariste said.
“I said he’s probably celebrating that he gets to be brushed again,” Angelique said.
Evariste looked from her to Pegasus, then back to her. “What?”
“He likes getting brushed,” Angelique said. “I don’t know that it really does anything for him since he doesn’t have a coat.” She prodded his side for emphasis and felt warmth and muscle, but it didn’t have the same silken sensation as a regular horse would.
Evariste put a hand on his hip and stared at Pegasus. “It seems much has changed since my capture.”
“It’s perhaps a little odd that a constellation likes to be brushed,” Angelique said. “But surely it can’t be that shocking.”
“Angelique,” Evariste laughed. “Pegasus is far more—”
He was cut off when Pegasus slammed into Evariste. He would have knocked the enchanter over, except he clamped his teeth down on Evariste’s cloak and snapped him upright so Evariste only wobbled, then pitched into Pegasus’ side and bounced off.
“Pegasus!” Angelique strode across the courtyard, shaking a finger. “You’re acting rude!”
“No, he’s merely expressing his wishes.” Evariste righted himself, the coins sewn to his cloak clinking with his movements. “In a multitude of ways.”
“I don’t understand,” Angelique said.
Evariste grinned at her. “Which is just how he wants it.” He playfully tapped the tip of her nose. “We’d best mount up and leave—that is, if Pegasus deigns to carry me as well as you.”
“Of course, he will.” Angelique put her hands on her hips and frowned at the horse. “Won’t you, Pegasus?”
Pegasus elegantly lowered himself to the ground, an image of innocence as he tucked his head and let out a pleased sounding, bell-toll-like nicker.
Angelique hopped on first—dropping onto his back with a little more force than necessary since he’d been so rude to Evariste.
Evariste was slower to climb on—and he did so only after bowing to Pegasus again.
Angelique tried not to squirm when Evariste threaded his arms around her waist. “Will you be warm enough? Do you need a heat charm?”
“You gave me one yesterday—it’s still active,” Evariste said.
“Good. Very good.” Angelique braced herself as Pegasus rocked to a standing position with a graceful ease no normal horse could have had—particularly not with two grown adults on its back.
“We’ll have to stop to get something to eat in a few hours—so no pushing through, Pegasus.” Angelique gently pressed her knees into Pegasus’ sides.
Pegasus snorted.
Angelique smiled as Evariste leaned closer so his chest brushed her back. “To Loire?” he asked.
“To Loire!” Angelique agreed.
Pegasus, surprisingly, covered ground at a slower-than-usual pace. Angelique suspected it was out of concern for Evariste,