Quinn clucked to Fluffy, who jolted forward before transitioning to his effortlessly smooth walk. “It will possibly take a full week now if we get much snow.”
“We will!” Elle chirped. “But that’s fine. The longer travel time will be good.”
Angelique had been staring at the back of Pegasus ears. When the constellation twisted his head back so he could nudge her foot, she smiled, then clung to his back as he trotted a few steps to catch up. “Why would a longer travel time be good?”
“Reasons,” Elle evasively said. “We’d need to stop along the way, regardless, to purchase items necessary for a good disguise—you never want to buy your disguise entirely in one city. It will make it too easy to trace back to you.”
“Sage words,” Quinn said.
“I think Emerys is going to be very mad at me for introducing the two of you,” Angelique said.
“Why?” Quinn asked.
“Yes, why?” Elle added. “The knowledge of procuring disguises for hiding is important!”
Angelique grinned at Elle’s innocent expression and Quinn’s genuinely confused one, then cackled. “It doesn’t matter—he needs to be ruffled every once in a while. So, Elle, what kind of disguises were you thinking of?”
“So, we have enough shapeless clothes to play with. We still need some props to firm up our roles and a hidden weapon. Or two. Or ten.” Elle gazed into the depths of Angelique’s satchel with a critical eye as she rummaged around it, looking for anything that would be useful at infiltrating the stronghold.
“We have at least half a day left of travel tomorrow.” Quinn thoughtfully added a log to the fire she’d carefully constructed. “And we’re quite close to the Arcainian border. If the map you brought is correct, Elle, the major trading city is just inside Arcainia. We could go there first to establish our own base before venturing into the woods surrounding the den.”
Elle nodded. “I’m certain they have contacts within the Arcainian city. Besides, any goods they ship north to Mullberg would have to cut north east through Arcainia, because they certainly aren’t going to go straight north into Verglas.”
Quinn adjusted the cast iron skillet she’d dug out of her saddlebag and stirred the sausage mix simmering within it. “I imagine you must be correct, but what do you think, Angelique?”
Angelique stared at the simmering meal. “I think I would have starved or died if I’d tried this on my own.”
The morning of the previous day, she’d begun to refrain from using her magic, and it was swiftly becoming a major shock to learn just how much she used her powers—for everything from building a campfire and cooking to pulling water from the air to drink.
I’m starting to understand why Evariste got so upset whenever I flippantly said I’d be fine without my magic…
Quinn frowned so strongly it made wrinkles spread across her forehead. “What are you talking about?”
“I think that was a joke,” Elle said.
“No, it’s not. I just might be helpless if my magic was ever sealed,” Angelique thoughtfully said. “At least in ways that matter. I still know hand-to-hand combat, but I don’t even know how to find clean water without magic.” She pulled her fur-lined cloak closer—given that she’d swapped her eye-catching, heat-charmed magic dress for a far more appropriate plain tunic, she’d been struggling a great deal to keep warm.
Quinn and Elle exchanged looks.
“It’s an intellectual thing, I assume,” Elle said. “Severin sometimes gets broody like this, too.”
Quinn nodded. “A reasonable explanation.” She stirred the sausage stew/sauce mixture again. “Speaking of survivability, Elle, did you see any more goblin tracks when you went scouting?”
Elle shook her head. “Just the ones you found when we were gathering firewood. I’d say if goblins are in the area, it’s a much smaller pack than what’s running amok in Erlauf right now.”
“Not surprising.” Angelique rested her hands on her thighs and stared across the fire at Fluffy and Rosemerry—Elle’s pony. Pegasus had returned to the sky for the evening, though Angelique was surprised to realize that even when chatting with her companions, she still missed him. “I don’t imagine many goblins would survive this close to Arcainia with both Gabrielle and Rune out on patrol.”
Rune—Prince Rune—was one of the seven princes of Arcainia who filled the position of classic hero, and frequently hunted dangerous creatures while protecting his people.
Gabrielle was Marquis of Carabas and the wife of Crown Prince Steffen. She also happened to be a personal friend of Angelique and the mistress of Roland Archibald Whisperpaws the Fifth—or Puss,