of hearing second-hand through that stone-faced Loire prince as if we were strangers!” he said.
“He’s not wrong.” Gabrielle winked, then took Elle’s place in embracing Angelique while Elle hugged Quinn farewell.
While Gabrielle hugged Angelique, Puss butted his head against Angelique’s cheek and purred deeply.
Angelique smiled and hugged Gabrielle back, then noisily kissed Puss on the top of his head despite his yowls of protest. “Then we will have to report in—to both Loire and Arcainia.”
“Good,” Gabrielle said with great satisfaction.
“I knew it wasn’t a mistake to talk Elise into giving Loire the funds necessary to buy and enchant the mirrors.” Puss licked his chops and happily quirked his tail.
Elle backed up so she no longer stood in their way. “Be careful.”
“That goes for both of you.” Gabrielle stood with Elle, her hand straying to caress Puss.
Angelique scrambled onto Pegasus’ back, settling into the saddle with the ease that comes from long practice. “You both be safe, as well.”
Quinn climbed into her saddle and patted Fluffy’s neck, then smiled at their traveling companions. “And do your best to stay warm.”
“Yes,” Angelique shivered. She still wasn’t wearing her dress—and wouldn’t as long as they were in Mullberg. She wanted to avoid any Conclave mages, and her dress had practically become a brand for her.
The charms in my dress must be excessively well made—I’ve got two heat charms, and I still don’t feel as warm.
Angelique tugged her charmed mittens on tighter, then picked up Pegasus’ reins—though she held them so loosely, they were more ornamental than anything else. Pegasus would go where he pleased. “Thank you, again.” She met first Elle’s gaze, then Gabrielle’s, and ended with Puss. “From the bottom of my heart. Until next we meet.”
Pegasus turned in a tight circle, then immediately shifted to a trot. The clattering of his hooves was almost deafening in the protected courtyard, and Fluffy’s strangely cleft hooves only added to the cacophony.
“Goodbye!” Gabrielle shouted.
“Good riddance,” Puss said.
“I’ll come find you again!” Elle promised.
The trio shouted some more, but their words were lost to the howl of the wind when Angelique, Quinn, and their mounts left the relatively protective huddle of the manor, following a shoveled path that led out to the dirt road.
They joined the road, following it north.
Angelique flexed her fingers in her warm mittens, and Pegasus—sassy from his weeks spent at his home in the night sky—pranced along the road and trumpeted loud enough to echo across the snow-covered land for miles.
She patted him once he impatiently slowed back to a trot, snorting at Fluffy as the somewhat terrifying animal quietly trotted along.
We’ll ride north, into Verglas, and then east into Mullberg.
The more direct roads traveled from east Loire, through a tiny bit of Arcainia, and then cut north into Mullberg. Those roads were the most traveled, as they were used by most mages leaving the Veneno Conclave and heading out on assignments.
But Angelique wanted to avoid Veneno Conclave mages and attention in general.
A painfully bright emotion stirred in her chest. Not just hope—it was something lighter than that—but something dangerously akin to it.
She’d found information on Evariste; her friends had helped her, and even now she wasn’t alone.
For the first time in a long time, Angelique felt happiness.
“Fluffy is warmed up,” Quinn called above the howling wind. “Are you ready to pick up our pace?”
Angelique planted her rear more firmly in the saddle and laughed as Pegasus tossed his head. “Am I ever!”
Chapter 14
Angelique tested the lid of a wooden crate. Finding it loose, she pried it off and peered inside. “Oh. Just two books on black magic, a scroll in what I think might be elvish, a pair of spelled boots and…a paperweight. Quite the assortment.” Angelique replaced the lid, then set her gaze on a barrel, which had been packed so sloppily, the lid rested on the floor in front of it.
The barrel was stuffed with straw, which made her sneeze as she pawed her way down to the bottom, unearthing a very large porcelain pot. “This doesn’t even have any magic in it. I suspect it’s illegally obtained artwork.”
Angelique continued down the line, inspecting the illegal/stolen goods with a lot less shock than she used to, given how commonplace it had become for her.
She stopped at a small chest that was knocked on its side.
“Really. This is the sloppiest hold-out we’ve found yet. We’re in the docks, and they keep all of these illegal goods heaped around all casual-like? Mullberg needs more shipping restrictions if they can operate