accomplish it.”
Thinking over her past conversations with Quinn, Angelique trudged ahead. “You’ve said something similar before: that as a soldier, you may have to shed blood to protect innocents.”
“It’s the truth,” Quinn said. “It’s why I’m willing to face down bandits who steal from our most vulnerable on roads. It’s why I went troll hunting and wraith hunting when Farset was being plagued. And it’s why I fought my own squad—my closest companions—to protect the elves.”
And that’s why you broke the elves’ curse.
Angelique mashed her lips together as she thought. I told the Veneno Conclave I didn’t care what they thought anymore because I wasn’t going to answer their summons and waste time. But I never really adopted that attitude fully…I think I was terrified I’d be wholly alone against the Chosen.
Angelique glanced at Quinn, who was peering across the sweeping plains.
But I’m not alone anymore.
“You know,” Quinn said, her voice serious. “I think I might have found the fatal flaw in our plan: we are looking for black animals in the middle of the night.”
Angelique blinked at the unexpected observation.
“I thought we’d be able to find them because they’d stick out on the snow,” Quinn continued. “But I don’t see anything besides snow.”
“That’s easily solved.” Angelique whistled sharply. “Pegasus!”
A thunder clap rolled across the land, and the ground shook as Pegasus streaked towards them, coming from a far-off hill that probably would have taken an hour for them to hike out to.
Quinn clapped in admiration. “I’m still very impressed you can summon Pegasus with a whistle—like a dog.”
“It only works when he’s already on the continent. When he’s in the sky I have a little phrase I have to say. Why?”
“Emerys told me a little about him before we left. The fact that a constellation dotes on you so much is probably the greatest boast you could ever parade before anyone.”
Angelique awkwardly scratched the back of her neck. “I try not to think of it too much, to be honest. It makes my head hurt.”
“Understandably. Ahh—I see a dark shape behind Pegasus. It appears Fluffy heard your summons and chose to come with him.”
“Great.” Angelique ruffled her cloak and locked her knees so she’d stand her ground as Pegasus thundered closer and closer with no signs of slowing down. “Since our mounts can see better in the dark than we can, we should be able to get some good traveling done tonight.”
Angelique squeezed one eye shut and braced herself as Pegasus was nearly on her.
About two horse lengths away from her, he abruptly locked his knees and dug his hooves into the ground. He skidded the remaining distance, his hooves digging deep trenches in the icy ground, which hissed and steamed from the heat his hooves produced.
He stopped just when he was close enough to bump his muzzle into Angelique’s chest. He inhaled deeply, then snorted sparks that glowed in the night air.
Angelique had to snuff out a spark that settled on a fold of her cloak and seemed to contemplate turning into an actual flame, then she threw her arms around Pegasus. “I’m happy to see you, too!”
Pegasus tried to shake her off, but she stubbornly clung to him, greedily sucking up the warmth he shed.
Eyeing his bare back, Angelique shimmied up his shoulder—climbing him like a wall. “I’m so glad you didn’t put a saddle on—your warmth is all mine.” Angelique greedily draped her cloak around her and leaned over Pegasus’ neck. “I’d forgotten just how terrible the cold is.”
Quinn laughed as she patted Fluffy—who was saddled and had Angelique’s magical satchel secured to his back. “We’ve used our heat charms so much, I suspect the spell may need renewing.” She swung up onto Fluffy’s back, then turned him so his nose pointed west. “Shall we?”
Angelique grudgingly sat up enough to ride without risk of slipping over Pegasus’ shoulder. “Yes.”
The mounts settled into a swift trot that wasn’t fast enough to make it freezing, but would still cover a good amount of distance even if they only rode for an hour or two.
As it was, they pressed on through the night, their unnatural stamina carrying them on as the eastern horizon behind them turned pale gold and the sun considered rising.
Angelique peered up at the sky, her breath turning into a cloudy mist that shone gold in the morning light.
We’re getting closer to finding Evariste. I know it. If I were any less jaded, maybe I’d even think about everything we have to talk about when we