Trial of Magic (The Fairy Tale Enchantress #4) - K. M. Shea Page 0,242

years until the Council said something…

Evariste glanced at Pegasus, but as the constellation didn’t seem any grouchier than usual, he figured Angelique must have just bucked heads with Finnr—hardly a surprise given the Grandmaster mage’s stone-like temperament.

I’ll get her side of the story first.

Evariste scanned the camp, his eyes lingering on a campfire of pink flames where Clovicus was lecturing several Luxi-Domus students who gazed at him with rapt attention. “I still love every noise, touch, and sensation I encounter, but it can be…overwhelming,” Evariste admitted.

“I’m sorry,” Sybilla wiped at her eyes. “So sorry, Evariste.”

“My capture was not your fault,” Evariste said.

“No, but we failed to find you,” Sybilla said.

“Or failed to believe you were still alive.” Finnr briefly shut his eyes. “I’m sorry, Evariste.”

Evariste shrugged. “Given what we’ve learned about the Conclave, it’s not surprising no one was able to locate me. I imagine Angelique found me only because she ignored them all.”

“True, but to think we allowed ourselves to be so manipulated…” Finnr trailed off and shook his head.

“I was the same,” Sybilla added with a sigh. “I tried to track you down by finding and capturing black mages, but in hindsight, I can see I focused on targets that were too small and insignificant to know about you.”

“I’m free, now. That’s all that matters,” Evariste said.

His eyes strayed to Angelique—as they always seemed to since he’d gotten out. It was only Finnr’s and Sybilla’s presence that kept him from skulking over to her. She was still snarling at the instructors (who at least now had the decency to appear sheepish).

As long as I can see her, it’s enough.

“Say, Sybilla, Angelique mentioned she grew closer to you during my…absence,” Evariste said. “What do you think of her?”

Sybilla shrewdly eyed him. “Clovicus told me you fancy her, so I’ll do you a kindness and tell you if you confess to her, with the emotional state she’s in now and her well-advertised disdain for romance, I’m fairly certain she’ll sock you in the nose.”

She meant for it to be a joke; he could see the humor playing in her eyes.

But for Evariste, given the seal on him, it was a cruel reminder that freeing himself would jeopardize his relationship with Angelique…who’d come to mean more to him than he’d ever dreamed.

Evariste tried to cover his pain with a short laugh. “She’s that against romance, is she?”

“She’s not against it, but I believe she finds it inappropriate in these times.” Sybilla winked. “No need to give up hope, though. Once we root out the Chosen and secure the continent, I imagine she’ll be open to it. And you mean more to her than I think either of you suspect.”

Evariste tried to laugh. “How encouraging.”

Finnr looked pained as he rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. “What are the particulars of the curse that separates you from your magic?” he finally asked.

Evariste hesitated, but with Sybilla’s answer hanging like a cloud over his head, he wasn’t too eager to explain it. “It’s an old spell,” he evasively answered. “Clovicus and I plan to go over it in detail before Angelique and I leave for Loire.”

“Good,” Sybilla said. “If anyone can figure out a workaround for a spell, it will be Clovicus.”

“I hope so.” Evariste watched Angelique, who finally smiled when a teacher timidly asked her a question, making her beauty blinding. “I really hope so.”

“How could you reveal yourself?” Liliane’s voice was harsh and taut. “You were meant to stay at the Veneno Conclave until we made our move. This is far too early—we still have preparations to make!”

Liliane grabbed the painting she’d completed not an hour ago—just before the massive influx of Chosen mages fled the Veneno Conclave and converged upon their base. She chucked the artwork at Galendra, who sniveled when it smacked her shoulder.

All of Acri’s instincts told him to run—Liliane only sounded this enraged when she was on the verge of violence, and while her core magic was not innately one of pain, she was still very talented at inflicting it.

But her anger wasn’t directed at him. As long as he didn’t stir from his spot on the shadowy wall, he wouldn’t attract her attention—or fury.

“It wasn’t our fault!” Tears dripped down Galendra’s cheeks as her face scrunched in her misery. “Angelique attacked us!”

“Yes.” Liliane stalked across the cave chamber like a lion, her eyes set on the whimpering enchantress. “One half-trained apprentice against four of the Chosen’s best. I can see how that