Trial of Magic (The Fairy Tale Enchantress #4) - K. M. Shea Page 0,32

one more rogue mage or curse!” Angelique planted herself, every muscle in her body tensed as she shook her head. “It is time for someone else to take the burden. I cannot.”

Themerysaldi threw an arm wide. “There is no one else! The Veneno Conclave cannot—or will not—aid any of the countries. Yes, you have faced horrible injustices and difficulties—and not through any fault of your own but rather through the failing of the Veneno Conclave! But you have the power to save us. Will you abandon us when we need you?”

There was enough truth in his words to make Angelique paused and rub her eyes as she thought.

Is it really so hopeless that if I refuse to use my magic, the elves will be lost? I assume I am the easiest source of help at the moment, but it can’t truly be that bad. The elves are freed! Even without their warriors among their number, they are still a powerful people.

Themerysaldi—proving he never knew when to keep his mouth shut—continued. “Do you think Evariste would approve of this? Of refusing to help us?”

He dared to speak so sanctimoniously to her? When it was obvious he wasn’t inclined to help her search for his dear friend in the future?

Angelique’s core magic bubbled to the surface, and she barely kept it in check as she let all of the hostility she was feeling for the capricious Elf King show in her eyes. “Evariste isn’t here,” she growled. “And though everyone is oh-so-eager to receive help from me, no one has helped me search for him.”

Themerysaldi did a fair job of appearing contrite. “Angelique, we were trapped in our own woods. When this is over, we will gladly—” he tried to begin with the empty promises.

“No, no, no,” Angelique’s hands twitched as she had to push her magic down, even though its coldness would have maybe made this whole ordeal hurt a lot less. “Let’s not bother to pretend you will actually help me if we all do indeed survive. The moment this is over, you are going to set out, intent on rescuing your precious generals and warriors.”

Emerys had nothing to say in return, only proving Angelique’s point.

In her cynicism, Angelique turned her back on the dratted elf. “No, instead it will again be up to me to comb the continent. Zancara, Verglas, Kozlovka, Arcainia, Farset, Sole, Erlauf, Ringsted, Torrens, Loire, and Baris. I’ve been everywhere, and yet I can’t uncover even a hint of where he is being held!”

A moment passed in desolate silence.

“What of Mullberg?” Quinn asked.

Angelique straightened—she had forgotten the soldier was present. “What of it?”

Another few moments passed before Quinn spoke again. “Have you searched Mullberg?”

Angelique was so surprised Quinn was actually addressing the issue of searching for Evariste rather than the need to wipe out the goblins, she almost spun around to gawk at the woman. However, her magic was still sputtering deep inside her, and she wasn’t entirely sure the illusion that colored her eyes and covered up their eerie shade of silver was working. Quinn was the last person on the continent that Angelique wanted to show the shadowy undertones of her magic to. So she settled for shifting to stare at a nearby building.

“No. I haven’t bothered,” she said. “The Veneno Conclave is located in Mullberg. No rogue mage with two intelligent thoughts in his mind would hold Master Evariste captive there. The Conclave would sense it.”

“Are you certain?” Quinn’s voice was reluctant but calm. “The Conclave has maintained the position that it is unable to aid any countries. I would think that would include Mullberg, or there would be an outcry.”

The thought surprised Angelique so much that she was only capable of blinking like an idiot.

She couldn’t be right, could she? It’s the Veneno Conclave! But they were so inept as to let Carabosso escape, and they haven’t moved on much beyond that.

“Also,” Quinn awkwardly cleared her throat. “Based on the way the Conclave has failed to stop the Chosen and the rogue magic users that you have faced off with, can you confidently say they would really go so far as to search Mullberg for him?”

Angelique frowned hard.

She has an unfortunate point. I assumed…but I also assumed eventually I’d get more help from the Conclave in this fight against the Chosen, and that hasn’t been true at all either.

Quinn picked her way around Themerysaldi and stood in front of Angelique, her eyes shining with the loyalty and honor that had probably been