Trial of Magic (The Fairy Tale Enchantress #4) - K. M. Shea Page 0,34

as the trees thinned and became less glorious the closer they got to the human-owned part of the forest.

Although Pegasus thundered on at a speed that whipped Angelique’s hair in the wind and made each breath feel like she was inhaling ice, the heat charm of her dress kept her from feeling the frigid cold as snow continued to fall, soft and white.

Pegasus and Themerysaldi’s mount angled their paths, and when they hit the border, they galloped parallel to it, skimming across the border where it was easier to gallop than in the thicker elven woods.

When they were only minutes from Jasper Circle, flickers of fire danced in the forest.

Goblins scurried through the human woods like insects, covering every surface. They boldly scrambled across the border, cackling and screaming as they shot crude arrows at Pegasus and Themerysaldi’s mount.

The shots went wide, of course—they were going too fast for anything as stupid as a goblin to get an accurate shot—but Angelique felt her heart sink into her gut as she huddled close to Pegasus and stared at the seemingly endless mass of goblins.

This wasn’t a raid—or the paltry war band Angelique had been picturing.

This was a horde.

She saw flashes of green and gray skin, tall goblins, and goblins with huge bulging eyes.

There are cave goblins, forest goblins, and mountain goblins here. How is that possible? They never fight together! And where have they been? I’ve been roaming these woods for weeks, and I saw no sign that this many goblins had amassed!

Pegasus lurched away from the border, taking a worn path that was relatively clear of low hanging branches and encroaching bushes.

Within moments, they reached Jasper Circle.

The circle was created by a grove of the elves’ famed white trees that leaned to the side to create arches. At the center of the circle—on a slight incline—were four enormous statues of the four humans the elves had come to respect most in their history of the continent.

The elf forces gathered next to the shrine, taking up their positions in organized groups as they readied their weapons.

The elves looked better than they had earlier in the day. But they still wore the finery—silk robes, elegant circlets and jeweled necklaces—they’d donned for the party. None of that was going to offer them much protection from the goblins.

What made Angelique uneasy, however, was the lack of magic.

Although she wasn’t good at sensing individual powers, Angelique had always been able to tell that—as a people—elves brimmed with magic. Now, standing next to an army of them—she only felt the faintest flickers.

Themerysaldi wasn’t exaggerating the direness of this situation after all, Angelique guiltily thought.

She was starting to regret Jasper Circle’s close proximity to the border. Pegasus was fast, but he was much slower than usual when running through a forest. Given how short of a distance they were from the border, it was likely the goblins would be on them within minutes.

Angelique slipped off Pegasus’ back and patted his neck. “As you heard, there’s going to be a fight. You had better return to the sky if you don’t want to get involved.”

Pegasus pushed his muzzle against her temple with more force than was necessary and trotted off, moving to stand behind the elven troops—who gave him a wide berth even in the hustle of their preparations.

Angelique studied the elves and wondered where she should begin when she felt the faint beckon of magic. It tugged her through one of the white arches of Jasper circle and led her up to the four statues.

They were larger than life with each standing approximately ten feet tall.

Angelique was drawn to the one statue she knew most about—the one dedicated to Princess Rakel of Verglas, affectionally called the Snow Queen by most of the continent, and revered by magic users as the first enchantress.

The Snow Queen’s statue depicted her in a thick dress etched with snowflakes and a fur collar that had been so painstakingly carved, it looked real. The artist had sculpted the Snow Queen’s hair into an elaborate braid, and the expression on her face was a quiet and serene smile.

Given how long-lived elves were, the statue was the best record of what Princess Rakel actually looked like because there was a good chance her sculptor had been alive when she walked Verglas hundreds of years ago.

As an apprentice, Angelique had always liked visiting the circle—the Snow Queen appeared so serene and kind, and she made Angelique proud to have magic.

But now, as Angelique brushed the statue’s