Trial of Magic (The Fairy Tale Enchantress #4) - K. M. Shea Page 0,82

remove the two rapiers hanging above the fireplace while organizing the push pins into orderly columns and rows,” Puss ordered. His white fur shone in the flickering light of the banquet hall’s massive fireplace and the candlelight sconces fastened to the wall.

Sweat trickled down Angelique’s temples as she used her magic to lasso the flashy rapiers while re-organizing the push pins—which had tiny gobs of gray, white, and black wax stuck to their tops to differentiate them. “Why can’t I just grab all the weapons in the room in one go?” she grumbled. “Adding them in like this is hard.”

“It’s hard because it’s making you split your concentration, which is what we’re working on!” Puss picked his way across the rectangular banquet table that stretched the length of the room. “There will be times when you’ll need to add to your arsenal—whether it’s because more foes with more weapons appear, or because after starting with a smaller amount of power to limit the possibility of hitting your price, you discover more force is necessary. Now, take one dagger off Quinn’s belt.”

Angelique made a choking noise.

Quinn absentmindedly held her left arm up—giving Angelique easier access to her belt—as she scribbled notes on a piece of parchment Elle had procured for her.

“What if I accidentally hurt her?” Angelique asked.

“You won’t.” Quinn diligently scribbled away, not looking up. “You’d never hurt me.”

Angelique pressed her lips together.

“There’s going to be a war, Angelique. There might come a time when you need to take an ally’s weapon to use or give them one instead. If you practice it now, it will make you that much more of a force to be reckoned with when the fighting begins,” Puss said.

He’s right—though I can’t let him know that. He’ll be insufferable all day.

Incentivized, Angelique reached for her core magic—which seemed to resist for a moment, possibly a result of the practice session passing the hour mark. While she had plenty of power, she’d come to learn she severely lacked stamina.

Irritated, she tugged harder, and was immediately swarmed with the ocean of her powers. It filled her senses so completely, she could feel every weapon in the Count’s country estate, from the ones clutched by the guards, to sharpened axes all the way out in the barns.

Stung by the myriad of sensations that came with her magic touching so many points, Angelique abruptly dropped her magic.

The pins fell to the ground, the rapiers joining them with a clatter. And then Angelique’s stomach flopped unpleasantly. Nausea slammed into her, and Angelique gagged as she dropped to her knees, clutching her belly.

“See? That’s why we’re practicing this.” Puss’s words were muffled as he’d picked up a small cotton pouch in his mouth and dragged it across the table. He hopped to the ground and dropped the pouch by Angelique’s knees. “Have a candy.”

Angelique uncurled long enough to pull a hard candy out of the bag—this one was peppermint flavored. Quinn—who’d bought the little bag—had gotten her a mixture of ginger drops and peppermint candies.

While neither banished the sick feeling in her gut, they did take the edge off. After a minute, Angelique was able to stand again.

“I think it’s safe to talk. I just finished checking the premises, and we’re alone, and Puss and Angelique already confirmed there are no spells present.” Gabrielle strode across the banquet hall, looking just as beautiful in her leather doublet and breeches as she had in the fancy dress she’d worn for her disguise. She smiled at Angelique, then raised her face to the ceiling and called in a louder voice. “Unless you’ve found something, Elle?”

“Nope!” Elle’s cheerful reply came from the wooden beams that supported the high ceiling. “We’re free to speak.” She daringly jumped from a rafter, landing on the banquet table into a crouch.

It’s a good thing Severin is unflappable, or surely he would have aged twenty years by now since marrying Elle.

“Before we begin our exchange of intelligence, I must express my wish for Angelique to continue some minor magic drills,” Puss said.

Quinn finally looked up from her notes, her forehead wrinkling with worry. “Are you so concerned about this war that you think she needs to use every moment to practice?”

“Not at all,” Puss said. “Rather, it is that I believe using her core magic must become second nature to her, so practicing its use—however minor—while holding a conversation with her companions is a wonderful opportunity that should not be missed.”

He’s not wrong, but do I really want the