“It may very well be that after Snow White witnesses the darkness of this black mage herself, she won’t at all question your actions,” Severin pointed out.
Angelique drew her knees closer to her chest. “Probably,” she slowly agreed.
From what I’ve seen of Snow White—her kindness, keen observations, and sharp intelligence, it’s improbable she’d react any other way. But in the past, there have been so many angry with me…
Angelique frowned and sat up straighter. But those were all mages—magic users. Snow White is my friend.
“Regardless, it’d probably be wise to specifically reach out to Snow White. After all of this, I imagine she’ll be very keen to join the alliance,” Angelique said.
“What are you doing, Angel?”
Angelique choked on air when she saw Aldelbert peering through one of the wretchedly open windows (how could the warriors care about the smell of garlic and onions when their loft reeked)?
The blonde-haired lord craned his neck so he could fit more of his skull inside. “Oh—you’re talking to a mirror. I do that, too. It’s another way to practice affirmations of my greatness outside my Glory-Intensifying-Stretches!”
Angelique stared at Aldelbert, speechless at his stupidity.
“As important as mirrors are, I have been sent to summon you. Fritz is about to leave.” Aldelbert yanked his head out of the window. “Oi, Fritz! Are you heading in to say your temporary farewells to Angel?”
Angelique scrambled to her feet. “Thanks for the advice, Severin—and for the envoy. I’ll contact you later.”
“Understood.”
Angelique cut the spell off and shoved the hand mirror in her satchel before Severin’s reflection faded away.
She was halfway to the door when it swung open, and Fritz stepped inside.
“Fritz—Aldelbert just told me you are about to leave. Have you rethought my offer to give you a bulb of garlic to use in case you find yourself in need of healing on your journey?” Angelique winked.
Fritz shut the door behind himself and leaned against it. “Please watch Snow White.”
Angelique paused—a part of her knew his request boded poorly for her disguise, but that quiet Fritz was concerned enough to specifically ask her was worrisome.
“Do you expect there will be an attack while you are gone?” Angelique asked.
Fritz shook his head. “I don’t have any suspicions, just…a feeling.” He rested the back of his head against the door. “Whoever is controlling Queen Faina is after Snow White—whether it’s because they want complete control of Mullberg or for some other reason. They’ve increased the power put into each new attack on her. The next one…may be more than we warriors can handle.”
What he didn’t say was that he thought Angel—the supposed herb wizard’s apprentice—was plenty powerful to help, but the implication was there.
On a less grim occasion, Angelique would have had some witty remark about never hearing Fritz string so many sentences together before to serve as a distraction. But Fritz had stayed silent on whatever he thought about her abilities and hadn’t revealed her to the other warriors.
“I’ll stay with her,” Angelique said. “And when you come back, we’ll go free Queen Faina.”
Fritz bowed his head. “Thank you.” He turned to go.
“Fritz?”
The forester peered back at her, his hand resting on the door.
“The Veneno Conclave…” Angelique hesitated.
How do I warn him without sounding jaded?
She played with her satchel’s shoulder strap. “They’ve been reluctant to involve themselves with any of the countries. It may be that they will be slow to help Mullberg as well.”
“I will return before waiting for an official answer from them,” Fritz said. “It seems it would be better not to count on a swift response.”
“That’d be for the best, yes.” Angelique smiled and tried to wink, but it fell flat.
Fritz nodded, then pulled the door open and ducked outside. Angelique followed after him and nearly ran Snow White down in doing so.
The princess smiled at Angelique. “Did you find a vegetable to eat like you said you were going to? I asked Marzell if I could send Oswald or Rupert to the market in Hurra to buy more provisions; he said we could tomorrow morning.”
Angelique scratched her head. “It’s not a bad idea…” She hesitated, then glanced at Fritz’s straight back before swinging her gaze back to the princess. “Snow White?”
“Yes?”
“Things may change when I finally find my master.”
Snow White tilted her head. “In what way?”
Angelique shrugged. “I haven’t told you much about him. Or me.”
Snow White set her hand on Angelique’s arm. “Knowing your past isn’t the same as knowing you. You’ve shown who you are again and again in your willingness to help and your sacrifice for others. Words don’t make a person, actions do. And you are a truly beautiful person.”
Angelique puffed her cheeks up and exhaled. “Sometimes I don’t think I deserve to have you as a friend.”
“Nonsense.” Snow White guided her away from the cottage. “But I do appreciate your affection.”
“When we find the mage that did all of this to Queen Faina, I promise I’ll strangle them with poison ivy,” Angelique said.
A shy smile played on Snow White’s lips. “That sounds like a marvelous idea.”
“Snow White—you are just as spirited as I am! I knew it! When are you going to stop smiling shyly at Fritz and actually kiss the man?”
“Angel!”
“You are certain you can manage?” Marzell resembled an anxious nursemaid as he leaned on his longbow and flicked his eyes back and forth between Angelique and Snow White.
Angelique pointed at him with an unknown herb. “Didn’t you say you’ll be within shouting distance? We’ll be fine!”
“One of us could stay behind,” Marzell offered.
Behind him, Oswald and Rupert started a shoving match—Angelique was starting to think their constant arguing was a compulsion at this point—and Gregori yawned widely.
Aldelbert launched himself into the treeline. “Onward! To seek the defenses of our castle!”
“My Lord, you’ve forgotten your spear,” Wendal called as he trotted after him.
Marzell squinted at his friends and fellow warriors. “Or maybe I should stay behind.”
“It’s fine,” Snow White said. “You went through the trouble of setting the traps in case another magic attack was sent. You ought to check them and see if any were set off. As long as you remain within shouting distance—as you promised—we really will be fine.”
Marzell pressed his lips together.
“Angel will be with me,” Snow White added.
Oswald—jamming his shoulder into Rupert’s—snorted. “That’s hardly reassuring! What will she do if something attacks? Throw a clove of garlic at it?”
Angelique studied her nails. “No, my best garlic attack involves forcing a peeled clove up my target’s nose. Want to give it a try?”