Regardless, he must have noticed anyway. Evariste pulled his hand from hers so he could rest his arm on top of her shoulders. “We should go in.”
“It’s fine,” Angelique said. “I imagine you crave the outdoors.”
“I crave any different sensation at this point,” Evariste said. “Going indoors won’t be a trial.”
“I see.” Angelique tried not to eyeball him.
She hadn’t seen him in so long. She’d thought she hadn’t forgotten him, but there were things about him she hadn’t noticed before—the way he set his jaw, how even if he was standing still, he sometimes moved his fingers.
There is danger here…
“Regardless of how the mirror kept you, we should get you some food,” Angelique abruptly decided.
“I do recall the princess saying there would be a celebration this evening.”
Angelique squinted suspiciously at him. “Do you really want to go to a noisy celebration already?”
“If we go, will you still feel the need to carry around a clutch of weapons?” Evariste asked.
Angelique glanced at her wooden bucket of pointy things. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You deserve to rest.” He gently brushed his thumb across her cheekbone, his fingers soft and caressing. “I can see how the years have worn on you. If we are surrounded by soldiers and the princess’s guards, will you still feel the need to be so vigilant? Or will you relax?”
Angelique tipped her head as she thought. I don’t know that I’ll be able to relax again until I know the Chosen are out of Mullberg. But I trust the warriors. If there was a fight, they’d do everything in their power to stop it. She snuck a glance at Evariste and flattened her lips. Still. A moment of partial rest is not worth subjecting him to so many sensations when he just saw his first sunset in years.
Evariste seemed to be able to sense her refusal. “Am I acting in a way that makes you think I can’t handle it? I haven’t gone running or screaming at the sight of sunlight or the sound of your friends’ music, have I?”
“No,” Angelique reluctantly said.
“It will be fine,” Evariste said. “In fact, I look forward to seeing so many people.”
Angelique wasn’t convinced, but she heard footfalls pick through the shredded sitting room.
“Angel?” Snow White stuck her head through the ajar doors, a smile blooming on her face when she spotted them. “Here you are!” She stepped outside—leaving her many guards behind in the half-destroyed sitting room.
Angelique smiled at her friend. “Hello, Snow White. Do you have everything in hand already?”
“Not even a little.” Snow White sighed. “But Stepmother is safe—which is all I wanted. The celebration is going to begin soon, but I thought first you might wish to…” Snow White squirmed and trailed off as she glanced at Evariste.
“Yes?” Angelique prodded.
“That is…w-would you like to clean up?” Snow White asked. “I’ve had some of the servants draw you some hot water in two basins and set out fresh linens.”
For a moment, Angelique thought longingly of a bath, but no. She wasn’t going to do anything that would take her away from Evariste for more than a couple moments.
So she smiled, charmed by Snow White’s thoughtful gesture. “A quick freshening up sounds lovely. Thank you, Snow White.”
Snow White’s smile grew stronger. “Of course! If you follow me, I can lead you back to my stepmother’s quarters—where the water is.”
Angelique followed after Snow White, glancing back to make sure Evariste was coming.
She was surprised to find he was directly behind her—so close her cloak almost brushed his chest. She offered him a tentative smile—which grew stronger when he returned it.
We’ll be all right. We’ll figure out what caused my magic to stay with him and break off this spell that is sealing his magic. Then the Chosen had best fear the monster they’ve awoken!
Evariste smiled over his wine glass—which was filled with water as the thoughtful princess had swiftly noticed he hadn’t touched the original wine that had filled his cup beyond the first sip that made his stomach twist.
Around him, soldiers toasted one another in a raucous wave of laughter and merriment. The seven men who had aided Snow White in her quest to free her stepmother—Angelique had introduced him to each one of them, but he couldn’t really tell them apart in the overwhelming swirl of new faces that filled the room—laughed, sang, and in a few cases, danced on the tables.
Evariste wanted to be happy with them. He was happy. But it was deafening compared to the whispering silence of the mirror, and the torches scattered around the room were so bright, the light nearly made his eyes ache.
He hadn’t done more than pick at the delectable smelling feast as even tasting food had made his stomach cramp from the nearly forgotten sensation.
As uncomfortable as it was, he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I welcome the headaches, the sickness—all of it. It means I’m out and alive. I’m free.
He briefly closed his eyes, a smile pulling on his lips.
This isn’t a dream. Angelique yanked me out of the mirror, and it feels like I’ve come back to life. I’m out.
The thought was a constant beat in the back of his mind while the steady thrum of Angelique’s powers skulked around the wellspring of his magic.
He’d thought the magic would disappear once he got out of the mirror—or maybe leave when he saw Angelique again.
Instead, it seemed to be offended by the spell that walled off his magic and constantly tested it.
I’m being ridiculous. How can magic be offended?
Regardless, it was undeniable that the presence of her magic was…unusual. As was the time she’d successfully pulled his mind out of the nightmare spell Liliane had cast on him and plopped him down in her personal dream.
Angelique has obviously figured out I wasn’t a figment of her dreams. She readily enough let me leave the topic, but we’ll have to discuss it when we talk with Clovicus about whatever connection there is between us.
The thought made his chest dully ache.
She’d seemed confused about the dreams, and embarrassed.
I suppose it’s better than anger. But there’s no possible way for me to explain that I nearly kissed her for a reason she would find permissible.
Evariste rubbed his thumb on his goblet—the beveling done to the cup was a crisp sensation on his touch-starved finger tips. Regardless, it will have to wait. There are more important things to address first, and I don’t have the right to thrust my feelings upon Angelique after everything she’s done—even if doing so would break this spell.
Instead, I should think of what to tell Clovicus.
In addition to updating Clovicus, he was hoping his previous mentor might discover a work-around for the spell that blocked his magic, but it was a wane, feeble hope that he didn’t put much stock in.
Any hope is worth pursuing when it comes to that spell. I want to exhaust all other possibilities before facing the one Liliane gave me—acting on my darkest desire to declare my love to Angelique. I’m finally back with her. I don’t want to do anything that would scare her off.