When he hit the ground with a crackle that rattled Glitzern Palace (and perhaps scorched the courtyard’s stone a little), his wings exploded into thousands of black feathers.
Angelique got a face full of them. They were softer than silk, but one of them tickled her nostrils and incited a sneezing fit that didn’t pass until the feathers defied the laws of nature and floated up into the sky.
Pegasus trumpeted at an ear-ringing volume that shook the ground.
Relieved—and knocked off balance—Angelique toddled a few steps, then collapsed to her knees. “Thank goodness, you’re okay. Oof!” She was almost knocked face-first into the cobblestone when Pegasus smacked his head into her back and scratched his forehead on her shoulder blade.
“Yes, I’m happy to finally see you again, too.” Angelique batted him away and then struggled to her feet. She had just enough time to fluff her skirts before Pegasus grabbed her by the neckline of her dress and tugged.
Given that a tug from the constellation was approximately equal to the strength of a grown man pulling with all his strength, she was nearly hauled off her feet.
“Pegasus, stop,” she said in exasperation.
Pegasus snorted in her face, filling her nose with the ticklish scent of ash and fire.
“He seems in good health,” Evariste said.
Angelique froze and peered in Evariste’s direction.
Pegasus and Evariste had an agreement—Angelique had never been privy to the terms—that allowed Evariste to summon the constellation when he needed a ride. The rides had been fairly infrequent, given Evariste’s core magic, and Evariste had always warned Angelique that Pegasus was to be respected and somewhat feared.
Angelique had only summoned Pegasus out of desperation when Puss had gotten badly hurt, and she needed fast transportation. It had shocked her when Pegasus opted to stay with her and let her ride him as much as she wished.
As they’d gotten closer—she slept and drooled on him before he’d gotten his penchant for being brushed—Angelique had just…forgotten that the starry steed wasn’t actually her companion.
Evariste didn’t seem to mind. The worry was gone from his brow, replaced by a curious tilt to his head.
Pegasus turned toward the enchanter, then moved in his direction—the blue flames that engulfed his hooves growing larger.
Pegasus circled around Evariste, then thrust his muzzle close to Evariste’s head and inhaled deeply.
Evariste bowed to Pegasus. “It is good to see you again.”
Pegasus flicked his tail, then twitched his head down in an almost bow. He held his head in the lowered position for a moment, then struck his front right hoof on the ground, shedding sparks while he once more trumpeted—this time in a more musical tone.
“I think he’s welcoming you back,” Angelique said.
Pegasus snorted.
Evariste smiled. “He appears to be in high spirits.”
Pegasus nodded his head again, then grabbed for Angelique’s hair—his teeth making a clicking noise as he snapped them.
“Perhaps he’s in too high of spirits.” Angelique yanked her hair from his teeth and fled across the courtyard, but he followed after her, wiping his muzzle and starry spit off on her skirts. “Pegasus, ew!”
“It seems Pegasus has decided you are his…I’d say rider, but that doesn’t properly allude to the dynamic given that he is far more powerful than you or I. Pet, perhaps?”
“Maid is closer to the truth.” Angelique scowled at Pegasus, who bumped her with his hindquarters and almost sent her sprawling.
“You’ve been riding him a lot,” Evariste said. “It greatly infuriated Liliane—though I was surprised when I heard her complaining about it, given that Pegasus has an arrangement with me, but not you. Unless…did you make one with him?”
Angelique shook her head as Pegasus finally stopped bumping and spitting on her. “No. I told him what happened to you, and he…stayed with me.” She patted his neck, admiring the glowing stars that defined his muscles. “He’s saved me on more than one occasion.”
Pegasus sweetly pressed his muzzle to her left temple.
“When Emerys took Quinn and left for Farset, I knew I had to send him back to the sky for the sake of secrecy. It’s been a few weeks since I last saw him.” Angelique grinned as Pegasus peered down at her, his unfathomable eyes swirling. “That might account for some of his good mood. I imagine he’s celebrating that he gets to be brushed again.”
“I beg your pardon?” Evariste said.
“I said he’s probably celebrating that he gets to be brushed again,” Angelique said.
Evariste looked from her to Pegasus, then back to her. “What?”
“He likes getting brushed,” Angelique said. “I don’t know that it really does anything for him since he doesn’t have a coat.” She prodded his side for emphasis and felt warmth and muscle, but it didn’t have the same silken sensation as a regular horse would.
Evariste put a hand on his hip and stared at Pegasus. “It seems much has changed since my capture.”
“It’s perhaps a little odd that a constellation likes to be brushed,” Angelique said. “But surely it can’t be that shocking.”
“Angelique,” Evariste laughed. “Pegasus is far more—”
He was cut off when Pegasus slammed into Evariste. He would have knocked the enchanter over, except he clamped his teeth down on Evariste’s cloak and snapped him upright so Evariste only wobbled, then pitched into Pegasus’ side and bounced off.
“Pegasus!” Angelique strode across the courtyard, shaking a finger. “You’re acting rude!”
“No, he’s merely expressing his wishes.” Evariste righted himself, the coins sewn to his cloak clinking with his movements. “In a multitude of ways.”
“I don’t understand,” Angelique said.
Evariste grinned at her. “Which is just how he wants it.” He playfully tapped the tip of her nose. “We’d best mount up and leave—that is, if Pegasus deigns to carry me as well as you.”
“Of course, he will.” Angelique put her hands on her hips and frowned at the horse. “Won’t you, Pegasus?”
Pegasus elegantly lowered himself to the ground, an image of innocence as he tucked his head and let out a pleased sounding, bell-toll-like nicker.
Angelique hopped on first—dropping onto his back with a little more force than necessary since he’d been so rude to Evariste.
Evariste was slower to climb on—and he did so only after bowing to Pegasus again.
Angelique tried not to squirm when Evariste threaded his arms around her waist. “Will you be warm enough? Do you need a heat charm?”
“You gave me one yesterday—it’s still active,” Evariste said.
“Good. Very good.” Angelique braced herself as Pegasus rocked to a standing position with a graceful ease no normal horse could have had—particularly not with two grown adults on its back.
“We’ll have to stop to get something to eat in a few hours—so no pushing through, Pegasus.” Angelique gently pressed her knees into Pegasus’ sides.
Pegasus snorted.
Angelique smiled as Evariste leaned closer so his chest brushed her back. “To Loire?” he asked.