Obligingly, Pegasus dropped his muzzle into it and gently lipped her fingers.
His reassurance was the last bit Angelique needed to set aside her misery—and anger with Themerysaldi. “I will face the goblins. But I cannot promise to use my core magic,” she said.
She glanced from Quinn to Themerysaldi.
Both of them nodded—Themerysaldi didn’t even look mulish or displeased about her offer.
Pegasus lowered himself to the ground with the commanding elegance he always possessed, scattering snowflakes with a woosh of air.
Angelique slipped onto his back and shakily re-started her mental review of appropriate spells as the long-familiar movement of Pegasus rocking to his feet shifted her forward and backward.
“I’m sorry, Angelique,” Themerysaldi finally broke his silence as he carefully studied her. “I wouldn’t ask this of you if there was another way.”
Angelique ignored him—she still didn’t harbor friendly feelings for him at this moment—and leaned against Pegasus’ neck. “Where are we going?”
Themerysaldi returned to his mount, Quinn right behind him.
Quinn stepped into his cupped hands and sprang onto the magical mount’s back. “The elves are gathering at Jasper Circle.”
“Then let’s meet them there.” Angelique nudged Pegasus, who exploded with a burst of speed, the flames of his mane and tail dimly illuminating their path as they left Sideralis for the forest.
Evidently, Pegasus knew where Jasper Circle was. Without any direction, he looped around the outskirts of Sideralis and headed to the border of Alabaster Forest.
Themerysaldi and Quinn—riding the magical mount—caught up with them just 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 skirts with her finger tips, she wished the Snow Queen was still here—or that someone with her strength of character was.
Stil, Prince Severin, and several others had once told Angelique they thought she was the Snow Queen of their generation.
Standing at the base of this statue, Angelique felt their belief made a mockery of the Snow Queen and just how good and pure she had been.
“That’s the Snow Queen,” Themerysaldi called. Apparently he had decided to never miss an opportunity to annoy Angelique today. “The first enchantress of the continent.”
His observation broke the hold the faint magic of Jasper Circle had on Angelique. She yanked her hand back and flexed her fingers. “I know.”
Themerysaldi opened his mouth to say something more, but Quinn slipped off his mount. “Never mind that!” She angled her head to shout to the elves, “Incoming! They’re right behind us!”
Themerysaldi snapped on a serious expression as he shed his fancy over-robe so he could move freely in a tunic. He took a sword from one of his men. “To your posts!” he roared.
He marched up and down the lines the elves had formed, murmuring to his people and giving orders. Quinn followed in his trail, leaving Angelique alone.