“I’m not sure how long the journey will take for us, given our mounts.” Angelique was careful not to single out the cloth-consuming mount in fear that her dress would be next on the list of his meals. “And I expect we’ll run into some foul weather. I can reroute some of it, but I’m no weather mage.”
“I also expect the closer we get to the location, the less you should use your magic,” Quinn said, “given what you explained to me about others being able to sense magic.”
“Yes.” Angelique flexed her fingers in the warm, yarn mittens Stil had charmed for her and Quinn. “Normally it wouldn’t matter quite so much. Each mage’s magic has a personal touch or sensation to it, but there’re enough mages in the world that unless you’ve been exposed to a mage’s powers more than once, it would be difficult to pinpoint whose magic it is you’re sensing. But…”
“But because you’re the only mage—enchantress or otherwise—who has been running around the continent and blasting Chosen work to smithereens, it’s very likely the Chosen have a rough idea of how your magic feels and have warned one another,” Quinn supplied.
When Pegasus again tossed his head and glanced at the woods crouched on either side of the road, Angelique couldn’t help but look again—even though she saw no sign of what could draw his attention. “Yes,” she said once she realized she hadn’t answered Quinn.
“Then we’ll just have to take care that we don’t use your magic when infiltrating the Chosen location—if we can help it,” Quinn said.
Angelique squinted at her traveling companion. “You make it sound so easy.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No—it means I can’t use invisibility charms or defensive spells to protect us.”
Quinn shrugged. “I can’t say before meeting you I’d ever used any sort of magic or spell for my work as a soldier. We’ll manage. But I think we ought to pick up our pace to full speed for a while and then continue our conversation when Fluffy needs a break.”
Angelique was about to add her acceptance when a familiar, bright voice chimed in.
“Oh, I really wish you wouldn’t do that. It would take forever to catch up with you!”
Chapter 10
Angelique twisted in her saddle and peered behind them just in time to see Elle—riding a large, chestnut-colored pony with a coat so thick it rivaled Fluffy’s—emerge from the snow-covered trees.
Pegasus was not outraged or surprised as he pranced in a circle to face the stowaway princess—presumedly she was what he kept glancing back at. But he did seem offended when the pony nickered at him, and he flattened his ears to his skull.
“Princess Elle,” Quinn said. “Did we forget something at Chanceux?”
“Yes,” Elle said. “Me.”
“You’re not coming with us, Elle,” Angelique said.
“But I want to help—and my experience as a Ranger will be invaluable. Think about it—my job used to be sneaking into secret locations in disguises to secure guarded information. Isn’t that exactly what you’re going to do?” Elle fussed with her cloak—a light gray that blended in well with the shadows cast on the dusting of snow.
“That would be helpful.” Quinn rested one hand on her thigh and loosely held the reins of Fluffy’s bridle in the other as she glanced at Angelique. “I am trained in tracking, defense, and fighting. I have done a few occasional undercover operations, but I am a soldier, not an intelligencer. And we will lack the advantage of your magic, Angelique.”
Angelique narrowed her eyes. “You’d be in danger.”
“It’s only fair, given the number of times Severin and I have asked you to do something dangerous,” Elle said.
“Yes, but does Severin even know you intended to come with us?”
“He had an inkling.” Elle slyly smiled. “Before he left, he told me it was my choice—and then in the same breath, he added that I better make sure I butter up to you so you’ll let me check in with him over your newly bespelled mirror.”
Angelique grunted. From Severin, that’s as good as a personal blessing and send off party. But is this really fine?
“I am also quite skilled at helping black mages become unconscious,” Elle chattered on, oblivious to Angelique’s musings.
“That sounds like a very useful skill,” Quinn said.
“It is! It’s extremely multi-purpose.” Elle cast a mournful look at Angelique, making her green eyes big and puppy-like. “And naturally I’d love to use this opportunity to give back to the Lady Enchantress who saved my husband before I even met him, and who has near-single-handedly kept the continent together all on her own. We owe so much to her.”
Angelique raised an eyebrow. “I’ve put out fires. Severin is the one holding the continent together.”
“Severin is organizing the continent.” Elle nudged her pony forward so he casually strolled up to the spot between Fluffy and Pegasus. “You’ve kept it running. But it doesn’t matter—you’re my friend, and Severin’s. This is important to you, so I want to help. Can I come?”
Angelique bit her lip, warring between fragile joy and cold logic. A strange bubbly feeling tingled in her belly at the idea that she had friends, but Angelique forced herself to shove the sensation aside and concentrate.
I’m happy she wants to help, and I’ve heard on more than one occasion that she was one of Loire’s top rangers…but she’s a princess. It can’t be a good idea to put her in danger. “I’m contacting Severin by my mirror tonight, and if he has no idea what you’re talking about, I’m sending you back.”
“Excellent!” Elle clicked to her pony, who trotted down the frozen road, leaving Fluffy and Pegasus behind. “Then let’s be off!”
“This will extend our travel plans.” Quinn clucked to Fluffy, who jolted forward before transitioning to his effortlessly smooth walk. “It will possibly take a full week now if we get much snow.”
“We will!” Elle chirped. “But that’s fine. The longer travel time will be good.”
Angelique had been staring at the back of Pegasus ears. When the constellation twisted his head back so he could nudge her foot, she smiled, then clung to his back as he trotted a few steps to catch up. “Why would a longer travel time be good?”
“Reasons,” Elle evasively said. “We’d need to stop along the way, regardless, to purchase items necessary for a good disguise—you never want to buy your disguise entirely in one city. It will make it too easy to trace back to you.”
“Sage words,” Quinn said.
“I think Emerys is going to be very mad at me for introducing the two of you,” Angelique said.
“Why?” Quinn asked.
“Yes, why?” Elle added. “The knowledge of procuring disguises for hiding is important!”
Angelique grinned at Elle’s innocent expression and Quinn’s genuinely confused one, then cackled. “It doesn’t matter—he needs to be ruffled every once in a while. So, Elle, what kind of disguises were you thinking of?”