“You asked Severin to search for a Liliane and an Acri before—did you come across their names somewhere?” Elle asked, interrupting Angelique’s thoughts.
She hesitated for a moment—how could she explain what Evariste had told her in a dream when even she didn’t understand the mechanics?
“I heard those names while running across the continent,” Angelique slowly said. “I think Acri is the name of the Chosen mage who attacked me in Farset and Zancara. But I had no way of knowing if that really was his name—much less if a Liliane even existed among the Chosen—so it was a gamble to use it.”
Gabrielle shrugged. “It worked out in our favor.”
“It did, but that was lucky.” Angelique stared at her bread again. “I didn’t honestly think it would work, but I spoke before I thought.”
“Then we can be extra thankful that it worked.” Quinn finished her piece of bread and licked her fingers. “Especially because he seemed much more impressed with us afterwards.”
“We should use that to our advantage,” Elle said. “But we should take care to mention Acri as little as possible.”
“Why?” Gabrielle asked.
“If he’s really the black mage who attacked Angelique, it means he’s exceedingly powerful—and important, given our reception. We don’t want to accidentally say anything that could blow our cover.” Elle rubbed her hands together. “Which is why I think we should prey upon our target’s paranoia of his merchandise and his newfound respect.”
“How?” Quinn asked.
“Ahaha, that’s the question, isn’t it?”
The realization of the dreams nagged at the back of her mind, but Angelique forced herself to concentrate on the conversation—she was the reason they were infiltrating a Chosen stronghold, after all.
“We could use weapons maybe?” she dully suggested.
Elle peered up at Angelique. “What do you mean?”
“When Evariste took me in as his apprentice, he had me keep up my drills for physical fighting and weapons. He said it was a big advantage against magical opponents because they tend to ignore weapons and swords,” Angelique said.
Elle rubbed her chin. “Hmm. Yes, I imagine they are focused on fighting with magic, not hand-to-hand.”
“We can attest to that already,” Quinn said. “I had enough daggers strapped to me to open up a weapon stall in a city market. Nefari never seemed to notice or ask—unless he knew and he didn’t care?”
“Not likely,” Gabrielle said. “Why would he let customers smuggle weapons in but order the servant girl to instruct you to disarm in the first place?”
“Great, then let’s capitalize on that tidbit,” Elle said.
Puss hopped off Gabrielle’s lap and strolled his way over to Angelique, batting at the tassels on her boots when he reached her.
Angelique peered down at him. “What? Do you want my bread?”
“No!” Puss flicked his tail back and forth in vexation. “I was thinking that—given my vast and superior knowledge—we should take this time to practice your magic. The room Princess Elle got for you and Quinn is also windowless, is it not?”
Angelique shook her head. “It is, but I can’t practice my magic. We’re trying not to let the Chosen know I’m in the area—remember?”
“Obviously!” Puss scoffed. “But you have also clearly forgotten that I am a magic cat, and possess unique skills! It just so happens that I know a spell that can seal a room off, so no one outside it can feel the magic used inside.”
Angelique bit the inside of her cheek. It’s risky—maybe too risky. But if we can find Evariste, it’s going to be a fight to get him back. We’re not just going to waltz up to wherever they’re storing him and whisk him away. Maybe it would be better to practice…
“Are you certain your spell can hold, even against my magic?” Angelique asked.
“Just who do you think I am?” Puss stuck his nose in the air. “Of course I can!”
“While I admire your dedication, we need you here, Master Puss, to maintain the silence spell,” Elle reminded him.
“Actually, his presence isn’t necessary.” Gabrielle leaned back in her chair again, her easy elegance showing in the way she splayed her legs out in front of her and draped her arms on the chair’s armrests. “Puss has been practicing magic like mad ever since the Summit. He can maintain two spells at once, even if he’s not near them.”
“I required no such practice. Just a quick brush-up!” Puss sauntered off to the side door that opened up into the tiny room Quinn and Angelique shared. “Come along, Angelique. I have wisdom to impart. And bring the bread!”
Angelique shuffled after the cat. She watched the way his tail formed the shape of a question mark and tried to focus on him instead of the thoughts that were blurring through her mind. She was starting to get a headache.
Puss hopped up onto her bed—which had only a worn, watery gray blanket on it. Thank goodness for the heat charm Stil had sent with her and Quinn, or she’d freeze in the tiny room. “Close the door,” he ordered.
Angelique nudged the door shut and then set her bread on an end table pulled up to her bed so Puss could eat it (as he very likely wanted to).
Puss narrowed his bronze eyes and unblinkingly stared at her.
“What is it?” Angelique asked after several long moments.
Puss made a noise in the back of his throat. “Nothing, it seems.” He stood up and turned in a circle. “I shall cast the sealing spell—think of what you would like to practice.”
Angelique unbuckled her sword belt and set it off to the side. “Fine. But where did you learn a sealing spell? Those are pretty rare—they’re not even part of a curriculum at Luxi-Domus. I didn’t even know they existed outside of sealing a mage’s powers.”
“I found this one in several particularly old books in Evariste’s study before all of this began.” Puss casually meandered up to the bread and licked his chops.
Angelique gaped at the cat. “You’ve known the spell for that long!”
“Indeed.”
“But that was years ago!”
“I found it six years ago, to be precise,” Puss said. “But I am humble enough to admit that—despite my great abilities—I was only recently able to master this spell.”
“You’ve been trying all those years?” Angelique asked. “Whatever for?”
Puss flicked his tail. “For you, of course!”
“Me?”
“Naturally! Why do you think I was looking for a sealing spell in the first place?” Puss scoffed. “When you and Evariste had that terrible row, I realized it was going to be up to me to get it through your brick-like head that your magic was not dangerously out of your control. Evariste was clearly too emotionally invested.” Puss twitched his whiskers. “I planned to have us hole ourselves up in your bedroom so you could practice unleashing your magic. But despite my best efforts, it became apparent to me that the…ahem…enthusiasm and depth of your magic would mean a particularly perfect and advanced version of the sealing spell would be required. Such a thing is well within my reach, naturally, but it did take some, shall we say, practice for me to get it to the required point.”