“I’ll handle this!” Although invisible, Angelique could practically hear Puss puff out his chest.
A few seconds passed, then there was a tremendous clang in the hallway as one of the weapons inexplicably slipped down the side of the pile, causing a small avalanche of weapons.
Angelique paused. “Are you all right, Puss?”
“I’m fine,” Puss hissed. “But I don’t know how much longer Elle can hold Nefari’s attention.”
Angelique folded up the map and placed it—and the others—back in the small drawer. “I’m satisfied with this. We can go.”
“Wait a moment.” Quinn tapped a page in the logbook. “I might have found something.”
“What? How?” Angelique joined Quinn at the desk and peered over her shoulder.
The logbook had an enormous food order—at least four times the amount of food of any other supply order on the page—dated from mid-summer—around the time Angelique had been running around Kozlovka, chasing a wyvern.
“There’s a footnote down here,” Quinn said.
“A footnote?” Puss asked. “What kind of Chosen mage uses a footnote?”
“Permission given to seek financial compensation for feeding and housing a band of companions on their way north to Mullberg, traveling in a caravan and shipping a mirror?” Angelique read.
Chapter 13
Her heart stuttered in her chest.
Evariste.
“It’s him,” she said. “It has to be him.”
Quinn flipped through the logbook a few pages ahead and behind the entry. “It seems like that’s all of the entry—Nefari was just concerned about being financially compensated for hosting such a big party.”
“It’s possible he didn’t know what was special about the mirror, or he wouldn’t have written it down,” Puss said.
Quinn stilled. “I hear the girl coming up the stairs—we need to go.”
Quinn shut the book while Angelique darted into the hallway. Angelique felt Puss brush past her—his invisible tail curling around her legs. Once Quinn cleared the room, Angelique yanked the door shut.
Just as the staircase door started to open, Angelique settled her hands on her hips and slumped against the wall as she faced Quinn, who jumped up and down.
The servant girl glanced at Quinn and Angelique as she climbed the top stair into the hallway, carrying the velvet cushion and the jewel pendant.
“I’m not jingling anymore,” Quinn said. “I believe I got everything.”
“Finally.” Angelique yawned, then pushed off the door and trudged down the hallway—relieved when she realized her boots made heavy thuds. Puss must have removed the silence spell when he ran past.
Angelique ambled into the showroom and settled along the wall with Quinn.
Gabrielle carelessly glanced at them, but judging by the way she shifted and unfurled her fan to cover her lower face, Puss must have gotten onto her shoulder and was telling her they could leave.
Elle was still gabbing with Nefari, but Angelique’s heart started to settle in her chest.
The dangerous part of the mission is over. We just need to get out of here without blowing our cover, and we’re free.
“Ahh, here it is,” Nefari said. “Is this shine suitable for you, Mademoiselle Mystrim?” Nefari snatched up the velvet pendant from his servant girl and held it out to Gabrielle.
Gabrielle sniffed.
“It will do,” Elle said in a haughty voice.
Nefari smiled so large, it was a wonder his teeth didn’t crack. “Fabulous. Then let us continue with tuning the pendant to you.”
The process only took a few minutes, and it mostly involved Nefari circling around Gabrielle and making minor tweaks to the spells stored in the pendant.
Angelique thought nothing of the process…until he made the last tweak.
“You have a very strange magical print, Mademoiselle Mystrim.” Nefari smoothed his goatee. “I can tell you’ve used magic since coming in, but I can’t sense any spells.”
That’s because her “magic” is Puss, and as a magical cat, his kind of magic isn’t traceable like a mage’s.
“Are you wearing an artifact of some sort—something capable of hiding your magic?”
Angelique tensed. Nothing like that exists—even black magic can’t hide who is casting a spell. Why is he asking?
“Whatever mixture of magical spells and enchantments Mademoiselle Mystrim has chosen to guard herself with is no concern of yours,” Elle said.
A good answer—and solid given that “Mystrim” already appears to be somewhat paranoid.
Nefari held his hands out. “I see. Would you mind displaying your powers for me?”
Angelique cocked her head, unease bubbling in her gut.
Why would he ask that now?
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at him.
“It’s for tuning your pendant, I assure you,” Nefari said with too much smoothness.
Angelique stood up straighter. She started to reach for her magic before she remembered better, then reached for her sword belt before recalling she’d dropped it outside.
This isn’t good. We always planned Puss could flash some magic for her, but Nefari is too curious after studying her. This isn’t some halfhearted request to prove Gabrielle is a mage. He’s onto us.
Thankfully, Elle somehow had come to the same conclusion. “Yes, Mademoiselle Mystrim would very much mind showing her magic.” She scowled and peered up at Nefari through the thick frames of her glasses. “And you have some nerve making such an impertinent question of such a powerful mage!”
Gabrielle made a breathy sigh, and Elle nodded. “I agree, Mademoiselle Mystrim. No one—Acri or otherwise—told us such a craftsman would be so rude!”
The subtle namedrop had enough of an effect on Nefari to make him bow. “My apologies, Mademoiselle Mystrim. I’m afraid sometimes my curiosity makes me uncouth. Please allow me to assure you I am grateful for your patronage.”
Gabrielle made a sniffing noise, pointedly looked away from him, then minced toward the door.
“You are forgiven,” Elle informed Nefari. “Though you’ve ruined Mademoiselle Mystrim’s overflowing good mood, and she has decided to leave.” Elle plunked a bag of coins down on one of the tables. “You have received the payment, including extra compensation for your speed. Mademoiselle Mystrim’s business with you has concluded.”
Angelique lingered in the showroom with Elle while she delivered her speech. Quinn had gone ahead with Gabrielle—probably to hurriedly rearm herself so they could make a quick exit.
Nefari picked up the pouch of money and poured it out on the table, examining the gold coins. “Yes, the payment appears to be in order. It was a pleasure to do business with you, er…with Mademoiselle Mystrim.”
He stayed behind to caress the coins as Elle and Angelique beat a hasty retreat into the hallway. But after a few moments, he joined them as the group waited for Angelique to hurriedly swipe up the few extra weapons she’d shed and for Quinn to put away the last of her arsenal.
Hurry, hurry, hurry! We need to get out of here before his curiosity overcomes his greed!