Trolls usually stuck to swampy wetlands or wetter forests. It was rare to find one in a place like Farset, particularly this close to Alabaster Forest. But Angelique had encountered a troll in Farset before, back when she and Evariste were visiting the elves.
At the time she’d been terrified and had accidentally hurt Evariste as she tried to fight it.
Unfortunately for this troll, years of scraping by without Evariste had carved through Angelique like claws.
With no one to count on but herself, she’d been forced to fight and survive alone against enemies far more powerful. She was a different magic user than she’d been when she’d first encountered a troll years ago in these woods.
Which was why, with the troll roaring and bearing down on her like a herd of stampeding cattle, Angelique only raised an eyebrow.
With a casualness that would have horrified her as a student, Angelique dropped her shield. Magic twined around her, and she whispered in the language of magic as she slowly extended a hand and pointed at the troll.
It was almost on her, now. It was so close, its putrid, swamp-water scent made her eyes water.
But Angelique held her ground, her face blank of emotion, and waited until it reached for her before releasing her spell.
With a deep groan that shifted all the trees in the area, the ground snapped open in a gaping, pitch-black hole.
The troll half fell in, but it managed to catch itself on the rim, its stubby fingers grasping at the dry ground for a hold.
The jagged jaws of the earth clamped down around it and squeezed.
Angelique released another spell, and the tree closest to the struggling troll bent so deeply it crackled on ground, then smacked the troll’s fingers with its whip-like branches.
The troll bellowed as it lost its grasp and fell all the way into the hole.
The ground sealed over the hole, and dead grass and leaves crawled across the dirt patch until it looked virtually undisturbed.
It had been so easy this time—a result of more battles than Angelique ever thought she’d see in her lifetime.
More than ever Angelique longed to turn around and point out to Evariste how much she had improved…but he wasn’t there.
He hadn’t been there for years.
“I am not the same girl I was back then,” Angelique snarled at the still ground. “You will find it a thousand times harder to kill me, even if I don’t use my core magic. Even if I am alone.”
Angry tears stung Angelique’s eyes, and her shoulders shook. She was so consumed with emotion, it took her a few moments to realize the earth was shaking.
Her heart jumped to her throat as she felt someone ancient and powerful. It was distant, but it was charging at such a rapid pace, it would be on her within moments.
Angelique scrambled to raise a shield.
What could this possibly be? Did that black mage report back to the Chosen, and now they’re sending monsters after me to eliminate me?
Angelique crouched down and pushed herself against the thick trunk of a leaning oak tree.
She forced herself to stay calm as she channeled more of her magic, twisting it into a usable form.
The thing stormed closer and closer. The ground rumbled, and the sky seemed to dim under the threat of whatever it was.
Angelique held her breath as she cradled a lightning spell in her arms, and the thing burst through the trees.
It was…Pegasus.
Black mist billowed around him like angry storm clouds. Blue flames engulfed his hooves and crawled up his legs, and his immense wings filled the empty circle. He screamed, and the sound filled Angelique’s head and made her cry out.
Pegasus paused and turned to Angelique. He drew his wings closer to his body, and she could feel it when he gazed at her—not just with his eyes, but with his unbearably strong magic that filled the air with such pressure it made her stomach churn.
“I’m f-fine,” she managed to squeak out.
Pegasus paused for a moment, then dropped his magic. In an instant, the darkness, his wings, the pressure of his magic, even the blue fire all faded away.
Pegasus remained standing in the clearing, studying Angelique with great intensity.
Belatedly, he made a waffling noise horses occasionally made when pleased, casually cocked his back leg, pointed his ears forward, and generally tried to look harmless. (Or as harmless as he could be with his flaming tail and mane and star-spattered body.)
It wasn’t until he swished his tail that Angelique dared to speak again. “Are you truly trying to fool me—after that display?”
Pegasus showily tossed his head and pranced a few steps. When he got to Angelique, he lowered his head and started pushily bumping her with his muzzle.
With his encouragement, Angelique scrambled to her feet. “No, I’m not injured. It was just a troll.”
Pegasus snorted.
“Yes, I said just a troll. After everything we’ve faced together, it’s an easy foe to defeat.” Angelique scoffed as she brushed leaves off her gown, then paused to rethink what she’d just said.
That’s right. I’m not really alone. Pegasus has been my near constant companion for years, now. He’s helped me when no one else has.
She stood still as Pegasus continued to conduct his examination, prodding her with his muzzle, snorting when he scented something on her that he didn’t like.
Angelique cleared her throat. “Pegasus?”
The dark-colored horse lifted his head.
“Am I forgiven?”
Pegasus sneezed in her face.
Angelique squeezed her eyes shut. “That was gross.”
Pegasus nickered wickedly.
Angelique rubbed at her cheeks, trying to clean them of horse snot. “I was thinking about what you said, and it made me wonder. Do you know where the gate Evariste made is?”
Evariste possessed a very rare and powerful sort of magic that let him create transportation gates that served as portals. When you stepped through a gate, you were instantly teleported to the other location it was grounded in.
Since Evariste was such great friends with the Elf King, he’d forged a permanent gate in a tree near the border of Alabaster Woods that opened up into his sitting room in his home, Wistful Thicket, located far south in Torrens. (The gate was more of a window, actually. But it worked in a pinch—Angelique had used it shortly after Evariste had first been captured.)
Pegasus tilted his head in thought, then gave Angelique a jerky nod. He turned so his back—bare of the usual golden tack he produced for her—was directly in front of her.
Angelique followed his unspoken command and clambered on, wincing when she accidentally kneed him in the side. “Sorry.”
Pegasus pricked his ears and waited for her to settle her colorful skirts across his back before he started walking.
“If we can find it, I think I’ll go home using the portal.” Angelique patted Pegasus’ neck and slouched unbecomingly as his large steps rocked her from side to side. “I still want to keep trying to reach the elves, so I can come back by the portal tomorrow, but I think you’re right: I just want to be home.”
Pegasus tossed his head and snorted in approval.
The constellation picked his way through the forest, and several minutes later, Angelique felt the warm, familiar sensation of Evariste’s magic.
Pegasus took her straight to the tree that held the window-sized gate hidden in its trunk and was spelled against prying eyes.