“The entry was old enough that they could have used the mirror and then immediately taken it elsewhere,” Odette said.
“True, but has anything truly calamitous happened in Mullberg?” Quinn asked.
“King Matvey died nearly six years ago,” Angelique said.
“Didn’t Queen Ingrid of Arcainia pass away roughly around then as well?” Odette asked. “Could have been the mirror’s work.”
“Maybe…” Angelique frowned, disturbed despite the beautiful streaks of peachy-orange and pink the sun cast on the sky as it struggled to rise above the horizon. “But given the legends of the mirror’s power, it seems odd that they would use it like an assassin when there are easier methods.”
Odette shrugged. “I don’t pretend to know how the Chosen work—that’s for the likes of Prince Severin and Prince Lucien. But I have delivered the message.”
“Thank you for coming all this way to bring us this news,” Quinn said.
“Yes, thank you, Odette,” Angelique added.
“That was the main reason I came,” Odette said. “But I also have some new heat charms for you from Stil. He sent a dozen or so odd charms he thought might be useful.” Odette rattled the pouch that hung from a ribbon on her neck for emphasis. “And I thought you might like to hear how Odile is getting along.”
Angelique straightened. “Odile? How is she?”
Odile was the daughter of the Chosen sorceress Suzu and Sorcerer Rothbart. Rothbart was a bit of a strange case as he had refused to join the Chosen or the resistance. Instead, he had engineered his own death in an event that cast his daughter—incredibly skilled with a magic that allowed her to tame animals—as an innocent so she would not be punished for her parents’ actions.
Having met Odile—who was sweet, unselfish, and gentle to the point of strength given what she’d been through—Angelique hadn’t wanted to inflict Luxi-Domus on the girl, fearing Odile would have an experience more similar to Angelique’s than one of the academy’s star pupils, like Stil.
Thus, Angelique had suggested fairy Godmother Sybilla visit Odile and tutor the girl for a time.
It unfortunately meant Sybilla was occupied and unable to aid Angelique, but Odile needed magical allies, and Angelique wasn’t going to begrudge her that help.
Odette shifted behind Angelique, adjusting her arm threaded around Angelique’s waist. “Sybilla says Odile has learned shockingly fast. She’s now strong enough that if any more wyverns were to pop up, she’d be able to tame them all—even if multiple were released at once,” Odette reported. “Which is precisely why Sybilla says she’s not telling the Veneno Conclave.”
“Good,” Angelique said with great fire.
“Sybilla is sending reports about Odile, but she’s just wasting time as she’s trying to look for a loophole that could graduate Odile without needing to spend any time at Luxi-Domus. She’s been able to get her magic under control fast enough that it shouldn’t be necessary.”
“And what does Odile think of this?” Angelique asked.
“Oh, she’s deliriously happy. I’ve never seen her smile half as much as she does now,” Odette said. “She’s been interacting a lot more with the Kozlovka royal family, too. Stupid Yakov seems to get along well with her—I haven’t a clue how. He is such an idiot.” Odette made a disgruntled hum, but the relaxed muscles of her arm made Angelique suspect she didn’t mind her future brother-in-law quite as much as she pretended.
“I’m glad,” Angelique said. “I wanted her to get through this…”
“Unscathed?” Odette suggested when Angelique trailed off.
“Yes,” Angelique agreed.
Odette patted Angelique’s side in a strange sort of side-hug. “Thank you for everything you did to help her.”
“I’m glad I could.”
“So that’s about it—as far as news goes,” Odette finished.
“Do you have to fly out immediately, or will you stay with us for a time?” Quinn asked.
She’ll obviously fly out—
“I thought I’d hang around for a day or two and see if there’s anything I can help you with.”
“Really?” Angelique couldn’t stop the word before it tumbled from her lips.
“Yes. I don’t know what I could do—except maybe infiltrate a stronghold as a swan? That might be suspicious given I don’t think swans hang around Mullberg in the winter. But I do have a few contacts here in Mullberg, and I might be able to get some information for you, Angelique.”
“I’d appreciate that. Thank you, Odette.” Angelique hesitated, wondering if she should ask if the smuggler expected to be paid for her work—and rightfully so—but Odette answered the question herself.
“Of course. I’m always grateful for a chance to repay a friend.” She said it so casually, Angelique was glad Odette rode behind her so she didn’t see the way Angelique had to blink back the sudden swell of emotion that made her mute.
We’re friends. I mean, I’ve always liked her. But I didn’t want to presume…
Odette glanced at Quinn. “And I have a sonnet King Themerysaldi wanted me to recite to you. I refuse to speak it, but I got a written copy if you want to see it.”
“It appears he has too much time on his hands if he’s concerned about writing sonnets.” Despite her words, Quinn’s smile was warm and generous.
“He also asked me to remind you that Alastryn is quite concerned about table settings? He said you’d know what that means.”
The sound of Quinn’s laughter was as crisp and lovely as the bright morning. “It means he’s getting sick of Alastryn sending him questions about our wedding banquet. He’ll be fine. It’s only a month or so until spring.”
“Just about,” Angelique agreed, her attention drifting.
I’ve got one month to search with Quinn. And then I’ll either need to go help Severin, or maybe—just maybe—I’ll be able to find Evariste…
One day turned into two, two into three, and a week passed while Odette remained with Angelique and Quinn.
During this time, the determined smuggler contacted two information brokers, but both had been unable to tell her anything about the Chosen at all.
Odette had insisted on talking to her last contact, who lived in a small village at the base of the mountains just southwest of Juwel, before finally leaving.
So, on a morning that was mercifully free of wind (though it was so cold, frost formed on Angelique’s eyelashes), Angelique and Quinn stood shoulder-to-shoulder, watching Odette converse with her contact.
He was a unique individual with a full white beard, a thick fern-green scarf he wound around his head and neck, a waterproof similar to one a ship’s captain would wear, and a distinct lack of teeth. All of this was complemented by the fact that he had insisted on carrying out the conversation in a rowboat precariously perched on top of a large rock.
Angelique had seen too much to be bothered by his preferences. She wasn’t even curious about the presence of the boat, even though they weren’t at all near to any body of water. But that wasn’t to say she wasn’t entirely untouched by the unique presentation.