Angelique pushed her eyebrows high up her forehead as she tried to remember some of the trickier language to the spell and mentally form it so she could blast it with her powers and create it without, hopefully, notifying the black mage if they had a similar spell on the constructs.
Just as she let her core magic—colder than the air and as sharp as a blade—unfurl, Snow White stirred at her side.
Snow White turned around and peered up at the cottage roof. “It’s a trick!”
Chapter 24
A snarl came from above and behind. Angelique barely had time to peel her attention from her magic and peer up at a second construct that was crouched on the roof before it flung itself off, nearly landing on top of her.
Blast—I didn’t feel it because of this odd interference that’s covering the magic that powers it! This calls for a change in priorities. I need to get us some distance. Since it appears to be made of wood, perhaps fire will harm it?
She didn’t know of any herb magic that would create fire, but the situation was getting a little tense.
Angelique thrust out her herb sprig and twisted her already loosened magic into a spell for fire. The herb burst into flames, and Angelique mashed it on the construct’s arm.
Snow White showed off her good sense by scrambling away, which meant she was in the clear when the construct slammed a fist down on Angelique.
Angelique took a step back, barely avoiding the painful hit. She saw it lift up a foot and knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid it.
Her magic—fast from her relentless practice—flowed into a tiny shield spell that she shaped with a snap of her fingers just as the construct kicked at her.
The kick hit her shield with enough force to flip her backwards and smash her into the cottage wall. Smacking against the cold and unforgiving stone wall rattled her teeth, but her shield had held and taken the brunt of the damage. She wouldn’t even have a bruise.
“Angel!” Snow White screamed.
Should I really bother keeping my front?
Somewhere in the clearing, the first construct roared.
Yes, I need to. If only to fool the black mage doing this.
Angelique peeled herself off the cottage wall, grimacing at the grime that coated her hands. “Well.” Angelique casually dusted herself off and made a show of holding up her squashed satchel as if it had been responsible for her surprisingly good health. “Its weakness is not fire.”
The first construct attacked Aldelbert and Wendal, wildly swinging an arm at them—which they rolled underneath.
As Rupert made a run for Snow White, the second construct snatched up logs from the firewood pile and chucked them at him.
Marzell swung his mace in a wide arc, using the momentum to throw it at the first construct. It crunched the construct’s chin, making its jaw snap shut over its upper lip. “We can’t let them separate us from Snow White,” he yelled.
The construct staggered a few steps as it tried to yank its jaw open. It appeared irritated, but it didn’t seem like its jaw was a weakness either.
Angelique set her shoulders and recalled her mental image of the tracing spell.
I don’t know if I have that last loop correct, but I can adjust it if it seems to be working incorrectly—or explodes.
Her core magic eagerly twined around her fingers. Angelique yanked hard on it, fleshing out the tracing spell in the span of an inhalation.
She snipped the flow of her magic from the spell—soothing her power back into place—then flung it at the closest construct, hoping that Snow White and the warriors didn’t notice the few silvery sparks the brief usage left behind.
The silver ribbon of the spell twined around the construct’s left arm. Instead of soaking into the creation as it was supposed to, it lay limply against it. Angelique tried to stretch her magic senses through it, but all she got was the same muffled feeling she’d encountered earlier.
Eventually, the construct swatted at one of the warriors, and the spell slipped off its arm and fluttered to the ground.
Angelique’s eyebrow twitched in irritation. The mage must have put some sort of shield on the construct. But why does my magic bounce off and not get absorbed?
Grimly, Angelique prepped to reproduce the spell—this time with a great deal more power.
“Gregori,” Snow White shouted. “Aim for inside their eyes!”
The second construct stretched its claws out as it reached for Snow White.
Angelique saw it out of the corner of her eye and barely yanked Snow White aside in time.
Despite the danger, the set of Snow White’s chin was stubborn. “Or their mouths if they’re open!”
Gregori slapped another bolt into place in his crossbow. “I’ll give it a try.”
Angelique stared down the second construct as she flashed another tracing spell into existence—this one used enough magic that it glowed. The only reason why no one noticed is because Snow White was busy watching the attack on the first construct, and Oswald and Fritz were attempting to keep the second one from flattening the princess.
Let’s try this again—but this time I’m not going to be brushed off!
Angelique hurled the spell at the second construct, and it plastered against its leg. Her core magic enveloped the tracing spell and easily sliced through whatever shield the black mage had put on the construct, unveiling the much stronger, meatier magic that powered the larger construct.
Angelique smirked. Finally! Now—
Before she could continue, a new shield spell snapped into place around the construct, muffling its magic once more and shoving the tracing spell off with such violent force, Angelique actually staggered a step.
How could—what—the mage didn’t just build these things and send them on their merry way. He’s actively feeding power into them!
Oswald climbed onto the back of the second construct—which seemed much more intent on Snow White than the first.
Fritz stabbed the construct in the arm, drawing its attention.
The construct tried to grab Fritz, its claws passing so close to the forester when he ducked through its legs, that it sliced through his leather doublet.
The construct pointed itself at Snow White again, until Oswald stabbed it in the back. He was nearly crushed when the creature pivoted and slammed its back into the side of the stone cottage—he slid down its side and dropped free just in time.
The construct’s antics shook the building. The roof trembled, and Angelique was pretty sure she heard some of the copper pots Fritz had meticulously hung on the walls fall with a loud clang.
“Why are these monsters so intent on smashing things with their backs?” Oswald grumbled as he scrambled out of the way.
Gregori, crouched behind the half-toppled pile of firewood, prepared to take his shot. “Aldelbert, get its attention and hold it somewhere behind me.”
Enraged by the knowledge that the black mage was feeding power into its creations, Angelique’s core magic churned inside of her. She clutched at it—keeping it under control as she scowled and tried to figure out what was the next move.
If we can’t figure out the constructs’ weakness, I’m going to have to forcibly cut the mage off from them.
Somewhere out in front, Aldelbert was harrying the first construct, dodging around its feet as it tried to kick him. “Gregori, I have its attention!” He turned and ran across the yard in a wide arc—the construct so close on his tail, it could almost scratch his heels with its claws.