Severin narrowed his eyes, but Friedrich nodded. “Very well,” he said. “A number of our intelligence agents have found magical artifacts of worth in Baris markets. We’d like a mage to travel there and confirm if they are of use ornot.”
Angelique relaxed marginally. “In this case, I’m afraid I cannot be much help. I’m not terribly skilled at sensingmagic.”
“Truly?” Friedrich asked, seemingly surprised. “Glaze said nearly every mage can sensemagic.”
“Indeed,” Angelique sighed. “And I can, to a point. It is, however, a skill whose mastery continues to elude me no matter how Itry.”
“Maybe it’s your great power,” Cinderellasuggested.
Severin tilted his head back as he thought. “Stil once described your magic as a star exploding. With that kind of power following you around, I imagine it would be difficult to sense anything pastit.”
“Perhaps,” Angelique agreed—more to get them to stop talking about her failure than out of any real agreement. “As a result, though, I do feel it would be wisest to send someoneelse.”
Severin nodded. “We shall make itso.”
“I do have one more question about the information in Sole you want,” Angeliquesaid.
“Yes?” Friedrich perkedup.
“Do you want a writtencopyof what we find?” she asked. “Not the originals, of course, but a copy of the source material—or at least annotatednotes?”
“We would be delighted with whatever you can send us,” Friedrichsaid.
“Anything will be useful,” Severinadded.
Angelique slowlynodded.
How, though, do I achieve that? As soon as I enter Sole, Firra will be campaigning for me to face Carabosso, and given how I am involved in Princess Rosalinda’s curse, it’s not an unexpected or impolite request, especially if Suzu is with him. But how, then, do I get this information back to themdiscreetly?
“Queen Cinderella, you said you saved some coins that were meant to be used to purchase mirrors?” Angeliqueasked.
“Yes.”
“How much is left?” Angelique smiledslightly.
“I’ll have to check the math when we get back to the palace to give you an exact number,” Cinderella said. “But if there’s something you feel we need to purchase, we will gladly doso.”
“I’m not looking to purchase something, but I’d like to hire a trio of…companions…to run the notes on Foedus back to you, given that I’ll likely be facing Carabosso with Firra and Donaigh,” Angeliquesaid.
“Are these the same companions who helped you scout the mirror?” Severin asked. “The Black SwanSmugglers?”
Angelique met his gaze. “Yes.”
Severin nodded. “Hire them. If there aren’t enough funds left over from the mirrors, I’ll supplement the costmyself.”
“Thank you,” Angeliquesaid.
Severin shook his head. “Not at all. Given what they’ve done already, their price is a truebargain.”
* * *
“Let me get this straight.”Odette tapped her bare foot in the yellowed Sole grass as a cool breeze tugged at her thick blonde hair. “You want us to travel with you to Ciane and stand by as you research this…Foedus.”
“Yes.” Angelique rested her hand on Pegasus’ shoulder. He pawed at the ground, igniting a few dead leaves. (The cold of fall had already turned the forests into brilliant splashes of color, but only a few trees had already shed their foliage.) “Prince Severin is confident the Royal Library will have a record of it, even though it is a centuries-oldweapon.”
“So you said.” Odette slightly bowed her head. “Once you have the information you want, we’re to run it back to Prince Severin. And that’s it?” She rubbed her chin and squinted at Angelique. “Excuse my blunt language, but I fail to see why you need us,Angelique.”
“Because I don’t know how long I’ll be forced to tarry in Sole,” Angelique explained. “A rogue mage has been terrorizing the countryside, and given the patterns of my life, I expectsomeonewill ask me to handle him. Prince Severin needs the information on Foedus as soon as possible to begin strategizing. It can’t wait.” She waited until Odette met her gaze. “I trust you—and Misha and Nadia—to get the notes to Severin. Speed—and keeping the notes safe from prying eyes—iscrucial.”