“Enter,” Severin growled.
A butler opened the door and bowed. “Lady Enchantress Angelique,” he announced.
The lady enchantress glided into the room. “I believe I have introduced myself to every servant in this palace—at least twice each—as an enchantress-in-training.” She smiled at them, making Lucien's heart ache with her beauty.
“My Lady,” Severin murmured as he bowed.
“Angelique, you've arrived early for the Summit!” Elle smiled and boldly embraced the enchantress.
“I have,” the enchantress acknowledged as her dress—a beautiful, opalescent creation that she never changed out of—darkened from a shade of petal pink to rose red. “Though it seems you have already started the events without me.”
“Lady Enchantress Angelique.” Lucien gave her his most charming smile as he joined Elle. He took the enchantress's hands and kissed them. “You are as stunning and beautiful as ever. Your mere presence brightens this room. For the sake of my heart I must ask, when shall you respond to my sonnets of love for you?”
The lady enchantress' smile took on a mask-like quality. “Prince Lucien, I'm glad to see you are in high spirits despite your dangerous experience this morning.”
“Oh, it was nothing.” Lucien took another step towards the enchantress, ignoring Elle when she elbowed him sharply in the side. “But I am ever so pleased you have come to Noyers and the palace. As long as you are a guest here, I shall see that you are treated with every respect and courtesy.”
The lady enchantress tugged her hands from Lucien's grasp when he tried to kiss them again. “Yes, thank you. However, I will not remain here long. I intend to impose on Prince Severin and Princess Elle's hospitality and stay at their chateau this evening.”
Despite her obvious discomfort, Lucien did not give up. She's beautiful, and powerful to boot. Although it is unlikely she would ever accept my suit, it doesn't hurt to try. Besides, it's not like anyone expects any sort of higher conduct out of me. He beamed. “How delightful! I, also, intend to stay with dear Severin and dear Elle.”
Elle raised an eyebrow. “Since when?”
“Since right this moment,” Lucien said.
“I was unaware my wife had become dear to you,” Severin said wryly.
Lucien laughed. “Of course she has! After all, she's so...” He trailed off as he stared at his sister-in-law. “Well, at least her bangs are finally cut evenly.”
“Based on your entrance, Lady Enchantress, I assume you heard of Lucien's encounter with the rogue mages this morning?” Elle asked. Though she ignored his insults for now, Lucien was fairly certain she'd get him back later.
“Please, just Angelique. And I have.” The lady enchantress slipped around Lucien and retreated to a window.
“Is there any sort of spell you could cast on him? Perhaps any protection charms?” Severin asked.
Lucien rolled his eyes. “Come now, you two sound like a pair of worried mothers! One assassination attempt is hardly frightening enough to begin requiring spells and charms.”
“Second,” Severin said.
Lucien frowned. “What?”
“This is the second attempt,” Severin said.
Lucien felt the blood freeze in his veins. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you recall last week when we spent the morning in your study, discussing the most recent Ranger reports?” Severin asked.
Lucien nodded.
“Shortly after you left to have tea with Madame Belladonna, refreshments, which I found to be poisoned, were brought to the study.”
Lucien scowled. “And you didn't think to tell me?”
Elle and Severin exchanged glances. “We assumed Severin was the intended target and didn’t want to worry you,” Elle said as she rejoined her husband.
Lucien clenched his teeth and glared at the pair. Of course, they'd never tell me if Severin was in trouble again. I'm unreliable.
Everyone was silent for a few moments, until Angelique folded her hands in front of herself and cleared her throat. “To answer your question, Severin, I'm afraid there aren't many defensive spells available to use on humans.”
“Would Craftmage Stil and his wife Gemma be able to provide a better alternative?” Elle asked.
Angelique thoughtfully tilted her head. “Perhaps, if you meant for Lucien to walk around in a suit of armor at all times of the day, but even that has its limitations.”
“Yes, now I absolutely need wine.” Lucien opened the door and poked his head out into the hallway. “Wine!” He announced before shutting the door, not bothering to see if any servants were about and had heard his orders.
“You said there weren't many spells available to use on humans,” Severin said. “Does that mean they can be used on animals?”
Lucien snorted. “Worried about your horse, are you? Though now that you mention it, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a spelled cavalry.”
“There are a number of very powerful strains of defensive spells that can be placed on small animals,” the enchantress Angelique said. “They've existed for well over a century, but thus far no one has been able to adapt them for human use.”
Severin folded his arms across his chest. “What kind of spells?”
“There's a certain charm that makes it impossible to shoot the creature—mostly because every time you set your eyes upon it, the spell will make your eyes water. There is another spell that will allow land animals to swim like fish, a charm that will let them survive small exposures to fires, and a particularly powerful spell that can make a creature, for all practical purposes, indestructible.”
“Indestructible?” Elle asked, intrigued.
“They can be dropped from a third-story window and incur no harm,” Angelique said. “Though that particular spell only works on creatures that are smaller than a tea tray.”
“If the spells have no use for humans, who bothered to design them?” Elle asked.
“A very powerful enchantress who owned a dozen cats and small animals,” Angelique said.
“I see.” Severin rubbed his chin in a manner Lucien found very alarming.
“What are you thinking?” he suspiciously asked his brother.
Severin shook his head—still lost in thought.
There was a knock at the door, and a butler entered the room, bearing a wine bottle and several glass chalices.
Lucien had the cork out of the bottle and a glass poured before the butler quitted the room. He had just taken a swig of the wine—a Sole import—when Severin finally uttered his thoughts.
“Is it possible to temporarily turn a human into a small animal?”
Lucien spat out his wine, getting flecks of it all over his favorite gold waistcoat. “No!” Though he was almost paralyzed with horror, he managed to shout. “Absolutely not!”
The set of Severin’s mouth was grim. “The situation is dire, Lucien. We should investigate all possible methods of protection.”
“I am not spending my days as a housecat,” Lucien said.