Deceived by Magic (The Baine Chronicles Book 6) Page 25

  Malik stumbled to his feet, an arm wrapped around his abdomen. Hatred gleamed in his good eye, stronger than the pain that was obviously radiating from his ribs. With the way I’d kicked them, they must be badly bruised, if not broken.

  “I do not understand,” he rasped, “why a powerful, noble-born mage such as yourself would ally yourself to a filthy shifter, Lord Iannis. Why would you seek to make her your wife? It is madness to mix the races like that!”

  “Be silent,” Iannis growled. The air around him began to spark and sizzle, as it did during those rare occasions when his temper boiled over. “That grandfather of yours has filled your brain with his bigotry, but in the wider world, such notions are petty and futile. Be grateful that your life was spared. After what you just said, I am beginning to doubt you will hold onto it for long.”

  “My grandfather will hear of this—” Malik blustered, but Iannis cut him off with a slice of his hand.

  “I don’t care about the sob story you tell your grandfather, so long as you also tell him that if he ever goes after Sunaya again, I will have his head. Now swear on the Lady Resinah, who must be writhing in embarrassment at how far her family has sunk, that you will not harm my fiancée again. Or I will send your head back to Castalis myself.”

  “I s-swear on the Lady Resinah that I will n-not harm Sunaya Baine again,” Malik ground out, with obvious reluctance.

  “Go on.”

  “May the Lady strike me dead if I fail in this.”

  I looked curiously at Iannis. It sounded like an established formula, but I’d never heard that particular oath before.

  “Good. Now get out of my sight.”

  “Would you really have sent Malik’s head to Lord Ragir? I asked, leaning against Iannis’s shoulder as Malik slunk away with his proverbial tail between his legs. “Wouldn’t that cause an international incident?” It would grieve my father too, I thought to myself. And though I’d only just met Haman, I didn’t want that.

  “I don’t care what it would cause,” Iannis said, turning me to face him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and drew me close. “You’re mine, Sunaya, to cherish and protect. I would sooner the world burn than allow anyone to take you from me.”

  He kissed me fiercely then, his fingers digging into my hips as he held me tight against him. And as I kissed him back, I clung tight to that promise, which was as secure as the strong arms wrapped around me. The world might not always be a safe place, but I could trust in Iannis, and that was enough for me.

  31

  “Why so glum, Miss Baine?” Garrett asked as I stared back at Garai’s receding coastline. We were aboard the Voyager once more, the ship now fully repaired, and the salty sea breeze tugged at my hair as the winds pushed us further out to sea, toward home. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were sad to be leaving.”

  “I am,” I admitted, still looking at the coastline. We had traveled all the way back to Maral port, and were now finally embarking on the long sea voyage home. Just a little further down the rails, Director Chen stood next to Liu, conversing in Garaian. The little girl seemed much more excited to be on her way than I was, even though she was leaving her homeland behind. “I wish we could have spent more time exploring Garai, instead of standing around at receptions with stuffy politicians. To be honest, I had a lot more fun on our mission, despite the danger.”

  Or rather, because of the danger, I didn’t say aloud.

  “I can empathize with that. Those long weeks of diplomacy were enough even for me,” Garrett said dryly. “Very worth it, in light of our success, but I agree it would have been nice to see more of the country.”

  “You two are free to do that on your own dime,” the Minister said drolly. I turned to see him approaching us, Iannis at his side. “You can console yourselves with our upcoming stop at the Calinian Islands, which is costing us three extra days.” The Minister didn’t seem pleased about the delay, and I had to suppress a smirk. He could be a grump about it all he wanted—I was very much looking forward to exploring the volcanic island kingdom, which Iannis had said was spectacular.

  “The Captain was quite adamant that we could not afford to bypass the Islands,” the Minister went on. “It makes a man wonder whether or not it is a necessary stop, or if he simply wishes to sample the island’s pleasures.” The annoyance in his voice grew. “I do not have time for such frivolities, with so many important matters awaiting me back in Dara. The Resistance has still left many messes for us to clean up.”

  “Of course, sir,” Garrett said. “I too have much work to do, as I’m sure Lord Iannis does as well.” His tone turned slightly less welcoming as he turned toward Iannis.

  “Most definitely,” Iannis agreed slowly, holding Garrett’s gaze. “After all these weeks away from Solantha, I could use a break in between missions, so that I might attend to Canalo’s affairs. I do not have the luxury of working solely for the Minister’s office, as you do.”

  “I’m well aware of that,” the Minister said, and Iannis and Garrett finally turned to look at him. “And will take that into account when assigning future missions. But until the Resistance is vanquished, that must be our top priority.”

  “Understood,” Iannis said, and I stifled a sigh. I really hoped that we wouldn’t get roped into another mission any time soon. Weren’t there any other mages in the Federation capable of dealing with the Resistance?

  “I doubt we will have any problem squashing them like the vermin they are, not at this stage of the game,” the Minister went on. “But in case they do manage to get to me again, I will need to nominate a successor.” Garrett straightened at that, like a bloodhound catching the scent of prey. “I have decided that it will be either you, Garrett, or Lord Iannis, depending on your respective performance between now and the next Convention.” The Minister looked from one to the other with a self-satisfied expression, as though expecting a show of gratitude.

  “That’s very flattering, Minister,” Iannis said, sounding almost bored. It was clear from his expression and voice that he was indifferent, and didn’t really take the announcement seriously.

  “An honor,” Garrett said, his hazel eyes bright with challenge. “I will perform my duties outstandingly, Minister, as I have always done.”

  “See to it that you do,” the Minister said, narrowing his eyes briefly. Garrett’s cheeks flushed, and I figured they were both thinking about his previous fall from grace. “I will be in my cabin if anyone needs me,” he finally said, then turned away.

  Garrett gave Iannis a long, cool look, then stalked away as well. I sucked on my teeth as I leaned against the railing, doing my best to bury my frustration at the whole thing. I was getting really tired of the constant pissing contests between Garrett and Iannis, and now on top of it, the Minister wanted to name Iannis as his successor?

  “How the hell am I ever going to finish my apprenticeship if the Minister keeps piling more and more duties on you?” I grumbled as Iannis leaned against the railing next to me. “Or if, Magorah forbid, you become the next Minister. We’d have to move to Dara.” I shuddered at the prospect of living in a place so prejudiced against shifters.

  “I very much doubt that will ever happen,” Iannis said as he casually looped an arm around my shoulders. “The Minister is unlikely to step down any time soon. I suspect he is just trying to make us work harder to curry his favor. I’ll believe his offer is sincere when he makes good on it, not a moment before. Anyway, Garrett is welcome to the position. I doubt he will want to give me any more responsibilities than he can help, given his animosity toward me, so if he does get it, you’ll have me all to yourself. Relatively speaking,” he added with a wink.

  “I sure will. And in less than a year, you’ll be all mine.” Leaning into him a little, I wrapped myself up in his warmth and allowed my worries to be carried away by the ocean breeze.

  The Calinian Isles were as spectacular as Iannis had promised, and then some. I fell in love with them the moment we stepped fo
ot on the island, where we were received by a group of adorable boys and girls who placed flower garlands around our necks. The majority of our party, Iannis included, immediately went to visit the local Northian consul, eager to hear whatever news he might have from home. I, on the other hand, was thoroughly sick of meetings, so I whisked Liu away with me to explore the small port town where our steamer was moored.

  “This is very pretty,” Liu said, her dark eyes sparkling as she gazed upon a mother-of-pearl necklace. She’d dragged me into the very first jewelry shop we’d passed, and though I wasn’t much for baubles myself, I was more than happy to let her flit around the shop, oohing and ahhing at the display cases and charming the shopkeeper and his wife.

  “It is,” I agreed. The chain was gold, and the mother-of-pearl pendant, shaped into a plumeria, seemed to glow a soft white in the late morning sun. “Why don’t you try it on? Maybe we’ll buy it.”

  Liu’s eyes widened. “Really?” she squealed, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Her braided hair bounced with her—Director Chen had taken care dressing her this morning in pink and white silk. “But this is too expensive for me.”

  “Don’t be silly,” I said as the shopkeeper’s wife opened up the case. “One has to splurge every once in a while on vacation, or what’s the point?”

  The necklace looked lovely against Liu’s ivory skin, so I bought it for her, as well as another necklace for Tinari. As we were about to leave, I remembered Com’s daughter, and paid for a third. It was a novel experience, pulling out my full purse to pay for expensive trinkets without having to worry if I could afford it. In Garai, we hadn’t been allowed to pay for anything, except when we were in Leniang Port, so my purse was still pretty hefty.

  Liu wore the pendant out of the shop, and we spent the rest of the morning indulging in a glorious bout of shopping fever. With Liu’s enthusiastic help, I quickly found presents for Com and Elania, Rylan, Fenris, Janta, Annia, and even Nelia, my social secretary. We might have been weighed down with packages, but my heart was lighter than it had been in weeks. A sunny day of shopping on a friendly island could do that to a girl.

  An hour later, Iannis found us just as we were hunting for a place to rest. He quickly hired a minion to take our packages back to the steamer, then led us to a beachside bistro. Sitting outside on a charming wooden patio shaded by palm fronds, I ordered a huge cup of fruit and ice cream for myself, and a smaller one for Liu. Iannis ordered a local drink, some kind of colorful liquid with a tiny umbrella in it. Liu had never tried ice cream before, but she was hooked after her first bite of the cold, creamy dessert, and, within minutes, was already asking for more.

  “So, what news was there from Solantha?” I asked as Liu dug into her second cup. She was still very thin, so I didn’t see the harm in indulging her. “You seem a little down.” I’d noticed the shadow in his eyes immediately, but had decided not to say anything until we were settled.

  Iannis leaned in a little closer, the skin around his eyes tightening. “Dara Federal Prison burned down while we were in Leniang,” he said.

  “What?” My stomach dropped. “What happened to Thorgana, then? Did she survive the fire?” And what about all the other prisoners? There must have been hundreds in the facility.

  “Her fate is unclear. Many of the prisoners were either injured or killed, and a good dozen or so went missing. Thorgana’s body has yet to be identified amongst the dead… but many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, so it’s possible she did not survive.”

  I put my ice cream spoon down, my appetite gone now. “It would be a relief if she’d died in that fire,” I said, as horrible a thought as it was, “but we can’t assume that. She could be at large even as we speak.” Suddenly, the sun was too bright, the bird calls too harsh, the waves too violent as they crashed against the surf only yards away. If Thorgana was alive, she would unleash hell upon the Federation in retaliation for all that we’d done to her. I was sure of it.

  “Yes,” Iannis agreed. “The humans are also becoming very restive. Not the Resistance so much, but the religious fanatics who follow Father Calmias. They are still demanding that he be freed.”

  “Ugh.” I rolled my eyes. “Well, if Thorgana is on the loose, now would be the worst time to free that genocidal bastard.” My lip curled at the memory of him standing in the Ur-God temple, calling for his congregation to unite against mages and shifters. He might be an old man, but I would never forget the power and charisma he exuded, and the way he used it to drive his audience toward bigotry and hatred.

  “I agree. We will have to deal with him when we return to Solantha. And speaking of which….” He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a blue envelope. “A letter arrived for you. From your bodyguard.”

  “Really?” I blinked in surprise as I took the letter, gazing down at the familiar script on the front of it, addressed to me. It was Rylan’s, all right. He’d rarely contacted me during his years in the Resistance, so if he was sending me a letter, it must be important. Impatient, I tore open the envelope, then unfolded the stationary inside.

  “Dear Sunaya,” I read aloud, Rylan’s voice echoing in my head. “I hope you are enjoying your trip abroad. Your pesky parrot seems to miss you as much as I do, and has permanently attached himself to me. We both agree that I make a poor substitute for you, and hope you’ll come back soon.”

  Iannis and I laughed at that. “So it is still alive,” I exclaimed. Was alive even the right word? Existing? Perpetuating? Pain-in-the-ass-ing?

  “It would seem so,” Iannis agreed. “How very curious. I should like to study your pet when we return.”

  “In the meantime, F. and I have decided to name it Trouble,” I read on. “Amazingly, it’s responding to the name, so I think you’re stuck with it. Serves you right for not naming it yourself.”

  I snorted at that. “I probably would have picked that name myself,” I admitted with a shake of my head.

  “It is quite suitable,” Iannis agreed.

  “The children we interviewed are all doing well, and are being taken care of. Your friend Janta has taken an interest in Tinari, and is looking into adopting her.”

  “An excellent choice,” Iannis said. “Janta will make a great mother for her.”

  “I agree!” My heart lightened at the thought that Tinari had finally found a new home. Glancing at Liu, who was humming a song as she worked on her ice cream, completely tuning us out, I wondered if the two little girls could become friends. Liu didn’t have magic, but the two girls were close in age. And besides, I was proof that one could socialize outside of one’s own race.

  “Unfortunately, not all the news I bring is good.” My heart sank at that. “There have been several earthquake tremors recently, more frequent than usual for Solantha. And someone has put out a contract on your head for ten thousand pieces of gold.”

  “Shit,” I growled, my fingers tightening around the letter. “Are these assassination attempts never going to end?”

  “That is a very large sum, especially for humans,” Iannis observed. His eyes glittered with restrained fury, though in general he was much calmer than I’d expected. “It seems far too coincidental that a contract was put out on you so soon after Thorgana went missing.”

  “Yeah.” I licked my lips. “But it could also be Father Calmias. His followers blame me for his incarceration, after all. They might have raised funds to take me out.”

  “Either way, we’ll need to be very careful,” Iannis warned. He reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly. “I will send word ahead to have Palace security increased.”

  I bit back a sigh. What else was new? “Your friend Comenius and his daughter have returned from Pernia. The wedding has been postponed, and they haven’t set a new date yet as far as I know. F. and I have been busy, so I haven’t had a chance to ask Comenius in person about what happened. But I thought you might want to know.”

  “Damn it,” I groaned, lowering the letter. “I was afraid
this might happen… but I really hoped it wouldn’t. Com shouldn’t let his daughter drive him and Elania apart. They’re so good together!”

  “Things might not be as bad as they sound,” Iannis said. “It is possible Comenius has simply postponed the wedding because his daughter needs the time and space to settle in.”

  “I guess we’ll find out when we get back.” And if there was a rift between Com and Elania, hopefully I could help sort it out. Comenius deserved to be happy.

  “By the way, F. has been getting grumpier by the day. Guess he doesn’t like being separated from Lord Iannis. He’s asked me to urge you to come home as quickly as possible, and I have to agree. You’ve been gone too long! Just don’t forget to bring something back for your favorite cousin, who has to live vicariously through you now that he’s retired.

  “Love, Lanyr.”

  I grinned a little at that, but my smile faded as I noticed the serious look on Iannis’s face. “I suspect that last bit from Fenris is more serious than it appears,” he said, rubbing his triangular chin. “There is something he wishes to discuss that is dire enough he felt he could not allude to it even in a private letter.”

  “Any idea what it could be?” I asked. He knew Fenris a lot better than I did.

  “No,” Iannis said, his expression suddenly lightening. He sat back in his chair, then picked up his glass and took a long drink from it. “And since there is nothing we can do about it now, we’ll simply have to put it out of our minds until we get home. We’re scheduled to meet with the Queen this afternoon, but I’ll take you up on that volcano tomorrow. I’ve booked a secluded lodge on the beach, just for the two of us.”

  “Oh?” I lifted my eyebrows as warmth began to slowly spread through me. “So your solution is to frolic on the beach, then?”

  “I have a little more than frolicking in mind,” he purred in mindspeak, his violet eyes gleaming. Heat pooled in my lower belly, and I had to remind myself that Liu was sitting right next to us before I gave into the urge to grab his face and pull his mouth against mine.