“He’s smart,” Davin conceded, but his voice was dark.
Jenira cursed again. She was tempted to throw her dagger but suppressed the desire. Davin was more laid back than he appeared, but he hated it when she put holes in his walls or furniture. “He’s using the mage killings, killings he probably sanctioned, as the platform for his campaign!” Jenira snarled.
Davin watched her, sipping his brandy. He was as upset as she was; his magic’s irritation proved it. He had different ways of showing it though. His body coiled tightly and his impressive muscles bunched and flexed while she paced across the lush carpet of his penthouse.
“He thinks the tide is turning. He believes the recent killings made techies more sympathetic to the mages’ plights,” Davin agreed. “He is probably right. Rumors among the Elite claim techies are treating mages better.”
“You know he doesn’t want Integration, though. He wants easier access to mages; he wants to know which ones are threats and which ones aren’t. He is paving the way for his Magitech boss, and he wants easier dealings and compromises with the mages on his side.”
“Yes. The High Council Magistrate Bly, Marcus’s father, is doing the same in the West.” Davin sipped his drink, an outward vision of control.
Jenira grumbled. She paused, tapping the flat of the blade against her thigh. “He wasn’t surprised to see me.”
“No, he wasn’t. I assume he has known your identity since the first time he met you. His visit to the gym was a scouting mission. If he is working on Magistrate Bly’s orders, he might have been told you were an easy mark. He had no way of knowing what you’d gone through and how much you’d grown since fleeing the West.”
Jenira nodded. It made perfect sense. Jenira had powerful magic, strong enough to challenge Marcus’s father. They also had information on his son, from the past incident where he attempted to rape Jenira to create a powerful child, to the recent kidnapping of Cat. They could destroy his reputation. Killing her and her sister was in Magistrate Bly’s best interest, but his son had failed. Unfortunately, they were no closer to understanding who was pulling Davenport’s and Bly’s strings, and neither of those puppets were Magitechs.
“And the border control?” Jenira asked. She shuddered. Control at the border had always been regulated, but several areas could be navigated secretly. The mages that operated the underground network in the Eastern Territory knew each of them.
“I don’t doubt the patrols have increased. He might be blaming the wall on Trumpass, but I believe it is Davenport’s idea.”
Jenira shivered. She had never liked Trumpass, the slimy Eastern council member. He’d only made it to his position because his family had lots of money; they'd been obscure royalty in Europe. Although Davin’s research had discovered the majority of their investments and holdings were now falling into poverty, it was difficult to remove a Council member once they’d taken office. Trumpass had enough dirt on several of the Elite to buy their support.
“Do you think Davenport and Trumpass are working together?”
“I would bet on it,” Davin mused, “but they’re playing a short game. Trumpass is pandering to the techies that hate mages, and Davenport is appealing to the techies sympathetic to the mages. The plan will explode if information linking them finds its way to the press.”
Jenira grinned, but it was a deadly expression. “Well, we just need to find evidence that they’re working together and expose that information.”
“The wall will take some time to be approved and finished. My main concern is the mages who live on this side of where Trumpass is proposing the wall.”
Jenira nodded. Currently, the techies held all the land east of the mighty river that ran down the middle of the continent. They had less land than the mages, but that had been justified because the mages made the food and needed more natural property; techies preferred to cluster in larger city centers. The wall that the Techie council member proposed, however, was situated about two-hundred miles to the west of the current border. The techies wanted to take a significant strip of land that mages currently called home. It reminded her too much of the ancient war when techies had killed innocent natives or mages for land.
“Magistrate Bly also lives in that corridor,” Jenira pointed out. “He is a powerful earth mage. If he’s on their side and approves of the wall, he will use his power to build it. Thousands of mages and mundanes will die in the building process.”
Davin sighed and poured himself another drink while Jenira’s mind entertained the worst-case scenarios. There was more at play here than just Magitechs asserting their dominance. They wanted to rearrange the entire country in a possible bid to enslave techies and mages who weren’t Magitechs. The removal of land that a mage family was connected to marked the beginning of slave culture. Stealing the mage’s land would weaken their magic and the earth. When the techies moved in to erect their factories and cities, it would be the beginning of the end for their country.
“You should run against Davenport,” Jenira murmured, and Davin choked on his drink.
“What?”
“You are probably the only techie capable of taking on Davenport besides Davis, and we don’t know where his loyalties lie. You would work for the best interests of both mages and techies. You have the money and the connections.”
“My secret would be revealed,” Davin interrupted her.
Jenira shrugged. “Maybe it’s time, Davin. If there are evil Magitechs, the mages and techies will be afraid. They won’t believe they can fight a Magitech, so they need a Magitech on their side.”
“I’ve spent my entire life hiding,” Davin argued, his voice the closest he ever came to expressing vulnerability. Jenira sheathed her dagger and pulled his body against hers.
“I know.” Her magic soothed his. He would never admit to it, but she knew how much the prospect of revealing his secret scared him. His father had taught him to hide and protect himself, but his father hadn’t owned the gift of foresight. Steven Rennert couldn’t have guessed what would happen years after his death. The country’s political climate had changed.
Davin’s phone rang, and Jenira jumped away. Cat hadn’t modified Davin’s phone, and it didn’t like Jenira. It stopped working when she stood too close. She retreated a couple feet, and Davin pushed the speaker button.
“Rennert.” Davin’s voice was brusque and businesslike.
“Davin, it’s Alec Carlisle from University.”
The man’s voice was cultured and smooth, not as low as Davin’s. “Hi Alec, it’s been a long time,” Davin greeted in a kinder tone. Jenira couldn’t tell if he was smug that his friend had called him or worried about what his friend would say.
“It has been a long time. Davin, I know you’re busy, but I have a little - problem - that I think you can help me with.” Smart techie, Jenira thought. He didn’t discuss any particulars or give away secrets over the phone. “I was wondering if you could visit me in Canton for a couple days.” Alec’s voice cracked on the other end of the line; he was either scared about the situation or Davin’s answer.
“I can do that,” Davin replied smoothly. “It will be nice to catch up. Can I find this place easily?”
“It’s somewhere you’d like to avoid.” He said a-void strangely, and Davin cracked a smile. Jenira needed a second to connect the dots in her non-techie mind. If they found Cat’s dead spot, they would find Alec and the mysterious necklace.
“I’ll be there in a couple hours,” Davin said quickly.
“So soon? That’s great. Thanks, Davin, I owe you one.” Alec’s voice rang with relief.
“See you soon, Alec.” Davin disconnected the call, and his smile was definitely smug when he looked at Jenira again. She rolled her eyes.
“Yes, you told me so,” she sighed. Despite her irritation, she was excited. She hadn’t been around other mages in a long time, and she missed the countryside. Leaving the city held tremendous appeal.
Chapter Nineteen
After leaving Alec, Eden returned to her room. She was in desperate need of a fresh change of clothes. Through divine intervention, or Bette’s, she found a fluffy white robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door. She’d spent a long time in the shower, feeling a little guilty. In her apartment, she’d had to ration the hot water or risk angering the people downstairs. She was attempting to brush the snarls out of her long hair when a knock sounded on her door.
Alena waited with a sad expression on her face and a pile of clothes in her arms. Eden studied Alena’s face and then the clothes, which weren’t hers. “What happened?”
Alena sighed. “It’s a long story. Can I come in?”
“Sure.” Eden held the door open, tightening the robe’s tie. It was warm, thick, and fell modestly to her calves. Alena set the clothes on the bed and looked at the brush in Eden’s hand.
“Do you need help?”
Eden hesitated. Her pride wanted to say no, but she did need help. Her hair had been braided for days and was a tangled mess. She nodded, handed the brush to Alena, and sat on the bed. Alena kneeled behind her, pulling the brush gently through Eden’s long hair.
“So?” Eden prompted. “Long story?” She knew Alena was upset, but she was nearly vibrating with impatience.
“Yes. While I was in town, I stopped at the precinct to file a report. The chief called me into his office. He gave me more information on the mage killer I hadn’t known. It wasn’t much, but they have captured the man responsible for the most recent deaths. Did you ever see the news? Supposedly, the actual capture happened weeks ago, but it was kept quiet for some time.”
Eden shivered as she remembered the article she’d seen on the news before she’d found her apartment ransacked. “Yes, I saw it on a news bulletin. This should be good, though.” Eden was having difficulty concentrating on the conversation. Despite the waves of nervous anxiety rolling off Alena, the soft, careful brush strokes were soothing. She closed her eyes in contentment.
“Yes, that part is good news,” Alena admitted, “but then he told me that your apartment burned to the ground.” The words were quiet, but they neatly pierced her haze of pleasure. Eden jumped and looked over her shoulder at Alena. The mage’s clear, green eyes were sad. “The police think it was arson.”
“Arson,” Eden echoed. “Who would want to burn my apartment building down? There was nothing in it anymore…”
Alena sighed again. “That’s not everything, Eden. One of the college kids downstairs was injured. He’ll live, but he might have burn scars forever.”
Eden gasped. She hadn’t known any of the downstairs residents, but she was sad someone had been hurt. She tried to convince herself the fire was not her fault, but lingering guilt remained.
“The kid has a rich techie father; they’re trying to pin the blame on someone,” Alena said quietly, and her arm finally fell. Eden jumped to her feet and spun around. The anger and sadness in Alena’s eyes matched the turmoil in the air and told Eden all she needed to know.
“They’re trying to blame me, aren’t they?” Alena nodded. “But I was with you the whole time. You’re a police officer. Can’t you give me an alibi or something?”
“Of course I can, and I will. But it’s not that simple, Eden. This is the Eastern Territory. I’m a mage. Once you are in the station, they will bring in another mage to question you. That mage will sense your magic. Even if they can’t prove you started the fire, you could be arrested for masquerading as a talentless mundane. It’s the way things are done in the East. If a techie, especially Elite, wants to pin any crime on a mage, they can. It’s just one of the many reasons we run the underground to get mages across the border.”
Eden’s fist clenched. She started pacing, her bare feet treading the worn area rug. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this angry. Regaining her magic had also intensified her emotions, and her magic wanted release. She was pissed off. Gideon appeared suddenly, his yellow eyes bright.
Edania, he said firmly, control your magic before it escapes and hurts someone.
Eden looked at him with wide eyes. “How do I do that?” Molten lava felt like it was pouring through her veins, heating her body from the inside.
Alena frowned, listening to the one-sided conversation. “Your magic is reacting to your anger, isn’t it?” she asked carefully. Eden nodded, her jaw clenched. “Take a deep breath.” Eden tried to follow her direction, but the jail cell was a firm image in her mind. She couldn’t live in a cage, not now when she finally felt free. Alena assessed the fear and anger on her face. She rose and approached Eden slowly. “You were calm when I was brushing your hair. Let me try again.”
Since Eden didn’t have a better idea, she relented. Alena began pulling the brush through her hair again, slowly and smoothly. Eden focused on taking deep breaths and eventually she felt the tight ball of anger slowly unravel in her chest. She sat back down so Alena didn’t have to stand on her tiptoes to reach the top of her head.
“We’ll figure something out,” Alena soothed.
“Can we just leave?” Eden asked. “Can we go west?” Fear shivered through her; she knew next to nothing about the Western Territory. Alena shrugged behind her and Eden felt rather than saw the movement.
“Alec has another idea. The friend he mentioned this morning was involved in capturing the rogue that killed the mages. Alec believes he can help us.” Alena was hiding something, but she couldn’t tell what.
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know this man, but I trust Alec. Alec won't contact him if there’s a possibility it could make things worse. If Rennert can’t help us, then we’ll see about leaving.” Alena smelled of despair. She might be a mage, but she didn’t want to go to the Western Territory, or she didn’t want Eden going.
“How long do we have?” Eden whispered.
“The chief gave me 48 hours to bring you in. Alec said Rennert could be here quickly if he agrees, but I wouldn’t expect him before tomorrow morning. But first, Alec has to contact him and convince him to come.” Clearly, Alena didn’t have much faith in Alec’s ability to contact the techie Elite. Eden mulled over the situation. Maybe she should leave. If she stayed here, she risked exposing all the young mages under Alena’s care to the police or the person who had burned down her apartment building.
Stay, Gideon directed. There was no fear in the owl’s mental voice, and Eden wondered if the owl had emotions like humans. Not exactly like humans but something similar. This situation concerns me as well, but I believe the intelligent way to proceed is to wait for the man Alec believes can help. There is something your friend is not telling us, and I think it will work in our favor.
The intelligent owl believed Alena was holding something back too, or he’d picked up on Eden’s suspicions. Eden didn’t relish the idea of taking off on her own. She only knew to walk west, and her ignorance would likely result in her capture. If Alec’s friend couldn’t help them, she would have to make a rapid decision.
“What about the necklace?” Eden asked suddenly. “Could I put it back on?” The prospect made her feel physically and mentally sick, but she had to ask.
“No,” Alena said sharply, pausing the repetitive motion. “That is not an option. I don’t think it will have the same effect this time, and it could be dangerous.”
Eden nodded and withheld a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to put it back on; its malevolence still pricked her from across the large house. “Thank you for brushing my hair.” She was certain the knots had been thoroughly removed. “It did calm me.”
“Would you like me to braid it?” Alena asked. Her energy was more focused now as well. Eden wasn’t certain if the act of brushing had calmed her or she was relieved to have delivered the horrible information.
“Yes, please, if you will.”
“No problem. I didn’t have much choice, so I brought you some of my clothes. You’re a little taller and skinnier than I a
m, but I think they’ll fit.” Alena cleared her throat as she plaited Eden’s hair. “Can you wear bras? They’re hard enough to put on with two hands, let alone one.”
“I always wore the ones that pulled over my head. They’re not as sexy, but I wasn’t worried about that.”
“I brought in a tank top with a shelf bra. Will that work?”
Eden nodded, although she hoped Alena had brought something to layer over the tank top. She rarely showed that much skin. “Thank you,” Eden repeated while Alena tied off the braid.
“No problem. Do you want to work on shielding too?”
“I do, but I’m feeling tired and hungry.”
Alena slipped off the bed. “So maybe after lunch and a nap? I’m not surprised you’re tired. The stress of your magic and the testing this morning is affecting you. Bette will have food in the dining room.”
Eden faced Alena. Her usually happy expression was lined with fatigue, and her green eyes were still worried. “That sounds good. I’ll meet you down there.”
After Alena left, Eden turned to the owl. “What should I do?”
Wait, Gideon replied. Eat, sleep, and then we shall worry about these problems. Once you learn to shield your magic, you can start using it. That may help you immensely.
Eden considered how her magic could possibly help her as she pulled on the black yoga pants. They were tighter than her usual jeans but extremely comfortable. Despite Alena’s worry, they fit perfectly. “You’re still not going to tell me what other abilities I have?”
Gideon shook his feathers. No, that will come in time.
Eden frowned at the snug fit of the red tank top. She felt naked. Thankfully, Alena had also brought her a sweater of a sort. It was open in the front but long sleeved which she appreciated. She attempted to button it in the front, but it just emphasized her cleavage, so she left it undone. She assessed the clothes in the bathroom mirror. Despite feeling uncomfortable, she looked good. She was so used to hiding her body, she had forgotten how fit she was from working on her feet, walking all over town, and her occasional hiking trips. Squaring her shoulders, she pushed the discomfort from her mind.
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