by Jasmine Walt
“Fuck!” I clapped my hands against my ringing ears as I struggled to sit up. The grass had caught fire, and the conflagration was quickly spreading toward the bushes. Taking a deep breath, I focused as best I could, then aimed my hand toward the flames and spoke a Loranian incantation Iannis had taught me. A jet of water blasted from my palm, and I swung my arm back and forth, dousing the fire as quickly as possible.
A magical alarm had gone off as soon as the bomb exploded, and I heard shouts from the Palace, as well as footsteps pounding through the grass. I’d just finished putting out the fire when several mages clad in red robes rushed around the corner—our new guards. Iannis hadn’t found a suitable replacement as of yet for Privacy Guard, so he had hired low-level mages for the task.
“Miss Baine!” the one in the lead panted, skidding to a stop in the wet, burnt grass. His narrow face had gone stark white, his brown eyes round with shock and horror. “What happened here?”
I looked down at my clothes, which were completely ruined by the smoke and flames, then over my shoulder. My eyes narrowed at the sight of a broken length of pipe lying amongst the scorched vegetation. I crossed over to where it stood, ignoring my shaky legs and my wildly beating heart.
“I think this is a bomb, or at least what remains of it,” I muttered, crouching down to examine the object.
“Bomb?” the guard echoed in disbelief. I poked at the jagged piece of pipe. It was still boiling hot despite being soaked with cold water. My nose wrinkled at the scent of gunpowder, a scent I was becoming more familiar with now that the Resistance had begun using firearms. “Who in the world would dare to bring a bomb into Solantha Palace?”
“I don’t know.” I glanced up at the row of second-story windows. One of them was open, the curtains flapping gently in the ocean breeze, and I pointed at it. “But whoever it was, they snuck right past you. And they had a perfect shot at me through that window.”
Later, I sprawled on my four-poster bed, staring up at the canopy as I tried to relax. But it was hard to calm my racing mind after narrowly escaping death… especially considering the way it had happened.
Had it really been Roanas’s voice I’d heard, warning me away from the bomb? Or had I imagined it? This wasn’t the first time I’d heard voices, but until my recent conversation with Resinah, the first mage and the mouthpiece of the Creator, disembodied voices had been few and far between in my life. I’d mostly thought of them as figments of my imagination… but after all I’d been through, I wasn’t so sure anymore.
It would be just like Roanas to choose to transform into a guardian spirit in the afterlife, rather than be reborn. A smile touched my lips. It was comforting, the idea that he might be still out there, watching over me.
The entrance to the hidden passage creaked open, and I sat up to watch Iannis duck through the narrow doorway. A sigh of relief passed my lips before I could stop it—I’d been worried I wouldn’t get to see him tonight.
“I wish we’d been able to locate the attacker.” Frustration simmered in Iannis’s voice as he crossed the room and kicked off his shoes. The sheets rustled a little as he settled onto the bed next to me. “I don’t understand how they were able to evade us.”
“Neither do I,” I said, clenching the bed sheets in my hands. I’d rushed up to the open window as quickly as possible, hoping I could catch the assassin, or at least his scent. The window had been in an unused guestroom, which, unfortunately, had reeked of sulfur, masking the other scents in the room. It had been impossible to tell which of the human scents I’d caught had been there most recently, due to the gunpowder’s stench.
At my suggestion, we’d immediately called all the palace staff together for an inspection. Fenris and I had checked them for any sulfurous odor—surely, if the room smelled so strongly of it, the assassin would as well. But the majority of the staff had already gone home at the end of the day shift, and none of those who remained on duty smelled like sulfur. A thorough search of the Palace and grounds proved equally fruitless. Whoever the would-be assassin was, they’d been fast as well as clever.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it.” I reached out to squeeze his upper arm. “You’ve been neck deep in meetings, phone calls, and who knows what else. You can’t be expected to be on the lookout for bombers too.”
“No, but my guards should,” Iannis said, his tone almost a growl. He scooted closer to me, took my face in his hands, and stared at me for a long moment. “I insisted you live here so you would be safe. It is unconscionable that I have not been able to keep that promise.”
“Stop,” I said firmly, gripping his hand. “I didn’t agree to stay at the Palace because I wanted a hidey-hole. I agreed because we’re going to be married, and I love you.” I turned my face, so I could press a kiss into his palm.
Iannis gathered me up in his arms, and I sighed as he rolled onto his side, tucking me against his body. His strength and warmth eased more tension from my body, and my neck and shoulders relaxed.
“Whoever threw that bomb at me is probably the same person who’s been giving intel to the Resistance,” I muttered into his chest. “We have a spy in our midst.”
“Indeed.” Iannis stroked my hair softly, his hand skimming the newly shortened strands—I’d had to chop an inch off, as it had been burned by the fire and smelled like rotten eggs. My eyebrows had seen better days too, but they would grow back to normal overnight. “I wish I could continue the investigation tomorrow, but we cannot delay our trip to Dara. We will have to rely on Fenris to keep up the search in the meanwhile, and if he hasn’t found the culprit by the time we get back, I bloody damn will myself.”
I smiled at that—Iannis so rarely cursed, and never more than once in a single sentence. “I’m sure you will,” I said, tugging open the sash of his robe. “But in the meantime, I could use some help getting to sleep. I’m still a little wired from all the excitement.”
Iannis tensed as I slipped my hand inside his robe and ran it along the smooth, hard muscles of his chest. His right hand pushed up the fabric of my nightgown, and I gasped as he slid his hand between my legs, finding my sweet spot with his skilled fingers.
“Anything for you,” he murmured, rolling me onto my back. His lips found my own, and I lost myself in his arms, pushing aside my troubles. I would deal with them tomorrow, but for now, I would enjoy Iannis, and be happy that I was still alive to do so.
9
“I must say, you’re looking very well for someone who nearly died in an explosion last night!”
“Thank you.” I smiled at Gena Chanie, the correspondent, who had arrived half an hour early to interview me this morning. I’d arrived in the meeting lounge at nine o’clock on the dot—which was a damned miracle considering how long it had taken me to get ready. A maid had rapped on my door at six in the morning, sent by Director Chen to help me prepare, and I’d endured over two hours of scrubbing, washing, hair pulling, and powdering as she dressed me up.
“I imagine you aren’t used to wearing such feminine clothing,” Gena said as her eyes skimmed the peach-colored and far-too-lacy dress the maid had crammed me into. “Considering that you’re an enforcer by trade.”
I smiled a little, smoothing out the skirt of my dress. “I’d have a lot of trouble catching criminals if I had to chase after them wearing ensembles such as this.”
Gena laughed. “Too true! But they will look great on the photos we just took.” She glanced down at her binder. “So tell me, have you and Lord Iannis picked out a wedding date?”
I froze. “Um, no. Not yet.”
“Really?” Gena frowned as she scribbled on her notepad. “I know it’s only been a week since you announced your engagement, but, surely, you’ve given it some thought. Do you plan to have the ceremony in Dara, during the next Convention?”
“No,” I said automatically. The next convention wasn’t for another two years, and there was no way I was waiting that long. “We want friends and family to be present, and that will
be easier if we have the wedding here in Solantha.”
“Family?” Gena asked, her pen poised like a viper ready to strike. “Do you mean your relatives from the Jaguar Clan? Do you plan to invite all of them, or only immediate family members?”
Fuck.
The questions came fast and furious, and I floundered badly at each one. Had I picked out a designer for my wedding dress yet? Who was going to give me away at the altar? Did Iannis have any family who would come out of the woodwork to attend? What was it like being engaged to the most powerful man in Canalo? On and on and on it went, and I had no idea if the answers I gave were damning or not to my reputation, never mind Iannis’s.
“Well, I’m afraid that’s all the time I have left,” I announced, cutting off the correspondent mid-sentence. She’d been edging towards questions about the ‘intimate’ side of my relationship with Iannis, and I was having none of it. “I’m leaving for Dara today, and I’m afraid I’m not quite packed yet.”
“Really?” Gena jumped to her feet as I rose, her pen and pad still clutched in her manicured fingers. “What for?”
Shit. I had no idea if our trip to Dara was supposed to be a secret or not. But even if it wasn’t, I doubted Iannis would want me leaking details to the press.
“I cannot say,” I said coolly, deciding it would be best not to offer any information at all. “Lord Iannis asked me to come along as his apprentice, so I am going. Good day to you.”
I swept out of the room, heels clicking on the hallway floor as I hurried back to my rooms as fast as I could without running. I didn’t want to look like I was fleeing from the interview—even if I was, sort of. I really did have to pack, though—between the events of last night and the interview this morning, I wasn’t even remotely ready to go.
As I stepped into the Guild lobby, I caught sight of Dira, the receptionist, on the phone. Remembering my visit with Comenius yesterday, I veered toward her desk, then waited until she was off the phone.
“Good morning, Miss Baine.” Dira’s eyes flickered in surprise at the sight of my outfit—she’d been too busy dealing with the morning crowd to notice me when I first came in. “What can I do for you?”
“Do you have pen and paper? I need you to get a message to Comenius Genhard, at Witches End.”
Dira passed me the requested items, and I quickly scribbled out a note to Com, explaining my change in circumstances. I told him to go ahead with the sale of my jewels and the airship purchase in my absence, and apologized for not being able to say goodbye in person. I also mentioned the explosion from last night, and that I was fine and not to worry.
Fenris will let me know the moment Com learns anything new, I reminded myself as I hurried on toward my rooms. Even so, I couldn’t push aside the anxiety twisting in my gut, or the fear that something was about to go horribly wrong for my friends.
Despite the stressful morning, I felt my anxiety drop away as I watched Solantha recede, face pressed against the glass of the airship window. We were off to Dara without a hitch so far, and now I had to focus on getting through this trip as quickly as possible so I could be there for my friends.
“You’re very tense.” Iannis, who sat facing me, reached across and tugged me from my seat. I went willingly, allowing him to gather me onto his lap. He smelled faintly of roses this morning, and I buried my nose in the crook of his neck, inhaling the scent.
“Wandering in the gardens this morning?” I asked, pressing a kiss against his warm skin. “I didn’t think you had time.”
“I didn’t, but I wanted to check again and see if there were any clues we’d missed that could lead us to the assassin.” He stroked his big hand along the curve of my spine. “Is that why you’re still so tense?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m just worried about my friends. And that stupid interview this morning put me even more on edge.”
Iannis stilled. “Interview? Who did you speak to?”
I explained that Director Chen had scheduled a number of publicity interviews and meetings for me, and had cornered me into doing the first one that morning. When I told him how it had gone, and how I worried I’d made a fool of myself with Gena Chanie, he only sighed and kissed the top of my head.
“I will rein in Director Chen upon our return,” he promised, holding me a little tighter. “You are not ready to deal with the press yet, and she should know better. As for your interview this morning, I doubt you said anything damaging, but I will teach you how to handle them more smoothly on future occasions. You cannot simply blurt out the first thing that comes to mind when journalists ask you a question.”
“I know.” I scowled as I turned to look out the window again. “I fucked up. I get it.”
“I’m not blaming you.” Iannis’s fingers curled around my chin, and he turned my head so he could look into my eyes. There was annoyance in his violet gaze, but concern as well. “Though I do wish you’d told me about the interview last night.”
“Yeah, well, my mind was a little preoccupied after nearly being incinerated,” I reminded him as I poked a finger in his chest. “As was yours.”
“Indeed.” Iannis pressed his lips together, glancing out the window and back at Solantha’s receding shoreline. “I discussed the search for your attacker with Fenris this morning. He is going to inform the staff that everyone will have to submit to a truth spell upon my return, which I will administer personally.”
“That could lead to the traitor making a run for it,” I pointed out.
“Yes, and if that happens, he will have made himself known.” Iannis’s glittering gaze turned to ice. “Fenris is monitoring the employment records very closely. We will find out who it is. They will not escape retribution.”
“And what happens if the guy doesn’t leave, and he somehow manages to evade your truth spell?”
Iannis shrugged. “I suppose in that case, I would have to fire all the human staff.”
“You can’t just put people out of jobs like that,” I argued, horrified at the idea that he’d put dozens of innocent people out of work. “Your servants are incredibly loyal, and to punish them like that will only increase resentment in the human population.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take if it means keeping you safe,” Iannis said firmly, his hands banding around my upper arms. “You are mine, Sunaya Baine, and I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”
I sighed, fighting against the urge to roll my eyes. This macho-ness was getting a little ridiculous…but it was also incredibly sweet, and I didn’t want to discourage Iannis. “That’s fine,” I said gently, placing my hands on his broad shoulders. “But you’re going to have to replace all those humans, and it would be all too easy for the Resistance to slip in even more spies.”
“Then we’ll require that all new employees submit themselves to truth testing. In fact, I may make that a new-hire policy in general, at least until the Resistance has been eradicated.”
“And are you going to apply that same policy to mages?” I demanded, annoyed now. “In fact, shouldn’t you be subjecting all employees to the truth test, and not just the human ones?”
Iannis’s eyebrows winged up. “I doubt it was a mage who did this. No self-respecting mage would use a bomb to assassinate someone, not when there are so many magical means of doing so.”
“Yeah, that’s the obvious reasoning, isn’t it?” I jabbed his chest with my finger again. “If a mage did use a bomb, it would automatically deflect suspicion away. And don’t go around telling me it’s impossible for one of your mages to be in with the Resistance. Not after what happened with Chartis.”
“Hmm. You do make a good point there.” Iannis’s grip on my arms relaxed as a thoughtful look entered his eyes. “I will consider what you’ve said.”
“Great.” Aware that Iannis didn’t want to talk about the subject further, I switched topics. “So, have you made any more headway regarding the Resistance prisoners?”
Iannis nodded. “A number of them ha
ve been sent to the mines already to carry out their sentences, or back to prison until the date of their execution. There are more yet who are still awaiting trial, including your cousin Rylan.”
“Right.” My mood darkened at the thought of Rylan Baine, my aunt Mafiela’s youngest son, and a high-ranking officer in the Resistance. He and I had been close once, but after his betrayal, I wanted nothing to do with him.
“I thought to consult with you before tackling his case, but it seems as though you do not wish to discuss the subject,” Iannis noted, stroking my cheek with his thumb. “Did something happen?”
“You can give him whatever sentence you want,” I bit out. “He’s a traitor, not just to our country, but to me as well.”
Concern darkened Iannis’s eyes. “What do you mean? Has your cousin done something else that I don’t know of?”
I let out a slow breath. “He hired a witch to put a spell on me so that I would forget to warn you about the Resistance’s plans to ambush you.” Hot anger surged in my chest just thinking about it. All those times I’d gone to Iannis, intending to warn him not to get on the dirigible, or to hire extra security, or whatever it took to keep him safe. Whomever Rylan had hired to put the spell on me had been damn good, because looking back on it, I still couldn’t tell that I’d been spelled. Every time I’d tried to warn Iannis, something had always come up to derail the conversation, and by the time it was over, I’d completely forgotten to tell him. If Rylan hadn’t admitted the truth to me, I would still have trouble believing it had happened.
But it had. And Iannis had almost been killed as a result.
“I see,” Iannis said slowly, but he didn’t seem nearly as angry as I’d anticipated. “So Rylan prevented you from warning me, because doing so would have put your life in danger?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t get to make that call. He doesn’t get to decide whether or not I’m allowed to protect you.”
