by Jasmine Walt
“You will love flying,” Fenris assured me. “The views are spectacular, once you get into the air. And it is not all that dangerous, though I will teach you the levitating spell before we depart, just in case. A good friend of mine was in a crash not long ago, and that spell saved him.”
I shuddered at the thought of crashing. “Yes, please. I would like to learn levitation, in any case, it could have lots of useful applications.” Like getting frightened kittens down from tree limbs, or hiding things on top of a high bookcase. Though I would have to be discreet if I used such a spell in public…
“Then you shall learn. And I will buy the tickets tomorrow,” Fenris promised.
We chatted over our food a bit longer before I reluctantly walked Fenris to the door. He kissed me once more, then saddled up his gelding and rode off into the night. As I leaned against the windowsill, watching him ride off, I couldn’t help thinking that if we were married, we would be able to spend the nights together much more easily.
We’ve only known each other a few weeks, I chided myself. Marriage is forever, and the last thing you should be thinking about right now.
No, it was better to take it slow. This was the first real relationship I’d ever had, and though I was very fond of Fenris, there were still many things I did not know about him. Secrets I would need to uncover, if we were to take things any further.
But for now, Fenris’s secrets could stay buried. Reclaiming my identity and inheritance was the top priority, and I could not let anything distract me from that goal.
3
Fenris
The next morning arrived, and with it came another letter from Mina’s family lawyer, forwarded by the same tobacconist in the state capital. The heavy, cream-colored envelope looked strangely ominous, and even though it had only been hours since I’d last seen Mina, I found myself saddling up my stallion to go see her again. The letter was really for her, after all, even if I was making the inquiries under a false name, pretending to be a buyer for her late grandmother’s mansion. It would be rude to read it without her.
A brisk canter shortened the ride to less than ten minutes. In no time at all, I swung down from the saddle in front of her modest home. As I led my horse into her small backyard stable, I caught the sound of conversation. Two young females and Mina. My shoulders tensed at the strain in her voice, and I hurriedly entered through the unlocked front door.
“Your face in this guise is certainly very different from your real one,” one of the visitors was saying, and it did not sound like a compliment. “But then, older mages do prefer to look youthful, don’t they?”
I knew that voice. Clostina, the Watawis Chief Mage’s granddaughter, whom we had first met when Mina went to register as a mage in the state. Next to Clostina sat another mage, also young and pretty. Both looked startled, and not altogether pleased, at my unexpected intrusion.
“Fenris!” Mina jumped up from where she was sitting on the couch, her face the picture of surprise. But beneath the mask, I could scent her relief and anxiety—she had been caught just as unawares by this visit as I had.
“Do you usually let shifters barge into your house unannounced?” Clostina’s friend said, somehow managing to look down her straight nose at me while remaining seated.
“Mr. Shelton is a valued client and a good friend,” Mina said briskly. Even though she did not turn on the old-lady mage illusion, she changed her demeanor to that of a haughty elder. “And it is my own business who I do and do not allow into my house.”
“I suppose so,” Clostina said dubiously, “though perhaps you should ask your client to come back later, when we are finished?”
The meaningful tone suggested that what she wanted to say was for mage ears only, but Mina merely shrugged. “You said you would only be a few minutes, and it would be rude of me to send Mr. Shelton away when he does, in fact, have an appointment. Your horse is out back waiting for me, is he not?” She lifted an eyebrow.
I nodded, hiding a smile at Mina’s quick thinking. “He is, with a lame foot.”
Clostina let out an exasperated sigh. “Very well then, but don’t blame us if the whole town learns you are a mage or someone tries to rob you. The reason for my visit,” she announced, reaching into her wide sleeve, “is to bring your yearly allotment of gold.” She withdrew a sizable leather pouch and handed it to Mina. Mina’s face was inscrutable, but the change in her scent told me she was nonplussed by this turn of events. “From the, uh, simple way you live here, I can tell you have not resorted to producing any gold of your own.”
“Of course I haven’t,” Mina replied tartly. “I am perfectly aware it would be highly illegal, and we would have rampant inflation if every mage produced their own coin. But however poor I may look at present, I am hardly in need of such an offering.” She made no move to take the pouch.
“Nonsense.” Clostina smiled, showing her perfect white teeth. “I created these particular coins myself, you know. This year, the allotment is fifty gold coins for every full-fledged mage in the state and twenty-four for apprentices. There is enough here for both you and the handsome apprentice you brought to the ball. Surely he will want his share, even if you do not.”
“Well, it’s hardly worth arguing over,” Mina said, sounding bored as she finally took the pouch. She tied it to her belt, then took the receipt and pen Clostina handed to her and signed.
“And where is that apprentice of yours, anyway?” the other mage asked, looking around curiously. “I wasn’t at the ball, and was hoping for the chance to meet him.” I had to suppress a smile—he was right there, in the room, but they ignored me completely.
“He is visiting with family,” Mina said, “and will be gone for some weeks, I’m afraid. Since this is such a small space, he does not stay around all the time.”
“How is that billy goat that came in yesterday?” I asked to distract the mages before they could ask more questions about my fictitious alter ego. “He seemed in very bad shape.”
“Much better, but I should check on him,” Mina said, rising from the couch. “His owner will be coming by to pick him up soon. Will you excuse me, ladies?”
Without awaiting a reply, she went through the connecting door into the surgery. The two mages exchanged a glance, then followed her inside.
“There you are,” Mina said as the billy goat bleated. She crouched in front of the cage and unlocked it to pour some feed into the goat’s bowl. “You are doing much better, aren’t you?” she crooned, patting the goat’s head.
“By the Lady,” Clostina said, her eyes wide as she looked around and sniffed the goat’s distinctive aroma. “You have really been taking this bet quite seriously, haven’t you? Wasting your magic on animals that don’t even belong to you?”
Mina closed the cage and rose to her full height. “The bet, as it turns out, is not off,” she said in a cold voice. “My friend and I have agreed to continue it, since the humans are still in the dark about my identity. Only my shifter friend here knows the truth, and he has already agreed to keep his silence.” She stroked a hand down my arm, smiling. “Haven’t you, Mr. Shelton?”
“I certainly have,” I said, smiling back. “I, for one, greatly appreciate you using your abilities to care for the animals, and would hate to see you leave. My lips are sealed.”
Clostina did not look entirely convinced, but she couldn’t very well refute Mina—she’d already proven herself to be a mage, and from the way Clostina was looking around, she could see the signs of magic in use everywhere. The two mages pestered Mina for a bit longer, but eventually, disappointed, they took their leave.
“Thank you,” Mina said fervently when they were finally gone. “I’m so glad you came by.”
“Me too,” I said, wrapping my arms around her as she hugged me. Not that I had done anything, really, but my presence had been enough of a distraction that Clostina had not looked too closely. She might be young, but she was not stupid, not by a long shot. If she put her mind to it, s
he might notice that the selfless animal doctor and the flirtatious old-lady mage didn’t make for a consistent character, even amongst the most eccentric mages. Since Mina wasn’t ready to reveal the truth to Abbsville, it was best Clostina not find out either.
I was just dipping my head to kiss her when someone else knocked on the door. “Barrla,” I murmured, frowning at the door. I could scent her clearly—a pleasant combination of rose and spices, the latter no doubt from her father’s store. Accompanying that scent was something sugary and delicious. “With freshly baked cookies, I believe.”
“Well, I can’t very well turn those away, now can I?”
Smiling, Mina extricated herself from my arms and went to answer the door. Barrla was standing outside, her golden-red hair swept back from her pretty face into a ponytail. She wore a blue-and-white checkered dress, and that divine smell wafted from a basket slung over her arm. I hadn’t eaten much today, and my mouth watered as the two of them hugged and exchanged greetings.
“Well, well.” Barrla’s blue eyes lit up as she noticed me standing just inside. “And I thought I was calling on you a bit early. Or have you decided to move in with Mina, Mr. Shelton?” She winked at me.
Mina’s cheeks colored. “We’re not quite that close yet.”
“Mmm.” Barrla set her basket down on the counter and lifted the cloth. For a moment, I thought she would grill us more about our relationship, but she changed the subject to something far worse. “I saw a couple of mages come by earlier. What did they want with you?”
Mina’s scent changed, growing sharp with anxiety. But she calmly took a cookie from the basket, as though nothing was wrong, and I followed suit. Chocolate chip and soft enough that it melted on my tongue when I took the first bite.
“I met them in town the other week,” Mina said in a casual tone, “and they decided to visit me as they were passing through Abbsville. One of them is curious about my veterinary practice and asked me to show her around the surgery.” She took a bite of her cookie, then closed her eyes. “Oh, these are very good.”
“Yes,” I agreed, noticing Barrla didn’t seem convinced by Mina’s explanation. “You’re a great baker, Barrla. Have you considered bringing a sample of these over to Marris’s house? I’m sure he would appreciate them.”
Barrla shrugged. “Marris wouldn’t want me coming around his farm to bother him over a few treats,” she said. “He had a crush on me when we were still in the schoolroom, but he’s past that now. With his father gone, he has his hands full.”
“That may be so, but I don’t think Marris is so busy that he would turn away a pretty girl on his doorstep,” Mina said encouragingly. “You know what they say—the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
Barrla raised an eyebrow. “And when did I say I was interested in Marris’s heart?”
“It’s just as well that you are not,” I said, reaching for another cookie. “Marris is a good fellow, but perhaps not the best choice for a boyfriend or husband. He has too much of a thirst for adventure.”
“I like adventure,” Barrla said, playing right into my hands. I had to hide a smile. “Perhaps I’ll go off in search of some today.” She covered the basket, then hooked it over her arm. “I can see you two were in the middle of something, so I’ll be on my way. Don’t forget to come to the next book club meeting, Mina,” she added. “We’ve been missing you.”
“I’ll do my best,” Mina promised, “but likely there won’t be time before I have to leave.”
She thanked Barrla for agreeing to take the cat, promising to bring him by when it was time, and Barrla left with a thoughtful expression on her face. Mina shook her head at me as she closed the door. “I didn’t realize you were fond of playing matchmaker,” she said, sounding amused.
I gave her a crooked smile. “Perhaps if she and Marris get together, she will stop pining for a shifter lover.”
Mina laughed. “So you know about that, do you?”
“I saw one of those novels sitting on the store counter, and her interest in me was obvious.” I slid my arms around Mina. “Since I only have eyes for you, it would be in my best interests to point Barrla in a different direction.”
“A wise plan. Now, what is the real reason for your visit? Is your horse really injured, or did you just miss me?”
I chuckled at her teasing smile. “I did miss you, but my horse is in fine health. I came because I received another letter from your family lawyer.”
The smile vanished instantly. “What does it say?”
I pulled the letter from my tunic pocket and handed it to her. “Let’s read it together.”
4
Mina
Fenris and I sat down at the kitchen table so I could open the letter. I slit the envelope with a scalpel, then unfolded the heavy paper with a much calmer hand than I would have a few weeks ago. Now that I’d decided to confront my past, the old anxiety and fear had loosened their claws on my mind to some extent. Yes, I was dreading the inevitable reunion with my relatives, but that didn’t mean I had to let that dread control me.
If I did, if I kept running like I’d done all these years, then they would win. And I couldn’t allow that to happen.
“It’s a follow-up to the last letter he sent,” I said as I scanned it. A few weeks ago, Fenris had penned a letter to Domich Ransome, my family lawyer, under an assumed name, asking whether my grandmother’s mansion was for sale. The lawyer had responded promptly, letting us know the mansion might be on the market very soon, that they were waiting for the thirteen-year statute to expire on Tamina Marton, the last owner’s missing heiress.
That missing heiress was far from dead, however. She was sitting right here, clutching this second letter, plotting how to wrest back an inheritance she should never have had to fight for in the first place.
Reining in my anger, I turned my attention back to the letter. “I urge you to make an offer as soon as possible,” I read aloud to Fenris. “This historic beachfront property will not remain on the market for long. The statutory thirteen years the family has been waiting to declare Miss Tamina Marton dead is expiring in just three weeks—”
Cold horror filled me, and I dropped the letter as if it had scalded me. “Three weeks?” I exclaimed to Fenris, whose expression had turned quite serious. “That’s not a very long time at all!”
“No, it is not,” he said gravely. “We should depart as soon as possible to beat that deadline. But first, let’s read the rest of the letter.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath to calm myself. In the next paragraph, Mr. Ransome reiterated his expectation that the Marton mansion would come on the market only days after my legal “death” and would be snatched up very quickly by one of several prospective buyers who, he implied, were already lining up. He assured Fenris that should he be interested in making an offer now, he would be happy to act as a go-between for him and the Cantorin family—the aunt and uncle who had taken me in. Of course, he added, Mr. Vanley Cantorin, the family’s only son, might yet wish to claim the mansion for himself, so the sale was not entirely certain. But a large enough offer from Fenris might be incentive enough to sway the young heir.
“That bastard,” I fumed, setting down the letter. Finally, I knew Vanley was alive—that I had not managed to kill him my last evening in Haralis. But my relief was overshadowed by anger. “Over my dead body will I let Vanley squat in my grandmother’s mansion!”
“We shall not let it come to that,” Fenris assured me. “It is a good thing we have learned about this in time—thirteen years is actually on the long side. Many states only wait seven years to presume someone dead.”
I shook my head. “I shouldn’t be so surprised. Aunt Allira and Uncle Bobb have never thought very highly of me, and they have no reason to think I’m coming back. For all I know, they really do think I’m dead after all these years.”
“Are you sure you’re ready for this confrontation?” Fenris asked. “If this is only about getting vengeance
against Vanley for what he did to you, there are other ways.” His tone turned ominous, and I had a feeling he’d spent considerable time thinking up ways to punish my cousin for the way he’d abused me.
“It’s not just about vengeance, or even the fortune,” I tried to explain. Though both would be very sweet when I finally got them, I admitted silently. “There are many treasured Marton heirlooms in my grandmother’s house that my relatives don’t care one whit about. After all, it’s not their ancestors—the only reason they’re benefiting is because Aunt Allira is my mother’s sister, and they were never close to begin with. If they inherit the estate, it will just be money to them. They will gladly sell everything to the highest bidder. And they should not be allowed to profit off me after treating me so horribly,” I declared, setting my jaw. “If not vengeance, I should at least get justice.”
“I agree completely.” Fenris reached across the table to squeeze my hand. “I’ll arrange for us to be on the next flight to Innarta, and I’ll book us a good hotel, too.”
“Get us rooms at the Black Horse, if you can. It’s the best hotel in Haralis.” Haralis was the capital of Innarta, where I had spent many happy childhood years before being driven away from my home. “I’ll also need better clothes,” I said ruefully, looking down at myself. If I was going to return home as a wealthy mage heiress reclaiming her patrimony, I could not dress like a pauper. The Mages Guild wouldn’t take me seriously if I came to them as Mina Hollin, small-town veterinarian. I had to leave my comfortable jeans behind and dress up as Tamina Marton, the last scion of a distinguished and wealthy line of mages.
“I agree,” Fenris said. “You won’t be able to wear robes since you are not a trained mage or apprentice, but there is no reason why we can’t purchase some fashionable attire in Willowdale before catching our flight.”
