Betrayed by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #5)(56)

I groaned inwardly at the thought of having to take another trip to Dara, but I wasn’t about to complain. We had to stop this madness, no matter what it took.

“If you’ll excuse me, I think I will retire,” Fenris said. He pushed back his chair and stood, then bowed stiffly to everyone. “I’m afraid I am not feeling very well.”

“Of course,” Lord Logar said graciously. “Let me know if you need us to send a healer. We have one in residence, of course.”

“Thank you.” Fenris disappeared, and I wished I could have joined him. I could tell from the turmoil churning behind his dark eyes that whatever ailment he suffered was mental rather than physical. Clearly, he couldn’t stand to be around the other mages any longer. I toyed with the temptation of retreating as well, but it would raise eyebrows if the two of us left together, and besides, I belonged at Iannis’s side. So, instead, I turned back to the table, intending to check on Fenris as soon as this torturous banquet was over.





23





Home at last. A long sigh escaped me as I shut the door of my bedroom suite in Solantha and leaned against it. A weight lifted from my shoulders, and I closed my eyes, savoring the much-needed solitude. After everything that had happened, and the long, tension-filled ride back in the dirigible, I was happy to be back where I belonged.

I kicked off my shoes by the door, then passed through my sitting room and into my bedroom. I flopped onto my enormous bed, intending to do absolutely nothing but lie here and de-stress for the rest of the day. Life could wait for at least twenty-four hours. I was beat, both physically and emotionally.

The banquet had run late last night, and I’d been forced to schmooze and dance with the locals. Dancing with Iannis had been enjoyable enough, but dancing and conversing with dozens of strange mages was a different story. The banquet was supposed to be in our honor, but it felt more like an opportunity for Lord Logar to put me on display in front of his mages so they could examine me from all angles. They’d all been very polite—no one would dare say anything rude with Iannis around, not after what happened to Resa—but being under constant scrutiny had been exhausting.

We’d managed to make it back to our guest rooms around one in the morning. I went to check on Fenris before turning in, but his door was locked. I could hear him snoring lightly beyond the door so I decided to leave him be. I’d hoped that a good night’s sleep would lift his spirits, but he and Iannis had been silent the entire dirigible ride home, barely speaking to one another. Apparently, Iannis had gone to talk to him before I was up, and the outcome of the conversation hadn’t been good. Neither of them would tell me what it was about, which pissed me off because, at the very least, Iannis should have told me. If it turned out that he’d been hard on Fenris for his slip-up, Iannis and I were going to have some serious words.

But right now, I was tired of fighting. I’d done more than my fair share, and I still had the outcome of Noria’s hearing to look forward to.

Not.

Snuggling deep into my mattress, I closed my eyes and sank into sleep. I wasn’t sure how long I was out, but it seemed like only seconds before someone was knocking on my outer door.

“Go away!” I grumbled loudly, burying my head under a pillow to block out the noise.

“But Miss Baine, it’s nearly six o’clock in the evening! Please forgive the disturbance, but I have some important things to go over with you.”

I scowled. Important things? What important things? And who the hell was this anyway? I certainly didn’t recognize her voice—she sounded young, around my age, but a lot more innocent. Realizing the intruder wasn’t going to give up, I threw off the bedcovers, then trudged through the sitting room and opened the door wide.

“What do you want?” I growled at the petite blonde standing outside. She wore black-framed glasses and was dressed in a navy-blue pantsuit. Very professional looking, and one-hundred percent human. You didn’t see too many of those in the Palace.

“Oh goodness, it’s so nice to finally meet you, Miss Baine,” the woman gushed, her fresh face lighting up instantly. She stuck out a hand, and I took it automatically, surprised by her enthusiasm. “My name is Nelia Thrase. I’m your new social secretary.”

“Social secretary?” I scowled as she pumped my hand. I yanked it away from her before she tore it off. “I didn’t hire a social secretary.”

“Director Chen hired me on your behalf.” Nelia’s wide smile dimmed beneath the onslaught of my displeasure. “Did she not inform you? I was given to understand…” She trailed off, sounding genuinely distressed. “I assure you, I am qualified and eager to work for you. I used to write for a magazine, and before that, I interned with a local radio station.”

“The director may have mentioned it,” I said between clenched teeth, deciding against telling the girl I’d wanted to hire my own social secretary, and that I hadn’t even decided if I needed one. “I’ve been a little busy the past couple of days, so I forgot.”

“Oh, yes, of course.” The million-watt smile returned in full force, and Nelia hefted her binder a little higher. “I’ve already organized your calendar and made some appointments for you. I’ve also made some additions to your wardrobe for your social engagements.”