Betrayed by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #5)(7)

“I’ll see you later,” I told Fenris as I headed for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To Witches End,” I called over my shoulder as I left. I had time to kill before my lesson with Iannis, and I wanted to check in with Comenius. Hopefully, he would have news from Annia and Elnos. I hadn’t forgotten my promise to help them ensure Noria’s safety, and it was about time I made strides toward that end.





3





I rode my new steambike down to Witches End, enjoying the freedom of having steampower beneath my legs once more. No, it wasn’t the steambike I’d lost in Turain, the one I’d scraped and saved to own, but it was an engagement gift from Iannis, and it was pretty f*cking cool. The machine belched a hell of a lot less smog, making the ride cooler and more pleasant, the seat was made of smooth, custom calf leather, and there were strong protection spells laid into it that would activate if someone tried to attack me.

I’d tested the spell myself by lobbing a fireball at the bike to see what would happen. It had deflected the threat easily, and nearly singed my eyebrows off in the process. I wondered if there was a way to make the bike absorb attacks rather than deflect them, so innocent bystanders weren’t harmed. Perhaps I would ask Iannis during my lesson this afternoon.

It hadn’t been long since the Resistance had been beaten back from Solantha, and their attempt to take over the city was still apparent in the damaged buildings and sidewalks I passed. However, there were plenty of humans and shifters out and about as I drove through Rowanville, and more than a few construction crews repairing the damage. The sight of the city recovering so quickly brought a smile to my lips—Iannis had heeded my advice about putting the citizens to work repairing the town, using gold from the Mages Guild’s coffers. At this rate, Solantha would be back to normal within the next couple of months, and the Resistance attack would be reduced to a faint memory.

Pretty soon, the houses and storefronts of Rowanville receded, and the Port came into view—a series of piers that lined Solantha’s eastern shore. It was one of the largest shipping ports in the Federation, with ships from all over Recca constantly coming and going, loading and unloading goods and passengers. As a result, quite a few shops were set up in the area, and it was a popular tourist spot.

I rode my bike all the way down Witches End, then parked it outside Over the Hedge, Comenius’s shop. The front door was locked, the ‘Open’ sign flipped toward closed, but it was a simple matter to unlock it with an open-door spell I had recently mastered. “Com?” I called as I entered the shop, the bell on the door tinkling to announce my entrance.

At this time of day, Comenius was probably having lunch, or working in the back room where he prepared and stored extra merchandise. I could definitely smell him nearby—his woodsy scent lingered beneath the scents of herbs and sea salt that permeated the store.

“Naya?” Comenius called, his crisp, throaty accent muffled by the curtain behind the counter. A moment later, the curtain parted to reveal a tall, lean man with ash-blond hair, cornflower blue eyes, and angular features. He was dressed in a dark green tunic, most of his upper body obscured by a large box he was carrying in both arms.

“Need a hand?” I asked, coming up to the counter as he set the box down.

“No, this is just some inventory I need to put out on the shelves.” He patted the box, then came around the counter and gestured to the sitting area—a group of wicker chairs and couches located in a cozy nook where customers could sit as they waited for Comenius to mix up an order for them. “Why don’t you come over here and sit with me? Elania was just about to—”

The doorbell tinkled again, announcing the arrival of Elania Tarrignal, Comenius’s girlfriend and the owner of The Black Curtain, a witch shop that was quietly known for its under-the-table hexes. She was a tall, voluptuous woman, her face always perfectly made up, her mass of black hair piled atop her head in an elaborate do. As usual, she wore one of her curve-hugging black dresses that made me secretly envious of her figure.

“Why hello, Sunaya!” she exclaimed in her exotic, slightly musical accent as she caught sight of me. A covered basket dangled from one arm as she used the other to shut the door behind her. “I believe this is the first time I’ve seen you in weeks.”

“I believe you’re right.” Smiling, I closed the distance between us, then took the basket with one hand as I gave her a friendly hug. “You’ve been taking care of Comenius for me?”

“As much as I am able to.” She sighed a little, her dark eyes instantly going to Comenius as we broke apart. “He is worried about Noria, and wonders constantly if he could have done anything more to stop her from joining the Resistance.”

“I’m worried too,” I admitted, bringing the basket over to the small coffee table in the sitting area. I sat back so Elania could set out the food and plates she’d brought, and tried to ignore the scent of seasoned pork, cabbage rolls, and cheese. “In fact, I came here hoping you’d received news from Annia and Elnos. Surely by now, they must have caught up with Noria.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t heard anything,” Comenius said, worry tightening his voice. “I’m not certain if that’s cause for alarm—if they managed to find their way to Noria within the ranks of the Resistance, it’s quite possible they simply haven’t had the opportunity to send me a message safely. New recruits will be carefully watched, after all. Even so…”