Bound by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #2)(46)

“It almost sounds as if the investor, whoever they are, is trying to get these shifters indebted to him on purpose.”

“But why?” I demanded. “So that he can force them into an illegal fighting ring? I don’t know about you, but that sounds like an expensive way to get labor. He’d probably save more money if he just kidnapped them straight off.”

“I don’t know if it’s about saving money,” Annia said slowly. “I think it’s about control.”

“What do you mean?”

“I read something in a history textbook, back during my brief stint as a college student, that sounds kind of similar to this.” Annia drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “Two centuries ago, Garai was giving out loans to some of its smaller neighboring countries in the East, countries that were struggling with their own economies already. They ate up the gold greedily, of course, but they didn’t fix their broken economic system and ended up being unable to pay back the debt. Garai used that as leverage to extort supplies, mages, and various favors from these countries, and eventually they were assimilated into their own country.”

“Well that explains why Garai is so huge,” I muttered. It was the largest country on the Eastern continent.

“I wonder if all the shifters who owe this investor money are being forced to fight in the Royale like this, or if this mysterious investor is extorting them in other ways.” Lakin’s eyes sharpened. “I’m going to have to interview friends and families again first thing in the morning and find out if they borrowed any money from Sandin Federal, and if so, whether they’ve been harassed by their creditor recently. Out of those twenty names on the list something ought to pop eventually.”

“You want some help dividing that list up?” Annia asked. “Would probably be faster if you split up the workload.”

Lakin hesitated. “I can always divide it up amongst my deputies.”

“Not this time.” I twisted around in my seat to face Lakin. “We could have gone to the Royale without you, Lakin, but I brought you in. The least you could do is let us help with the interviews in return.”

“Alright,” Lakin agreed. “Meet me at my house at eight in the morning. We need to get an early start on this, before any more shifters are taken.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I turned in my seat, settling my eyes on the Firegate Bridge as we approached it from around Hawk Hill. We were going to get to the bottom of this tomorrow, even if that meant I had to play hooky and piss the Chief Mage off all over again.





14





Annia and I showed up at Lakin’s house at eight in the morning, and we split up, Annia taking half of the phone call list, Lakin and me taking the other. At first I’d protested not having my own list, but Lakin insisted and I relented. After all, this was his case, not mine.

“So,” I said as I settled onto my steambike. “Where are we headed first?”

“We’re going to visit Tyron and Myrna Laniren.”

“Laniren?” I echoed, racking my brain for the familiar name. “Wait, aren’t those Tylin’s parents? The wolf shifter from the local pack?”

“That’s right.” Lakin started up his engine. “I thought it would be good for you to see them for yourself, since it was their son’s disappearance that sparked Sillara’s investigation.”

“Well that’s very thoughtful of you.”

Lakin grinned before putting his helmet on. “I try.”

The wolf clan was located on the west side of Shiftertown, closer to the heart of the city. Small, wood-framed houses lined the streets, some in better condition than others, and because it was summer there were many shifter children out on the sidewalks and the front yards, laughing and playing. Their mothers stared watchfully at us from their front porches, colorful shifter eyes narrowed on our bikes as we passed. Most shifters didn’t own bikes or cars – for one, vehicles were expensive, and for shifters they weren’t really necessary as many of them could travel just as fast in beast form. The children stared wide-eyed at our bikes as we zipped by, curiosity and excitement on their little faces, and it reminded me of how excited I’d been when I’d first laid eyes on a steambike myself. I’d been sixteen years old, tagging along on an errand with Roanas in Rowanville when a trio of Enforcers had shot out of the Guild parking lot riding steambikes. I’d been transfixed by the vehicles, with their large wheels and shiny handlebars, and the way the riders moved so fast on them, leaving nothing but clouds of hot steam in their wake. It had taken me six years, from that very point on, to save up for my own bike, and I loved it to death.

The Laniren house was at the top of a hill – a small, two-bedroom dwelling with white siding and robin’s egg blue shutters and roofing tile. I narrowed my eyes as we parked across the street from the house – the paint looked new, the tiles freshly laid, unlike many of the houses we’d passed.

“Looks like the Lanirens have spruced up their house a bit,” I commented.

Lakin’s eyes narrowed as he nodded. We crossed the street, and the woman playing in the front yard with her toddler froze at our approach, her pale-blue wolf shifter eyes narrowing on me.

“Good morning, Mrs. Laniren,” Lakin greeted her as she stood, scooping her toddler up and propping the child on her hip. “This is my associate, Enforcer Baine. We’d like to speak with you and your husband, if that’s possible.”