Bound by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #2)(57)

“Oh.” Guilt and shame burned at my cheeks – I should have considered the possibility that like Annia, Comenius would have found out about my involvement with the bridge, and that he would have worried about me. “I’m sorry, Com. I’ve just been so distracted these last couple of days. I should have thought to drop by. Please, come in.”

I stepped back to let them in, and Elania’s bourbon-vanilla scent drifted past me, making my nose twitch. I’d seen her around once or twice at Witches End; she was a witch who specialized in potions, as in rather than making you a good luck charm, she’d whip up a lucky elixir for you instead. From what I heard she also did the occasional hex under the table, but since those were illegal I’m sure she’d deny it if someone like me came around her shop asking for one.

“I will make tea,” Elania announced as I shut the door. “You do have tea, correct?”

“Umm, yeah. I think I’ve got some chai in one of the cupboards, and there’s milk in the fridge.” I hurried over to the kitchen to grab the ingredients.

“Chai will do,” Elania decided, pulling out a small teapot from one of my cupboards and filling it with water.

“No time to go food shopping?” Comenius asked casually as he caught a glimpse of the inside of my empty fridge.

I sighed, setting the milk on the counter. “You could say that. Between working at the Mages Guild and helping Lakin with this case, I barely have time to breathe.”

“Are you talking about those disappearances we were looking into the last time you came to visit?” Comenius asked, joining me in the living room. I settled myself onto my recliner, tucking my legs beneath me, while he took the couch.

“Yeah. It turns out that all of them are being forced into indentured servitude in order to pay off debts.” I gave him a brief overview of the Shifter Royale and all that we’d discovered, and also told him that my cousin’s daughter, Mika, had been taken because I’d refused to let go of the investigation.

“Oh, Naya.” Comenius’s voice was full of sympathy. “I’m so sorry to hear about Mika. I know you’re not close with your family, but I’m sure it’s not been easy.”

“I try not to think about it too much.” I let out a gusty sigh. “Mainly I’ve just been focusing on how to catch the bastard responsible. I’m going to find out when the next Shifter Royale is, and then Annia and I are going to take a task force in there and bust open the whole operation.”

“Well I hope you’ll keep me updated on this, and let me know if I can be of any help.”

Elania glided over with the tea pot and three empty mugs, all of which she balanced on a metal baking sheet that she’d repurposed as a tea tray. She didn’t seem at all bothered by my lack of a traditional tea service, but I suddenly was, though I’d never really thought about it before. All of my cutlery and dishes were mismatched; I’d never seen the point in getting a set as I didn’t entertain guests. But my circle of friends and acquaintances was expanding, and I had a feeling I would need to adjust accordingly.

“Thank you,” I told her, leaning forward to take a cup of steaming chai. As I did so, the chain around my neck swung forward, revealing the white stone dangling from the end.

Elania’s eyes gleamed as she caught sight of the jewel. “That’s a very pretty necklace,” she commented, settling onto the couch next to Comenius with her own cup of tea in hand. “It has power of some kind, does it not?”

“Yes.” I touched the tanzarite pendant, feeling a little self-conscious about it. I had a feeling it wasn’t something I was supposed to be wearing openly, but I didn’t think to keep it hidden once I’d tucked myself into bed. “It’s called a serapha charm.”

“A serapha charm!” Comenius exclaimed, his tea sloshing around in his cup as he sat up straight. “Who in the world did you exchange serapha charms with?”

“Umm, the Chief Mage.” An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach at the alarm in Comenius’s eyes. “I was pretty pissed when I found out that he’d put a tracking spell on me, so he offered this as a compromise. That way we can both find each other if there’s any other trouble.”

“I see.” Comenius and Elania exchanged a look.

“What?” I demanded, not at all liking the feeling that I was being left out of the loop. “Why are you guys acting so weird? Did I do something wrong?” And how did they know I’d exchanged charms with someone, rather than simply been given one?

“No,” Comenius said, turning back to me again. “It’s just that serapha charms are usually exchanged between two mages who are getting married.”

“To each other,” Elania added helpfully, as if that wasn’t clear.

I stared at them both, open-mouthed. “You…what…this is supposed to be a wedding gift?”

“Generally speaking,” Comenius said. “I’ve heard of family members exchanging them before, usually siblings who need to be able to keep track of the other for whatever reason. But generally it’s two lovers who are married or are to be married.”

“Well the Chief Mage and I are master and apprentice,” I declared, setting my teacup down. “That’s a pretty close bond, almost like family, wouldn’t you say?”