Burned by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #1)(31)

Fenris simply arched a brow, folding his arms over his broad chest. “I wasn’t aware that anyone had to be ‘cleared’ in order to receive visitors around here. Would you care to show me where such a policy exists?”

Huh. Good point.

Canter’s sallow cheeks reddened. “T-the Chief Mage s-said so,” he stuttered, and Fenris took a threatening step toward him, baring his fangs in a rare show of temper.

“You should know better than to lie to me,” he said in a soft voice. “Even if I couldn’t tell by your scent, it’s a simple enough matter for me to ask the Chief Mage myself. And I’m certain he would tell me that no such policy exists.”

“Huh,” Noria said. “Can shifters really smell when someone is lying?”

I grinned down at her. “It’s one of our many superpowers, kid,” I said, bumping my shoulder playfully into hers. Fenris shot me an annoyed look, but I didn’t care – I was just happy to have my friends with me.

“Your insinuations are insulting,” Canter snapped, but the scent of fresh sweat rolling out from his pores was telling – the man was a liar, and a bad one at that. “I refuse to stand here and be mocked like this.”

Fenris shrugged, gesturing to the chair behind the desk that was stationed in the foyer. “Fine, then sit and be insulted instead,” he said. “But either way, I see no reason why Sunaya can’t have a short visit with her friends.”

In the end, we were taken up to one of the “conference rooms” right off the balcony landing, which was essentially a parlor furnished in gold and green, with low couches and chaises and elegantly carved wooden furniture.

“Don’t think you aren’t under observation,” Fenris warned me, and left us to our own devices.

Suddenly nervous, I grabbed a gold-tasseled pillow and fidgeted with it as I sat. Noria and Comenius sat on the love seat opposite me.

“What?” I finally snapped, noticing the way their eyes brimmed with curiosity and reproach. “Why are you guys staring at me like that?”

“Well –,” Noria began.

“No.” Comenius laid a hand on her knee. “You can’t say it like that.”

“Like what?” Noria protested. “You don’t even know what I’m about to say.”

But I did. It was written clear as day on her freckled face. “You don’t think I’m suffering enough,” I said flatly.

Noria’s shoulders sagged, and she looked at me with a combination of guilt and anger. “Well, yeah.”

“Not that that we’re upset about it,” Comenius rushed to assure me. “It’s just that –”

“Oh who are you kidding?” Noria snapped, shoving Comenius’s hand off her knee. “Of course we’re upset about it. Or at least I am! I’ve been lying awake all night, thinking you’re being magically tortured and interrogated and experimented on, only to find out that you’re clothed and fed and perfectly healthy, and walking around as if you own the damned place.” She leveled a glare at me that was so fierce I actually shrank back a little in my seat.

“Look,” I said, scowling at Noria. “Just because I’m not chained to the wall in a dirty cell somewhere doesn’t mean I’m okay. I can’t set foot outside these walls until the Chief Mage decides to release me, and at the rate he’s going that might not be until next year.”

Noria glanced around at the fancy furnishings of the room. “I’m not entirely sure that’s a bad thing,” she said dubiously, her eyes lingering on the expensive-looking paintings that hung on the walls. “The Chief’s got excellent taste, for a mage.” She wrinkled her nose.

“Yes, well, that didn’t do me much good when I was nearly beaten to death by the guards last night.”

“What!” Comenius shouted as Noria’s face went pale. “What do you mean, nearly beaten to death?”

“And by those guards?” The shock in Noria’s voice was evident. “There must have been an army of them if they were able to take you down.”

“I don’t know about an army,” I said dryly. “But there were a few.” I gave them a quick rundown of the incident, explaining that I’d basically been starved all day and had little energy left when the guards had jumped me in the kitchen. “If it weren’t for Fenris, I’d probably be dead.”

“Verflixt,” Comenius muttered and I blinked – it was rare for him to swear. His pale blue eyes burned with emotion. “I’m sorry, Naya. I should have known, should have done something –”

I shook my head. “There’s nothing you could have done,” I said gently, hating the guilt that was written all over his face. “And remember, had you not thought of appealing to the Chief Mage, I’d likely be dead. It’s okay, anyway. I’m all better now.”

“I can see that.” Noria studied me, her dark eyes glittering with suspicion. “From what you’ve said it sounds like you were injured really badly. Whoever healed you must have been really good.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “It was the Chief Mage, actually.”

Comenius’s jaw dropped. “Iannis ar’Sannin himself healed you?”

I groaned. “It’s not a big deal, guys. Fenris brought my bleeding, broken body up to his room and demanded he do it.”