Burned by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #1)(45)

“If you are all quite done,” the Chief Mage said at last, raising his voice to be heard amongst the mages, “I would suggest that perhaps all of you are being hasty to dismiss the potential that Miss Baine represents.”

“If you mean potential for disaster, then I don’t think we’re dismissing it at all!” the ruddy-faced mage protested. “In fact, I think you’re taking this too lightly!”

Iannis leveled a glare at the mage, who shrank back slightly. “I don’t take anything lightly, especially when magic is involved.” His violet eyes moved amongst the crowd, meeting the eyes of every single mage present. “It may not have occurred to any of you, but Miss Baine could very well prove to be an asset in her own right if properly trained. There are other countries that allow hybrids, with few problems. A few of the states in our own country are experimenting with more liberal policies, and if Canalo is to keep up with the rest of the country, we need to be more progressive. Naturally, I would expect any mage who I appoint as Guild Director to share my view.”

There was a lot of muttering amongst the mages then, some looking abashed, but many just plain resentful. “So what do you plan on doing with the hybrid, then?” Baldy finally asked. “Are you going to find someone to train her?”

“Yes.” The Chief Mage clasped his hands in front of him. “That is one of the reasons I brought you all here tonight. I expect one of you to take on the task.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“I am,” the Chief Mage said firmly, and my heart sank. He seriously wanted one of these jerks to train me? I doubted I would last a single day with any of them before one of us killed the other. If I happened to be the one who did the killing I would be executed, so it was a lose-lose situation for me either way.

A tense silence filled the room, so thick I could almost swim in it. “Well?” Iannis demanded. “Which one of you is up to the task?”

He called dozens of mages out by name, likely the ones he knew best, asking each one of they would train me. The ball of anxiety in my gut lessened a little bit with each refusal, and when he’d finally finished, I nearly slid off my tree branch as I went boneless with relief. Thank Magorah I wouldn’t be subjected to any of their cruelty.

“Well, I have to say I’m highly disappointed in all of you.” The Chief Mage frowned at the lot of them, and it occurred to me that he should have been angrier than he was. After all, if one of the purposes of hosting this banquet was to find me a trainer, hadn’t this been a colossal waste of time? “I thought that surely one of you would have the fortitude to step up and take on this revolutionary project. It would appear my faith in you was misplaced.”

Seriously? He was going to let them off with this light scolding? With the way he’d treated me, I thought he terrified everyone, but he seemed practically tame here. Maybe he was too easy on his mages, and that’s why they were so irresponsible.

“Oh, very well.” Iannis shrugged his shoulders and let out a small sigh – one of the most expressive things I’d ever seen him do. “I suppose if none of you are willing to train her, then I must take on the task myself.”

I really did fall off the tree branch this time, and had to quickly right myself in the air so I didn’t come crashing down onto my side. I landed on my feet, but nobody noticed my aerial maneuver because the mages had exploded into an uproar.

“A hybrid as your apprentice? That’s preposterous!” the carrot-top mage shouted.

“There are plenty of worthy apprentices waiting for a master who would kill for that position!” This was Baldy, and his face was red with anger.

“What kind of example will this set for Canalo? Will every shifter in the state know that all they have to do is sleep with you in order to curry your favor?”

“SILENCE!”

Iannis’s voice, magically magnified, shook the walls. Everyone clammed up instantly, and I stood stock still, the hairs along my spine standing straight up in the air. I wasn’t sure if the energy crackling through my body was in response to the terror his glare inspired in me, or the fury and embarrassment that burned through my veins from the last mage’s comment.

“Lysander,” the Chief Mage said in a voice like boiling lava, addressing the silver-bearded mage who’d made the remark. “You have been around longer than most of the mages in this room, and know that I do not tolerate gossip and rumormongers, correct?”

“Y-yes, my Lord.” Lysander bowed so low that the tail end of his beard touched the ground.

“Excellent.” The Chief Mage’s icy gaze swept the room. “Then you understand that anyone who repeats such a vile rumor, in my presence or outside, will be struck deaf and dumb for the rest of the year. Short of Miss Baine actually killing someone or causing extreme damage, I do not want to hear any more complaints about her. You are all grown mages and more than capable of defending yourself from a single hybrid shifter. Do I make myself clear?”

The mages all rushed to assure Iannis that he did, their heads bobbing furiously. I noticed that none of them were able to meet his eyes, though I stared openly at him. I should have been relieved at this turn of events, because it officially meant that I wasn’t going to be executed, and was no longer a prisoner. But I was too confused to be grateful. What in the world was he thinking, taking me on as his apprentice? As much as I was loath to admit it, the other mages were right – there were many more apprentices out there who were more deserving of the position. Regardless of what Iannis said, the fact that he was favoring me would only encourage the rumors that we were lovers.