Hunted by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #3)(82)

“I know, I know, it’s just that…” I scraped my hands through my hair and tried to figure out how to say this.

“What is it?” Iannis’s tone softened.

I lifted my gaze to his again. “It’s just that I know the Minister isn’t going to want me anywhere near this task force, and you’re going to be so busy there’s no way you’re going to have time to train me.” A lump formed in my throat.

“Ah, but that’s where you are wrong.” Iannis smiled. “I told the Minister in no uncertain terms that you’ve been invaluable in uncovering all these conspiracies, and that if he wanted me on the task force you would be working with me.” The smile turned into a smirk. “He said that since you’re my apprentice I can do whatever I want, but of course that was just his way of saving face while agreeing.”

I laughed a little at the twinkle in his eye. “How clever of you.”

“Indeed.” His face grew serious again. “But whether or not he agreed, I already made a promise to you that I wouldn’t neglect your training again, Sunaya. I will reduce your apprenticeship duties at the Mages Guild so that you have more time to focus on spellcasting and other lessons. I suspect we will need the extra time as members of this new task force in any case.”

“No kidding.” I bit my lip as another thought occurred to me. “Did Cedris or Brung say how the Minister caught the disease in the first place?”

“The Benefactor was in charge of the arrangements, so I assume he somehow made it happen. I just don’t understand how such a thing is possible without magic.” Iannis frowned.

“Perhaps that is why nobody else caught it from the Minister, if it’s supposed to be so contagious.” My mind was spinning with the implications. If the Benefactor could target specific enemies with common ailments, what prevented him from spreading some plague that killed only mages, or worse, only shifters?

“If I asked Noria or Elnos, I’m pretty sure they’d say it’s the power of human science and give me some fancy term or something that I can’t pronounce.” I smiled a little, but my heart sank as I remembered the turmoil I’d left behind in Solantha. Would Noria still be there, or had she run off to join the fight by now? I hated the thought of us becoming enemies. Was there any way I could warn her about the task force, without at the same time being disloyal to Iannis or helping the Resistance? I needed to convince Rylan to get out as well, although I doubted he’d want to talk to me after learning I’d used his name to infiltrate a Resistance camp.

“You should pack your things,” Iannis said as he rose. “We’ll be leaving for Solantha in the evening.”

“Alright,” I said dully. I hopped off the couch and headed back to my own room, my heart heavy. Even though I’d accomplished what I’d set out to do here in Dara, I was dreading the idea of going home.





29





Considering what had happened the last time Iannis had travelled on a dirigible, plus the fact that the Resistance was probably even more focused on eliminating us, I should have been a bundle of nerves during the flight home. But I was so tired from this long-ass ordeal that not long after we left Dara I conked out, sleeping like the dead for most of the flight.

“Miss Baine.” Iannis gently shook me awake. “We’re here.”

I cracked open my eyelids and looked out the window just as we passed over Solantha Bay. Despite the fact that I was dreading what I’d find on the ground, I couldn’t help but grin as I watched the morning sun crest over the horizon, pink and gold flames rippling across the water and making the Firegate Bridge glow. I couldn’t even explain how relieved I was to see the bridge still standing there in all its fiery glory – the Resistance had already tried to destroy it once, and I’d half expected to find it blown to smithereens. If it was standing strong, I hoped that meant Solantha was too.

But as we drew closer to the Palace, I saw groups of humans crowded outside the property just beyond the protective wards, and my sharp eyes picked out picket signs that many of them waved. I couldn’t make out what they said, but I imagined the words were angry, if the number of guards trying to corral the protesters were any indication.

“By Magorah,” I whispered as horror creeped up my chest. “Just what is going on down there?”

Rather than landing at the airport, which would force us to brave the angry mob to gain entrance to the Palace, Iannis ordered the pilot to land us in the middle of the palace gardens, well within the protective wards and away from the angry protesters. A light breeze tugged at my hair as I disembarked from the dirigible, bringing the kiss of the ocean with it, and for a moment I forgot about the protestors on the ground. But then I caught sight of Director Chen and Fenris waiting for us, and their grim faces reminded me all over again.

“Welcome back, everyone,” Director Chen said, her voice solemn. “I am glad to see you have all arrived safely.”

“You sure don’t look glad,” I pointed out. “Is there something going on we should know about? Such as why there’s an angry mob trying to storm the Palace downstairs?”

“Many things, and none of them good,” Fenris confirmed. He forced a smile, no doubt noticing the worried look on my face. “But we’re hoping that now that you are back, Iannis, things can be settled.”