Marked by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #4)(53)

“Indeed,” Fenris remarked dryly. He stood over Iannis’s shoulder, scanning my note again with narrowed eyes. “Grooming the human population to fall in line with their beliefs is a smart plan,” he conceded. “This ensures the Resistance has a large support base to rely on. They can’t hope to succeed if the civilian population does not support their aims.”

“There’s more,” I said before Iannis could comment on Fenris’s observation. Both men turned to me, eyebrows raised as though they couldn’t believe there could possibly be more to this outlandish picture I was painting. “I found this out after I wrote the note, so I didn’t add it in there. But I’m almost certain that Thorgana Mills’s husband, Curian Vanderheim, is the Benefactor.”

“What?” Fenris stared at me. “That mindless fool? Why would you think so?”

“It sounds unlikely indeed,” Iannis agreed with him. He was frowning. “Why him, of all people?”

I took them through the line of investigation I’d pursued with the help of Janta in the library, starting with Supplysafe and ending with the discovery that the Bellington Trust was owned by Thorgana and her husband. “Thorgana owns the largest media company in the Northia Federation,” I reminded them. “It would have been easy for her husband to convince not just the Herald, but their other news outlets throughout the Federation, to spread Resistance propaganda. Remember that not too long ago, the Herald was printing stories specifically angled to pit humans and shifters against one another.”

“Well, we always knew the Benefactor had to be immensely rich,” Fenris said, considering. “Vanderheim certainly fits the bill in that respect.”

“He also supported the faction who wanted to get rid of the Minister at the Convention,” I reminded Iannis.

Iannis was silent for a minute, thinking it over. Finally, he gave a decisive nod. “Yes, it does seem plausible – at the very least, he must be a trusted associate, if not the Benefactor himself. Well done, Sunaya. I’m impressed you’ve managed to uncover so much useful information in such a short amount of time.” His eyes shone with appreciation as he studied me, and I felt a blush creep in my cheeks as my body reacted. “We should certainly go to the Vanderheim mansion and search the property, as you suggest. I will send a scout ahead to see if anyone is home.”

It didn’t take much time to get an answer – half an hour later, a messenger rushed into the office to inform us that Thorgana Mills was in residence, along with a few staff members.

“Based on past experiences with Mrs. Mills, I doubt she will give us too much trouble,” Iannis said as we headed to the Mages Guild to mobilize a task force. “But we should bring reinforcements, even so.”

It didn’t take Iannis long to gather the people he needed – the Legal Secretary, to inform Thorgana of the raid and the purpose behind it, two apprentices to help us conduct the search of the house, and two large, mean-looking mages I recognized as former enforcers who had retreated to the Mages Guild after the insurrection had started. The latter were equipped with manacles to arrest Thorgana or any of the staff as accessories, depending on what we found.

Excitement and nerves buzzed in my veins as we climbed into the steamcars waiting for us outside – Iannis and I sat in the back of one, while Fenris rode in front with the driver. I knew I was right, that Thorgana’s husband had to be the one behind all this, but as we headed toward the coastal section of Maintown, where the wealthiest humans resided, a sliver of doubt crept in. What if Janta’s contact in Dara had been wrong, or worse, had deliberately misled us? It would be completely humiliating for us to show up and conduct a raid, only to find out that Thorgana and her husband had nothing to do with the Resistance. Worse, since Thorgana owned Mills Media and Entertainment, news of such a mistake would be plastered all over the country. The papers and radio would run with two stories – one, that the Mages Guild was losing its touch, going after harmless socialites, and two, that the Chief Mage of Canalo’s judgment was being severely impaired by his hybrid apprentice.

“Relax,” Iannis murmured, quietly enough so that only I, and perhaps Fenris, could hear. His hand found its way across the backseat and squeezed mine gently. “I trust you.”

A rush of warmth made my fingers tingle and my cheeks glow, and I squeezed his hand in return. It meant so much to me, those three simple words. Trust was rare and precious, and if Iannis was willing to put his reputation on the line on my say-so, perhaps we did have a future together.

Hell yes, my body seemed to say in response to that, and the heat spread through me like wildfire. My breath quickened as tingles and aches made themselves known again, and my skin suddenly felt too tight against my flesh. Iannis’s eyes darkened as he looked me up and down, his grip on my hand tightening, and I knew his body was unconsciously reacting to mine.

Fenris cleared his throat loudly then, obviously scenting my arousal. More heat flushed my cheeks, this time with embarrassment, and I quickly let go of Iannis’s hand and scooted closer to the door.

Distance, I thought, leaning my cheek against the cool glass window and taking deep, calming breaths. I desperately needed distance.

I could sense Iannis’s disappointment, but he said nothing more, allowing me my space as I wrestled my unruly body back under control. By the time my heart rate had steadied, we were turning into a long gravel drive that wound its way up a steep, grassy hill. A large limestone mansion sat on top, overlooking the city from the front and the coastline from the back. An iron fence, taller than even Iannis, surrounded the grounds.