Scorched by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #7)(31)

“I won’t,” Rylan promised, giving me a reassuring smile. Scooting over, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and drew me against him. “I know how to be discreet, cousin. How do you think I’ve managed to sneak out of so many boudoirs unscathed?”

I snorted at that. “Because you’re a shifter and you have super healing abilities?”

“Spoilsport.”

We burst out laughing, and I had to admit it felt really good. Spending time with my cousin had been just the tonic I needed to wash the sour taste of Garrett’s suspicion from my soul. Feeling refreshed, we parted ways to clean up for dinner. My heart was lighter now, and I’d be able to approach this meeting with a clear head.

Dinner was in the Winter Garden room again, with Iannis, Director Chen, Cirin, Garrett, Pillick, and Kardanor. Over pasta, meatballs, and minestrone soup, Garrett and I briefed the others on our progress—or lack thereof—on the Thorgana case. We discussed our plans for tomorrow, which mainly included tracking down her known associates and questioning them. If we didn’t find a lead soon, Iannis declared, then perhaps Thorgana was not in Solantha after all. Perhaps a new trace would turn up in some other location, prompting Director Toring to move on with his search while the rest of us focused our attention on earthquake preparations.

Garrett did not look happy about Iannis’s suggestion, and I wondered if he’d dig up some additional pretext to stay on, if push came to shove. But he wasn’t prepared to argue about it now, so he only nodded his agreement.

The conversation quickly moved to earthquake prep, and Chen and Kardanor briefed us on the project they’d drawn up throughout the day, and the results of the spot inspections done by several mixed teams of mages and engineers. “There are four newish schools and a large hospital in Maintown that are in such bad state that we are ordering them to be shut down right away,” Kardanor was saying. “Pending structural repairs, of course.”

My eyes widened at the thought of all those children and teachers, suddenly displaced. “What’s going to happen in the meantime?” I asked. “Those kids can’t be pulled out of school for months. Most of them will have working parents. And the hospital patients need to continue receiving care.”

“We know that,” Chen said patiently. “We have arranged with the Maintown Council to set up temporary facilities in some large cruise ships in the harbor that we have leased for the next six months. It is quite an undertaking, making these vessels suitable as classrooms and hospital facilities, but we are working as quickly as we can.”

“Good,” Iannis said with a satisfied nod. “I have no doubt you will take care of it, Director Chen.” His violet eyes darkened. “I would like to know what is being done about these neglectful construction companies. Have either of you met with them yet?”

Director Chen nodded. “I called the CEOs of Mendle and Gorax to my office, giving them no time to meet with each other beforehand. Mr. Makis and I interviewed them together, and they have been informed that their entire personal fortunes and lives are forfeit if anyone comes to harm as a result of their shoddy and deceitful practices. In the meantime, large fines have been assessed against them—the gold will come in handy for the cost of leasing the cruise ships.” Her expression was stony. “I do not think they will presume to get away with such malpractice again.”

“You should have seen their faces, Miss Baine,” Kardanor said. Unlike Director Chen, he was grinning from ear to ear, and I couldn’t help but smile back. “They were sweating and squirming as if their feet were being held to the fire, babbling promises that they’d do their best to make up for the damage.” He curled his lip at that. “They should be imprisoned, of course, but their machines and personnel are very much needed, so we let them off with a warning for now.”

“I let them off with a warning,” Director Chen reminded him, her elegant eyebrows arched. “You are merely assisting, Mr. Makis—you do not have any authority.”

“Of course, Director,” Kardanor said cheerfully, completely unabashed. “And I am more than happy to assist you in any way you might desire.”

I choked on my soup, and Director Chen’s face flushed. Cirin’s lips twitched, and even Iannis looked amused, though he hid it well. Garrett merely looked annoyed, though I wasn’t sure if that was because of Kardanor’s obvious flirtation, or because he was sitting through a meeting that no longer had anything to do with him.

“What about the Shiftertown construction companies?” I asked Kardanor, sparing Director Chen the necessity of responding. It was clear she had no idea what to say—the idea of a human male flirting with her was evidently so unthinkable that she didn’t know how to react. “Did the two of you interview them as well?”

“Yes,” Kardanor said, “but that was a much more pleasant experience. None of them have used systematic fraud and shoddy practices like Mendle and Gorax, and most of their buildings are smaller, which reduces the risk to some extent. Still, they have agreed to donate time and effort toward fixing up those buildings of theirs that aren’t quite up to code. They’ve done a couple of projects in Rowanville as well, and those are mostly acceptable.”

“That’s great,” I said, trying not to beam with pride. I was happy to hear that my fellow shifters had not abandoned their integrity, but not at all surprised. Clan meant everything to us, and the idea of constructing unsafe buildings for our own people was abhorrent.