Hunted by Magic (22 page)

Iannis was silent for a long moment. “I will have to consider it,” he said finally.

“Alright.” I shrugged and turned back to the mirror, as if the decision he was pondering was no big deal. “But just remember, you’ve only got a week.”

“Perhaps.” He was suddenly behind me, and a thrill zipped through my nerves as his fingers slid beneath my chin and tilted my face upward. “But there are some things I can do in the meantime.”

He lowered his face to mine, and my breath hitched. “You’re going to get lipstick all over your face,” I warned breathlessly.

“I don’t care,” he murmured, and I closed my eyes as his warm breath fanned across my face. I tilted my head back, and our lips met, a whisper of skin on skin that electrified me. Heat exploded in my belly, and I longed to press my body against his, but I was sitting in the chair and facing the wrong way. Annoyed, I nipped at his lower lip, and he growled, then gripped my lower jaw and pushed his tongue past my lips. The dark, exotic taste of him filled my senses, and I moaned, gripping his forearm hard as I fought to bring him closer.

The next thing I knew, he’d scooped me up into his arms and was kissing me so hard that I could barely breathe from the intensity of it. My body was burning up as he pressed me down onto the mattress, my heart jackhammering so wildly against my chest I was sure he had to feel it. And through my lust-drenched brain, I wondered if we were actually going to do this now. Were we finally going to give in to the desire that had been pulling us together almost from day one?

Eventually Iannis lifted his head from mine, his violet eyes smoldering as he looked down at me. I reached up to trace the flush that had spread across his alabaster cheeks, and he pressed his hand against mine, holding it to his cheek. It was an incredibly tender moment, one that was completely at odds with the savage way he’d kissed me, and for a heart-stopping second I wondered if maybe he really
could
love me.

“You must understand,” he said quietly, his thumb stroking the back of my hand, “that after living as long as I have, it’s difficult for me to make hasty decisions. But,” he added, his voice growing husky again, “I’m beginning to think you’ll be more than worth it if we do decide to do this.”

And with that, he rolled off the bed and left me lying there, staring at the ceiling and wondering just what the hell had hit me.

A
n hour later
, Iannis and I climbed into the carriage I’d had the concierge call for us, and we were off to the ball. The Finance Secretary and the other delegates had come to collect us, but because Iannis and I had spent so much time arguing, we hadn’t been ready to leave. Iannis had ordered them to go on ahead without us while we’d finished getting ready, which meant that we would be arriving fashionably late. The fact that we’d also be arriving separately from the other Canalo delegates would raise eyebrows, and only further the rumors that I was Iannis’s mistress.

Then again, after the way Iannis had kissed the breath out of me earlier, was I really so far away from becoming exactly that? My lips tingled in remembrance even as I pressed them together in distaste. I didn’t like the term “mistress” – it implied that I was a kept woman, which was far from the truth. But since we weren’t married, I guessed that was the only other title they could fall back on for me.

I looked away from the window at Iannis to find that he was watching me, and the air thickened between us instantly. Not wanting to deal with the tension, I decided to give him a debrief, which was something I needed to do anyway.

“You might want to know that I learned a couple of things when I was hanging out at the coffee shop this afternoon.”

“Oh?” Iannis asked, relaxing back against the velvet upholstery. “I’m surprised you didn’t mention that back at the hotel room.”

“I was going to, but we were sidetracked,” I said dryly. “From what I’ve been overhearing, a Lord Cedris ar’Tarea is apparently the frontrunner as the next Minister.”

“The Chief Mage of Rhodea.” Iannis nodded. “I’ve heard rumors to that effect too, though I can’t quite fathom why he is such a popular choice. He governs a small state and has little experience with international affairs.”

“That’s what one of the mages in the coffee shop was saying. I also heard several people mention that you were a prime contender as well.”

“Hmm.” Iannis’s lips thinned. “Between the two of us, I certainly believe I would be the better choice as the next Minister. But I would rather not leave Canalo so soon in my political career.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” If Iannis became the next Minister, there was no way he’d have any time to train me. “A bunch of people came up to me and asked how you were going to vote. I guess maybe I should tell them you’re voting for yourself,” I joked.

“Very funny.” He did not look amused.

“That reminds me,” I said, my eyes narrowed. “One of the mages who tried to chat me up was a Coman ar’Daghir, and he kind of looks like me. A
lot
like me.”

Iannis went still for a moment. “Eye and hair color do not necessarily equate blood relation.”

“But you’re not denying that he
is
a blood relation,” I accused, folding my arms across my chest. Iannis said nothing, simply staring blankly, and I ground my teeth in frustration. “Oh come on! You
have
to tell me who my father is. You can’t keep me in the dark about this.”

“You’re not ready to know yet.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I fisted my hands in my skirts, just itching to slap some sense into him. “How the hell do you expect us to work together if you insist on treating me like a child that needs to be kept in the dark?”

“It’s not a matter of age, but experience.” Iannis’s eyes hardened. “Acknowledging your parentage publicly is going to open up a world of problems that you won’t be well-equipped enough to deal with until you understand the magical world and its rules far better. Once you are finished with your apprenticeship, I will happily divulge your father’s identity.”

“Once I’m finished with my apprenticeship?” I echoed in disbelief. “But that’s not for another ten years!”

Iannis sighed. “Answer me honestly. Is there really any burning reason for you to know his identity right now?”

“Other than the fact that he’s my father and I want to?” I answered sarcastically.

“Yes, and just what would you do with that information?” Iannis challenged. “Are you going to run off to reconnect with the father who abandoned you, while the Northia Federation is on the verge of calamity? Is it truly so important that you discover the identity of a mage who clearly does not want to have anything to do with you, right this very second?”

“No,” I admitted tightly around the lump swelling in my throat. I glanced away, blinking back tears of anger and grief. Apparently the wound of my father’s abandonment was more tender than I’d realized.

“I haven’t told you who he is precisely because I do not wish to cause you unnecessary distress,” Iannis said gently. “Believe me, if circumstances change and this knowledge becomes necessary, I will tell you.”

I let out a deep breath, then turned to face Iannis again. “You know, I could just ask Coman myself,” I pointed out.

“Let me save you the trouble,” he said dryly. “Coman is not your father, and if you ask him about it he will likely be rather confused. Your inquiry will merely raise suspicion and questions that we would rather not deal with, since you are here as Narina Sernan,
not
Sunaya Baine.”

“I guess you have a point.” My lips twisted as I acknowledged that logic. If I was going to ferret out more information about the identity of my father, I couldn’t very well do it as myself.

“I do find it very interesting that Coman approached you, however.”

“And why is that?”

“Because he is Lord Cedris’s Legal Secretary.”

“What?” My eyes widened. “What was he doing out in the coffee shop then, instead of the rotunda?”

“He may have come there during an intermission for refreshments,” Iannis speculated. “More likely, though, Lord Cedris sent him out specifically to question you and try to find out more information about me, since he believes I am his direct competition.”

“Huh.” I pressed my lips together as I considered that. “He was asking questions about our time at the Resistance camp,” I recalled. “I don’t know why that information would be of relevance to Lord Cedris, though.”

“The fact that he is asking might suggest that he has an interest in the Resistance somehow,” Iannis said, frowning. “Although he could have just been digging for dirt.”

“Well maybe we can find out more at the ball tonight,” I suggested hopefully.

“Indeed. Our main objectives tonight are to discover exactly where the Minister is sequestered, and to determine if Lord Cedris’s sudden popularity is legitimate. It defies belief, but after all that has happened we cannot exclude the possibility that he is somehow allied to the Benefactor or the Resistance.”

“I’m guessing that means you’re going to rub a lot of elbows and I’m going to listen in on as many conversations as possible?”

“Yes. And since you are not a delegate, you’ll attract less notice if you sneak off somewhere that guests are generally not supposed to be.”

The carriage rolled to a stop, and I peered out the window to see that we were in a long, long line of carriages dropping ball guests off at the Grandham Hotel, which was where the ball was being held. Guess we weren’t the only fashionably late ones. It took us a good ten minutes before our carriage pulled up in front of the entrance, and I tried to act aloof rather than self-conscious as Iannis helped me down from the carriage. Reporters and photographers crowded near the entrance, and I had to force myself not to flinch as camera bulbs flashed and reporters shouted questions at us about the upcoming vote and who we thought the next Minister was going to be. Blinded by the flashes, I clutched Iannis’s arm and allowed him to guide me up the stairs and through the doors.

Oh well, at least we’ll look good for the photographs,
I thought as we passed through the elegant lobby. Uniformed staff greeted us respectfully and directed us toward the ballroom, which was several hallways away. I’d picked out a set of royal blue robes for Iannis, with winged shoulders and golden vines that shimmered as he walked. A gold satin sash belted around his waist, and the ensemble enhanced the contrast of his broad shoulders to his tapered hips. Only the tips of the dark blue leather boots with gold buckles I’d bought for him could be seen, but they were my favorite part of the outfit. I would have bought a pair for myself if they had come in my size. I’d commission a similar pair for myself once we got back to Solantha, if I ever had any money of my own again.

One problem at a time, Sunaya.

“Welcome to the Convention Ball,” another hotel staff member greeted us at the entrance to the ballroom. Like the other staff, he was dressed very smartly in a suit and tails, and he held a clipboard and pen in his hands. “May I have your names, please?”

“Iannis ar’Sannin, Chief Mage of Canalo, and Miss Narina Sernan.”

“Yes, of course, my lord.” The man bowed deeply, then extended a hand toward the entrance. “Please enjoy your evening.”

We stepped into the ballroom, and I tried not to crane my neck as my eyes took in the enormous space, which was packed to the gills with delegates and invited guests. The walls were painted a pale, creamy gold, and soared past the mezzanine balconies to meet the ornate crown molding that bordered the ceiling. The ceiling itself was fairly plain, the only adornment a large, stylized flower painted in the center, and hanging from the middle of the flower was a single chandelier that cast the huge room in a muted yellow glow. Wall sconces set in the pillars that lined the walls and supported the arches of the mezzanine provided additional light, but the overall effect was subtle, creating plenty of shadowed corners for attendees to lurk in and whisper to each other when they weren’t socializing with the main crowd.

I remained on Iannis’s arm for the first half hour as introductions were made, but as time went on more and more female mages began to flock to him, slyly flirting, and he took to the sport like a duck to water, coaxing information out of them the same way they were trying to do to him. I knew there was a purpose to it all, but I hated the way these women dismissed me or gave me thinly disguised looks of derision. So I was more than happy to let a handsome young mage sweep me off to the dance floor before the jealousy monster trying to rear its ugly head made me do something stupid.

I danced and socialized for a good hour with the delegates and their guests, making small talk while surreptitiously testing the waters to see if anyone knew anything about the Minister’s whereabouts or Lord Cedris’s campaign. A good number of the guests were humans, wealthy socialites who had enough pull in their own circles that they merited an invitation and flew in across the country to mingle with these high-ranking mages. None seemed to have any more information about the Minister than I did, however, and there was also frustratingly little to be learned about Lord Cedris. I gleaned some speculation that he’d made agreements with key mages to push for certain types of legislation, but nothing concrete.

Of course this would all be much easier if I could actually ask questions, but nobody wanted to divulge any information to me since I was an outsider, and I didn’t want to draw suspicion my way. The mages who did talk directly to me mostly just wanted to pump me for info about Iannis anyway. Hopefully he was having better luck than I was.

Lord Cedris himself was present, of course, and he diligently circled the crowds, talking and laughing and rubbing elbows. He was tall and lean, dressed in a set of red and white robes that did nothing for his long, pale blond hair and haughty, aristocratic features. I saw Iannis speak with him for a few moments, but Cedris seemed much more interested in talking up the other delegates, presumably to persuade them to vote for him.

“Good evening, Miss Baine. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” a low, throaty voice came from my right.

I jumped at the sound of my real name, nearly spilling the glass of champagne I was nursing, and turned to see Thorgana Mills standing next to me, a smile on her glossy lips. The owner of Mills Media & Entertainment was resplendent in a white mermaid-style gown that clung to her willowy figure, and her ice-blonde hair was swept into a classy up-do and secured with a diamond-encrusted hair-clip.

“Good evening, Mrs. Mills,” I said in a low voice. “How are you this evening?” It figured someone of her great wealth and status would be invited here, and I cursed myself for not donning a better disguise. I had worked for her as a bodyguard on occasion, and she had seen me in Iannis’s palace not that long ago.

Thorgana laughed lightly. “You have gumption, I’ll give you that,” she said, “daring to show up at such a public event so thinly disguised and expecting no one to recognize you. You seem to be moving up in the world. You could not have afforded that dress on an Enforcer’s income.”

“Indeed.” I smiled apologetically, though what I really wanted to do was smash her in the back of the head with my champagne glass and lock her up somewhere before she blew my cover. “I hope you won’t rat me out, Mrs. Mills.”

“Not at all,” she said, still smiling. “I admire your audacity. I’m sure Lord Iannis is making good use of your valuable talents to gather information and support so he can secure his title as the new Minister.”

“Oh I don’t know about that,” I demurred, lifting my glass of champagne to my lips. I took another sip as I studied her over the rim of my glass, trying to figure out what her angle was. Was she just toying with me for the hell of it? “Lord Cedris is a very strong contender.”

“It certainly seems so, though I can’t understand why exactly,” Thorgana mused. Her perfectly plucked brows drew together in a faint frown. “There are dozens of Chief Mages who are more qualified, Lord Iannis included. I would think that Lord Iannis would be confident enough in his abilities to not be intimidated by Lord Cedris?” she prodded.

“Perhaps,” I allowed. It seemed like she was trying to get me to confirm that Iannis was running for Minister, and just because he wasn’t didn’t mean I was about to let anyone know that. “I suppose you’ll have to ask him yourself.”

“Oh I have, and he’s just as tight-lipped as you.” Thorgana laughed again. “It seems that you are learning well from him. He wouldn’t give me any details about what happened after his airship crash-landed in the middle of nowhere, either.”