Authors: Jasmine Walt
“Well you
do
own several newspaper companies,” I pointed out with a teasing smile. “I think you can understand his reluctance to share information he doesn’t want distributed by the media.”
“Oh how silly.” Thorgana waved a hand as if the notion was ridiculous, but even though she appeared to be little more than diamonds and silk on the outside, I wasn’t so sure that Iannis’s caution was misplaced. After all, she
was
the owner of the company, wasn’t she? “I have little to do with the business I inherited from my father. It pays for my jewels and parties, but I leave the muck-raking to my managers.”
“Of course.” I smiled indulgently. My nose told me she wasn’t lying, but there was something about the way she said it that made me unsure whether to believe her protestations.
“Well, I suppose I ought to get back to my husband,” Thorgana said with a little sigh. “I’m done here, but my husband isn’t, so I must be the dutiful wife and finish making the rounds with him. Don’t worry, though,” she added with a wink. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Enjoy the party,” I murmured as she walked gracefully back to her husband, who was schmoozing with a couple of delegates in Cedris’s camp. I toyed with one of the jewels in my skirt, still trying to discern exactly what it was about my conversation with Mrs. Mills that made me uneasy.
I didn’t have long to dwell on it, though, because Coman passed in front of my line of sight, and something about his purposeful gait gave me pause. He wore a pair of dark maroon robes shot through with silver threading, and the embroidery sparkled in the light as his robes rippled about his tall form. I thought perhaps he was going to join the group of mages clustered near the hors d’oeuvres-laden tables to talk to his boss, but Lord Cedris was no longer amongst them. Instead, Coman headed for the ballroom exit. Senses tingling, I handed off my half-empty champagne glass to a waiter, then made my way across the room as quickly as I could without drawing attention. Coman could just be looking for the restroom, but my intuition told me that he was up to something.
I stepped out into the hallway and looked to my left just in time to see Coman’s robes follow him into a room about thirty feet down. The door clicked shut, and I frowned as I heard him slide a bolt into place. The sign on the door proclaimed it to be a smoking room, as did the noxious odor of tobacco and cigarette ash that lingered on the air outside. It didn’t make sense that Coman would lock it unless he was meeting someone in private.
Knowing it would look odd if I stood outside in the hall to listen in, I tried the door to the right of the smoking room and found that it was a broom closet. Sandwiching myself between a large mop bucket and the wall, I closed my eyes, put my ear to the thin wall, and focused in on the conversation occurring in the other room.
“You have an excellent chance at securing the vote tomorrow,” Coman was saying, sounding quite pleased with himself. “If only half of those still undecided throw their support behind you, the odds are better than even.”
“You say that, but quite a few of the delegates I talked to tonight seemed to be favoring Lord Iannis,” Lord Cedris remarked. The dark undertone to his smooth, cultured voice suggested he was not happy about this.
“Yes, but you have the upper hand,” Coman insisted. “I’ve spoken to the mages we discussed, and all but one promised their support in exchange for raising the gold production cap of their respective states. Some actually sounded offended that Lord Iannis had not approached them with similar promises. You have many key players on your side.”
“Just as well.” There was a pause. “How is the Minister faring? All of this will come to nothing if he recovers or if someone discovers the truth about his illness. Has anyone tried to visit him?”
“Not since we moved him to that house on Blixton Road,” Coman reassured him. “The number of guards we had outside the last location were drawing too much attention, so I’ve lightened the detail. Nobody is likely to go looking there since it’s on the south side of town, and besides, it may not matter soon. From what the guards tell me, he is not improving.”
“So much the better.” Lord Cedris sounded satisfied. “We ought to get back to the ballroom before we are missed.”
I held my breath as I listened to them exit the smoking room, and waited until their footfalls had long faded before I cautiously let myself out of the closet and went to report what I’d learned to Iannis.
E
xcitement thrummed
through my nerves as I re-entered the ballroom – I was sure we could manage to locate the Minister with the information I’d overheard in the broom closet! Plus, it sounded like Lord Cedris
was
trying to rig the vote, and it was definitely suspicious that he seemed to be the only delegate who knew where the Minister was. If we got our hand on the Minister and brought him back to health, we could bring Lord Cedris’s campaign crashing down.
I navigated the sea of colorful and bejeweled guests, searching for Iannis, but between the crush of bodies, the loud chatter, and the amalgamation of scents, it was like searching for a single flower in a sea of blossoms. Not seeing him amongst the groups of gossiping mages, I made my way to the dance floor to check if he was out there twirling some female on his arm.
Long fingers curled around my upper arm, and a familiar, lightly-accented voice murmured in my ear, “Would you care to dance?”
“Iannis.” The name escaped me like a sigh, and I turned to face him. A slight smile played on his lips, and his iridescent eyes shimmered in the muted yellow light from the chandelier.
He offered me his hand, and as I placed my palm in his, an electric current ran between us, sending heat rippling through me like a gust from a sirocco. I allowed him to lead me out onto the ballroom floor, and though I felt the stares from the other dancing couples as their swirling robes and skirts brushed up against us, my eyes were locked on his.
Gently, Iannis took my right hand in his, then slid his other hand behind my left shoulder blade. I wrapped my fingers around his upper arm, mimicking the other couples, and just like that we were waltzing with the rest of the dancers.
“The rumor that we are lovers has spread through the delegation like wildfire, and is being used to discredit my so-called campaign,” Iannis murmured, amusement dancing in his eyes. “We might as well give them something to gossip about.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say some of my rebellious streak is beginning to rub off on you.” I grinned, enjoying this side of Iannis that few people ever saw.
“Perhaps.” The tips of his fingers caressed my exposed upper back, sending a lick of heat through my spine. “I do wonder if perhaps I should consider the role of Minister. If we are left with Lord Cedris as our next leader, the Federation will not be in safe hands.”
“Maybe.” I leaned in a little closer so that my words wouldn’t be overheard. My breasts brushed against his chest, and the words momentarily caught in my throat. “But before you start worrying about that, we should visit the current Minister ourselves and see if you can’t do something about his illness.”
Iannis’s dark brows shot up. “Have you discovered his location?” he asked, his lips hovering a few inches from mine.
“I have,” I confirmed, my voice a little breathless. “I snuck into a broom closet and overheard Lord Cedris and Coman talking about it.” I recounted to him exactly what I’d overheard.
Iannis’s expression never changed while I spoke, but by the time I was done his eyes were sparkling dangerously. “It sounds like Lord Cedris knows exactly why the Minister has fallen ill, and is keeping him sequestered to prevent anyone from helping him. He should be surrounded by physicians and healers, not just guards.”
“That’s kind of what I’m thinking too.” I hesitated for just a moment. “Should we go and get him tonight?”
“We’ll get him now.” Iannis’s mouth tightened. “The vote is tomorrow, and if the Minister is as gravely ill as Coman indicated, we cannot afford to delay.”
“Do you think it’ll be suspicious if we leave early?” I turned my gaze toward the dancers around us, who were still casting surreptitious glances at us.
“You could feign an illness of some kind,” Iannis suggested. “If you swoon in my arms, I’m sure no one would think it suspicious.”
“I’m not swooning,” I started to snap, then caught the glint of amusement in his eye. “You’re teasing me.”
“It is remarkably easy to do.”
I caught myself just as I was about to roll my eyes, then instead hunched forward a little and pressed a hand against my abdomen. “Oooh,” I groaned, just loud enough that the dancers near us would be able to hear.
Iannis placed steadying hands on my shoulders. “Are you alright?” he asked, playing along.
“I think those salmon canapés didn’t agree with me.” I braced a hand on his forearm, as if for support. “Perhaps it’s best that I turn in for the night.”
“I’ll make sure you’re seen back to the hotel, then.” He tucked my arm in his and guided me carefully off the dance floor, as if not wanting to move too fast lest he upset my stomach. I kept my hand placed over my abdomen, allowing lines of strain to tighten my face, and the dancers who saw us hastily cleared a path. Guess they weren’t really into the idea of getting projectile vomit on their finery.
I stiffened momentarily as I caught an excited whisper. “Can she be expecting his child?”
“Why else would he be so solicitous of a mere assistant?”
I bit back a snarl at that. I wanted to give those two gossips a piece of my mind, but I had bigger things to worry about, so I bit my tongue and kept moving.
“Leaving so soon?” The Finance Secretary approached us as we headed for the exit.
“Ah, Cirin.” A faint smile curled Iannis’s lips. “I’m taking Miss Sernan back to the hotel as she isn’t feeling well, but I’d like a word with you. Would you mind following us outside?”
“Certainly.” The Finance Secretary’s expression never changed, but curiosity flickered in his dark blue eyes as he fell into step with us. We made quick goodbyes to the variety of mages who came up to us, then boarded the elevator and asked the operator to take us down to the second floor.
“What is it that you wanted to speak to me about, Lord Iannis?” the Finance Secretary asked once we were out on the front steps awaiting our carriage.
Iannis glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot, then leaned in. “Miss Baine has discovered the Minister’s whereabouts.”
“Is that so?” Cirin’s eyebrows winged up as he turned his gaze toward me. “How did you manage that? I’ve made discreet inquiries of my own, but I’ve yet to turn anything up.”
“Yeah, well, you don’t have my super-hearing skills.” I tapped my left ear, then grinned as Iannis and Cirin both gave me vaguely annoyed looks.
“The how is not important at this moment,” Iannis said impatiently. “Miss Baine and I will go see the Minister now. It is likely we will be bringing him back with us. Apparently Coman ar’Daghir, Rhodea’s Legal Secretary, is hiding him somewhere on Blixton Road, on the south side of town.”
Cirin frowned. “I’m gathering it’s no coincidence that the Chief Mage of Rhodea is the frontrunner as the Minister’s replacement?”
“You can put money on that,” I assured him.
“Alright. I’ll prepare a room for the Minister, and discreetly tell the rest of our delegation.” Cirin hesitated. “Are you sure you will be alright on your own? I could always put one of the other delegates on this and come with you.”
“No, Miss Baine and I will be fine.”
“Very well.” The Finance Secretary bowed deeply. “Good luck, to the both of you.” His eyes met mine for a heartbeat longer than necessary, assessing me, and then he was gone, headed back up the stairs and to the light and laughter of the ballroom.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Are you sure he can be trusted?”
“Cirin is ambitious, but loyal,” Iannis said. “He’s gotten to where he is because of me, and he won’t damage that alliance.”
The carriage the concierge had called for us pulled up, and a footman jumped down from the rear to open the door and help us climb in. Iannis gave the driver directions in a low voice, and the vehicle bumped and jostled along the streets as it headed over to the South Side neighborhood.
“So what’s the plan?” I asked, reclining against the plushy upholstery. “Are you expecting me to fight the guards in this dress?” I could do it, of course, but I was growing fond of the garment and I didn’t want to ruin it.
“Of course not,” Iannis said “We’ll use magic to distract the guards and then sneak in.”
Iannis used illusion magic to disguise us, swapping out our finery for dark, unassuming clothing and hooded cloaks that would hide our faces. The carriage came to a stop, and I stepped onto the cracked sidewalk and looked around while Iannis paid the driver and gave him instructions to wait until we returned. Sewage and brine laced the air, and many of the houses here sported peeling paint, rickety fencing, and dingy windows. Every third streetlamp or so was cracked, casting the neighborhood in more darkness than it perhaps deserved, and I couldn’t help but think that Lord Cedris had chosen a good location to hide the Minister. No one would think to look for him in a rundown neighborhood like this.
It took a bit of searching, but we found the house several blocks up, sitting in the middle of a wide, unkempt yard that prevented the other houses from cozying up to it. I picked out three guards total, two by the front porch and one by the rear, a dead giveaway in this poor area.
“They set wards set around the perimeter,” Iannis murmured as we studied the rear of the property from across the street. “Likely to prevent the Minister from leaving. I will need to disable them in order to get him out safely.”
I sighed. “Are you
sure
we can’t just knock the guards out?”
“Doing so will only alert Lord Cedris,” Iannis reminded me. “I’d like to keep him in the dark about this until after the vote.”
“Oh alright.” I huffed out a breath, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’ll do this your way.”
Iannis muttered a Word, and the streetlamp posted on the sidewalk outside the rear of the house flickered twice before plunging the street into darkness. The guard, who had been lounging against the two-story house’s faded siding, straightened up with a curse and fumbled for his flashlight. In the time it took for him to find it, Iannis and I darted across the street and up the back steps, our feet making no sound as we alighted on the porch.
The guard’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Iannis held up a hand and the man stopped. His lips moved, but no sound came out, and I gathered that Iannis had frozen his vocal chords just like Fenris had done to me back when I’d been mouthing off to the Council.
“
Vyagari,”
Iannis whispered, and the guard’s eyes glazed over. “You will open the door and let us through, and you will not tell the other guards about this.” Power resonated in his voice, sending chills down my spine. “When we come out again, you will lock the door behind us and forget that we were here.”
The guard did as he was commanded without hesitation, stepping aside and holding the back door open for us. We stepped into the kitchen, and I grabbed hold of the knob and closed the door myself, making sure that it made no sound so that the guards out front wouldn’t hear anything.
“You have to teach me how to do that sometime,” I said under my breath.
“It’s not as easy as simply speaking a Word,” Iannis said dryly. “Suggestion magic requires many hours of practice to become even passably good.”
“Well I guess that’s why I keep you around,” I muttered as I passed him. There was little point in searching the entire house when I could follow my nose, which had quickly caught the stench of sickness and the underlying scent of a male. I traced the scent upstairs, and Iannis followed close behind me as I led him to a bedroom at the end of the second-story landing.
“By Magorah,” I muttered, clapping a hand over my mouth as the stench grew stronger. “Maybe you should wear a mask or something, Iannis.” I couldn’t catch human illnesses, but the sheer intensity of the smell made me wish I had something to cover my nose and mouth.
“I’m afraid these handkerchiefs will have to do,” Iannis said, producing two large ones from his sleeve. I took one from him and pressed the piece of silk to my nose, then sighed in relief. My sense of smell was too keen for it to block the stench, but it made the smell slightly more bearable.
With our handkerchiefs over our noses, Iannis pushed open the door, and we entered the sickroom quietly. The air was stuffy and hot, which wasn’t surprising because the two windows were tightly shut, the drapes closed so securely that not even a sliver of moonlight filtered into the space. My eyes could barely pick out the shapes of the furniture, so I focused on the large bed that dominated the rear half of the room and the occupant within it.
Raising my hand, I conjured a ball of flame to provide some illumination. The blue-green flames flickered in my hand, just bright enough to permeate the darkness, and I could clearly see the man who was bundled up in the bed. His long, yellow hair was plastered to his head with sweat, and angry red scabs marred his already sallow complexion. Dark circles rimmed his closed eyes, and he let out a reedy moan as we moved closer.
“Damnu air,”
Iannis swore as he gently pulled back the blanket. The Minister’s pajama pants and shirt shielded me from the worst of it, but the open collar and exposed hands and feet showed that scabs had spread all over his body. “He has chicken pox.”
“Chicken pox?” I scowled, searching my memory for what little I knew about human disease. “Isn’t that something only children get?”
“Generally, yes. But if one hasn’t had it as a child, they can be infected later on in life, and the disease is often fatal to adults.” Iannis pressed his left hand against the Minister’s forehead, and the man groaned again. “It is also highly contagious in the early stages, and extremely resistant to magic healing.”
Iannis spoke several Words aloud, and I pressed my lips together in thought. “If it’s so contagious, I suppose it makes sense that he was placed under quarantine. Shouldn’t the Minister’s office have demanded the other mages be tested for the disease, since they were all likely to have been in close proximity with the Minister for at least a week?”
“Yes.” The hand Iannis placed on the Minister’s forehead began to glow. “The fact that they didn’t do so is highly suspect.”