Chapter 20
“So we’re finally here, huh?”
“Just about,” Annia told me, drumming the fingers of her right hand against the helm.
Her left hand firmly grasped one of the wooden handles jutting out from the wheel as she banked left, heading straight for the capital city.
Dara glittered brightly in the reddish-gold sunset, gilding the roofs of the houses and buildings packed close together in the small coastal city.
We could see the Capitol Dome from here, a great white marble dome with a golden statue of Jeremidah, one of the founding mages of the Federation, jutting out of the top.
My heart began to drum a little faster – this was where the Convention was taking place.
“Just need the Chief Mage to tell me where exactly to put the ship down.”
“I’m sure he’ll be up here soon,” I said, my fingers lifting briefly to touch the serapha charm resting against my chest. As soon as Iannis hadn’t been needed on deck anymore, he’d disappeared into the captain’s cabin for some much-needed rest. We were all exhausted, but he’d used up loads of magic during our escape, so I couldn’t blame him for wanting some shut-eye.
Unlike Annia and myself, he actually had to attend the Convention and foil whatever new plot the Benefactor was hatching, so it was important that he and the other delegates were clear-headed upon arrival.
“Yeah, well you might want to tell him to rise and shine, because we’re gonna be landing soon,” Annia said.
She brought her hand up to cover a yawn, then reached for her mug of coffee and took a long draught.
“And he also better get me a five-star hotel, because after the day I’ve had I could sleep all week. ”
“Oh I’ll make sure he does. You’ve been a lifesaver.
” I patted Annia on the back, then for good measure dug my thumbs into her shoulder muscles and started rubbing in circular motions.
Since Annia was the only one who could fly this thing, she’d been attached to the helm all day, pushing us through the skies at top speed to get us to Dara before the day was out.
Iannis and the other mages had helped by clearing the weather and ensuring the wind blew in a favorable direction, but without Annia there was no way we would have made this thing work.
“Ohhhh yeahhhhh,” Annia groaned, arching her back as my right thumb found a knot. “You can keep that up for as long as you want.”
I grinned. “Thanks, but I think I’ll go get the Chief Mage now.”
“Tease,” Annia grumbled, shooting me a dirty look over her shoulder.
Laughing, I gave her shoulders one last squeeze, then vaulted over the railing and down to the main deck.
There was no one to watch as I strolled across the wooden floorboards toward the tiny captain’s cabin at the rear of the ship – the other delegates had taken refuge from the hot sun below decks.
I would have to round them up soon, although maybe I’d leave that task up to Iannis. They were his delegates, after all.
As I lifted my knuckles to rap on the door, a ripple of nervous energy gave me pause.
I stopped to examine the feeling, and realized that this would be the first time Iannis and I would have a one-on-one conversation since the little…
incident back at the river. Heat rushed through me as I remembered the feeling of his hard, naked body pressed against mine.
I licked my lips, convinced I could taste him on my tongue all over again.
We’d said things to each other at the river that I’m not sure would have ever slipped from our lips under other circumstances.
I’d told him that I needed him, something I’d never told any man before, and part of me wished badly that I could take the words back.
Saying them out loud had been admitting a weakness, and that was a dangerous thing to do around anyone, never mind someone as powerful as Iannis.
He already held my life and fate in his hands – I didn’t need to inflate his ego any further or allow him to think I was okay with being dependent on him.
But it was too late. I couldn’t take back the words, nor could I take back the kiss we’d shared.
And try as I might, I couldn’t hide from the fact that I did need him.
If not on an emotional level, then on a practical one, because he was the only mage around who was willing and able to teach me how to master my magic and control the volatile emotions preventing me from using it safely.
“Are you going to stand out there all day, or will you come in?”
I jumped, startled at the sound of Iannis’s voice. A second later, heat flushed into my cheeks as I realized he’d known I was standing outside the door. Taking in a deep breath, I willed the blush to recede from my cheeks, then pushed the door open.
“How long did you know I was standing here?” I asked, then froze as I caught sight of Iannis standing on the other side of the bunk bed.
He looked very much like his old self, dressed in a pair of blue and gold robes, his cherrywood hair tied back with a leather thong.
No trace of the aboriginal remained in the lines of his face or the folds of his clothing, and his violet eyes were as cool and aloof as ever.
“Since I heard your boots stop outside my door.” A slight frown creased his brow as he studied me. “You look…disappointed. Why is that?”
I thought about brushing off the question, but opted for honesty instead and grinned.
“I was kind of hoping you’d show up to the Convention in your buckskins with the feathers in your hair,” I admitted.
“Where did you find those robes, anyway?” We’d found a few Resistance uniforms on the ship, but nothing resembling mage robes.
Iannis huffed. “I was joking when I said I was going to do that. After already missing half the Convention, I can’t very well show up looking like a Coazi. The robes are an illusion that I will have to maintain until I can procure proper clothing.”
“Oh really?” I arched a brow. “Does that mean you’re still wearing the buckskins underneath?”
Iannis’s lips twitched. “You seem awfully preoccupied with what I’m wearing, Sunaya,” he remarked, walking around the narrow cot toward me.
“Yeah well, last time I was face-to-face with you alone, you weren’t wearing much of anything,” I murmured as he came closer. The smell of sandalwood and musk filled my senses, and I instinctively inhaled, wanting more of it.
“Indeed,” he said softly, his eyes searching mine as he took my hand in his. “I wasn’t exactly expecting company.”
“Would you rather I had not come?” I asked nonchalantly, trying to act as though my pulse wasn’t skyrocketing in response to his touch. His long fingers wrapped around mine, thumb stroking across the back of my hand, and my heart fluttered wildly. By Magorah, what was I getting myself into?
“Of course not. You saved me, broke through Halyma’s spell and reminded me who I really am.” His grip tightened on my hand. “You mentioned at the stream that you needed me. I think I am starting to realize that I need you too.”
“Wait…what?” I gaped at him, stunned. “What could you possibly need me for, when you’ve got Fenris and the whole Mages Guild behind you?”
“Fenris is invaluable of course, and the Mages Guild has its role, but whenever there is trouble in my city, you always seem to find your way directly to the heart of it.” Iannis smiled a little.
“Those escapades of yours helped expose layers of corruption and decadence that I might not have otherwise noticed. Perhaps we should consider working together, instead of working around each other as we have been.”
“Wait a minute.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you suggesting that we become partners?”
Iannis frowned. “‘Partners’ might be the wrong word, considering that we are master and apprentice. You would still be subject to my authority, and under my protection. But should you come across a case that has far-reaching ramifications, you may come to me and request my assistance at any time.”
“Oh gee, thanks.” I rolled my eyes as I sketched a mocking bow. “Your generosity abounds.”
Iannis arched an eyebrow. “Did I say something to offend you?” He sounded genuinely curious, and if I bought into the brief flash of emotion I saw in his eyes, maybe a little hurt.
“No.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
“No, you said exactly what you’re supposed to say.
” Get real, I told myself as I fought the sinking disappointment in my chest. The idea that Iannis would treat me as an equal, that he would profess to need me for emotional rather than practical reasons, was absurd.
He was a mage, the Chief Mage, first and foremost, and mages and shifters just didn’t mix.
But as Iannis studied my face for a long moment, something like regret flickered across his features, and I wondered if, like me, he really did want something more like a partnership. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.
“What?” I snapped, annoyed that I was hanging on tenterhooks waiting for the words to spill out of his mouth.
He shook his head, then held out his hand. “Come here,” he said. “I need to put an illusion on you.”
“What for?” I asked as I approached cautiously.
Iannis took my hands again, and that familiar thrum of electricity started up in my nerves again, traveling up my arms and vibrating through my whole body.
“Dara is a very mage-centric city,” he explained as magic began washing over my body.
Sparks skipped up my arms and across my chest before sinking into my skin and filling me with more of that strange humming.
“There are humans and a few shifters who live there, of course, but they are not allowed at the Convention. It would call too much attention to us if I brought a shifter with me, and you’ll blend in far better as a mage. ”
The magic faded from around my body, and I looked down to see that I was dressed in a set of emerald green robes embroidered with delicate gold vines. A matching gold and green sash was tied around my waist, and the toes of soft gold slippers peeked out from the hem of my robe.
“There.” Iannis took me by the shoulders and pulled me around to look into the small mirror hanging from the wall. “That wasn’t so bad now, was it?”
I stared at my reflection in shock. My shifter eyes were gone, replaced by round human irises that allowed the whites of my eyes to shine through.
They were still the same color, but it was a jarring contrast to what I was used to.
My black hair was free of its tie now, cascading down my shoulders in glossy ringlets, and I wondered if that was illusion too or if Iannis had actually pulled the tie from my hair when I wasn’t paying attention.
The collar of the robe nearly grazed my chin, but from what I could see in the mirror the garment flattered my figure and was almost sexy despite the fact that it didn’t show any skin.
Not that I wanted to show skin.
“So you think you’ve won by finally getting me into a robe, have you?” I asked Iannis as I turned to face him.
Iannis chuckled a little, shaking his head. “I wasn’t aware this was a competition. But looking at you does make a man feel as though he’s won something.” His eyes roamed over me appreciatively. “You should wear these in real life. I’ll buy some for you.”
“Not a chance.” But my chest swelled with pride at the compliment, and it was almost enough to make me consider wearing the robes again.
Almost.
“As soon as we reach our hotel room, you’re getting these things off of me.”
“Am I?” Iannis asked softly, interest flaring in his eyes. A blush heated my cheeks as I realized what I’d just said, and I cleared my throat.
“I didn’t mean –”
“It would be impractical to rely on illusionary attire during the entire Convention,” Iannis said. “As soon as we get settled, we must procure proper robes for all of us. That will make it easier to work together.”
“Work together?” I pushed past the fog of lust clouding my brain to try and follow Iannis’s logic. “You mean on finding out what the Resistance has planned here in Dara?”
“Exactly.” Iannis nodded, his expression stony once more.
“They did not want me to make it to the Convention for a reason. I fully intend on finding out why, and thwarting their plans. However, I must attend to delegate business and will be too busy to question whomever I like or snoop around. You, on the other hand, are free of official obligations, and your heightened senses may pick up on clues that I would otherwise miss.”
“So you’re saying you want me to be a spy?” A grin began to spread across my face.
“I suppose you could put it that way.” Iannis arched a brow at my widening grin. “Unless of course you’re not able to take the job seriously.”
“Hell yeah I can take it seriously.” I pumped my fist in the air at the idea that I was finally getting back to doing enforcer work again. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t get excited about it.”
“Oi!” Annia’s strident voice blared from the loudspeaker “Are you two lovebirds ever going to come out of there? This ship isn’t going to land itself, you know!”
“Oops,” I said, grinning up at an annoyed-looking Iannis. “I forgot to mention – the captain wants a word with you.”