Chapter 4
Irode through Shiftertown first, the area which had taken the brunt of the damage in the uprising.
It had been less than two weeks since the Resistance had finally been driven out of here, so many of the buildings and homes still sported holes in their walls and roofs, and boards covering broken windows.
But there were construction crews in the town square, rebuilding the town hall and fixing up the shops.
The rubble had been cleared away from the streets, and shifters were walking around openly again.
Many faces turned toward me as I passed, and though some gazes were still filled with mistrust and derision, there were others who were cautiously friendly, and even a few that looked happy to see me.
I stopped by Aunt Mafiela’s house, located on Third Street in the wealthier section of Shiftertown, with the intention of inviting her to lunch.
I hadn’t seen her since I’d come to warn her about the shifter kidnappings.
Though she’d been less than kind to me the last time we’d met face to face, she had sent me a thank-you card after I’d rescued Mika, her granddaughter.
Maybe she would actually be amenable to the idea of lunch.
Hell, if she was willing to give me information on my father, I’d invite her to the wedding.
You should invite her to the wedding anyway, a voice whispered in my head.
Ugh, I thought to myself as I parked my bike on the curb outside her house. Let’s take things one step at a time, shall we? You haven’t even invited her to lunch yet.
I took a moment to study the house before I walked up the front steps.
It was a three-story residence with grey siding, dark purple roof tiling, and matching purple shutters.
Normally, it was immaculate, but one of the dormer windows was missing, the hole covered by parchment paper and adhesive, and the front door appeared to have been replaced recently.
The neighboring houses also showed minor damage—I guessed the Resistance soldiers had bashed in windows and doors when taking over some of these residences for their own use.
I bet Mafiela was still steaming over the fact that a group of filthy soldiers had been living inside her precious home. Not long ago, the thought would have made me grin, but as I trotted up the front porch steps, I couldn’t help but sympathize with her a little. She’d been through a lot recently.
I lifted the heavy, jaguar-head-shaped knocker and knocked twice, then waited. Bare feet sounded on the steps leading down from the second floor into the lobby, and to my unpleasant surprise, my cousin Melantha answered the door.
“Oh, it’s you.” A wary look entered her yellow-orange shifter eyes, and her hand curled protectively around the doorjamb.
Like her mother, Melantha was always perfectly coiffed—her blond hair curled, her makeup done, her peach-colored blouse and cream slacks perfectly pressed.
But there were shadows beneath her eyes, and her clothes hung loose on her frame.
I imagined she’d lost weight during her time on Prison Isle, and she was probably suffering sleepless nights.
“Yeah, it’s me.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets, not sure what to say.
The last time Melantha and I had seen each other, she’d practically broken down my apartment door and tried to gouge my eyes out.
Her daughter, Mika, had just been kidnapped, and Melantha had blamed me.
At the time, it hadn’t mattered to her that I’d tried to warn her family to be on the lookout for a shifter kidnapper.
“Is your mother home?” I asked. “I wanted a moment of her time.”
Melantha shook her head. “She’s at a council meeting. They’ve been meeting almost daily since they were released from Prison Isle—there’s a lot of work to do if we want to get Shiftertown back on its feet.”
“Mother?” a teenage girl’s voice called from out of view. “Who’s at the door?”
Melantha hesitated. “It’s your aunt Sunaya.”
Footsteps sounded, and Melantha dropped her arm as Mika came into view. She was a stunning young girl with long, blonde hair that fell to her waist—practically a carbon copy of her mother, though she had her father’s square face and wide mouth. That mouth curved into a shy smile.
“I never did get to thank you for saving me,” she said, sounding a little ashamed. “And to apologize for attacking you.”
Warmth spread through my chest, and I cleared my throat against a rush of emotion. “You don’t have to do either of those things,” I said gently. “It was partially my fault you were taken. And you only attacked me because of those horrible drugs they gave you. You did nothing wrong.”
Mika shook her head, stepping out onto the porch. “I said mean things to you at first. Maybe I didn’t know any better, but they were still mean.” She flung her arms around me and squeezed tight. “I’m sorry, and no matter the circumstances, I’m grateful that you saved my life.”
Shocked, it took me a few seconds to react to the affectionate gesture.
But I did, wrapping my arms around her tightly and turning my head to the side so that Melantha couldn’t see the tears gathering at the corners of my eyes.
I hadn’t expected to talk to Melantha and Mika, since they didn’t actually live here, and I certainly hadn’t been prepared for any kind of emotional reunion.
“You’re welcome,” I finally said when I was sure I could speak again. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“I, too, must thank you for what you did,” Melantha said as I stepped back.
The words were a little stiff, but I sensed no lie in them—it was just hard for her to admit the truth.
“Mother told me the Mages Guild gave Shiftertown a generous sum of money to rebuild, and I doubt we would have gotten so much without your influence with the Chief Mage.” Her lips curved a little.
“Congratulations on your engagement, by the way.”
“Thank you.” I gave her a small smile in return. “I’m glad things are starting to look up.”
“Me too.” She hesitated a moment, then said, “Perhaps you should come over for tea sometime.”
“Maybe,” I hedged, not sure if I was ready for that. “Speaking of which, the reason I stopped by was because I wanted to invite Aunt Mafiela to lunch.”
Melantha’s eyebrows rose. “I suppose it is a good time to bury the hatchet, what with your recent engagement. Mother’s been much more interested in acknowledging your relationship with our clan ever since she learned you were going to be the Chief Mage’s bride.”
I fought against the urge to roll my eyes—of course she was. “Well, if you can just let her know I made the offer, and to contact me at the Palace, that would be great.”
“Are you inviting us to the wedding?” Mika piped up. I turned to see her looking hopefully up at me, her eyes shining with the possibility of attending a grand wedding.
I smiled. “I’m sure I will, but it won’t be for some time yet,” I told her, unwilling to disappoint her. “I’ll send you invitations, but for now, I’ve got to run.”
We made our goodbyes, and I hopped back onto my steambike, hoping I could shake the cocktail of emotions rolling around in my chest before I got to Lakin’s place.
He lived closer to the town square, on a row of single-story, one-bedroom homes that were small and neat, but looked like someone had copied the same simple design over and over.
Boring. The last time I’d been to Lakin’s, a duo of bird shifters had been in the middle of trying to convince him to support the Resistance.
He hadn’t agreed, of course, especially after I’d informed him that the Resistance planned to turn on the shifter community once they were done overthrowing the mages.
But if he was still in touch with those Resistance soldiers, he might have information that would help me rescue my missing friends.
I pulled up to Lakin’s house, and the sight of his steambike parked in the drive assured me he was at home.
My nerves jangled a little as I headed up the path to the front door—Lakin had a huge crush on me, and he’d made it known on more than one occasion that he wanted more than my friendship.
I hoped he wouldn’t react too badly to my betrothal to Iannis, and that he would still be willing to help me out.
“One second,” Lakin called when I knocked on the door.
It sounded like he was toward the back of the house, maybe in his bedroom.
My lips twitched as I remembered the first time I’d knocked on this door.
He’d answered wearing very little and looking quite embarrassed about the fact.
Hopefully, he’d put on a shirt this time.
Yeah, unless that was just a strategy to get you into bed.
I frowned. I hadn’t thought of that at the time. I hoped Lakin would respect the boundaries I’d set for our friendship, because I would hate to have to end it. He was Roanas’s successor, after all, and responsible for the safety of Shiftertown. I didn’t want things to be weird between us.
“Sunaya!” He threw open the door, a friendly smile on his rawboned face. His reddish-yellow shifter eyes glowed with pleasure, and an answering grin sprang easily to my lips. “I was just thinking of you.”
“What a coincidence.” I looked him up and down.
His short, blond hair was damp from a fresh shower, and he wore a button-up red shirt and tight pants that clung to slightly damp skin.
He’d foregone shoes, which meant he probably hadn’t gone out yet.
The lack of shadows beneath his eyes told me he’d gotten a good night’s sleep, maybe even slept in.
“You’re looking a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw you,” I commented as he let me in.
“Yeah, well, I’ve had a bit of time to recover from my little vacation in Prison Isle.” His voice darkened, but only for a second. “I hear you went on a little vacation yourself.”
I snorted. “Yeah, if being stranded on a deserted island with no amenities of any kind could be called a vacation.” Luckily for me, shifters were much better at surviving in the wilderness than the average human.
I made my way into his living room and plopped down on the couch.
He’d added a bookshelf and a side table, and there was a still-life painting on his wall that I didn’t remember seeing before.
“I nearly went insane trying to keep myself occupied.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re home safe.” Lakin eyed me up and down, then cleared his throat. “And, um, congratulations on your engagement.” He looked away.
“Thanks.” I narrowed my eyes a little. “Something you want to say about it?”
Lakin sighed, turning back to me. “Not really. I wish you the best, but I can’t help thinking that it’s an impossible match.”
“You and everyone else,” I muttered, and this time, I was the one who looked away. I knew the huge obstacles Iannis and I were facing by choosing to publicly engage in a relationship, but I didn’t really need Lakin reminding me about them.
“Sorry.” Lakin lowered himself into the recliner across from me, and the chair creaked beneath his weight. “I shouldn’t have said anything. And I really do hope that it works out.”
“Thanks.” I smiled, though it came out a little strained. Lakin’s words were sincere, but there was no hiding the disappointment lurking behind them.
“So, what do you need?” he asked, curiosity overcoming his momentary wistfulness. “I’m imagining this isn’t a social call.”
“No, it’s not,” I admitted. “I was hoping you might be able to tell me where any citizens the Resistance recruited after Iannis’s disappearance had gotten off to.”
Lakin frowned. “You mean if I know which base they were sent to?”
I nodded. “Noria Melcott, Annia’s younger sister, was one of those recruits.
Her boyfriend Elnos, and Annia herself, left a couple of weeks ago to find her and drag her back home, before the mages lose their temper and start annihilating the camps wholesale.
Elnos and Annia made it to a Resistance camp in Canalo that they think Noria went to, but they’ve been out of touch since then, and I’m worried.
I may need to go retrieve them, but I can’t without the location. ”
“I see.” A troubled expression settled on Lakin’s face. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t have any knowledge of such a camp. I did help a number of shifters flee the city, but I wasn’t sending them to the Resistance.”
“Yeah, but surely you know someone who could tell me,” I urged. “What about those two birdbrains who visited last time? Have you seen them lately?”
“Hmm.” Lakin tapped his forefinger against his chin. “I haven’t heard back from them, but then again, it’s entirely possible they were captured and are now awaiting sentence.”
“Shit.” I pursed my lips together, then brightened. “Of course. I’m so dumb. I’ll just go to Prison Isle and question a few of them. Maybe the Chief Mage will let me offer reduced sentences to anyone who provides useful information.”
“You could start with asking your cousin Rylan, you know,” Lakin said dryly. “I’m sure he would be happy to help.”
“Yeah, well, that depends on your definition of ‘help’.” My lips thinned as I recalled how Rylan had attempted to ‘help’ me, by getting a witch to cast a spell that made me forget to warn Iannis about an impending ambush.
Anger ignited in my chest, and I took a deep breath and exhaled through my nostrils to expel it. He wasn’t worth getting angry over.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Lakin asked warily.
I shook my head. “Nothing worth mentioning.” I checked my watch, wondering if I had time to get over to Prison Isle. “Crap, my magic lesson starts in an hour. I’d better get going.”
“All right.” Lakin looked a little disappointed that I was cutting my visit so short, but he smiled as he walked me to the door. “I’ve got to check in with Chieftain Baine soon anyway. She’ll have orders for me, depending on what was decided at the council meeting.”
“Oh, yeah.” I hesitated at the doorstep, wondering if I should ask him to tell Mafiela I’d called. But I’d already asked Melantha to do it, and I didn’t want to seem desperate. Mafiela would be curious enough about my invitation to answer, anyway. All I had to do was wait.