Chapter 5 #2
“While I’m sure the next few days will be very exciting, I will not be around to help entertain your important visitors,” Fenris told Iannis. “I have business in the south that must be seen to without delay.”
“Of course—that Resistance camp down near the border,” Iannis said smoothly, catching on. Fenris obviously didn’t want to be anywhere near the Minister and his delegation when they arrived, and I privately agreed. “But you will be back soon, correct?”
“I did agree to advise the Finance Secretary, after all.” The hint of humor in Fenris’s voice told me he was ribbing Iannis, because Iannis hadn’t asked his consent before assigning him the job. “I need to prepare for the trip, though, so I will take my leave now.”
“So,” I said, once Fenris was gone. “You gonna tell us the real reason the Minister wants us to come to Garai? Because I get the feeling there aren’t any other Chief Mages being asked to come along.”
Iannis gave me a small smile. “You are quite right.” His expression sobered, and he gestured for Director Chen to have a seat.
“The reason we need you there,” he told her once she was seated next to me, “is that we are to undertake a secret mission once we arrive in Garai. The Minister has ordered us to seek out and destroy the Resistance lab in Leniang Port.”
“A Resistance lab in Leniang Port?” Chen frowned. “This is the first I’ve heard of it. Surely they have not spread to Garai too? I have not heard of Garai forming its own Resistance.”
“We don’t know how closely they might be affiliated, and I only learned of it recently myself,” Iannis said.
“The scientists we captured in Osero told the Minister’s interrogators about the lab, though it took considerable time to drag the information out of them.
” Iannis’s lip curled briefly at that. “We are not sure exactly what goes on there, but it is highly likely they are manufacturing the same diseases specifically targeted at mages and shifters. We also know for certain that the illegal firearms smuggled in for the Resistance soldiers here in the Federation came from Leniang Port.”
“By the Lady!” Chen exclaimed, an expression I’d heard once or twice.
Apparently, it was in direct reference to Resinah, though mages rarely used it.
“I am certainly willing to help, Lord Iannis, but I must warn you that as a native Garaian, my diplomatic immunity may not be respected. Things could get difficult if I am caught engaging in illegal activity so far from the capital, and I would be subject to Garaian law even though I am a Northian citizen now. ‘Once a Garaian, always a Garaian’ is very much the national view.” Her delicate eyebrows pulled into a frown.
“I will do my best to ensure that you are not caught in such a compromising position,” Iannis assured her.
“But as you are the only one here who speaks the Southern Garaian dialect, you are very much needed. I cannot risk taking a mere translator on such a delicate mission, and I am only fluent in the main northern dialect.”
She nodded, acknowledging the argument. I dimly recalled from my geography lessons that many languages were spoken in Garai, though, oddly, they all used the same complicated script.
What else had I learned about Garai? I’d never thought to hold onto the knowledge, since I hadn’t in my wildest dreams imagined getting the chance to visit.
Better brush up on those lessons now, I thought to myself. I didn’t want to come across like an ignorant hick when we got there!
We talked about the trip for a few more minutes, then Chen took her leave as well, saying that she had much to do to prepare. I was about to follow her, but Iannis held up a hand, a silent command for me to remain.
“So you’ve saved the best for last, eh?” I said, trying for levity. In truth, I was nervous. What other bomb was Iannis about to drop on me?
“Of course.” Iannis’s stern features softened into a real smile, and he flicked his hand toward the door. The lock clicked behind me, and he pushed his chair back. “Come and sit with me for a moment. I missed you.”
I did as he asked, curling into his arms as I settled onto his lap. Tucking my head beneath his chin, I pressed my ear to his chest and listened to his heartbeat.
“Did you really not know about any of this?” I asked as he stroked my hair.
“No,” he said. “The Minister only learned of the Mage-Emperor’s passing today—we didn’t discuss this at all when I was in Dara. I know it is very sudden, but we cannot pass up this opportunity.”
“No, of course not,” I murmured, staring out the window behind Iannis’s desk.
Darkness had settled over Solantha Bay, and the Firegate Bridge blazed red, a beacon in the night.
“We have to destroy the source of those diseases and cut off the Resistance’s weapons supply.
” Things might be peaceful here now, but every day that we delayed meant more death and destruction somewhere else.
I suppressed a shudder at the thought—I couldn’t have those deaths on my conscience.
“Before we go, I have an assignment that I need you to take care of,” Iannis said. “It involves the magic testing in the schools. I had planned to assign the task to you anyway, but now, unfortunately, time is very short. You’ll have to work fast.”
I jerked my head up, narrowly missing Iannis’s triangular chin. “We’re still doing that?” I demanded. “I thought you put that program on hold.”
“We did,” Iannis said. “But I have been getting reports that there have been… incidents… occurring in the public schools that indicate budding magical talents. We have not yet come up with a proper system for dealing with them, and we must make time to do so when we return. But for now, it would be unwise to leave for three months knowing that the problem is growing. Since nobody else cares as much about this as you, I’ve decided to entrust you with the job. ”
“Makes sense. What do you want me to do?”
“I need you to go around the schools and administer the testing, then make recommendations to the Guild as to how to handle the children that do show magical aptitude.” He hesitated, then added, “I’ll personally make sure that nobody is permanently harmed, if we do have to perform wipes on some.”
“All right.” My dread evaporated as I realized this was an opportunity to set a new precedent. Instead of recommending them all for magic wipes, perhaps I could convince the Guild to explore other options instead. “I don’t know how to test them, though.”
“It’s very simple.” Iannis taught me the Word, then demonstrated the spell by placing his hands on my head and speaking it.
A strange tingle went through me, and the old anxiety I’d felt when I’d been tested as a child kicked in before I remembered that it didn’t matter.
The world knew I had magic, and I wasn’t hiding anymore. I was thriving.
“Now you try it,” Iannis said softly, taking my hands in his and placing them atop his head.
I let my finger sink into his soft, dark red hair for a moment, enjoying the way the silky strands slid against my skin. Desire lit my nerves aflame, as it always did whenever we were in close proximity, but I pushed it aside and spoke the Word.
“By Magorah,” I gasped as I sensed the enormity of Iannis’s power. It was like a flea standing before the might of an elephant—vast, almost incomprehensible. “You’re downright scary.”
Iannis laughed, pushing my hands away. “You’ve nothing to fear from me,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. “I could never turn my power against you.”
“I know.”
He pressed his lips against mine, and I forgot all about the testing and the upcoming trip. Who could possibly think about those problems, when I had the most delicious man in the world under my hands?