by Jasmine Walt
“I can’t just leave you—”
“You can, and you will,” Fenris said firmly. “It will do me no good if you stay here, and it’s best if you keep your distance anyway. Somebody needs to be around to stop the attack.”
Tears pricked at my eyes, but I nodded. “I’ll go and tell Comenius, but I will be back if he cannot help. I won’t abandon you. Fenris.”
I could have sworn I felt Fenris sigh on the other end. “I love you, Mina. Please be safe.”
“I love you too.”
“Thursday at two o’clock sounds perfect,” Barrla said as I tuned back into her conversation with the trainee, who was holding a telephone receiver now. “That will work for us, won’t it, Mina?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, of course,” I said, blinking down at the young man. Thankfully he didn’t seem to notice my lapse in concentration—he only had eyes for Barrla. “That would be fine.”
Barrla finished setting up the appointment, and we left. “Did you manage to contact him?” she asked under her breath as we stepped outside.
I nodded. “He’s in a cell below, being held under false charges, and they’ve blocked him from accessing his magic. He’s asked us to go to Comenius for help, but I fear only the Chief Mage will be able to get him out.”
Barrla scowled. “There’s got to be something else we can do, isn’t there? This seems so unfair!”
“I do have those double-strength gulayas,” I remembered. “But I’ll have to get close to Fenris in order to use them, and they’ll probably search me first. If I could activate one as I grasped his arm, I might set him free…though there’s always a chance it won’t work with the bars between us.” And even if it did work, we’d both be branded as fugitives.
“We could use the ether owl to spy on the captain,” Barrla said as we hailed a cab. “That way we can at least find out what he plans to do with Fenris and then figure out how to thwart it.”
“That’s not a bad plan,” I said as we got in. “But first, let’s talk it over with Comenius. He might have a less risky alternative.”
15
Mina
Barrla and I managed to make it to Witches End just shy of eleven at night. We rushed up the stairs, relieved to see the lights were still on, and the door was opened by a dark-haired woman I could only assume was Elania, his wife.
“My goodness,” Elania said in a throaty accent as she ushered us in. “I knew Fenris would pick a beauty to settle down with, but you are a vision.” She took me by the shoulders and looked me up and down. “What brings you here so late at night?”
“Thank you,” I said, blushing at the compliment, especially considering who it came from. Elania was one of the most gorgeous women I’d ever seen, with long, shiny black hair piled onto the top of her head, exotic features, and a ridiculously curvy figure draped in a black dress that showed off her assets. She couldn’t have been more different from Comenius’s fair coloring and conservative nature, and yet somehow, they seemed a good fit. “Do you mind if we sit down? We’re in a bit of a bind, and we need some help.”
“Of course,” Comenius said as Elania shut the door behind us. “What seems to be the problem? Is it something to do with Fenris? Why is he not with you?”
Barrla and I sat down on the couch while Elania brought us tea. “He’s being held at the Enforcers Guild on false charges,” I said. “He was doing some investigating in downtown, and if I had to guess, someone didn’t like what he saw or learned. A brothel owner is claiming he didn’t pay for services rendered and damaged his property in a drunken fit.”
Comenius stared. “Neither of those things sound like the Fenris I know,” he said.
“What did Fenris say in his defense?” Elania asked. “Surely he was able to spin some story to explain what happened. He is an intelligent man. In any case, those are not very serious charges. He should have gotten off with a fine.”
“He told them that he was on some mission for Lord Iannis, but the captain didn’t believe him,” I said. “He’s holding him there until he can verify his story.”
“Well that would work fine if Iannis was actually here,” Comenius muttered. “I still haven’t heard anything, and I’ve been checking every day.”
“Do you think it might help to hire a lawyer?” Barrla asked. “If they find out who Fenris really is, he might need it.”
Comenius shook his head. “The enforcers despise lawyers, and a real mage working on Iannis’s behalf would not bother. We need to talk to someone who can get Fenris out of that cell.”
“Kardanor may be able to help,” Elania suggested. “Aren’t you supposed to meet him for coffee in the morning?” she asked Comenius.
Before Comenius could answer, someone banged on the door. Alarmed, Comenius went to answer it and found Marris standing outside, dressed in paint-splattered overalls.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said, panting a little as he came inside. “I ended up—”
He froze at the sight of Barrla, who was standing and glaring at him with her arms crossed over her chest.
“What in Recca are you doing here?” he gasped.
“I’m helping Mina prevent a catastrophe,” Barrla snapped, her blue eyes crackling with ire. “Which is more than you can say right now.”
“I’ve been infiltrating the Resistance!” Marris protested. “And you’re supposed to be safe back home!”
“Stop!” I said sharply, holding up a hand. “You two can table this fight for later. Barrla is here to stay, and if you want to help, Marris, then give your report. Fenris is unavailable right now, so you’ll have to tell us what you’ve found, and we’ll relay it to him as soon as possible.”
Marris scrubbed a hand over his face as Barrla grudgingly took her seat. “Fenris told me to meet him here, but he never actually introduced me to you,” he said to Comenius and Elania. “How do I know I can trust you two?”
“They’re old friends of Fenris,” I said. “You can speak freely.”
Marris sat down on the couch and snagged a cabbage roll from a plate Elania held out to him. “So far, I’ve determined that there are masses of former Resistance soldiers in town disguised as workers for various construction companies. I’ve joined their ranks, and we’ve been sleeping in pretty crowded conditions in half-finished apartments. Okay for a week or two, if you are used to roughing it, but there’s some grumbling in the ranks. Oh, and it’s humans only this time, none of our former shifter mates have been called in for this.”
“That’s not surprising,” I said. “They would probably have refused anyway.”
Marris nodded. “We’ve been given pocket money, and those of us who actually help out with the work get a bit extra. I’ve been painting walls, as you can see from my clothes.” He gestured toward his paint-stained shirt. “All of us have been ordered to be ready until something happens that throws the city into chaos, and then we are to go to pre-assigned areas which we will hold and secure until all opposition is subdued.”
“Damn,” Comenius said. “Do you really think there are enough to hold the city?”
Marris nodded grimly. “New recruits are arriving daily, and there are so many of us that we are practically tripping over each other’s feet now.”
“It sounds like the Resistance is planning to take out all the top mages in one go,” I said. “Do you think that’s the case? That would certainly cause instant chaos.”
“I don’t know how they’re going to do it, but that does seem to be the plan. If they are able to pull it off, they definitely have enough men to hold the city against a confused and blindsided population.”
“Do you have any idea who the bosses are?” Barrla asked. “Have you talked to anyone who isn’t a peon?”
Marris gave her a look. “No, but my employer is Moredo Constructions, and other workers are employed by different companies. I wouldn’t be surprised if the company owners were the ones orchestrating things. At the very least, they’re working for the person who is, and will know who
they are.”
“That is very useful information,” Comenius said approvingly.
“Yes, the best lead we’ve had yet,” I agreed. “We’ll need to look into these companies further.”
“Marris,” Barrla said, softening her tone. “Now that you’ve found this out, come back to the hotel with us. There’s no need to put yourself in further danger—if things come to a head, you might end up in a crossfire between your Resistance buddies and the mages. I don’t want to lose you so soon.”
“Someone is looking out for me,” Marris declared, “or I would not be alive now. Compared to some of my past exploits, this is pretty tame—at least so far.”
“That can change from one moment to the next,” Barrla warned.
Marris nodded, but from the gleam in his eyes, I could tell he was looking forward to whatever mayhem might be in store. “If it does, I’ll fight my way through to you, sweetheart.” He grinned at her. “Anyway, I feel totally out of place in that fancy hotel. I’m more useful with the Resistance—and I can earn money as a painter while keeping my ears open.” He checked his watch. “I have to go back before the others become suspicious.”
Barrla rose from her chair, and Marris took her in his arms and kissed her soundly. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised. “Take care of my girl for me, Mina.”
He gave us a smile and a wink, and then he was gone.
Barrla sighed. “I really hope that idiot doesn’t get himself killed,” she said mournfully as she slumped back in her chair.
“Marris has survived this long,” I reassured her. “And he cares for you, Barrla. He won’t let all of this keep him away for too long.”
“I’ll talk to Kardanor tomorrow,” Comenius said, drawing our attention back to the problem at hand. “He’s the Secretary of Reconstruction and will know more about these companies than anyone else. I’ll also ask him to talk to Director Chen about getting Fenris freed. She may be more of a stickler for the rules than Iannis, but she knows what Fenris has done for us. I’m not sure she knows about his true identity, though—I did not know myself for a long time. Perhaps we can just skirt that issue. In any case, I expect she is going to rip Captain Skonel a new one for keeping a mage in his prison and not promptly informing her.”
“Thank you,” I said with feeling. I wished I could go to this meeting myself, but I knew I wouldn’t be of any use. If I really had to, I could use the ether owl to eavesdrop.
Comenius called the Palace to check in on Iannis again. Iannis still wasn’t back, so Comenius left a message requesting an appointment with Kardanor for the next day.
“You should go back to the hotel and get some rest,” Comenius advised. “You’ll want to be at full strength for tomorrow.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep,” I said, pacing back and forth. “Every time I think about Fenris, alone in that dark cell without his magic, I tense up.” My stomach was still a mess of knots, and my food was still untouched on the table.
“Didn’t you say something about gulayas?” Barrla asked. “That you wanted to have them in case we needed to break Fenris out as a last resort?”
“Right.” But that would require access to him, impossible at this hour of the night. “I guess it will have to wait. There’s nothing for us to do here.”
We thanked Comenius and Elania for their hospitality, and they sent us on our way with a basket full of leftovers and a relaxation tonic. And as we drove back to the Marwale, I sincerely hoped that Barrla and I wouldn’t have to prep for a prison break tomorrow.
16
Fenris
When I finally felt Mina leave the building, I sagged in relief. The last thing I needed was for her to be caught up in this disaster. How could I have been so stupid as to let myself be caught like this? I should have escaped when I had the chance, damn the consequences. Yes, I might have been forced to leave the city before I could see Sunaya and Iannis again, but I had already ensured that they would be warned.
Anything was better than lying on this hard cot, surrounded by nothing but interminable silence.
Well, silence wasn’t quite right. There were a few other people down here in the cells, and even though they weren’t close enough to talk to, they made plenty of noise. Unable to sleep, I had nothing else to do but stretch out on the hard cot and listen to them. One drunk a few cells down was banging against the wall, shouting over and over that he demanded to see his mother. Another was snoring loudly.
“That’s enough of that!” an enforcer commanded, storming back to the cells to confront the rowdy prisoner. I held my breath as he passed my cell, then relaxed—he hadn’t bothered to glance my way.
“You can’t hold me here—” the drunk began to yell, but his words were cut off by a yelp and a crackling sound. I wrinkled my nose at the scent of burned skin and hair—had the enforcer hit him with some kind of electricity? A thud to the floor confirmed that whatever it was had knocked the man out cold.
“Stupid bastard,” the enforcer muttered, stalking out.
My stomach grumbled, and I was tempted to stop and ask him when we’d be fed. But the risk of being recognized was too great, so I stayed in the dark corner of my cell, my face averted, and did my best to ignore my hunger.
Now that the drunk wasn’t making a scene anymore, I was able to hear other things. The enforcers were playing poker in an adjacent room in between rounds to check on their prisoners, and I tuned into the conversation.
“You sure it’s not going to bring trouble, holding a mage down here?” one of them asked. He sounded a bit nervous. “The last time we locked up was Sunaya, and she ended up becoming the Chief Mage’s bride. What if this guy’s important?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” the other enforcer scoffed. “Not every mage in this town has the Chief Mage’s favor. Sunaya definitely didn’t when we cuffed her—the fact that she’s where she’s at now is a combination of luck and knowing how to use what’s between her legs.”
“Man, I’d sure like a piece of that,” another one said, and they all laughed. I shook my head in silence—if Sunaya were here to overhear that, she would have ripped them all to shreds. It was too bad that there were still those amongst her former coworkers who considered her little more than arm candy for Iannis.
If only they knew what she was truly capable of.
“That’s all well and good, but I heard that he told the captain that he was working for the Chief Mage,” the nervous guy said. “What if that’s true?”
“The captain is within his rights to detain him,” the second enforcer said. “As long as his story remains unverified, we can hold him as long as we want. Seeing as how we’re so busy thanks to all the mages in town, we can’t be blamed for taking our time to check out his story,” he added smugly.
“And how do we know that this won’t come back to bite us in the ass?” the first one demanded. “Everyone knows that the guys Meltin brings in from downtown are people the gangs want to get rid of, not real criminals.”
“You sayin’ you’re gonna rat Meltin out?” the second enforcer said, his tone decidedly menacing. “Sounds like you’re just jealous of the side money he’s making. If you want in on the action, all you gotta do is say so. But nobody likes a tattletale.”
I gritted my teeth and committed the name to memory. As soon as I was in a position to do so, I was going to seek retribution on Meltin. Unfortunately, I had no idea when that would be. As far as I could tell, these enforcers planned to keep me jailed indefinitely and had no intention of verifying the truth of my story. And with these stupid magic-blocking cuffs, I couldn’t even send an ether pigeon to Iannis for help.
Mina knows you’re in here, I reminded myself. She’ll get help. Being forced to depend on her chafed my pride, but if we were to become a married couple, we’d better learn to rely on each other.
But would Mina be able to get me out before the Minister and his mages caught up with me? What if my identity was revealed before then? I should have
asked Iannis what the exact status was, when I had the chance. My stomach turned at the thought of Mina standing by, helpless, as I was formally charged and executed. I’d never been this close to realizing that nightmare, not since those horrible days in Nebara Palace, when I’d waited under house arrest for Garrett Toring to arrive with the Minister’s warrant to formally arrest me for treason.
These thoughts chased themselves around my mind for what felt like hours. Eventually, I fell into an uneasy doze, which was a welcome relief from the hunger pangs…
“Hey!” A loud voice woke me, and I bolted upright. “Rise and shine, sweetheart! The boss wants to see you.”
“Now?” I tried to keep my voice even, but true panic swept through me as the cell door opened and two enforcers marched in to grab me. Surely this was some kind of mistake…it had to be long after midnight. Why would the captain trouble himself at this hour? Was the jig finally up? I ducked my head so that the enforcers wouldn’t see my shifter eyes, but if they noticed that my appearance was different, they didn’t make any comment about it.
“Here’s the prisoner again, Captain,” one of the enforcers said as they dragged me back into the captain’s office, where he stood talking with another man. “Anything else you’ll be needing?”
My stomach plummeted as the two men turned to me, their mouths dropping open in amazement. “Fenris!” they said in unison, and I wished right then and there I had the ability to will myself to disappear. Staring at me, my shock mirrored in his own eyes, was Garrett Toring, the Federal Director of Security.
My worst nightmare, given flesh and bone.
“Is it really you?” Garrett asked as the enforcers finally released my arms. At least he had said Fenris rather than Polar. Did that mean the jig wasn’t up after all?
“Yes.” I shrugged nonchalantly, deciding to pretend that it was no big deal. The less guilty I looked, the better.