Page 99 of Magic Forsaken

I could have looked at him all night. Never gone back downstairs, never bothered with politics or symposiums again.

I stepped away from the door and into the circle of light, and was rewarded when his face went utterly blank. As if I’d hit him over the head with a two by four.

And yet, at the same time, his eyes blazed to life—hot pools of molten amber that smoldered like dragon fire beneath his brows.

“Raine.” It was my name, but I’d never heard it spoken that way before. As if it were a magic key that could unlock all the secrets of the universe. I didn’t even need to hear anything else—no flowery compliments could have given me as much as that single word conveyed.

I took another step forward, heart beating far too fast. “Angelica said you’d be up here.”

Great, Raine. Very eloquent. Way to ignore the elephant on the rooftop.

Callum blinked a few times and cleared his throat, as if he needed a moment before he could have a normal conversation.

“Just looking for a little peace and quiet before I have to put my public face back on.” His voice was rough. Strained.

“Sorry to interrupt?” And Iwassorry. Sorry that this moment was going to have to end. Sorry that I’d finally seen thatflare of attraction in the eyes of a man I so desperately wished could be mine, and I was going to have to ruin it.

“Are they ready for us?” He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking anything but ready to face the crowd downstairs.

“Actually, I was hoping I could have a minute before we go down.”

Callum regarded me curiously. “I won’t pretend to be sad about the delay. What’s on your mind?”

My fingers clenched around the glittering fabric of my dress, and my pulse sped up. Maybe the saboteur was wrong. Maybe Callum could explain, and everything would be okay.

“Before we do this, I need you to tell me what this Symposium is really about.” My voice was so much calmer than I felt. “Tell me what all of you agreed on, and what laws you’ll be signing tomorrow.”

He looked at me oddly. “Why so curious all of a sudden? We talked about the purpose of the Symposium days ago.”

“Yes, but not the specifics.” I wasn’t letting him get away with evasion tonight. “And every time I asked for them, someone would change the topic. Like it’s some huge secret.”

He regarded me silently, brows furrowed in thought. “I guess it won’t hurt to tell you. We mostly didn’t want any rumors getting out before things were set in stone, but now…” He shrugged. “The courts have finally agreed on a uniform set of laws governing all forms of magic theft, along with the use and possession of stolen magic.”

My brain stuttered. Surely I’d heard wrong.

Use and possession…

“We set down statutes to dictate how and where offenders should be dealt with, made retroactive to adequately deal with any remnants of Elayara’s cadre if they should come to light.”

I was going to be sick. I was suddenly grateful that I hadn’t eaten yet, as bile and acid rose in my throat and I choked it back.

The saboteur—whoever he was—had been telling the truth.

“What will you do to them?” My voice was hollow. Empty of feeling. No sign of the pain that ricocheted through my chest, leaving bleeding wounds in its wake.

“Do to whom?” He sounded puzzled. Almost distracted. Like it was such a small thing, and maybe didn’t matter at all.

“To those who use or possess stolen magic, Callum.” The words crackled with the pent up anger behind them. “What will you do with them?”

His face hardened. “Less than they deserve. But it depends on the severity of the offense. At the least, they will be stripped of status in their court and condemned either to prison for not less than twenty years, or to exile in the ruins of Idria.”

My head spun, and I put out a hand as if to catch myself before I stumbled.

It was Callum who caught it.

“That’s a death sentence,” I whispered.

He shook his head, a worried frown twisting his lips as he looked at me. “It’s not actually. My brother, Ryker, has been exploring past the portals, and there are pockets where survival is possible. Hellish and isolated, but possible. Raine, what’s wrong? I thought this is what you were hoping for. The whole reason you agreed to help.”

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