Page 88 of Magic Forsaken

I felt an absurd temptation to laugh as I watched the roomful of elite Idrian ambassadors listen to themselves be dismissed as squabbling children. There was some muttering and feet-shifting and a few cases of serious side-eye, along with a handfulof wry chuckles. But no one said much of anything until Callum and Faris looked at one another, nodded cordially, and moved off in opposite directions.

Suddenly, the entire room seemed to let out its collective breath and begin to speak normally.

Except for me.

Because just before he turned away, Callum shot me a questioning glance over the heads of the wildkin delegation. As if somehow, in that crowded space full of important people, he’d made sure he knew where I was, and wanted to know whether I was okay.

Which meant I wasn’t breathing normally at all.

Every time I saw him, he seemed to find his way just a little further behind my walls. Earn just a little more of my reluctant trust. None of my objections seemed to be working anymore. No matter how many times I reminded myself of the dangers, my heart wasn’t listening.

But I had promised Kira I would do my best to keep him safe, so I somehow pulled my attention away from the back of his head to watch the rest of the room.

Was one of these people our saboteur? How would I know? And if that person were present, how desperate were they to stop this Symposium from taking place?

I watched as Callum greeted the fae delegation, giving no sign of the friendship I’d noted between him and Rath. He spoke with each of them while wearing the same casually welcoming mask, his body language offering no hint of his feelings.

The fae, on the other hand, seemed to regard him with wariness bordering on suspicion, and one thread of…outright antipathy. I couldn’t even have said what it was that warned me. I scanned their faces, pausing for a moment on one tall, glamoured male. He appeared pleasant enough. Even smiled at Callum as he sipped at a drink that looked like champagne butprobably wasn’t. His shoulders were relaxed, his hand motions fluid and graceful. Those inscrutable fae eyes were almost warm and interested, and yet… I still felt something off. Something cold and vicious.

The deep, hidden currents of my magic stirred, coiling through my mind and memory. If it was the fae causing this reaction, I knew I’d never seen this particular face before. But not all fae chose to wear the same glamour each time they walked among humans. Perhaps I knew the one beneath the face? But Draven had promised they were all dead. There was no longer anything to fear.

Was he right? Or had they missed one?

Once Callum moved on, my suspicions tugged me away from the wall to cross the room, using a brisk, steady stride to give the impression of purpose. I had somewhere to be, and because I was dressed similarly to the servers carrying trays of beverages, no one really paid me much attention.

I wasn’t even sure what I was hoping to find. What I thought my magic might do. But I let my steps carry me straight past the fae in question. He was murmuring to one of the other members of his delegation, and as our sleeves almost brushed, pain knifed through me—a sudden stab of icy emotion that defied all description.

Fear? Anger? Anticipation? I couldn’t even tell, but it took every bit of my focus not to waver or show a reaction. To simply put one foot in front of the other and bite back the pained whimper that strained to escape from behind my clenched teeth.

What was happening?

“Are you all right?” A whisper from behind my left elbow whipped me around so swiftly that I nearly knocked Heather right off her feet. She was standing a little too close, regarding me out of round, perpetually frightened eyes.

“I’m fine.” I somehow managed not to whimper or groan as I said it. “Did you need me?”

She swallowed anxiously and glanced over her shoulder. Poor Heather. Just being around Callum made her skittish, so this room full of powerful and influential people was probably turning her into a nervous wreck.

“Angelica has a quick update for you about the plan for tomorrow,” she murmured. “Meet in the fifth floor conference room in a few minutes?”

I didn’t like the idea of leaving the reception just now, but if Angelica was involved, no doubt she’d cleared it with Callum.

“Will do,” I responded, fighting to unclench my teeth. I could feel sweat beading on my forehead. Somehow, I had to get further away from the fae who seemed to trigger all my instincts for danger.

Heather retreated back into the crowd, and I took another step. Then three, then five. The feeling eased, but it left me lightheaded. Almost stumbling. I was nearly to the wall, where I could turn and lean against a solid surface without anyone noticing.

But before I could reach that relative safety, my path was blocked… by a white pantsuit that crowded into my space and loomed threateningly on towering heels.

“I wonder,” Talia purred viciously from over my head, “whether anyone else knows that the dragon is breaking tradition by using his pet elemental to watch his back.”

NINETEEN

All around us,the hum of conversation continued, but we were nearly in a corner. Cut off from anyone who might know the history between us.

And I was still trying desperately to draw oxygen into my lungs after the stab of warning from my magic.

“Talia.” I managed to say the word without gasping or wheezing. Straightened my slumped shoulders and looked up… and up some more, to meet her icy gaze. “Thank you for coming. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

“You have two choices, little traitor,” she hissed. “Either you can swear that you will never reveal what you did to me and then disappear so completely that no one here will ever see your face again…”

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