“You know,” I shouted at him after I’d dissipated the second missile, “if you lightened my workload at the Mages Guild I would have more time to practice my Loranian!” Feeling spiteful, I hurled another fireball in his direction.
“A likely story.” Iannis gave me a skeptical look as he snatched the fireball right out of the air, breaking his rule of using only elemental-type spells – we’d agreed to that for the duration of the duel since Iannis knew far more spells than me, in an attempt to keep things fair. The fiery ball floated just above his palm before he spoke a Word that snuffed it out.
Show off.
“You and I both know that if I went looking for you, I would find you at the Enforcer’s Guild begging Captain Galling for a docket.”
“I don’t beg,” I snapped, affronted at the insinuation. “And so what if I do go to the Enforcer’s Guild? I need to use my Enforcer’s license too. How am I supposed to afford my rent like this?”
The Chief Mage blasted me with another ball of icy energy. Incensed, I thrust my hand out and shot out another fireball. The two blasts collided in mid-air, then exploded, shaking the walls. Ice crystals rained down everywhere, clattering against the floorboards, and I stuck my tongue out at the Chief Mage as he scowled at me.
“It is no concern of mine if you can’t afford that apartment,” he said sternly. “You have a perfectly good room at the Palace available that you refuse to use, and access to the kitchens for food. You are more than welcome to move back in, but I am not reducing your hours at the Mages Guild. Every apprentice is required to put in time in order to earn their training.”
“I’m not moving back in.” This wasn’t the first time Iannis had broached the subject, but I was determined not to budge. As much as I refused to admit it out loud, I was attracted to the Chief Mage, and the more time I spent with him the more these feelings seemed to grow. Since romantic and carnal relationships between masters and apprentices were taboo, I knew nothing could come of it. Besides, I hated the sense of isolation that came from living in the Palace, cut off from the rest of the city. Living outside on my own was the best thing for both of us, even if he didn’t see it that way. “Just because I’m your apprentice doesn’t mean I have to be dependent on you.”
Iannis opened his mouth to answer, but he paused at a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” he called. I pressed my lips together, already knowing the answer. I’d recognize that delicate knock and flowery jasmine scent anywhere – I’d heard and smelled them enough times over the last month to make me sick.
“It’s Director Chen, sir. May I come in?”
Fenris opened the door, and I didn’t bother to hide my scowl as Lalia Chen, the Director of the Mage’s Guild and Iannis’s right-hand woman, stepped into the training room. Her red silk robes flowed around her tall, lithe form as she moved, a stark contrast to her ivory skin. She’d left her long, fine black hair unbound today, allowing it to flow around her oval face, and it swung forward in a dark curtain as she bowed. Her perfect, polished look only served to remind me how unrefined I was, and the sparks of jealousy she always incited in my chest burst into flame before I could stomp them out.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you, Lord Iannis, but urgent news has come up regarding the Convention. I’m putting together an emergency Council meeting to go over the revised agenda they sent in, and we need you to be there.”
“Of course.” The Chief Mage inclined his head to her, then turned back to me. “I’m afraid we will have to end our lesson early tonight, Miss Baine.”
What else is new? I thought, anger bubbling up inside me. I was getting really tired of Director Chen cutting my lessons short, and I opened my mouth to tell Iannis as much. Yes, the lessons were frustrating, but dammit I needed him! And the part of me that wanted him couldn’t help but hurt every time he left me hanging like this.
But then I glanced sideways at Director Chen, and the sight of her face, so calm, so serene, stopped me in my tracks. If I started whining right now, I would only look like a childish fool in comparison to her, which was the last thing I wanted. I didn’t need another reason to feel inferior around her.
“Sure,” I said with a shrug, as if I didn’t care one way or the other. “I get that you’ve got a government to run. Go do your thing.”
“We’ll resume this lesson tomorrow night.”
The two mages swept out of the room, leaving me alone with Fenris. As soon as the door closed behind him, I let the mask slip from my face, allowing the anger in my heart to shoot back up to the surface.
“Sunaya,” Fenris said, noticing the murderous look on my face. “You shouldn’t be so angry with Iannis. He’s never had an apprentice for as long as I’ve known him, and it’s a big adjustment for him to find time to train you while also running the state.”
“I get that, Fenris, but at the very least he could actually try to stick around for the whole hour he’s penciled me in for,” I snapped. “We only have lessons three times a week, and Director Chen has already taken him off to do other things several times in the past fortnight. And he wonders why I’m not making enough progress!” I threw up my hands.
“It won’t be like this forever, you know.” Fenris sighed, running a hand across his short, dark beard as he cut his yellow gaze away from me. He was a wolf-shifter, and though he couldn’t have looked more different from Iannis with his shorter, stockier build and his dark tunics, the two of them were fast friends. Because of that, Fenris’s commands had weight, which had been a huge help to me when I’d first arrived at the Palace as he’d used his influence to ensure I got enough food and to soften Iannis up towards me. “Iannis wants to keep a close eye on Director Chen after the fiasco with Argon Chartis. Once he’s certain he can trust her, he’ll be able to take more time away from the Mages Guild and focus on your training.”