“Well maybe we can find out more at the ball tonight,” I suggested hopefully.
“Indeed. Our main objectives tonight are to discover exactly where the Minister is sequestered, and to determine if Lord Cedris’s sudden popularity is legitimate. It defies belief, but after all that has happened we cannot exclude the possibility that he is somehow allied to the Benefactor or the Resistance.”
“I’m guessing that means you’re going to rub a lot of elbows and I’m going to listen in on as many conversations as possible?”
“Yes. And since you are not a delegate, you’ll attract less notice if you sneak off somewhere that guests are generally not supposed to be.”
The carriage rolled to a stop, and I peered out the window to see that we were in a long, long line of carriages dropping ball guests off at the Grandham Hotel, which was where the ball was being held. Guess we weren’t the only fashionably late ones. It took us a good ten minutes before our carriage pulled up in front of the entrance, and I tried to act aloof rather than self-conscious as Iannis helped me down from the carriage. Reporters and photographers crowded near the entrance, and I had to force myself not to flinch as camera bulbs flashed and reporters shouted questions at us about the upcoming vote and who we thought the next Minister was going to be. Blinded by the flashes, I clutched Iannis’s arm and allowed him to guide me up the stairs and through the doors.
Oh well, at least we’ll look good for the photographs, I thought as we passed through the elegant lobby. Uniformed staff greeted us respectfully and directed us toward the ballroom, which was several hallways away. I’d picked out a set of royal blue robes for Iannis, with winged shoulders and golden vines that shimmered as he walked. A gold satin sash belted around his waist, and the ensemble enhanced the contrast of his broad shoulders to his tapered hips. Only the tips of the dark blue leather boots with gold buckles I’d bought for him could be seen, but they were my favorite part of the outfit. I would have bought a pair for myself if they had come in my size. I’d commission a similar pair for myself once we got back to Solantha, if I ever had any money of my own again.
One problem at a time, Sunaya.
“Welcome to the Convention Ball,” another hotel staff member greeted us at the entrance to the ballroom. Like the other staff, he was dressed very smartly in a suit and tails, and he held a clipboard and pen in his hands. “May I have your names, please?”
“Iannis ar’Sannin, Chief Mage of Canalo, and Miss Narina Sernan.”
“Yes, of course, my lord.” The man bowed deeply, then extended a hand toward the entrance. “Please enjoy your evening.”
We stepped into the ballroom, and I tried not to crane my neck as my eyes took in the enormous space, which was packed to the gills with delegates and invited guests. The walls were painted a pale, creamy gold, and soared past the mezzanine balconies to meet the ornate crown molding that bordered the ceiling. The ceiling itself was fairly plain, the only adornment a large, stylized flower painted in the center, and hanging from the middle of the flower was a single chandelier that cast the huge room in a muted yellow glow. Wall sconces set in the pillars that lined the walls and supported the arches of the mezzanine provided additional light, but the overall effect was subtle, creating plenty of shadowed corners for attendees to lurk in and whisper to each other when they weren’t socializing with the main crowd.
I remained on Iannis’s arm for the first half hour as introductions were made, but as time went on more and more female mages began to flock to him, slyly flirting, and he took to the sport like a duck to water, coaxing information out of them the same way they were trying to do to him. I knew there was a purpose to it all, but I hated the way these women dismissed me or gave me thinly disguised looks of derision. So I was more than happy to let a handsome young mage sweep me off to the dance floor before the jealousy monster trying to rear its ugly head made me do something stupid.
I danced and socialized for a good hour with the delegates and their guests, making small talk while surreptitiously testing the waters to see if anyone knew anything about the Minister’s whereabouts or Lord Cedris’s campaign. A good number of the guests were humans, wealthy socialites who had enough pull in their own circles that they merited an invitation and flew in across the country to mingle with these high-ranking mages. None seemed to have any more information about the Minister than I did, however, and there was also frustratingly little to be learned about Lord Cedris. I gleaned some speculation that he’d made agreements with key mages to push for certain types of legislation, but nothing concrete.
Of course this would all be much easier if I could actually ask questions, but nobody wanted to divulge any information to me since I was an outsider, and I didn’t want to draw suspicion my way. The mages who did talk directly to me mostly just wanted to pump me for info about Iannis anyway. Hopefully he was having better luck than I was.
Lord Cedris himself was present, of course, and he diligently circled the crowds, talking and laughing and rubbing elbows. He was tall and lean, dressed in a set of red and white robes that did nothing for his long, pale blond hair and haughty, aristocratic features. I saw Iannis speak with him for a few moments, but Cedris seemed much more interested in talking up the other delegates, presumably to persuade them to vote for him.
“Good evening, Miss Baine. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” a low, throaty voice came from my right.
I jumped at the sound of my real name, nearly spilling the glass of champagne I was nursing, and turned to see Thorgana Mills standing next to me, a smile on her glossy lips. The owner of Mills Media & Entertainment was resplendent in a white mermaid-style gown that clung to her willowy figure, and her ice-blonde hair was swept into a classy up-do and secured with a diamond-encrusted hair-clip.