Page 24 of Magic Forsaken
His eyes shot straight to mine, as if they could pierce my armor and identify all of my secrets with no more than a look. “That’s the question, isn’t it?”
I sat in silence for a moment. Leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest.
“So… If you aren’t upset about last night, then why am I here?”
“Because…” He paused, tapping his fingers on his desk as he watched me carefully. “Right now, we’re doing everything we can to keep putting out those same fires. To build a better framework for preventing conflict between humans and Idrians. But someone is doing everything they can to stop us, and we don’t yet know who.”
Ah, yes. Callum had hinted as much last night. They had security breaches and information leaks, and I’d been a convenient target for his paranoia.
“Does someone still think it might be me?” I asked carefully, and felt a rush of relief when Faris shook his head.
“No. You’ve been cleared of suspicion. At least as far as I’m concerned.”
I still had a job. It was going to be okay. I hadn’t even realized how nervous I’d been until my whole body sagged into the chair.
“Thank you,” I said, with very real gratitude. “Is that all you needed me for?”
“Unfortunately not.”
I didn’t like the expression on his face. It looked like… regret.
“I spoke to Seamus.”
What had I told the shapeshifter?
“He said you don’t know how to use your elemental magic. That it broke free of your control in a moment of extreme stress.”
“Yes,” I admitted. “That’s true. I made a mistake, but I can be more careful in the future. It won’t happen again.”
“And at any other time, I would be willing to accept that,” Faris said heavily. “But right now, I can’t afford any additional instability. The Symposium is happening soon, and we’ve promised the delegates a safe location for this gathering.”
My fingers turned to ice and curled like claws around the arms of the chair.
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that if Talia chooses to tell anyone what happened, you become a liability.”
“I’m not a threat,” I argued desperately. “I’m just a homeless fugitive. I want to be able to eat and put a roof over my head, not involve myself in politics.”
“And I believe you,” Faris said. “But that doesn’t mean anyone else will.”
He shook his head, both hands now lying flat on the desk. “I don’t think you realize yet, Raine, just how unusual your ability is. You shouldn’t have been able to do what you did last night without practice. Maybe to someone with weaker magic, but not to the most powerful water elemental in North America.”
I swallowed, and tasted the harsh, bitter taint of regret. “I told you I didn’t mean to.”
“Doesn’t matter. Word will get out. You’re a force to be reckoned with, and you’re a complete unknown.” He met my gaze squarely. “You’re going to make all of the delegates very, very nervous.”
Kira said I’d painted a target on my back with that display of power, but I’d hoped she was exaggerating. Who could possibly care about the threat posed by a homeless waitress?
“What if I just stay out of sight?”
“And how do you plan to do that while working for me?” Faris pointed out.
I’d been so afraid he might say that. My heart began to thud uncomfortably in my chest. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying you have a choice to make.”
It was obvious from his tone that I would be thrilled about exactly none of the options he was about to offer me.