“And I need to review some case files,” I said.
“I have them in my room. Which do you need?” asked Sterling.
“The runaway and cheating spouse,” I said.
“I’ll bring them down. I don’t want to keep you from your cardboard making,” said Sterling.
I reached across the table and smacked his arm. It helped some to ease the tension and was the motivation to get everyone to go away.
I dug around the ice box and saw that there was lettuce. There was no electricity in the fae lands. This pseudo fridge was cooled by an ice stone that looked like an oversized ice pack.
When the others came down and saw dinner they relaxed, the tension leaving their faces and bodies. My cooking isn’t that bad. It was bad, but not to the extent that their relief implied.
“The house isn’t on fire and I don’t smell anything burning,” said Lochlan.
“The gods have listened,” said Sterling.
They sat down at the table warily eyeing the salad I put together.
“Just eat it without the commentary,” I said.
“We could if your cooking didn’t double as torture,” said Callie.
“Just wait till it’s your turn. You aren’t any better than I am,” I said.
10
The next morning, my coffee was interrupted by someone knocking on the front door. The heavy-handed visitor was doing his best to put a hole in the door. Someone else could answer it, I hadn’t slept well and needed the caffeine and some food.
I was hoping Jennica would come downstairs, but so far, she was still hiding in her room. Tempers were short and we were all stressed from recent events. A lot had happened to us and many of those things remained unresolved.
“Miles, this is a surprise. What brings you out here?” asked Lochlan.
Why is my least favorite enforcer here?
“I’m not here for you,” Miles said.
As I feared, my magic use at the Swamp of Souls hadn’t gone unnoticed. I knew going with the enforcers to swamp was risky because I had zero control over my magic. Now, my day of reckoning was here, but they won’t get me without a fight. Unlike Zander, I didn’t believe in running away or hiding behind someone for protection.
I went to the door and stood with my arms crossed next to Lochlan. Muffin was behind me, trying to nose his way to the door. Bratty dog.
Shouldn’t my faithful canine companion be growling or something? Unless the dog couldn’t detect how upset Miles made me. If that was the case, then my dog was broken, and I wanted a new one. What am I saying? Why would I want another one? The best thing that could happen to me was getting rid of him.
Miles locked eyes on me.
“Just who I need.”
“You aren’t going to take her,” said Lochlan.
“I don’t want to take her, but I have to.”
Still looking at me, he said “I believe the Guild Master informed you of my pending arrival.”
“You’re my trainer?”
This had to be a joke. Why would the Guild Master send Miles to train me?
“Are you going to leave me outside, or let me in?”
“Very well,” said Lochlan, who welcomed Miles inside.
Callie, Sterling, and Jennica gathered in the living room. Sterling was glaring and radiated hostility. Even Callie was eyeing Miles suspiciously.
“We don’t need chaperones for our training,” said Miles.
“As her employer, I wasn’t aware that she needed enforcer training. She’s not a recruit or one of your staff,” said Sterling.
“I’m not here as an enforcer. I’m here under the order of the Guild Master Laurence Danes.”
“Do you have proof?” Sterling asked.
“I don’t answer to you, but I certainly have proof.”
Miles pulled out a sealed letter and held it out to me, not Sterling.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Proof.”
I tore it open and my mood crashed and burned as I read through it.
“Rayne Martin. I anticipated you’d be difficult, so I took the opportunity to draft this letter to impress upon you the urgency of training. This is not an option. Miles Harrison will train you. If he decides that you or your magic is a threat, you will be detained and brought back here for safe keeping. Respectfully, Laurence Danes, Guild Master.”
I swore and Miles smiled.
“He’s legit,” I said through gritted teeth.
I wanted Miles to be wrong, but luck wasn’t with me. Out of all the resources the Mage Guild had, why Miles? I saw nothing particularly outstanding about him or his magic during our mission at the Swamp of Souls. Sure he could shapeshift and use magic, but so could many other people.
Miles looked past me, and his smile slipped. I turned to see who diverted his attention. Elon stood there watching the enforcer intently. Neither said a word, but the tension hung heavy in the air.
“And as charming as this welcome party has been, I’d like to find somewhere else for our training,” said Miles.
“Where do I have to go?” I asked.
“The Enforcers Training Academy,” said Miles.
“Why would I willingly go there?”
“Because you have no choice. I don’t owe you an explanation, but, I’ll indulge you this time. They have a training area that is heavily warded, one that even your magic shouldn’t be able to get through. It’s the safest place for me to train you.”
“Did you find my magic?” Jennica asked.
She wore yesterday’s dress and her shining blonde hair hung in lank tangles around her shoulder. If I could see her feet they would probably be shoeless and dirty. Jennica’s sparkle was gone, and she’d stopped caring. I wasn’t a good friend to think so harshly of her. She was coping as she best could, and it had only been a matter of days since she’d been rescued from the kidnappers.
Miles’ face went blank in that way law enforcement officers do before giving someone bad news. It’s like they were fortifying themselves to be the bearer of bad news and to witness a bad reaction to the news.
“No, we’ve been looking and it’s still an active case,” he said.
“But it’s been several days. When you visited me at the
