Hunted by Magic Read Online Free Page A

out.
    “I’m sorry, but nobody can leave.” The guard looked apologetic, but he didn’t budge. “There’s trouble’s brewing in the city, and it’s not safe for the Palace staff to be out and about.”
    I shrugged. “Okay then. But the Council has called a huge meeting and is demanding food, and the kitchen is short on a few supplies. I’ll just tell them that you wouldn’t let me leave...” I leaned in to read the guard’s name tag. “What did you say your name was again?”
    “Oh, alright, alright,” the guard snapped. He glanced nervously over his shoulder before stepping aside. “Go on, then. Let the damn councilors get their canapés.” Derision briefly twisted his features before he schooled his expression again.
    “Thank you.” I smiled sweetly at him, then hefted my basket a little higher over my shoulder and headed for the street. That guard was the first human I’d run across in the Palace who had shown open disdain for the mages, and I couldn’t help but wonder just how many of the humans employed there shared his feelings. It would be all too easy for the Resistance to infiltrate the Palace using these people, to make these bitter human workers the eyes and ears that allowed them to plot the airship attack against Iannis. The thought filled me with chills, and I cast a glance over my shoulder at the Palace, wondering just how many enemies were lurking in our midst.
    One problem at a time, Naya. One problem at a time.
    Since my beloved steambike had been lost in Durain, I had to walk all the way down to the Port. Underneath the illusion I was still barefoot, so I hitched rides on the backs of carriages whenever I could, but it still took me nearly an hour to make what would normally have been a ten-minute trip.
    My sore feet breathed a sigh of relief as they finally hit the boardwalk. I made my way down to Witches’ End, the place where magic users from other countries who’d managed to get permission to settle within the Federation ran their shops. There were apothecary shops, fortune tellers, psychics, and more here – because they were born and raised in other countries, they managed to escape the no-magic rule that plagued the rest of the non-mage families in the Northia Federation. They were all licensed and registered with the state and had to adhere to strict regulations, but it was still better than being forced to have your magic stripped away, or being executed – the two choices I’d hidden from my entire life, before the truth of my half-mage heritage had come to light.
    My friend Comenius ran a small shop there, called Over the Hedge. As a hedgewitch he specialized in nature magic, and offered charms and potions that were basically natural remedies enhanced by magic, like the nasty tonic he and Elania had made for me back at the Palace. I could see through the windowpane that Comenius was manning the counter, so I pushed my way inside, the little bell on the door tinkling as I entered. Comenius looked up from the register, and relief crossed his face as I dropped the illusion, allowing my true form to surface again.
    “Welche Erleichterung! ” he exclaimed, hurrying around the counter – there was nobody else in the shop right now. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he added, wrapping his arms around me.
    I hugged him back, inhaling his woodsy, herbal scent, but didn’t allow myself to get lost in his embrace for long – there was work to do. “Director Chen won’t let me be part of the rescue mission, and neither will the Council. Apparently they don’t trust me.”
    “I’d say it’s gone a little beyond that,” Comenius said darkly, flipping the OPEN sign on the door to CLOSED and locking it twice. “I had guards here less than half an hour ago searching for you. Apparently there is a warrant out for your arrest.”
    “Typical.” I gnashed my teeth together as he drew me behind the counter and into the back room. Half the space was taken up by wooden shelves