Free Risk (A Mageri World Novel) by Dannika Dark Page A

prisoner.

    F orty-five minutes later , Simon had reached his alcohol limit. Ella nursed her second lemonade, closely examining everyone around them. They hadn’t communicated much at all except for when she asked him why he was still wearing his sunglasses. In Simon’s line of work, he couldn’t be too careful in Breed clubs. Glance at a Vampire the wrong way and he might steal your secrets.
    A Sensor tugged a man into a hall, and they performed a sensory exchange. The man’s chest glowed red as the Sensor transferred an emotion into him, which looked erotic by the expression on his face. Ella seemed fascinated, as if she’d never been around other Breeds outside of Hannah’s private parties. He was certain she’d received all the preliminary lessons on Breed history, but a book couldn’t teach you half the things you learned on the streets.
    “Simon, you didn’t mention a guest.” Justus eased up to the table, looking dapper in a pair of designer jeans and a brown T-shirt that looked painted on.
    Simon had never understood how a man could find so much enjoyment in the gym, but Justus loved his body. He shaved his head to a fine stubble so all you noticed were his crisp blue eyes boring a hole into your immortal soul.
    “This is Ella.”
    Justus bowed and then arched his brow at Simon. “May I speak with you privately?”
    “You are. She’s deaf. Take a load off.”
    Justus looked between them. Instead of sitting in the booth, he dragged a chair to the end of the table and nodded at Ella before turning his attention to Simon. “Are you sure she can’t hear?”
    “If she can, then this conversation is about to get awkward. So what did you find out?”
    Justus did a quick scan of the bar, looking at everyone sitting within proximity. Simon had already done the check several times, so he removed his sunglasses to put Justus at ease. Vamps could be nosy bastards, but from what Simon knew, most of them tuned out background noise since hearing everyone’s conversations could drive a man to madness.
    Ella adjusted a pin in her hair while noticing a young man at the bar. When Justus thought she looked disinterested enough, he began.
    “We all know that Creators on the Council don’t have to follow protocol when it comes to getting a candidate approved by the Mageri. Outside of her living with Hannah, I can’t find a trace of her living in our world as a trusted human. It’s as if Hannah plucked her from thin air.”
    Simon’s heart sped up. He lifted his glass to his lips, pretending to take a drink. He could feel Ella’s eyes on him and feared she might be able to pick up a few words. “So where does she come from?” he said into the glass.
    “There is no trace of her origin. Novis is the keeper of the records, and I have access at the moment because of a case I’m working on. If she went through the official ceremony and the Council measured her gifts, the file doesn’t exist. Hannah is the only other person who would have had access to the records. Perhaps she wants to bury this Learner’s information for a reason.”
    Ella stood up and pointed at the bathroom. Simon nodded, and she hurried out of the booth.
    Justus watched her for a moment and then leaned forward, brushing his hand across the tattoos on his right arm. “What is this all about?”
    Simon twirled his sunglasses in a circle on the table. “Hannah wants me to train her. I need to know the background of all my students, and this one is an enigma.”
    Justus eased back in his chair, causing the legs to creak. “That’s the most I can do for you without risking my standing with the Mageri.”
    Simon tapped his finger against his upper lip, deep in drunken thought. Did Ella have another rare gift that Hannah wanted to keep hidden? The Council would never reveal the rare abilities of a new Learner. They swore an oath to protect the privacy of each Mage they recorded into their books. Betraying the oath meant death, so why go through such