Praise for New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder

‘A compelling new fantasy series.’

-SFX Magazine on Sea Glass

‘Maria V. Snyder tantalises readers with another complex, masterful story set in a magical world so convincing that she’ll have you believing that it’s actually real.’

-YAReads.com on Storm Glass

‘Wonderfully complex …

Opal finally comes into her own in Spy Glass.’ - Fantasy Book Review

‘This is one of those rare books that will keep readers dreaming long after they’ve read it.’

-Publishers Weekly Starred Review on Poison Study

‘Filled with Snyder’s trademark sarcastic humour, fast-paced action and creepy villainy, Touch of Power is a spellbinding romantic adventure that will leave readers salivating for the next book in the series.’ - USA TODAY on Touch of Power

‘Maria V. Snyder is one of my favourite authors.’

-New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine on Inside Out

Night Study
Maria V. Snyder

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my inspiring and awesome writer’s retreat ladies—

Nancy Hunter, Mindy Klasky, Jeri Smith-Ready, and

Kristina Watson. Remember…what happens during a

writers’ retreat stays at the retreat!

Contents

Cover

Praise

Title Page

Dedication

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

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17

18

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21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

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33

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Copyright

1

YELENA

Valek blinked at me. “You’re what?”

I drew in a deep breath and held up the glass vial filled with moon potion. My hand trembled, sending waves through the white liquid inside. “Pregnant... I think.”

“Before we celebrate, love, let’s go over your logic.”

Surprise pierced my growing panic, and I glanced at him. “You want to celebrate? I was taking the moon potion to prevent this.”

He took the vial from me and set it on the bed. Then he laced his fingers in mine and pulled me close. “Of course it would be a cause for celebration. Well, a quiet celebration.” Valek gave me a wry smile—we both had so many enemies, it wouldn’t be smart to announce my condition to the world.

My anxiety eased a bit.

“Now, why does that vial mean you’re with child?” Valek asked.

“Healer Hayes told me to take the potion after I...bled...so I’d be protected for another year. But I haven’t yet, and it’s been...” I calculated in my head. It’d been six weeks since I’d last had my blood cycle. “I’m two weeks late.” My stomach churned with distress—talk about the worst possible time to be pregnant.

“A lot has happened to you in the last four weeks. Maybe you’re late because of the stress.”

Valek had a point. It had happened to me before during trying times. And recently I’d been the target of an assassination attempt. Twice. The first occurred a month ago, when I was shot with an arrow that I suspected had been filled with a poison that blocked my magic. Or so I’d thought. I tightened my grip at a sudden notion. “Could the loss of my powers be due to being pregnant?”

“If that was the case, wouldn’t Irys know that’s a side effect? You said she was as baffled as Bain was about why your magic is blocked.”

He was right. If magic loss was a common side effect during pregnancy, the Master Magicians would be aware of that. Disappointment deflated my brief surge of hope. I’d been searching for a poison or substance that explained my current predicament without success for the past month.

Correctly reading my expression, Valek squeezed my fingers. “It still might be possible. I’m immune to magic. Maybe Junior takes after his dear old dad.”

Ignoring the Junior comment, I asked, “In that case, wouldn’t I be immune, as well?” That protection would have been more than welcome four days ago when Owen Moon’s magic had sliced right through me. If it hadn’t been for Valek encouraging me to survive, I’d be a mindless, drooling mess right now.

Valek shrugged. “We’ve encountered so many different...quirks of magic over the years, this may well be one of them.” He grinned. “Time will tell. And during that time, you’ll be safe. No assassin would dare target you while you’re with me.”

I was more worried about Owen Moon. The rogue magician had managed to escape after attacking me. He had been growing the Curare vine in a hothouse made of glass. When a person was pricked by Curare, it caused full-body paralysis, which was an effective and nonlethal weapon, since the victim could still breathe.

When Owen had been captured in Ixia four years ago, the Commander assured the Sitian Council, Valek and me that Owen had been executed. Instead, the rogue magician had negotiated a deal with the Commander to manufacture and produce Curare for Ixia’s army.

A nice little arrangement, until Owen turned greedy. He sold the drug to other interested parties, and it upset the Commander so much he sent Valek to shut down Owen’s entire smuggling operation. Too bad the Commander failed to inform Valek of who had really been in charge of the operation.

We’d all had our share of nasty little surprises in the past week.

“What if Owen shows up?” I asked.

The muscles along Valek’s sharp jaw tightened as fury flared in his sapphire-blue eyes. “Don’t worry about Owen. Janco and Onora will be traveling with us.”

I understood his anger. Owen also knew Valek’s weakness. Because he was immune to magic, a null shield cast around him would trap Valek as if he’d been imprisoned in an invisible cell. It was just a matter of time before the word spread to other magicians, and those who could erect a null shield bubble would have an easy way to stop the infamous Ixian assassin.

“Speaking of traveling,” I said to lighten the mood. “If you want to leave tomorrow morning, I need that bath.”

The hard lines on his angular face softened. “I’ll show you the way.” Valek let go of my hands.

“Uh-huh. Mighty nice of you.”

“I aim to please.” He leered, but it soon turned into a more contemplative expression.

As I gathered my clean clothes and soap, Valek picked up the vial of moon potion.

“What about this?” he asked.

“If stress has delayed me, then I should drink it afterward like Healer Hayes instructed.”

His brow puckered. “How long does it last?”

“A year, but I usually take it about a month before the year is up just to be safe.”

“Is it a hundred percent effective?”

Odd questions, but I humored him. “No. For some, it doesn’t work, but I’ve been taking it for eight years now without a problem.” Until now.

“Oh.” He set it on the top of the dresser. “What if you wish to have a child sooner?”

“Don’t you know all this?”

“No. We use different substances in Ixia.”

“In that case, there is another potion called starlight that reverses the effects of the moon potion.”

Valek stilled. “How fast?”

“I think it’s within hours. I’m not sure. Why all this interest?”

“Just curious.”

There was something in the taut line of his body that caused me to suspect there was more to it than mere curiosity. But I decided to let it go. Besides, after lying in bed recovering for the past four days, I really needed that bath. And a change of scenery. The bedroom I’d been occupying had bland yellow walls, a single bed, night table, dresser and no decorations.

Valek escorted me down to the ground floor. The farmhouse had plenty of rooms, which was probably why Owen had bought it for his base of operations. The complex of stables, barns and other structures hid his movements from public view while the large chain-link fence kept curious neighbors from stopping by for a visit. Not that there were many people around. The farm was in a remote area in the northern part of the Moon Clan’s lands, near the border with Ixia.

“What’s the closest town?” I asked Valek. I’d been tied down under a tarp while being transported here, so I’d counted towns by the vibrations from the wagon wheels trundling over the cobblestones, guessing we were three towns east of Lapeer.

“Broken Bridge is just west of here.”

I glanced at him. “Interesting name.”

“An accurate name. There was a bridge spanning the Sunworth River at that location, but a flood cracked it in half a long time ago. One half floated down the river, but the other remains on the far bank. No one remembers the real name of the town.”

“How do you know all this?”

He grinned. “I’ve been talking to the locals. Mostly to discover how long Owen’s been here, if they’d seen any other strangers around town and if they know about other places he might own. Town gossip can be very informative.”

When we reached the washroom, I sighed in contentment when I spotted the glowing coals under a large metal tank. Hot water was just an open valve away. An oval tub sat in the middle of the stone washroom. A row of hooks lined the wall above a bench. Towels had been stacked in a cabinet next to it.

Valek filled the tub while I peeled off my sweat-stiffened tunic. The crisp air caused goose bumps to coat my skin. It was just two weeks into the warming season, and while each day would be a bit warmer than the last, it would be another month before I wouldn’t need a cloak during the day. Nights would remain cool well into the warm season.

The rest of my clothing soon joined my tunic on the floor. Before I could even shiver, Valek wrapped me in an embrace. Warmth enveloped me and I gazed up into his eyes. He swooped in for a kiss. I hooked my arms around his neck and laced my fingers in his shoulder-length black hair, deepening the kiss. My worries melted as heat spread throughout my body.

Too soon, he pulled back. “Your water’s getting cold.”

“I’m not the one still wearing clothes.”

Regret flashed across his face. “I’ve a few things to take care of before we leave tomorrow.”

“But—”

He silenced my protest with another kiss. “Tonight. I promise.”

After he left, the cold rushed in with a vengeance. I grabbed a towel and my supplies and hurried to the tub, setting the items on a nearby table. Steam curled from the water and I stepped into bliss, sighing as I submerged up to my neck. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the soak until my worries once again solidified. The biggest one pushed all the others to the side, and I rested my hands on my lower abdomen.

A baby.

No. Valek was right. Stress and trauma had upset my monthly cycles before. This time was no different. Besides, the moon potion had worked for eight years; no reason to doubt its potency now.

A baby.

Fear stirred in my chest. I couldn’t be pregnant. Not now. Assassins had been hired to kill me, I had no magic and Owen Moon—a dangerous and powerful magician who also wanted me dead—was at large. Plus this new girl, Onora—yet another assassin—was after Valek’s job as Ixia’s security chief. And he had dozens of enemies.

Then again, I couldn’t imagine our lives ever settling down enough for the timing to be perfect. A child of ours would never be safe. But no need to jump to conclusions just yet. As Valek had said, time will tell.

And if I wasn’t...?

It’d be for the best. Yet a faint pang of disappointment poked my chest at the thought. Silly.

When the water turned lukewarm, I grabbed my soap. Careful of the scabbed-over rope burns and multicolored bruises around my wrists and ankles, I scrubbed off a few layers of grime. Old scars crisscrossed my stomach, ribs, legs and arms. I’d seen more than my share of action. The newest scar, a roundish shape just below my left clavicle, had been made by the first assassin’s arrow just a month ago.

I fingered the ridges, remembering the force of the impact that had knocked me from Kiki’s back. The shaft had been filled with an unknown liquid poison. My magic expelled most of the drug—or so I’d thought—and healed the wound. That had been the last time I drew from the blanket of power that surrounded the world and fueled a magician’s magic. Once I recovered from the injury, Valek and I enjoyed the remaining day of our vacation before he left for Ixia. That morning, the symptoms of the poison began, and I spent the day suffering from intense hot and cold flashes. When they finally ceased, my ability to draw power was gone.

A delay between poisoning and the onset of the symptoms was not unheard-of. Many assassins liked to be well away before anyone suspected foul play. Yet in this case, shooting a victim with an arrow was far from subtle. I considered. The poison may have nothing to do with my blocked magic. Perhaps it was just added insurance, in case the assassin missed my heart. My ability to drain the substance from my wound then turned a lethal dose into a sick day in bed. That scenario implied there was another cause.

Conception? If I was with child, the timing coincided. But again, if magicians lost their powers while pregnant, it’d be well-known. Unless, as Valek had said, there was some quirk in the magic. Perhaps First Magician Bain Bloodgood would know, or he could search through his history books for a reference to a similar occurrence. It’d be too dangerous to send him a message right now, and it might be a bit premature at this point. Once I had confirmation of my condition, then I’d talk to Bain.

Clean, I rinsed off the soap and dressed in record time. My stomach growled, so I searched for something to eat. No surprise that my brother, Leif, stood at the kitchen’s long counter with his hands in a large metal mixing bowl.

Leif was never far from the food.

His strong forearms flexed as he kneaded the dough. About six inches taller than me, his broad shoulders and square jaw gave him a stocky appearance, but despite being obsessed with eating, it was all muscle under his brown tunic.

“You going to stand there all day?” Leif asked without glancing in my direction. His magic sensed a person’s proximity, as well as intentions, moods and guilt. He frequently aided the Sitian Council in their investigations.

“I’m still recovering from the shock of seeing you cook.”

He grunted. “Who do you think has been feeding you the last four days?”

I stepped into the spacious kitchen. A mammoth stone hearth comprised the entire far wall. Coals glowed red-hot under a large-sized white brick oven, above which hung an assortment of black iron pots. The scent of baking bread filled the air. A long wooden table with seating for at least two dozen bisected the room.

“I know you’re famous for your wet-dog tea and rabbit stew, but I thought you’d rather eat other people’s cooking.”

“It’s corgarviy tea, and without it, you’d still be drooling on your pillow.”

True. Even though it smelled awful, it had helped rejuvenate me. I joined him at the counter. An impressive array of utensils, tools, bowls and equipment lined the shelves.

“Besides, if I had a kitchen like this, I’d cook all the time.” Leif studied me. “Hungry?”

“Very.”

He gestured to the bench near the table. “Sit.”

I didn’t waste any time, and he laughed. In that instant, he looked much younger than twenty-nine, which was two years older than me. He grabbed a bowl and uncovered one of the pots on the hearth. Ladling a heaping portion into the bowl, he then placed the steaming goodness in front of me, along with a spoon.

After I inhaled a few bites of the beef-and-vegetable soup, I asked him if he’d identified any more of the other plants inside the glass hothouse Owen had constructed to grow the Curare vine. Before this invention, Curare only grew in the Illiais Jungle far to the south, where it was warm and humid all year round. Another benefit of the vine being confined to one area was that the Sitian Council could limit its availability, which it did. The Council kept strict control of who was allowed to carry it as a weapon. A watered-down version was also manufactured and given to healers in order to reduce a patient’s pain, which I thought was the best aspect of the drug. It was the reason my father had hunted for the vine all those years ago.

“I know all but four. We’ll have to wait until Father arrives to identify the rest.” Leif filled another bowl and sat opposite me. He fiddled with his spoon, twirling it around on the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“I keep thinking of that factory in Lapeer. In order to produce so much Curare, Owen must have more of those hothouses. Lots more.”

I’d suspected as much. “We’ll find them. Has anyone interrogated Ben? He may know where the others are.” Owen’s brother had been caught, along with Loris and Cilly Cloud Mist. Ben wasn’t as powerful as Owen, but he could erect a null shield, light fires and move small objects. The Cloud Mist siblings’ abilities to mentally communicate and manipulate a person’s thoughts and memories had aided Owen in maintaining the deception of his death.

“No. The three magicians were taken to Lapeer and incarcerated in a cell with a null shield. The authorities won’t let any of us near them, although Devlen left this morning to try again. The Captain claims he’s waiting for orders from the Sitian Council.”

I cursed under my breath. “I hope the Captain’s a patient man.” The Council took far too much time to make a decision on anything.

“I’d bet they’re in a panic,” Leif said. “The Commander has Curare, and he won’t be afraid to use it. Unlike our soldiers, I’d bet every single one of his soldiers will have darts laced with the stuff in no time. He could be preparing to invade Sitia as we speak.”

As the Liaison between Ixia and Sitia, I found that scenario to be unlikely. However, with the Commander keeping secrets from even Valek, I might not know the Commander as well as I’d thought. Still... “Or he could just want to even the playing field. Having both Curare and magicians, Sitia has had the advantage for years.”

Leif picked up the spoon. “Which has made me feel all safe and warm. Now I’m wondering what type of uniform I’d have to wear when we’re conquered.”

Considering the Commander had banned all magicians, except me, from Ixia and executed most of those caught inside his borders, I knew that, at best, Leif and the others would be incarcerated in a magic-proof cell for the rest of their lives—or, at worst, they’d all be killed. I decided not to sour his mood any further.

Instead I said, “I’m sure the Commander will find a job that’s perfect for your qualifications. You’d look good in a stable boy’s uniform, or spiffy as a chamber pot manager.”

“Sure, you can laugh. The Commander likes you. And now you...” Leif ducked his head, focusing on the bowl in front of him.

“What? Now I’m not a Soulfinder anymore, the Commander will welcome me with open arms?”

He wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Something like that.”

“Then say it. I don’t want people dancing around the subject or treating me different...or locking me in jail ‘for my own protection.’”

“I was under orders from the Council,” Leif protested.

It had backfired. The second assassin had found me in no time. “And look how well that turned out.” Thank fate I still had a few tricks up my sleeves.

“Sorry. Won’t happen again,” Leif promised.

“Good.” I changed the subject. “Are you staying here until Father comes?”

“Yes. I expect he’ll arrive in about fifteen days.”

That was a long time to wait. Leif’s wife, Mara—a real sweetheart—wouldn’t ever complain, but she couldn’t be happy. “What will you do all that time?”

“We plan to search the surrounding towns and villages, looking for more of those hothouses.”

“We?”

“Devlen believes it’s a good idea. And he’s got a way with the locals. They talk to him.”

With Owen at large, Devlen’s daughter, Reema, would have to remain with Ari in the Commander’s castle until it was safe. Owen had threatened to kill her.

“Have you found any records here? That would make it easier.” And so would interrogating Ben. I wondered if Valek had “talked” to him before the authorities swooped in.

“It appears Owen didn’t keep any records at this location. Which is why I’m hoping to find another place where he may have left information behind.”

“Or you might find him.” The thought of the two of them hunting Owen alone caused a queasiness to roll in my stomach. Leif had been kidnapped by Owen before. And while Devlen was skilled with a sword, Owen’s magic outmatched Leif’s.

“Even better,” he said in a low, dangerous tone.

Not good. “At least make sure you take Hale with you.” I was glad Hale had been assigned to travel with us for added protection.

“Hale’s gone. He was ordered back to the Citadel.”

Interesting. “And you weren’t?”

“Oh, I was.”

“Leif—”

“Don’t ‘Leif’ me.” His green eyes sparked in annoyance. “You know as well as I do the Council will debate what to do for months. Meanwhile, Owen’s out there—”

“Along with Rika Bloodgood and Tyen Cowan. Two powerful magicians, which brings the total to three against you and Devlen.”

He squared his shoulders with that stubborn Zaltana determination.

I tried another tactic. “Owen’s smart. He knows both the Commander and the Council will be searching for him, so he’s going to lay low for the next few months while he figures out his next move.”

“That’s why we need to stop him before he can act.”

Leif had a point. I considered the situation. “Then the best use of your time would be to convince the Sitian Council to let you use your magic to interrogate Ben and the others.”

He grunted, but I wasn’t sure I’d convinced him.

We ate the rest of our soup in silence. After a few minutes, Devlen entered the kitchen. A deep scowl etched his dark face, and tension radiated from his powerful build.

“Still no luck?” Leif asked him, referring to Devlen’s repeated attempt to speak to Ben.

“Yelena, where is Valek?” Devlen asked, ignoring Leif.

“He said he had to take care of a few things. Why?”

Devlen cursed.

“What’s going on?” Leif asked.

“Ben, Loris and Cilly have all been assassinated.”

2

VALEK

As he prepared for the trip, Valek’s mind whirled with the implications of becoming a father, even though he knew Yelena might not be pregnant. Just the thought of a baby sent a giddy, wild happiness mixed with fear pulsing through his veins. No surprise his immediate instinct was the intense desire to protect both his heart mate and the baby. He imagined locking them both in a tower so no one could harm them. Pure fantasy at best.

His second reaction was to plan the logistics. Yelena would stay with him, of course, and they’d raise the baby together. Where would they live? In the Commander’s castle? No. In their cabin in the Featherstone Clan lands? No. That location was too well-known. And what if he was on assignment for the Commander?

Valek banished all his crazy thoughts with effort. Yelena needed to be a part of this discussion. And he needed to confirm a suspicion.

When he’d finished gathering supplies, he searched for Onora. She had offered to get the horses ready. Leaning on the side of the stable, Valek studied Onora as she groomed Onyx. The black horse allowed her to inspect the underside of his hooves, lifting each in turn. Kiki and The Madam grazed nearby in the farm’s pasture. Their coats gleamed. In order for each member of their traveling party to have a mount, Onora had picked a chestnut-colored Thoroughbred from those Owen had left behind. The gelding displayed a gentle manner and appeared to be strong and healthy. Valek approved of her choice.

Just about everything was ready for their trip east. They would leave at dawn and set a fast pace to catch up to his operatives already in the field. The Commander wouldn’t be happy about the delay. Valek straightened as anger rolled through him. If the Commander had confided in him, this entire fiasco would never have happened, and Yelena wouldn’t have been in danger. Instead the Commander chose to reveal his plans only to Onora, the twenty-year-old assassin whose sole desire was to take Valek’s place.

At this point in time, Valek would be happy to give it to her. The Commander has been using her to test Valek’s loyalty for the past month. First by attacking Yelena, to determine if Valek would disobey a direct order, and then with a fake assassination attempt on the Commander. Tiresome, to say the least. Then the Commander assigned him the task of shutting down a new smuggling route into Ixia without informing him of crucial details...

Valek drew in a deep breath to calm the rising fury. No need to waste the energy now. He planned to confront the Commander on his return. In the meantime, he needed to clarify one vital detail with, as Janco liked to call her, Little Miss Assassin.

Onora glanced up as he approached. She continued to comb Onyx’s tail, but a wariness crept into her gray eyes despite her attempts to neutralize her expression. Barefoot even in the cold air, Onora had pulled her long brown hair away from her narrow face. A pretty girl and almost unflappable, it was difficult to discern Onora’s thoughts.

“The horses are almost ready.” She pointed to Kiki. “She won’t let me put shoes on her.”

Her horse knowledge must be considerable if Onora felt comfortable enough to shoe a horse. “Kiki’s a Sandseed horse—they dislike shoes,” Valek said.

“Yeah, she made that quite clear.” Onora pushed up the sleeve on her right arm, revealing a bright red, horse-teeth-shaped bruise.

Valek suppressed a smile. “That’s not for the shoes. Sandseed horses also have a keen sense of smell. That bite is for shooting Yelena with an arrow. Be glad she didn’t decide to kick the side of your head in, as well.”

Kiki snorted as if in agreement. Onora shifted away from Onyx’s hindquarters. She tensed, probably sensing from Valek’s tone that he wasn’t there to talk about horses. The young assassin had helped rescue Yelena and Janco from Owen, which weighed in her favor, and she had been acting on the Commander’s orders when she shot his heart mate. Valek, more than anyone else, understood the advantages and disadvantages of being loyal to the Commander. However, he suspected Onora had lied to him about a few details.

Valek strode right up to her. “The Commander didn’t give you that arrow, did he?”

Dropping the comb, she reached for her knives, but Valek already had his pressed to her throat. She froze. Smart girl.

“You filled the arrow with starlight, hoping Yelena would become pregnant, hoping I’d be happy to retire from my position to raise a family.”

Onora didn’t deny it.

“Are you that hungry for my job?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Show me.”

She hesitated.

“Show me or I’ll slice your tunic open.”

Giving him a nasty glare, she yanked down the collar of her shirt. A purple C-shaped scar marked her chest. From his own experience with scars, he calculated that it’d been done approximately six months ago. Probably when she first started working for the Commander. Emotions boiled in his stomach. Betrayal and relief dominated. Betrayal over the Commander marking another without discussing it with Valek or even informing him. Relief that he no longer needed to fear for the Commander’s safety whenever Onora was near him, because she had given her life and loyalty to the Commander.

Onora braced for his reaction.

“That scar won’t protect you from me. Don’t lie to me again. Understand?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He pressed harder. Blood welled under the sharp blade.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

“Hey! What’s going on?” Leif asked.

In one quick motion, Valek sheathed his knife and stepped away from Onora. Leif, Devlen and Yelena hurried to join them. Color had returned to Yelena’s cheeks. It was much better than the deathly paleness that had clung to her skin over the past few days. Of course, it would be even better if she wasn’t staring daggers at him. Probably not a good time to inform her that the Commander and Onora had plotted against her.

“Haven’t you assassinated enough people today?” Leif glared at him, then yanked out a handkerchief to dab at the blood on Onora’s throat. “It looks shallow, but I should put a poultice on it just in case.”

Onora shooed him off. “I’m fine.”

Uncertain about what had caused all this hostility, Valek mulled over Leif’s question. “Who died?”

“Oh, come on. Don’t play the innocent, Mr. Assassin,” Leif said. “I get that you’re all protective of my sister and think anyone who hurts her should die. But they had vital information that could have led us to Owen, you idiot!”

Ah. “All three?”

Leif opened his mouth, but Yelena stopped him. “Yes, Ben, Loris and Cilly.”

While not in the least bit upset over their deaths, Valek did regret not having more time to “talk” with them. He’d used goo-goo juice on Ben to learn the location of the escape tunnel’s exit point, but by the time he’d returned from his failed attempt to track Owen, the Sitian authorities had arrived.

Valek suppressed the urge to glance at Onora. Was she responsible? And, if so, was she acting on her own or following the Commander’s orders? Now was not the time to ask. “How were they killed?” he asked Leif instead.

Leif huffed in annoyance, but Devlen said, “Puncture wound to the jugular. They died of rapid blood loss.”

Yelena touched her neck—a gesture her mother often used when feeling anxious or vulnerable.

None of the assassins he knew killed that way. “Sound familiar?” he asked Yelena.

“When The Mosquito attacked me, he aimed an ice pick at my neck. If he’d succeeded, I probably would have died the same way,” she said.

Valek vowed to find the assassin and squash him. But first... “Didn’t Bruns Jewelrose hire him to target you?” Another whom Valek needed to have a little chat with—he planned to let the sharp point of his knife do all the talking in that conversation.

Her hand remained around her throat. “Yes. Do you think Bruns sent him after the magicians? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’re right, it doesn’t. And an assassin rarely works for one client. Owen has the most to lose if they talked to the Council. Plus, he has the money to hire The Mosquito,” Valek speculated.

“He wouldn’t kill his own brother,” Leif said. “He rescued Ben from Wirral Prison.”

“Which alerted the authorities,” Valek said.

“Who would have lost him if Ben had not gone after Yelena,” Devlen added.

“Brothers,” Yelena said, gazing at Leif pointedly, “can be troublesome and have the tendency to jump to conclusions. You need to apologize to Valek.”

Leif crossed his arms as two red splotches spread on his cheeks. “It wasn’t a jump. It was a perfectly reasonable assumption. One you made, too.”

“I suspected Valek, as well,” Devlen said. He towered about six inches over Leif, and his blue-eyed gaze held contrition.

“No need for apologies.” Valek considered. “I don’t suppose they would let me examine the crime scene?”

“That would be...unwise at this time,” Devlen said. “They would not even let me near it or the bodies.”

Which meant Captain Fleming suspected Valek and would probably report his suspicions to the Council. “Should we leave tonight?”

“No,” Yelena said. “By the time they make a decision, we’ll be in Ixia.” Her matter-of-fact tone belied her heated gaze. She hadn’t forgotten his promise.

Warmth spread throughout his chest. He’d risk being arrested for a night alone with Yelena. Hell, he’d risk his life. Once they left in the morning, there would be no privacy on the road.

Yet there was no sense in taking an unnecessary risk. Setting a watch tonight would provide Valek with ample time to escape should the captain decide to arrest him. “All right, we’ll proceed as planned. Onora, where’s Janco? I thought he was helping you with the horses.”

She gestured to a two-story barn to the left. “He’s pouting.”

Should he even bother to ask?

Yelena did. “About what?” She fed an apple to Kiki, who cleaved the fruit in half with one bite.

Onora rubbed her right arm as she watched Kiki chew. “He wanted to name the horse we’re taking with us ‘Beach Bunny,’ after some stuffed rabbit he had growing up, and I said it was a stupid name for a horse. Then he claimed, if it was his horse, he could name it anything he wanted, and I said he should ride The Madam because she’s the easiest to handle, and—”

“You offended his pride and he stalked away in a huff,” Yelena finished.

“Yup.”

As Yelena scratched Kiki in all her favorite spots, Valek gestured for Onora to follow him to the barn. He stopped outside the oversize doors that had been painted green with white trim.

“Tell Janco to set up a watch schedule for tonight. I’ll take the last shift,” he said.

“Should he include Yelena?”

“No. She needs her rest.”

Onora bit her lip, clamping down on the question dancing behind her eyes—was Yelena with child? Valek walked away without answering. It was too soon to tell, and, as far as he was concerned, Onora would be the last to know. Though a part of him was impressed by the twenty-year-old’s ambition and cunning, he also wished to throttle her. But the Commander had chosen her as Valek’s successor. And now it was up to Valek to decide if he agreed.

* * *

Valek rattled the doorknob so he wouldn’t scare Yelena. She lay in bed reading, but she glanced up from her book when he entered. He recognized it as the plant guide her father had given her.

“What took you so long?” she asked, setting the book on the night table with a thump. The low flame in the lantern jumped.

He’d been checking the perimeter, confirming the gates had all been locked and the buildings secured while Janco did a sweep of the surrounding forest. “Ensuring Captain Fleming isn’t at the gate with an arrest warrant.”

“Good.” She peeled back the covers, exposing her naked body. “Join me.”

His heart thudded so hard he feared his sternum would crack in two. Breathing became difficult, and the desire to rip the rest of the blanket off and press her to him trembled through his body. Yet he remained rooted in place. She needed to know about the starlight and Onora.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need to tell you—”

“Is it important?”

“Yes.”

Yelena pulled the blanket up, covering herself. “All right, tell me.”

He kicked off his boots and lay down next to her. She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. Valek informed her of Onora’s nasty little trick.

“I’m going to wring her neck,” Yelena muttered after he’d finished.

“You can try. I doubt you’d get close to her.”

“Is that why you had the knife at Onora’s throat?”

“Yes. She needed to understand that will be the last time she lies to me. And I needed to remind her who is in charge.”

“Until the Commander says otherwise.”

“True.”

“And will you take orders from her?”

“No. By that time, I suspect I’ll be taking orders from another woman.”

Yelena lifted her head from his chest and met his gaze. “Is that so? What type of orders?”

“You have a dirty mind, love. I’m thinking of orders to change a diaper or rock a baby to sleep. Things like that.”

“Not near as exciting as assassinating a criminal.”

“Not as dangerous, either. Besides, I think the teen years could be quite exciting. No one is going to mess with my son or daughter.”

She laughed. “You can’t assassinate bullies or boys who kiss your daughter.”

“Pity.”

A brief smile flashed, then she grew contemplative. “Since I was hit with starlight, that increases the possibility I’m pregnant. What will we do?”

“I expect we’ll do what most people do in that situation—become a family.”

“Easier said than done.”

“We’ll figure this out—I promise.” He pulled her tight against him.

She snuggled in and fell asleep. Valek took comfort in the steady rise and fall of her chest, but far too soon, it was his turn on watch. He slipped from her embrace, pulled his boots on and searched for Janco.

A half-moon cast enough light to avoid tripping and walking into tree trunks. Valek found Janco near the glass house. Condensation misted the outside panels of the structure. Inside, coals burned to keep it warm, and the pans of water added moisture to the air. Leif had been maintaining the equipment in order to keep the plants alive until his father arrived. The whole idea of the house and growing Curare far from the jungle was genius. He wondered if Owen had the original notion, or if the Commander had speculated about the possibility and sent Owen to put it all together.

“Any trouble?” Valek asked.

Janco rubbed the scar where the bottom half of his right ear should be. “Just thinking.”

“That could be dangerous.”

“Ha, ha. Not funny. What I’m wondering is, if all those plants inside came from the Illiais Jungle, then who brought them here?”

“Owen has been working on this for over three years.”

“Yeah, I get that. But wouldn’t the Zaltana Clan know strangers were digging around their jungle? Doesn’t the Curare vine only grow in a certain section? And isn’t Yelena’s father the only producer of the stuff?” Janco tapped on the glass. “These are far from seedlings. And then I’m thinking, how many people have enough knowledge of all these plants? Can’t be many outside the jungle.”

All excellent points. Valek considered. “Tyen Cowan might have the knowledge, depending on where he grew up.” The jungle bordered the southeastern and southern sections of the Cowan Clan’s lands.

“Or a Zaltana was working with Owen.”

Deceit and betrayal were all part of his job; however, Valek had a difficult time believing that one of Yelena’s clan members would cooperate with Owen or be involved in illegal activities. Unless they’d been tricked. “Before we leave, we’ll ask Leif to look into it. If Leif finds the expert, he or she could lead him to where the other hothouses are located.”

Janco flashed him a bright smile. “See? I have good ideas, too.”

“I never said you didn’t.”

“But you never said I did.”

“I don’t have to. You’re very good at self-congratulation,” Valek said.

“I am?”

“Yes.”

Janco preened.

“Go get some sleep,” Valek said. “It’ll be dawn in a couple hours.”

At the mention of dawn, Janco’s shoulders drooped. “You know, midafternoon is a perfectly respectable time to leave,” he grumbled as he headed back to the house.

Valek looped around the complex, testing locks and seeking signs of a disturbance. Satisfied that all appeared secured, he stopped at the stables. Both Kiki and Rusalka, Leif’s horse, snoozed in their stalls unperturbed. He’d learned to trust the Sandseed horses. If a strange scent tainted the air, they’d be agitated.

When the sky lightened, he returned to the house. The smell of sizzling bacon reached him. He followed the wonderful scent to the kitchen. Leif filled plates with sweet cakes, bacon, eggs and toast. Everyone was awake and sitting at the table.

Happy to see Yelena tucking into a heaping portion in front of her, Valek joined them, letting the conversation flow over him.

“I’d wake up every morning at dawn if I knew this was waiting for me,” Janco said, helping himself to another stack of sweet cakes. His salt-and-pepper-colored goatee was sticky with syrup.

“You’re going to make yourself sick,” Yelena teased.

“Not possible.”

“Enjoy it,” Leif said. “Tomorrow you’re all going to be eating dried jerky, stale bread and hard cheese.”

Janco groaned. “Nasty, Leif.”

“I’m sure we’ll be stopping at a few inns. Right?” Yelena asked Valek.

“We’ll see.”

“That’s Valek speak for ‘no way in hell.’” Janco stole a slice of bacon from her plate.

She stabbed him with her fork.

“Owww.”

Valek turned to Leif and asked him about other jungle experts.

Leif chewed his food while he thought. “I’ll ask my father. Compared to the rest of Sitia, most of the Zaltanas are experts. However, in order to transport plants, you need a higher level of knowledge.” He tapped a fork on the table. “And, thinking about it...some of those unfamiliar plants might be crossbreeds.” Leif tossed the silverware in disgust. “Of course, that’s why I couldn’t identify them!”

“Crossbreeds?”

“When you graft one plant onto the other and create a new type of plant. And that’s an even rarer specialty.” Leif sobered.

“How rare?”

The mulish set to Leif’s jaw meant he wouldn’t answer without more prompting. “How many people can do it?” Valek asked.

“A few,” Leif hedged.

“Two,” Yelena said.

Leif shot her a nasty look.

“Do you know their names?” he asked.

“Our cousin Nutty Palm Zaltana, and our Councilman, Bavol Cacao Zaltana.”

3

LEIF

Anger boiled. Leif shot from his chair. “There’s no way either of them is involved with Owen!”

“Probably not directly,” Yelena, his traitor of a sister, said.

“Not at all. They both know how dangerous Curare is.” And Leif wasn’t going to let anyone cast suspicion on them.

“All right, then prove it,” Valek said. “Rule them out of the equation and we’ll look elsewhere.”

Except all the experts were fellow Zaltanas. His appetite gone, Leif pushed his plate away.

Janco chimed in between spoonfuls of eggs. “It should be easy to do with your lie-detecting mojo.”

A queasy expression pinched Yelena’s face. “He can’t use it unless he has reason to believe they’ve committed a crime. It violates the Magician’s Ethical Code.”

“They follow a code of ethics?” Janco asked in surprise.

“You should know about it,” Yelena said.

“Oh, I know about it. I just figured they all ignored it.”

“Because, according to you, they’re all evil and corrupt?”

“Not all. There are a couple exceptions.” Janco inclined his head, indicating her and Leif. “I assumed they ignored it because it’s what I’d do if I had magic.”

“How do you know you don’t have magic?” Onora asked, speaking for the first time that morning.

“I don’t have magic.” Janco huffed.

“But you can sense it.”

“And you can sense the cold air, but that doesn’t make you a snowman...er...woman.”

As they argued over the definition of a magician, Leif collected the empty plates, stacking them in the sink. The thought of interrogating his family sat heavily in his stomach. Maybe a casual visit would work. But then his certainty of Bavol’s innocence faded. He remembered how Bavol had dodged their questions when he and Yelena had visited. The man had lied to them, but at the time, Leif had thought it was regarding the Council’s knowledge of Yelena’s blocked magic.

After everyone finished eating, Leif followed them to the stables. The sun poked from the horizon. Cold air bit through his tunic. He handed Yelena a pouch full of herbal medicines with instructions on how to use them.

She raised an eyebrow at the unexpected weight.

“Just in case you run into trouble,” he said.

“I’m traveling with two assassins and a master swordsman. How much trouble do you think we’ll get in?”

He gave her a flat look.

“Yeah, okay.” She hefted the pouch. “Feels about right.” Yelena opened it. “Did you include the ginger tea that helps with nausea?”

“There are a few bags. Why? Are you still feeling sick?”

“Oh, no. Not at all.” She tucked the medicines in her saddlebag.

The faint scent of licorice swirled around her. His magic mojo—as Janco called it—sensed she was hiding something. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m healthy.”

The sweet smell of truth. “Good. Although you might need that tea after it’s Janco’s turn to cook.”

“I heard that,” Janco called. He swung up into Beach Bunny’s saddle and shot Onora a triumphant expression.

The quiet woman merely ignored Janco’s posturing as she saddled The Madam. Kiki stood head to head with Rusalka, who remained in her stall. Her body language made it quite clear she wanted to go with Kiki and the others. Leif stroked her neck and fed her a peppermint.

Just before the group departed, Leif hugged his sister and made her promise to be careful.

“I will if you will,” Yelena said. “If you discover Owen’s hiding place, don’t go after him with just Devlen for backup. Take Irys and at least another magician with you and about a half-dozen soldiers. Promise?” When he hesitated, she added, “If not for me, then do it for Mara.”

Ah, hell. The thought of upsetting Mara always hurt him deep down. And if anything happened to Devlen, their brother-in-law, she’d be doubly upset. Not to mention how devastated Devlen’s wife, Opal, and his children would be. “All right. All right. I promise.”

“Good. Keep me updated on your progress.”

“I will if you will,” he said.

“It’s a deal.” She mounted Kiki.

Leif turned and met Valek’s gaze. The infamous assassin had been his best man at his wedding, but Leif still didn’t know him all that well. However, he would never question Valek’s desire to keep Yelena safe. As if reading his thoughts, Valek nodded at him before spurring Onyx toward the main gate.

He watched the four of them leave. An unsettled feeling swirled in his stomach. Every time he and Yelena parted, one painful memory from his childhood always darkened his thoughts—the time he’d witnessed Yelena’s kidnapping and done nothing to help. Each time she left him, he relived his shame and guilt. Fourteen years later, she’d returned and eventually forgave him. But though he’d only been a terrified eight-year-old at the time, he could never fully forgive himself. Instead, he’d made an uneasy peace with his actions. And he accepted that every time she left him, he’d worry that he’d never see her again.

“The horses need to be fed,” Devlen said, bringing Leif back to the present.

Devlen mucked out the now-empty stalls. Aside from Rusalka, two other horses remained behind. One for Devlen to use, and the other would be given to the Clever Fox stables as a replacement for The Madam. The unflappable horse was now a member of their herd.

As Leif filled the buckets with grain, Devlen brought fresh water, and together they finished cleaning the rest of the stalls. Valek had invited Devlen to travel with them and eventually join Reema in the Commander’s castle, but he’d declined, claiming he’d be more useful aiding Leif with the investigation.

“What is next?” Devlen asked.

“I need to check on the coals in the hothouse.” And look for signs indicating crossbreeding to determine the purpose of the unknown plants. They had to have a purpose; otherwise, why take up space that could be used to grow more Curare vines? The factory in Lapeer that they’d shut down had the capacity to process twenty times the number of vines that grew in this one house.

Devlen followed him to the glass building. Using a shovel, Leif spread the glowing remains of the coals while Devlen filled the water pans. A puff of smoke stung Leif’s eyes as he added more of the expensive white coals to the fire. They burned hotter and cleaner than the black type. The smell reminded him of Mara and he closed his eyes for a moment to breathe it in. The sugary scent always clung to her clothes after she’d spent the day working in the Keep’s glass shop.

“How does the smoke escape?” Devlen asked. The tall man peered at the ceiling.

“Probably through the seams in the panes.”

Devlen reached up and ran a finger along the wet drops, leaving a clear line in the condensation. “There are small holes in the glass.”

Leif groaned. He’d been so focused on the plants, he hadn’t considered who might have constructed the house. Devlen, too, creased his face in chagrin. He’d worked with Opal in her glass factory in Fulgor for the past six months.

The sisters had taught their husbands that making holes in a pane of glass after it hardened would shatter it, but while the glass was molten, holes of any size and number could be added. These panels had been made for this specific purpose. If they found the manufacturer, they might uncover the location of the other houses and, even better, Owen’s hiding place.

“Not a word to our wives. Agreed?” Leif asked.

“Agreed.”

4

YELENA

Valek set a fast pace and, even though Kiki switched to her smoothest gait, after a few hours in the saddle, I clutched Kiki’s copper mane to keep from falling off. My recovery from Owen’s attack hadn’t been as complete as I’d thought. Lack of sleep didn’t help, either.

All morning, we’d pause in a series of small river towns as we headed east, paralleling the Sunworth River. Janco and Valek would dismount and poke around, searching for magic. Or rather, seeking Rika Bloodgood’s magical illusions, which may have been employed to conceal the three outlaws. Onora and I would visit the local authorities to inquire about any unusual activities and strange glass houses.

I lost track of the number of towns as the day wore on. We finally stopped for the night in one of the larger settlements. Valek checked us into the Anchor Inn and I collapsed on the bed as soon as he shut the door.

He was next to me in an instant. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just need to sleep. I’ll be fine. You should be more worried about Janco and Onora sharing a room. One of them is going to kill the other by morning.”

“Janco’s trying to provoke her.”

“And when she snaps?”

“He’ll have a bruise and an ego to nurse.”

“Are you sure it won’t be worse?” Despite Valek’s assurances of her loyalty, I didn’t trust the girl. And since learning she’d shot me with an arrow laced with starlight, I’d wanted to punch her. Frustration flowed through me. If I had my magic, I’d examine her soul and learn just how dangerous she was. The Ethical Code be damned. She’d started it.

“She won’t harm Janco, because it would upset me,” Valek said. “And right now, she’s still scared of me.”

“And when she’s no longer afraid?”

“Then it will get interesting.”

Typical Valek bravado. If I had any energy, I’d argue.

Sensing my mood, Valek said, “Before you form an opinion of her, I’d suggest you get to know her better. Like you, she’s been assaulted and raped. But unlike you, she hasn’t killed her demons yet.”

“Now you’ve done it.” Regret for my earlier dark thoughts pulsed.

“I’ve done what?”

“You complicated things. My feelings for her were rather simple. It was nice to just dislike her. Now I want to help her. Too bad my powers—”

“Are not needed,” Valek said. “You’ve overcome your difficulties without using magic, so can she. But I’m sure she’d like a friend to confide in.”

“You’re sure? Why do you care? She’s after your job.”

“I’ve always had people after my job, love. And the Commander’s been telling me to find a protégé for years. She’s the first to have real potential, and if she can step up, then perhaps she should.”

I studied his face, searching for regret or sorrow over the prospect. Finding none, I relaxed back into the pillows. Valek tucked me in and left to listen to the local gossip. I fell asleep dreaming of our future together.

* * *

Morning intruded. I groaned and tightened my grip on Valek as he tried to disentangle himself from me and the blankets.

“A few more minutes,” I mumbled.

“I caught a lead last night,” he said, pulling my arms off his waist.

Suddenly wide-awake, I let go and sat up. “You found Owen? Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Easy, love. It’s never that simple. I talked to a man who knew about a strange house made of glass.”

“And? Did you go check it out?”

“No. The man claimed he needed his brother’s help to find the place again. He offered to get his brother and take me there in the morning, for a fee of course.”

“Smells like a classic setup.” Instead of taking the mark to the promised location, the journey would end in an ambush.

“Indeed. However, from his comments, I think Owen may have tried to erase his memories, which is why he needed his brother to find the location again.”

“Still might be a setup.”

He smiled. “There will be four of us.”

“And if it’s a trap, we’ll be facing three magicians.” I flung the blankets off and dug through my pack. “Make sure all your darts are filled with Curare.”

“Yes, sir.”

We dressed and met Janco and Onora for a fast breakfast. The man joined us at the stables. He was in his forties, broad-shouldered and good-natured despite the tension. He introduced himself as Tex. I checked that his shadow matched his physique, ruling out a magical disguise. A short sword hung from his waist, but he might have other weapons tucked in his clothes or boots. I drew my cloak tighter around my shoulders. Or rather, Reema’s cloak. We had switched garments when I’d sent her to Ixia and out of danger.

Tex’s brother was named Jax—a thick, muscled man the size of Ari, whose shadow also matched. A rolled-up horse whip was tied to Jax’s belt. Janco eyed the whip with trepidation, rubbing his arms.

Valek introduced us. He used Janco’s and Onora’s real names, but changed mine to Elliona and referred to himself as Ilom. The men brought their own horses. Jax mounted a beefy gray quarter horse, and Tex rode a dark brown stallion.

Tex gazed at Kiki. “Is that one of those Sandseed horses?”

No sense lying. “Yes.”

“Is it true they can go twice as fast as a normal horse?”

“Only when they’re in the Avibian Plains, otherwise, no.”

“Huh? I thought no one can go into the plains without getting lost.”

“That’s true, but if you’re riding a Sandseed horse, they never get lost.”

“That’s handy,” Tex said.

We discussed horses as Tex and his brother led us south. From the way Janco scanned our surroundings, I knew he was searching for any magical traces. Valek remained quiet, content to let me chat with the brothers. Onora appeared to be bored, but the stiffness in her movements said otherwise. She also kept well away from Jax and I wondered if the man who had assaulted her had been his size.

As Tex had said, he couldn’t quite remember the route through the farmlands and forest. At one point, Tex and Jax argued on the right direction. I asked him how they’d found the place before.

“We’ve been working the river,” Tex said. “Loading and unloading the barges. Last season, a man hired us to transport these bundles of vines from this glass house you’re so interested in to the river. I don’t remember picking them up, but Jax does—that house really intrigued him. Apparently we did one trip. I collected the payment, but the man didn’t pay enough, so we quit. I guess.”

“Do you remember what the man looked like?” Valek asked.

“No. And Jax never met him, so, like I said, I don’t remember much. It sounds crazy, I know.”

It did, but if Owen had erased Tex’s memories, and hadn’t known about Jax, then it made sense.

After a few hours we crested a hill and stopped. Down below in the middle of a valley was a large glass house twice the size of the one near Broken Bridge. The afternoon sunlight reflected off its roof. Next to it stood another structure that resembled a barn. No one was in sight.

“There should be a...gardener around here,” Jax said. “I think.”

“We need to head back for another job,” Tex said. “You folks okay with finding your own way from here? We’re not in the plains.” Concern creased his brow.

Genuine? Or a hell of a good actor? “Yes, thank you. Sandseed horses have an excellent sense of direction regardless of location,” I said.

Valek paid Tex a generous sum. The man flashed him a grateful smile and headed back with his brother right behind him.

Janco rubbed his goatee, frowning. “Does anyone else think that’s odd?”

“What’s odd?” Valek asked.

“Those guys. They were...”

“Nice,” I finished for him. “Don’t tell me you’ve never met friendly people before.”

“Not in my line of work. Who wants to bet me that there’s an ambush waiting for us below?” Janco gestured to the valley.

“Do you sense any magic?” Valek asked.

“No, but we’re pretty far. You?”

“Nothing.”

A pang touched my chest. If I still had my magic, we’d know for sure if this was a trap.

“How do you want to proceed?” Onora asked Valek.

“You and Janco cut through the woods on the left side, check for any unfriendlies. I’ll check right. Meet back here.” Valek dismounted.

“And what about me?” I asked.

“Stay with the horses.”

Red-hot anger flared. “Kiki can stay with the horses. I’m coming with you.” I didn’t wait for his permission. I swung down from Kiki’s back, removed my cloak and yanked my bo staff from its holder on her saddle.

Valek studied me and I prepared for an argument. Instead he nodded. “Let’s go.” He untied his gray short cape and slung it over Onyx’s saddle.

Onora and Janco melted into the woods, and I followed Valek. He wore Sitian clothes—a plain tan tunic and brown pants that blended with the surrounding forest. The trees and bushes remained bare of leaves, but a few buds dotted a number of branches, promising warmer days ahead.

Valek traveled through the underbrush without making a sound, his movements graceful and balanced like an acrobat’s. I rustled behind him. My woodland skills had grown rusty with neglect. No need to slink about the woods when I’d already known exactly what creatures lurked inside. Since I could no longer rely on magic, I suspected many hours of training would be in my future.

Using hand signals, Valek communicated when to stop, wait and go. We encountered no one, and didn’t see tracks, broken branches or any other sign that another person had been here.

We returned to the horses and, soon after, Janco and Onora reported the same thing—no ambushers. Mounting our horses, we rode down into the valley. As we neared, Valek asked Janco if he sensed a magical illusion.

“No. I’ll let you know if I do,” Janco said.

Valek stopped us about fifty feet from the barn. He signaled for us to wait, dismounted and circled the buildings. I peered at the glass house. No condensation coated the panes and no greenery pressed against the sides. From this angle, it appeared to be empty.

When he reappeared he said, “No signs of activity anywhere and the barn door is locked.”

“Let me,” Janco said with a grin. He jumped off Beach Bunny and hurried toward the barn.

“He does know we can all pick a lock, right?” I asked Valek. Janco had taught me the art, and my set of picks held my hair up in an intricate knot.

“This one’s a swivel.” Valek drew his sword. “Come on.”

Onora and I followed him around the building. Janco knelt next to an oversize door, working on a shiny new padlock. We waited behind him until he made a small sound of triumph. He removed the lock and glanced at Valek, who signaled him to open the door.

Janco yanked it open with a whoosh. We braced for an attack, but nothing happened. Instead a foul odor wafted from the entrance—the unmistakable rancid smell of death.

With a grim expression, Valek ventured inside. After a moment, he returned. “It’s safe.”

Covering our noses with our shirts, we filed in. From the overturned chairs and scattered trash, it appeared as if they’d left in a hurry. Valek crouched by the body of a man whose throat had been sliced open.

“The gardener?” I asked.

“Probably. He has dirt under his nails. No defensive wounds, which means he knew his attacker.”

“Or he was trapped by magic,” Janco said. “How long has he been dead?”

“Three or four days.” Valek straightened. “Take a look around. See if they missed anything.”

We spread out. A small bed and night table lined the far wall. Gardening tools hung near the door. I poked at the ashy remains of the fire, uncovering a half-burned parchment. Fishing it from the pile, I smoothed it flat, revealing a picture of a hobet plant, along with instructions for its care.

My shirt slipped down and the putrid smell filled my nose. It flipped the contents of my stomach and I bolted for the door. Once I reached clean air, the need to vomit slowly disappeared. Shivering with the cold, I retrieved my cloak from Kiki. Once ensconced in its warmth, I strode to the glass house. I peered through the clear walls. Leaves and broken stems littered the dirt floor. It appeared as if plants had been wrenched out by their roots. I spotted something white in the middle of the mess.

Wagon wheel tracks lined up next to the entrance. I guessed they’d loaded everything up that had been in the glass house and didn’t bother to lock up. The knob turned with ease and I entered. The air was colder inside. Boot prints marked the muddy spots.

The white object was a sheet of parchment folded in half. When I picked it up, a loud pop sounded. I straightened. Thousands of cracks raced through the glass like lightning. Fear sliced through my heart just as fast.

“Yelena!” Valek yelled from the doorway, too far away.

I yanked my hood over my head and dropped to the ground. Pressing my forehead to the dirt, I curled up like a turtle, lacing my fingers behind my neck as an explosion of glass roared.

5

VALEK

The glass walls and ceiling of the house shattered with an eruption of sound. Unable to reach Yelena in time, Valek watched in horror as razor-sharp shards and jagged chunks crashed down onto her huddled form. The force of the impact sent glass flying in all directions. He stumbled back, covering his face with his hands. Pinpricks of pain pierced his legs, arms and torso.

“Holy snow cats!” Janco yelled next to him.

When the noise died, Valek yanked his hands down. He raced along the side of the house, searching for Yelena in the heaping piles of broken glass. The gray fabric of her cloak poked through a mound. An ice-cold dread filled his heart when he spotted the blood. Without hesitation, he waded into the ruins. The glass crunched, popped and cracked under his boots.

“Careful,” Janco said as he followed.

They reached Yelena’s side. She was buried. They removed the big slabs and brushed off as much as possible. She tried to move, but her cloak was still pinned.

“Easy, love,” he said, relieved she was conscious. “Let us free you first.”

Yelena stilled. Blood soaked her back from dozens of slivers, but the real concern was a large triangle-shaped piece that jutted from her left side, just below her ribs. Janco pointed to it and mimed a yanking motion. Valek shook his head. They’d remove the dangerous one after they assessed where it had hit her.

Working together, Valek and Janco cleared the rest of the glass and freed her. By the time they finished, blood dripped from his and Janco’s hands from the numerous cuts they’d gotten.

“Can you stand?” he asked her.

“Yes.” She pushed up to a sitting position. All the color drained from her face. “Uh...maybe not. How bad—” She noticed the shard.

“Let’s get you out of here first.” He helped Yelena to her feet and supported her as they navigated the uneven debris.

Onora waited for them. She had retrieved the first-aid kit from Kiki’s saddle. Once they cleared the house, Valek removed her ruined cloak and she sank to the ground. He cut away part of her shirt to expose the worst injury. It looked deep, and he worried it might have pierced her stomach. At least it wasn’t close enough to endanger the baby, if she was in fact pregnant.

Yelena inspected the damage. “It shouldn’t bleed out when it’s removed, but the wound will need to be sealed.”

Good thing the first-aid kit contained a jar of Rand’s glue. The Commander’s late chef had invented an edible adhesive for his cakes that also worked on skin.

“Let’s take care of these others first,” Valek said. “Do you want me to pour the medicinal Curare on your back?” Yelena’s father had supplied them with a watered-down version of the drug for this contingency.

“Save it for when you seal the serious wounds.”

Being the only one without cuts on her hands, Onora used a pair of tweezers to remove the slivers from Yelena’s back and the back of her head. Onora peeled off Yelena’s tunic as she worked. Janco hovered, getting in the way.

“Do a sweep of the area. Make sure no one is around,” Valek ordered him. “If it’s secure, we’ll camp here for the night.”

“Yes, sir.” Janco dashed off.

“Thanks,” Onora said. She continued, creating a pile of bloody pieces next to her. “It could have been worse. The cloak’s fabric stopped a bunch.” Onora continued to pluck glass from Yelena’s skin and then her hair.

Valek hated seeing Yelena hurt. A helpless frustration boiled up his throat, and the desire to murder the person who’d harmed her pulsed with every heartbeat. If she reclaimed her magic, he’d never take her healing powers for granted again.

“Valek, attend to your wounds,” Onora said, shooing him away. “You can’t help me with bloody fingers.”

He stifled a protest—she had a point. And now that she had mentioned them, pain flared to life. Multiple stings peppered his body and blood stained his clothes. Valek pulled glass from his skin, then washed his hands and wrapped a bandage around his right palm, which had sustained the largest gash. He’d save the glue for Yelena.

When Onora finished, he knelt next to his heart mate and met her gaze. “Ready?”

She nodded.

He grasped the triangular shard and yanked it out in one quick motion. She gasped. Blood poured from the wound. Pressing a bandage on it, Valek stanched the flow as she lay on her uninjured side. When the surge eased, he rubbed Curare around and in the injury, then inspected it. It wasn’t as deep as he feared. Relieved, he used Rand’s glue and sealed the gash before tending to the others.

In the time it took for Janco to return and build a campfire, Yelena’s cuts had been cleaned and wrapped in bandages, and she’d changed into fresh clothes. Despite her protests, Valek tucked her into her bedroll, insisting she rest. The sun balanced on the crest of the hill and darkness would soon fill the valley.

Janco boiled water for one of Leif’s healing teas. “I knew those brothers were up to no good. They must have doubled back after they left us.”

“Did you see them?” Valek asked.

“No, they were gone by the time I did my sweep. The crossbow must have been hidden somewhere nearby.”

“Crossbow?” Onora asked Janco.

“Of course a crossbow. How else could they have shattered the glass from a distance? It had to be a bolt.”

It made sense, but Valek had felt a brush of magic right before the walls exploded. “I think it was magic.”

“But I thought you checked,” Janco said.

“I did.” He’d not only circled the building, but touched the glass walls to ensure no magical alarms had been installed.

“It was a booby trap,” Yelena said, pushing up to her elbow.

“Then what set it off?” Janco asked.

She gazed at the fire as if in thought. “There was a piece of parchment on the ground. As soon as I picked it up, the glass started cracking. It must have triggered the trap.”

“A magical booby trap?” Janco cursed. “Oh, that’s just wonderful. The more I learn about magic, the more I hate it.”

Valek considered. “Was there a message on the paper?”

“I didn’t have time to look,” Yelena said. “It’s probably still there.”

Janco sprang to his feet. “I’ll get it.” He crunched through the debris. Cracks and pops marked his noisy passage. After a few minutes, he returned with the folded note and a murderous expression on his face.

Janco handed it to Valek. “Read it.”

Valek unfolded the parchment. One word had been written in black ink.

“Gotcha.”

Fury burned in his chest. Owen would pay for this little stunt the next time Valek encountered him. And he wouldn’t allow Owen to catch him in a null shield. Oh no. Valek had no intention of letting the magician know he was in mortal danger. Not even with a note.

“Let me see.” Yelena held out her hand. Small cuts crisscrossed her knuckles.

He passed it to her.

She huffed. “Typical Owen.”

“How do you know it was Owen?” Onora asked.

“He’s the only one of the magicians who can set a trap like this,” Yelena explained. “Rika is limited to magical illusions, and Tyen can only move objects.”

“What else can Owen do?” She poured hot water into a teacup and gave it to Yelena.

Valek approved of her question. One of the lessons of being an assassin was to know everything possible about your mark.

Yelena crinkled her nose as she sniffed the tea, either disgusted by the smell or the topic. “Owen’s quite talented. He can mentally communicate with another magician, which isn’t a big deal, but his ability to lie to another when communicating mind to mind is extremely rare.”

“He can also lasso one of those null shields around someone pretty quick,” Janco added. “They can block magic, but not objects or people, except for—”

“I know what they are,” Onora said, glancing at Valek.

Valek hid his amusement. She was worried about upsetting him.

“Owen can also mess with a person’s memories, erasing the real ones and inserting fake ones. Or he can just tear your mind apart, leaving you a mindless idiot.” Yelena rubbed her forehead, no doubt remembering Owen’s attack.

“So that’s what happened to Janco,” Onora quipped.

Janco tsked. “Nasty.”

“Accurate.” She shot back.

“You wish. I can think circles around you!”

“I agree. Your mind spins round and round, like a gnat’s. A truly dizzying intellect.”

Janco squawked in protest, but before he could respond, Valek said, “That’s enough.”

Janco clamped his mouth shut, but shot Onora a venomous glare. She ignored it. This time. It was inevitable that Janco would push too far and they’d fight, which would be interesting to watch. However, for tonight, Valek didn’t want to upset Yelena.

“Is that the extent of Owen’s magical powers?” Onora asked.

“No,” Yelena said. “He can heat objects. I once held a knife to his throat and he made the handle so hot, I had to drop it, which means he can also start fires. And apparently set traps. That’s new to me, so he might have other hidden powers.”

“Gee, what a sweetheart.” Janco’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Sounds like the creep could be a Master Magician.”

Yelena sipped her tea. “He’s not that powerful, but he’s close. I wonder if he took the master-level test and failed. That could explain some of his...bitterness and antisocial behavior. It’s a brutal test.” She covered her expression with the cup.

“Have you taken it?” Onora asked.

“Oh, no. Not really.” Yelena glanced at the embers swirling in the hot air above the fire.

Probably searching for the bat that was usually her constant companion when it wasn’t hibernating during the cold and warming seasons. Valek wondered if the bat would find her or even if it could find her now that she no longer had magic. He hoped the little creature wouldn’t abandon her.

The bat had arrived soon after Yelena’s first trip into the fire world. Valek remembered being utterly devastated when she’d disappeared into the fire world after the Warper battle. She’d been gone for months. If she hadn’t reached out to Leif... He’d planned to join her there.

“According to Irys, when you returned from the fire world you passed the master-level test,” Janco said.

“But I didn’t meet all the requirements for being a Master Magician. No, it just confirmed what I’d suspected, that I was a Soulfinder and my job was to find lost souls and guide them to either the sky or the fire world, depending on their deeds while alive.”

Janco thumped his chest. “I’m sure I’m destined for the fire world. At least I’ll be in good company.” He gave Onora and Valek a pointed look.

Yelena frowned. “It’s not something to joke about, Janco. It’s a terrible place full of pain, despair and utter misery. And you’re not destined for it.”

“Why not? I’ve lied, cheated, stolen things. I’ve killed people.”

“You have also saved people, sacrificed yourself and are helping to keep the peace by stopping the truly evil people from taking over. It’s not so much your actions, but your intentions and your choices.” Yelena met Valek’s gaze. “And it’s a matter of balance. Even if you did terrible things, all the good you do will eventually outweigh it, tipping you toward the sky.”

A lovely sentiment, but Valek needed a few decades of good deeds to balance out his years as an assassin for hire. He’d killed to learn how to be a better killer. All in order to assassinate the King of Ixia. Granted, the King had been corrupt and evil, but those others had just been marks to him. Except for the men who had murdered his brothers in the King’s name. They deserved to die.

Janco’s brow creased in thought—a rare expression for him. “Does this mean I have to be nice to Little Miss Assassin?”

“Yes, because I’m no longer a Soulfinder, so I can’t rescue you from the fire world.”

Now Janco blinked at Yelena. All humor dropped from his face and he pressed a hand to his heart. “You would have rescued me?” he asked in awe.

“Of course, you idiot! I wouldn’t let you suffer.”

Despite being called an idiot, he grinned. Or was that in spite of? Hard to tell with Janco.

Onora shook her head. “Now you’ve done it,” she muttered.

To forestall Janco’s obnoxiousness, Valek changed the subject. “Onora, you have first watch. Janco, take the second shift, and I’ll go last.”

“That means I have the third shift,” Yelena said in a tone that warned of a major battle if he disagreed.

“All right. In the morning we’ll stop at the closest town and send Leif a message, informing him of the booby trap.”

“Do you think Owen had time to rig all the houses?” Janco asked Valek.

“He has a six-day head start. And he knows we’ll be searching for them. Plus the Curare is too valuable to leave behind, so I’d expect him to gather as much as he can. He’ll need money to finance his next endeavor.”

Owen had claimed to have discovered something big enough to make the Commander forgive him for his betrayal. It could have been a boast, but Valek doubted it.

“What about the dead body?” Janco jerked a thumb toward the barn.

“We’ll inform the local authorities in the morning and let them handle it.”

“Does anyone else think it...odd that Owen murdered the gardener?” Yelena asked.

“No,” Valek answered. “The gardener probably had information about the operation. It was smart to silence him.”

“Yes, but...” She played with the string on her tea bag.

“Owen murdered his brother and the others,” Janco said.

“We still don’t know for certain who killed them, but assuming it was him, he hired an assassin. Big difference.” Yelena gazed at the liquid in her cup. “And I’m still not convinced it was him. In all my dealings with Owen, he never acted like a killer. Think about it. He went out of his way to scare me off by pretending to kidnap Reema back in Fulgor. Even when he captured us, his solution was to erase our memories. Why not just slit our throats and bury us?”

“Because if he killed you, Valek would hunt him down and tear him apart,” Janco said.

True. Valek’s fingers itched to grasp a blade just thinking about anyone harming his heart mate. But what Yelena said also had merit. Did she suspect Onora had assassinated the trio? “If Owen didn’t do it, then who did?” he asked her.

“It’s just a theory, and you’re not going to like it.”

With that one comment, he knew. And she was right. He didn’t like it, but he had wondered the same thing. “The Commander.”

Yelena met his gaze. “Owen is proof that the Commander lied to the Sitian Council about executing the magician four years ago. He’d want to erase all the evidence that connects them, including all Owen’s coconspirators.”

Janco added another log to the fire. “But the Sitians know Owen’s alive and producing Curare for the Commander.”

“There’s no proof the Commander has Curare and, as long as Owen isn’t captured, it’s only our word that he’s still alive.”

“That should be good enough.” Janco puffed out his chest.

“The Commander can say we must have mistaken Ben for his brother. He can order you, Valek and Onora to keep quiet. In the political world and without any hard evidence, the Council can’t do anything.”

Interesting theory. “Are you saying the Commander hired another assassin to kill Ben and the others?” he asked Yelena, wondering if she suspected Onora of assassinating them. Not that she’d suggest it in front of the girl; nor did she glance in Onora’s direction.

“I’m not accusing him. I’m just speculating. But if he wishes to keep the relationship between Ixia and Sitia civil, he would need Owen to disappear forever.”

“He went to a lot of trouble to get all that Curare,” Janco said. “I don’t think he’s worried about being civil.”

* * *

The rest of the evening passed without incident. When Yelena woke him for his watch shift, lines of strain marked her face.

Concerned, he sat up. “What’s wrong? Do you need something for the pain?” He kept his voice low so he wouldn’t wake the others.

“I already dipped into Leif’s goody bag,” she whispered.

“That bad?”

She waved off his comment, which meant it had been bad and she didn’t want to worry him. Too late. He’d never not worry about her.

Yelena settled next to him. “I’ve been thinking about Owen. He’s too smart to hire a couple of locals to transport the Curare vine from the hothouse to the river. Locals get curious, ask questions, gossip in the taverns. All things he avoided. Otherwise we would have gotten wind of his operation before.”

“You think he paid the brothers to bring us out here? Pretend they didn’t remember everything?”

“Yes.”

It made sense. “We knew it was a risk coming here.”

She agreed, but something was off. He studied her. Her movements were stiff, and she held herself as if she’d break. His own cuts throbbed, so he could only imagine how much more pain she was in. Despite that, he sensed another problem.

“You liked them,” he said.

A brief, wan smile. “Yes. And, even though I didn’t completely trust them, I relaxed and wanted to believe they were genuine. Did you know they lied?”

“I suspected, but thought finding one of the glass houses was worth the risk.”

“I know I should trust no one, but...it’s exhausting.”

Ah. The real reason for the melancholy. “You’ve been relying on your magic to assess people you meet and now that’s blocked, so you’re at a loss and probably second-guessing yourself. Right?”

She nodded.

“Then I’ll teach you how to read body language. Most people give themselves away when they’re lying.”

“Most people?”

“I’ve only encountered a few who can lie to me.” Eventually, he would discover the ruse, but, at the time, they’d convinced him.

“Who?” she asked.

“The Commander. Onora. The others are...gone.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Gone?”

“I don’t like being fooled.”

“And the Commander?”

Valek glanced at Onora. Curled up on her side, she appeared to be asleep. “The Commander’s lying is a more...recent event.”

“But he didn’t tell you about Owen.”

“Oh, he’s kept things from me before, but he’s never looked me in the eye and lied.”

“What changed?” she asked.

What indeed? “I suspect a few things.”

“Such as?”

“Not here, love. Janco’s far more interested in our conversation than his dreams.”

“Am not,” Janco said, not in the least embarrassed he’d been caught eavesdropping. “Besides, I don’t have dreams, I have nightmares.”

Before Janco could launch into a detailed description, Valek said, “Then we’ll let you get back to them.” He stood to allow Yelena to take his place under the blankets.

She untied his short cape and handed it to him. They’d have to buy her a new cloak to use during their trip to Ixia. Once there, she could reclaim her own cloak and give the new one to Reema. Too bad she didn’t have it with her before. The special resistant fabric of her garment would have stopped many of the smaller shards of glass.

Valek added a few logs to the dying fire. The air had grown quite cold. Then he moved away from the light, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. He did a sweep of the surroundings and, when he was satisfied no one lurked nearby, Valek found a spot to watch over the camp until dawn.

When the sun rose, he woke the others. Janco grumbled. Onora said nothing as usual. Yelena sat up and winced, pressing a hand to her side. Valek insisted she drink a cup of Leif’s wet-dog tea. He checked her bandages. With a bit of sleight of hand, he rubbed a couple drops of the watered-down Curare along her injuries before applying fresh bandages.

“I saw that,” she said.

“No, you didn’t.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he said, “We have a long day ahead of us.”

They packed up and headed northeast, returning to follow the Sunworth River. At the first decent-sized town, Valek sent a message to Leif, warning him of the booby trap inside the glass houses while Yelena informed the local security forces about the dead gardener.

As they continued east, Janco asked him, “Are we going to keep searching for more of those hothouses?”

“No. Owen’s probably cleaned them all out. We’ll let Leif and Devlen hunt for the rest of them. We need to rendezvous with my team and locate that other tunnel into Ixia.” His team had expected him days ago, and he’d have to eventually report his detour to the Commander. At least they had collapsed the hidden tunnel located near Lapeer. Owen had been making a tidy profit by allowing smugglers to use his tunnels for a fee. Valek loved it when criminals turned greedy. It made his job of catching them so much easier.

“Then we should cross to the north side of the river,” Janco suggested. “The other tunnel was on that side near the Ixian border.”

“Ari said they traced the smugglers to the foothills of the Soul Mountains. We can travel faster on the road than in the forest.” Valek considered. The intel from Ari and his corps had only pinpointed one location. Janco had discovered the Lapeer tunnel by accident. It might be possible there were more. “Actually, you—”

“Don’t say it,” Yelena said.

Affronted, Janco asked her, “Would it kill you to give a guy a bit of praise?”

“If that guy is you, then yes. Humility is not one of your personality traits.”

“You’re just mad because now we’re going to travel through the woods, which means sleeping on the ground and not in an inn.”

“I can handle it better than you. Your joints crack and pop every time you stand up, old man.”

“Old man! I’m only seven years older than you.”

“Are you sure it’s not seven dog years? You have a lot of gray in your muzzle,” Yelena quipped, referring to Janco’s salt-and-pepper goatee.

“Every single one of these gray hairs is directly linked back to saving you or being involved in one of your schemes.”

“Oh no, you don’t. I distinctly remember the time...”

Valek ignored the rest of their bickering. Usually Yelena avoided verbally sparring with Janco, but, by the glint in her eyes, she enjoyed needling their friend.

Instead, Valek concentrated on the terrain along the northern bank of the Sunworth River. Not far from their location, the waterway turned southeast and became the actual border between Ixia and Sitia near the Soul Mountains. There wouldn’t be any bridges along that segment. Plus, the forest had been cut down for a hundred feet past the bank, so anyone attempting to cross the border at that point would be seen by the Ixian patrolmen. Which was why the tunnels worked so well.

When the Commander closed the border after the takeover, he cleared the land from the Sunset Ocean in the west all the way to the mountains in the east. Valek doubted Owen would build a tunnel in the open area between the countries or under the river. Which meant that the only logical place for a tunnel would be in the foothills of the Soul Mountains.

“We’ll keep to the road,” Valek said, interrupting one of Janco’s rants. “Speed is vital at this point.”

“And beds,” Janco added.

Valek gave him a flat stare.

“Nothing wrong with that.” Janco thumped his stomach. “Better sleep means a better response to danger. We’ve no idea what nasties are lurking in that tunnel.”

“Hate to say this, but Janco has a point.” Yelena grimaced as he puffed his chest out. “Owen knows you’re searching for the tunnels. He booby-trapped the glass house, so it makes sense that he’d rig the tunnel, as well.” She gestured to Janco. “We can send him in first since he’s the Master Illusion Detector.”

Air hissed as Janco’s chest deflated. “Me?”

“Yes, you. Weren’t you just boasting that—”

Valek spurred Onyx into a gallop. If Yelena had the energy to tease Janco, then she’d be okay for another couple of hours and they could reach the next town by nightfall.

* * *

They rendezvoused with Valek’s team two days later in a mining camp located in the foothills just a mile inside Ixia. The small unit had spent the extra time searching for signs of the tunnel without success.

“Have you heard from Bravo team?” Valek asked Ivon, Alpha team’s leader.

The wiry man snapped to attention. “Yes, sir. Qamra sent a message four days ago. Her team located two warehouses used by the smugglers in MD-5 and burned them to the ground as ordered.”

Interesting. Ari had found only one. “And her assessment?”

“At the time of the missive, she was unable to confirm if General Ute had any knowledge or involvement in the operation. Her plans were to continue the investigation.”

“Very good.”

Ivon’s steel-gray gaze never wavered from Valek’s face. Very little slipped past the man’s notice. “I’m sorry we were unable to be as effective, sir.”

“No need to apologize. Show me where the trail ended.”

“Yes, sir.” Ivon unrolled a map marked with the place Ari had identified and handed it to Valek.

The spot was about a mile east. The map also indicated the locations Ivon’s team had checked. Valek planned to leave Yelena in the camp with Onora nearby, protecting her. Smudges of exhaustion darkened the area under Yelena’s green eyes. The fast pace hadn’t been conducive to healing.

However, in order for Yelena to agree to his plan, he’d have to choose his words with the utmost care. “No need for all of us to go traipsing around. Janco and I will home in on any magical illusions that might be hiding wagon tracks or the entrance and we’ll return once we find it so we can go over options.”

“I’m pretty sure there’ll only be two,” Janco said. “Enter or cover the entrance with a bunch of rocks. Frankly, I’d vote for just blocking the damn thing. No reason to go inside.”

“Unless that’s where Owen is hiding,” Yelena said.

“Even more reason to collapse it.”

“Why would he hide inside when he knows we’re searching for it?” Onora asked.

Valek met Yelena’s gaze. Was she remembering the time they had hidden inside a dungeon? She smiled. That would be a yes.

“Sometimes the best places to hide are the most obvious,” she said. “Owen’s smart. He knows Valek has orders to put the tunnel out of commission and blocking the entrance is the easiest way. Why look inside? And don’t forget Tyen can move those boulders with his magic.”

“Lovely.” Janco scratched the scar where the bottom half of his right ear used to be. “And what happens if they are hiding there? Let’s face it. Between Owen’s ability to trap Valek, Rika confusing us with her illusions and Tyen tossing boulders at us, we’re fu...er...outmatched.”

Valek agreed. Head-to-head, outmatched didn’t even begin to describe it. However... “The trick is to avoid detection.”

“And how exactly do we do that?” Janco asked.

“Carefully. Come on, it’s getting late. I want to cover as much ground as possible before the sun sets.” Valek consulted the map.

“How can my team aid you, sir?” Ivon asked.

“Talk to the locals and the miners. See if anyone noticed or heard anything that might point us in the right direction.”

“Yes, sir.” Ivon called to his men.

“What about us?” Onora asked.

“Find a place in the camp where we can set up and make sure the horses have a comfortable spot.”

“Busywork,” Yelena said. “I know what you’re doing.”

“You do?”

“Feigning innocence doesn’t work on me.” She waved a hand. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to insist on accompanying you. You’re right. I’d be useless for this mission.”

“That’s not the reason.” He tried to explain, but she strode away.

Onora remained. “I’ll keep a close watch on her.”

“Good.”

She hurried after Yelena.

Janco watched her. “You’re trusting her?”

For now. “Why do you ask?”

“That hit on Ben Moon and the others.”

Valek waited.

“You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

Janco scrunched up his face as if in pain. “The Commander ordered you to shut Owen’s entire operation down. It makes sense he ordered his shiny new assassin to do the same thing. It’d be dead easy for Onora to make it appear as if The Mosquito was the culprit. And you already know all this, don’t you?”

Valek kept his expression neutral, but he was impressed. “I thought Ari was supposed to be the smart one.”

“Yeah, well, he isn’t here, so I gotta do all the thinking. And I’m not happy about, either. It makes my head hurt.”

* * *

Valek and Janco spent the rest of the day hunting for the familiar sticky feel of magic in the foothills. They returned late and left early the next morning to resume the search. Another two full days passed before Janco stopped Beach Bunny.

He pressed his hand to his right ear. “Son of a snow cat!”

“You’re not thinking again, are you?” Valek drew next to Janco, halting Onyx.

“Not funny. It’s gotta be a superstrong illusion.”

Valek dismounted. “Which direction?”

Janco pointed to the right. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The bare branches of the trees dipped and swayed in a cold northern breeze that smelled of snow, despite it being a couple weeks into the warming season. High, thin clouds filtered the sunlight.

Valek pulled his sword. Janco slid off Beach Bunny and yanked his weapon from its sheath. The rattle and tumble of dried leaves filled the air. This patch of forest grew in a dip in the rolling terrain near the base of the Soul Mountains. To the east, the jagged snowcapped peaks stretched high, like a row of gigantic corn plants reaching for the sun.

The mountain range earned its name from old legends. Folklore claimed the peaks snagged souls as they ascended toward the sky. These trapped souls haunted the frozen heights and sucked the life from anyone who dared climb past the tree line. Valek believed it to be just a story to explain why no one who tried to reach the summit ever returned. The lack of breathable air was the more likely explanation. Although some also asserted that mysterious people who supposedly lived on the other side of the mountains patrolled the upper regions to prevent anyone from crossing into their homeland, keeping their existence a secret.

Pure nonsense. Valek returned his attention to the task at hand. He hadn’t expected Owen’s tunnel to be this high in the foothills, but the isolated location was ideal.

Janco aimed for an ordinary group of trees and hissed in pain as he disappeared from sight. Increasing his pace, Valek hurried after him and encountered magic. The invisible force pressed against his skin. Pushing through felt like swimming in mud. He found Janco rubbing his temple on the other side. Valek scanned the area for possible threats. Nothing so far.

A mass of oversize boulders was piled next to a hill. At first glance, it resembled a natural rock slide from the mountains, but upon closer inspection the heap was too neatly stacked. It must be blocking the tunnel.

“Looks like someone beat us to it,” Valek said.

“No.” Janco’s voice strained with effort. “Move closer.”

He did. The air thickened. Another illusion. “Clever.” It would stop the smugglers from using it, but it kept the tunnel open in case Owen needed it again in the future.

“Could be a trap.”

“Indeed.” Valek tightened his grip on his sword and drew a knife with his free hand. “I’m just going to confirm there’s a tunnel behind it.”

Janco straightened. “Then I’ll come confirming with you, just in case.”

The pressure on his body increased with each step. Janco paled when they reached the authentic-looking rocks. Even knowing it wasn’t real, Valek braced for impact as he strode right into the pile. He muscled through the magic.

No one ambushed them. The tunnel’s entrance was empty. Valek crept inside a few feet and listened for any noises that would indicate people were farther inside. No sounds bubbled up from the solid darkness.

Wagon wheel ruts warped the ground just past the opening. Janco drew in a deep breath. Relief smoothed his features and he crouched down to inspect the marks, running his fingers along the smooth grooves.

“How old?” Valek asked.

“Eight to ten days.”

“Probably the last smugglers before Rika set the illusion.”

“Now what?”

“Return to camp and discuss the next step.”

“How about we inform the Sitian authorities and let them deal with it? After all, they have all those magicians,” Janco suggested.

“That’s one option.”

They mounted their horses and headed back to camp. It was late afternoon by the time they arrived. Valek slowed Onyx. A number of people milled about the camp. More than he’d expected. Concern for Yelena pulsed in his chest until he recognized Ivon.

“Report,” he ordered his lieutenant.

“We’ve been talking to the other mining camps, sir. Two of them had a significant amount of food stolen from their stores.”

“And why is this relevant?”

Ivon snapped his fingers and signaled one of his men, who dashed away. “A witness caught sight of the culprits.”

An uneasy sensation brushed his stomach. He met Janco’s gaze.

“Can’t be good,” Janco said.

Ivon’s sergeant approached with a grubby teen boy wearing a torn miner’s jumpsuit. The all-black material had a row of green diamond shapes down each sleeve, indicating the miner worked for MD-5.

“Tell Adviser Valek what you told me, Lewin,” Ivon ordered the teen.

Under the coating of dust, the young man’s face drained of color. Lewin stared at Valek as if he peered into the mouth of a dragon just about to eat him. “Um...uh...it was the...the middle of the night and I was on the...the way to the latrine,” Lewin stuttered. “I heard voices ar...arguing near the supply shed, so I crept up tr...trying not to make noise, but I couldn’t see nobody.” He rubbed his chin with his sleeve. “Yet the...the voices kept at it as if there were a couple of invisible ghosts.” Lewin glanced around as if expecting them to tell him he was crazy.

No one said a word. Valek’s unease turned sharp, jabbing his guts. “Go on,” he urged Lewin.

“There’s been lots of ac...activity around here and weird...stuff. So I followed the voices to the...the edge of the camp. And...” He shuddered. “Three people step...stepped from the air. Bulging sacks floated behind them. They con...continued into the woods, heading west. I found out later the stores had been raided.”

Valek and Janco exchanged another glance.

“I hate it when I’m right,” Janco said.

“Can you describe them?” Valek asked Lewin.

“Yes, sir. Two men and one lady.”

Valek tightened his grip on Onyx’s reins. “Did you see their faces?”

“Yes, sir.” Lewin described the thieves.

Janco cursed under his breath.

“Anything else?” Valek asked, almost hoping the answer was no.

Lewin scuffed his boot in the dirt. “Yeah. Their uniforms. They wo...wore the Commander’s colors.”

The information rendered Janco speechless. However, Valek knew Janco would say holy snow cats. If Valek considered the bright side, at least they knew where Owen, Rika and Tyen were. Too bad they were in Ixia and appeared to be heading toward the Commander.

6

LEIF

“Nope, haven’t seen anything like that before. Good day.” The glassmaker hustled Leif from his shop, closing the door right behind him.

At least he didn’t slam it, Leif thought. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. Between the heat pumping from the glass factory’s brick walls and the unseasonably hot afternoon sun, his tunic was soaked. Leif returned the small square of glass with the miniature holes to his pack. He’d cut a couple of pieces from the glass house’s ceiling for him and Devlen to take along and show to the glassmakers.

He scanned the street. A few people walked along the row of factories and businesses in Whitestone’s small downtown. Over the past nine days they’d been checking with every glass factory and workshop in ever-widening arcs from Owen’s farmhouse. They hadn’t been back there in the past four days, and Leif planned to return after this stop. There hadn’t been any messages from Yelena, and that worried him.

Whitestone was located two days southeast and about a half day from the border with the Cloud Mist’s lands.

Devlen rounded the corner. Hard to miss the tall Sandseed among the paler Moons.

“Any luck?” Leif asked when his brother-in-law drew closer.

“No. You?”

“Think I’ve found something.”

“Oh?”

“Guy in there showed me the door faster than I could eat a slice of apple pie.”

“That is an impressive amount of speed,” Devlen agreed.

“And he smelled like black licorice.”

“Which you do not like.”

“Not at all.” He’d always hated it. The candy tasted of fear and deceit.

“Shall we go talk to him again?” Devlen asked.

“Thought you’d never ask.”

They entered the thick air. Five kilns roared, masking the sounds of the glassworkers who sat at benches and shaped the molten slugs of glass gathered onto the end of their pontil irons. Assistants scurried, fetching tools, cracking off pieces and filling the annealing ovens to cool the piping-hot glass slowly. The open windows did nothing to dispel the force of the heat.

The older man Leif had spoken with earlier directed the traffic, but once he spotted them he hustled over with a scowl. The spicy scent of red pepper burned the inside of Leif’s nostrils. Anger had replaced the man’s fear.

“Get out,” he shooed. “I’ve no time for your nonsense. I’ve orders to fill.”

“This will not take long.” Devlen projected his voice through the noise. “Your office.” When the man hesitated, he leaned closer and said, “Now.”

The man bolted for an open door to the left. Nice. And it’d been the reason Leif waited for Devlen before confronting the lying glassmaker. They followed close behind. Leif shut the door on the din.

The neat and utilitarian office lacked personality. No pictures hung on the walls. No decorative glass lined the shelves.

Devlen laid his square sample on the desk.

The glassmaker jabbed a finger at it. “I’ve told you—”

“Look again,” Leif said. “Closer this time.”

The man huffed with annoyance and picked it up, pretending to inspect the piece. A fog of black licorice almost gagged Leif. The man was terrified.

“The person who ordered those panels is no longer a threat,” Leif said in his most soothing tone, letting his magic mix with the words. “We’ve halted his operations and are in the process of determining how extensive it is.”

“We who?” he asked.

“Me, Leif Zaltana and my colleague, Devlen Sandseed.”

The man’s fear eased only a fraction. Leif would have been insulted, but unfortunately he’d dealt with Owen and understood just how much of a scary bastard the magician could be. And with the size of this operation, Owen couldn’t erase all the staff’s memories—too many people.

“Also the Sitian Council and the Master Magicians,” Leif added.

“Have you arrested him?” the man asked.

“Not yet. He’s on the run, but every city and town has been alerted and he’ll be caught soon.” Leif hoped.

“Then he remains a threat.”

“I’ll order the local security forces keep a close watch on you—”

“Not me. My family.”

Typical. At least Owen stayed consistent. “Your family, then.”

“And in exchange?”

“A list of locations where you delivered those special glass panels.”

The silence stretched and Leif sensed a variety of emotions. The bitter tang of fear dominated.

Finally, the man pulled open a drawer and rummaged through the files. He handed Leif a stack of papers. Leif scanned the pages and counted enough panels to construct at least ten glass houses. Delivery dates and locations had been written on the orders. The closest one was about a day’s ride west. The others were scattered north and east, up toward the Sunworth River.

“Can I keep these?” Leif asked.

“Yes.”

“Thank you. I’ll inform Captain Ozma of the situation right away. We talked to her this morning and none of her forces have seen anyone matching Owen’s description in this area.”

The man’s relief smelled of sweet grass. “Good.”

They left and stopped by the security offices. Captain Ozma sent a detail to the glass factory to collect more information.

Leif studied the sky. “We won’t be able to reach the closest hothouse today, but, if we leave now, we can make it to the town of Marble Arch in time for supper.”

“Let me guess, there is an inn there that serves some type of delectable dish that you cannot find anywhere else.” Devlen’s tone rasped with smugness.

“Wrong, Mr. Know-It-All! It’s a tavern, not an inn.”

“A thousand apologies.”

“Can you say that again without the sarcasm?”

“No.”

They had stabled their horses in the guards’ barn. Devlen had picked a sturdy cream-colored horse with a dark brown mane and tail. She had lovely russet eyes and she watched Devlen’s every move. Leif had teased him that it was love at first sight. Devlen named her Sunfire, which was a heck of a lot better than Beach Bunny.

Mounting the horses, they headed east and, as predicted, they sat at a table in the corner of the Daily Grind tavern just in time for supper.

“Lots of stone carvers come here.” Leif explained the name to Devlen. “Marble and granite fill this whole area of the Moon Clan’s lands. These people earn their living either quarrying it from the ground or chiseling, shaping and grinding it for use.”

A server approached and Leif ordered without consulting Devlen. “Two ales and two extra-large portions of pit beef, please.”

“Pit beef? Sounds...unappetizing,” Devlen said.

“Have I ever steered you wrong?”

Devlen groaned. “You have been spending too much time with Janco.”

While they waited for the food, Leif spread out the pages they’d received from the glassmaker and they marked the locations of all the glass houses on a map.

“My father will be here in roughly five days.” Leif traced a route with his finger. “We have enough time to check three of them on the way back to the farmstead.”

* * *

Late-morning sunlight glinted off the glass panes of the hothouse. Leif stopped Rusalka before drawing too close. No need to tip anyone off that they were nearby. The long, thin structure sat in the middle of an open clearing along with a small wooden building. Forest surrounded the complex. This was the first of the three they planned to check on their return to Owen’s ex-headquarters.

From this angle, it seemed as if the place was deserted. No greenery stained the inside of the glass house and, after an hour of observation, no one appeared.

Devlen returned from doing a reconnaissance. “Nothing. All’s quiet.”

“Suspiciously quiet?” Leif asked.

“No. Abandoned quiet.”

They ventured closer. Leif tasted the wind, seeking the flavors of past intentions. He drew in deep breaths, sensing the echoes of emotions. The trees rustled and the dry grass crackled under Rusalka’s hooves. Otherwise, all remained undisturbed.

Peering through the glass of the house, Leif confirmed that nothing grew inside. A crate filled with an assortment of objects sat in the center.

“Perhaps there is information in the box,” Devlen said next to him. He strode to the entrance.

Leif followed. When Devlen opened the door, stale musty air puffed out. They entered.

“Looks like they yanked the plants in a hurry,” Leif said. He bent to grab a handful of soil, testing the moisture. He freed a root that had been left behind. It was brittle. “It’s been about two weeks since this place was in use.”

“That fits the timeline,” Devlen said. He knelt next to the crate.

“There’s...something...off.” Leif wiped the dirt from his hands.

Devlen paused. “Off?”

“I can’t pinpoint it. It’s...subtle.” Leif joined his brother-in-law. “Is there anything in there of value?”

Devlen reached into the box.

“Malice,” Leif said. “That’s what’s off. The air is tainted with malice.”

“Considering Owen was in here, I am not surprised.” Devlen pulled a broken shovel and tossed it aside. He dumped the rest of the contents—mostly old gardening tools.

“Let’s check the other building,” Leif said, exiting the glass house.

The oversize wooden barn door gaped open.

Leif halted. “The air reeks of death. And there’s nothing subtle about that.”

“I smell it, too.”

They exchanged a glance. Leif yanked his machete from his belt and Devlen brandished his scimitar. Devlen eased the door wider and signaled him. Leif held his breath and crept inside with the Sandseed right behind. Dim sunlight trickled through the dusty windows. The large single room contained furniture and gardening supplies and a dead body.

Leif cursed aloud. Then he gagged on the rotten stench. “Check.” He motioned to search the room. “Quick.” Covering his nose with his hand, he took the right side while Devlen went left.

Not much to see. An old frayed couch, a couple chairs and a desk. Although the stack of files piled on top might be interesting. Leif sheathed his machete. He opened the first file.

A loud pop sounded. The sharp, acrid smell of malice sliced right through death’s foul odor. Inside the file was a single piece of paper.

“Run,” Leif yelled, just as a whoosh vibrated through the air.

The barn’s walls ignited. Flames ripped up the sides, surrounding them.

7

YELENA

One look at Valek’s hard expression and I braced for bad news. He didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately. “Are you certain it was Owen and the others?” I asked Valek. “It was dark and the boy is very young.” The thought of Owen in Ixia coiled like a snake in the pit of my stomach.

Onora and I had been relaxing by the campfire when Valek and Janco returned from searching for the tunnel. They’d found it, but also learned one of the teen miners had reported spotting three strangers that had appeared right out of thin air the same night his camp’s food stores had been raided.

“It’s not a hundred percent, but it makes the most sense,” Valek said, sitting next to me. He held his hands close to the fire, warming them.

“Why did Lewin see them at all?” Janco plopped down between me and Onora. “That Rika chick should be hiding them behind an illusion all the time. That’s what I’d do if I were her.”

“It’s difficult to maintain an illusion when the subject is in motion,” I explained. “The magician has to constantly adjust it to match the surroundings. It’s exhausting. While something static, like covering the mouth of the cave with an illusionary rockfall, is much easier.”

“But what keeps it going?” Onora placed the cook pot on the fire, reheating the beef stew the cook from the miner’s camp brought over for supper. “Once the magician leaves, shouldn’t the illusion dissipate?”

“In most cases, the illusion disappears,” I said. “However, some magicians can loop the magic back to the power blanket. This loop keeps the illusion intact by drawing power from the source. Booby traps work in a similar fashion, except when one is triggered, it connects to the source to fuel the trap and then disintegrates. There’s no loop.”

“Yeah, yeah, this is all very fascinating,” Janco said, “but why would Owen even be in Ixia? The Commander is angry at him for getting too greedy. His best play is to lie low in Sitia.”

“Owen claimed he has something that would make the Commander forgive him,” I said, remembering that smug, cocky tone he’d used. And now that I thought about it... “Makes sense for him to want to reach the Commander before Valek reports in. He can spin his story, skewing it in his favor.”

“Or he can just use his evil mojo and put the Commander under a spell.” Janco waggled his fingers.

That wasn’t quite how it worked, but Janco had a good point. I met Valek’s gaze. “When were they spotted?”

“Three nights ago, and they’re on foot,” he said.

If they wished to keep a low profile, they would avoid riding horses. In Ixia, only generals and top-ranking advisers rode horses. Merchants used them to pull their wagons, but everyone else walked.

“If we leave now, we can easily catch up,” I said, gesturing to Kiki and the others grazing nearby.

“Yeah, but can we stop them?” Janco rubbed his ear. A queasy expression creased his face. “Leif’s not here to make those null thingies that protect us from their magic.”

“We have Curare, darts and blowpipes. As long as they don’t suspect we’re close, we can incapacitate them,” Valek said.

“Can we find them?” Onora asked.

Janco huffed in annoyance. “Of course we can track them. That won’t be a problem. If they cover their tracks with illusions, Valek and I can sniff out their magic, and I can follow them if they don’t. No, the real problem will be if they can sense us coming.”

Everyone turned to me. I considered Owen’s magical powers. Back when Owen had coerced me into helping him search for the Ice Moon in the MD-3 mines, he had failed to locate Valek’s hiding place on the ceiling.

“Owen can’t, but I’m not certain about Rika and Tyen,” I said. “Many magicians don’t reveal all their powers. They like to keep one or two hidden from public knowledge so they have an advantage.”

“Not helping, Yelena,” Janco said.

“Owen’s been one step ahead of us the entire time,” Onora said.

“That’s what happens when he has a six-day head start,” Janco snapped.

She pressed her lips together and shot him a nasty glare. Onora wasn’t the type to state the obvious, so I sensed there was more.

“What are you thinking?” I asked her.

“They argued while stealing food and under a cloak of illusion. That’s just stupid. Owen’s many things, but he’s not stupid.”

Valek nodded in agreement. “You think he wanted the boy to see them?”

“Yes, so he can lead us into another booby trap,” she said.

Sounded like Owen. “Do we follow the bread crumbs or dash ahead and set our own trap?”

“How far ahead?” Valek asked.

“The castle?” Janco suggested.

“That’s dangerously close to the Commander,” Onora said.

“Yeah, but it’s our home territory. Nobody knows it as well as we do.” Janco thumped his chest. “And there are a gazillion soldiers there to protect the Commander.”

“Yet we’re just guessing that they’re heading to the castle. The red and black colors on their uniforms could be a diversion,” Onora said.

As they discussed options, I mulled it over. Why else would Owen be in Ixia? To hide from the Sitian authorities. Possible, but Ixia kept a close watch on its citizens, making it difficult to blend in and disappear. Owen had managed to avoid execution before; he must believe he could do it again in order to risk the journey. I knew Owen the best, so I put myself in his boots and contemplated the problem.

“Owen’s heading to the castle,” I said, stopping the discussion.

“Then we need to beat him there,” Janco said.

“They’re on foot. How long will it take them to reach the castle?” I asked him.

“On foot, it would take about ten days to get there from here.”

“With their head start, they’ll be there in seven days,” Valek said.

“And it will take us five days on horseback. Is two days enough time to prepare?” I asked, already worried about it.

“It should be plenty of time. Plus if they’re planting booby traps, using magic to cover their tracks and avoiding detection, it’ll take them longer than seven days.” Valek lifted the pot’s lid and stirred the stew with a spoon.

A puff of steamy goodness wafted up. My stomach grumbled in response. It was nice to have an appetite for a change, but I wondered how long it would last before another bout of queasiness swelled. The nausea came and went, but was never bad enough to make me vomit. Thank fate.

Valek ladled stew into the bowls and passed them around the fire. Every day it was harder to ignore my sensitive stomach. By now, I was four weeks late. Hard to pin the delay on stress when I’d just spent most of the past two days resting. And what would I feel if it was confirmed? I shied away from those thoughts. Too scary.

Instead, I decided to wait until we reached the castle to indulge in any more speculation. Once there, I’d visit the medic and seek advice. Lots of advice.

“When do we leave?” But then Janco waved his hands at Valek in a stopping motion. “Don’t say it.”

“At dawn.”

He groaned. “I told you not to say it!”

No one talked while we ate. When we finished the stew, we prepared to turn in early. Valek insisted on checking my cut. The wound remained painful to the touch and throbbed if I made any big movements, but there weren’t any signs of infection. He changed the bandage, then pointed to my bedroll. An unspoken order.

Despite my initial annoyance that he’d left me at camp while he and Janco searched for the tunnel, I had to admit the downtime helped restore some of my energy, which I would need for the next five long days in the saddle. I lay down facing the fire.

“What’s the watch schedule?” Onora asked.

“I’ve assigned Ivon and his men to patrol the camp. We all could use a full night’s sleep.” Valek joined me, spooning in behind and covering us both with the blanket. He draped his arm over my shoulder.

Ah. My favorite time of the day. I snuggled closer. “What are they going to do once we leave?” I asked.

“Continue investigating and track down any smugglers who used the tunnel before Owen and his companions blocked it with the illusion.”

A good plan, but what if they found more than they bargained for? I remembered the brothers, Tex and Jax, and how they might have been planted by Owen. What if Lewin was, as well?

“What if Owen is still nearby?” I whispered to Valek, clutching the blanket. Ivon and his men wouldn’t stand a chance against the three magicians.

“He’s not. Stop second-guessing yourself.” Valek kept his voice low, as well.

Easy to say, so hard to do. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. But it’s not your fault or mine. Owen is responsible for his own actions,” Valek said.

Again the logic made sense, but my heart failed to agree.

Valek smoothed my hair away from my face. “What’s really bothering you, love?”

“That we won’t be able to stop him. That he teams up with the Commander and...” Horrible scenarios bubbled, but one stood out.

“And?”

“And the Commander orders you to execute me.” When the Commander had written my execution order eight years ago, he hadn’t given it to Valek. If he had, Valek would have killed me. No doubt. His loyalty to the Commander was absolute. And I understood and have accepted it.

“It’s highly unlikely.”

I turned to face him. “But not impossible.”

He met my gaze with an unwavering intensity. “Then it will be the first time I’ve disobeyed a direct order.” His words a promise.

That was new. Warmth spread throughout my chest, and it wasn’t because of the fire.

* * *

We reached a travel shelter after three exhausting days on the road. The horses had set the pace and we arrived near midnight—a half day ahead of schedule. Sweat stained Kiki’s copper coat and her sides heaved with the effort. She’d adjusted her gait, keeping my ride smooth. Even without our magical link, Kiki had known each stride sent a jolt of pain through my side.

Onora and I walked the horses to cool them down while Valek and Janco checked the area around the small wooden building for magical booby traps. After signaling the all-clear, they entered the structure.

They returned in no time and joined us.

“All’s quiet,” Valek said. “There’s a couple travelers from MD-2 sleeping, but there’s not a whiff of magic anywhere nearby.”

The Snake Forest surrounded the shelter on three sides. The fourth side faced the wide fields of cotton and flax plants. The rich soil and weather was ideal for growing both, and with their overabundance of sheep, MD-5 produced and dyed all the thread for the Territory of Ixia. The skeins were then sent to MD-3 to be woven into fabric.

“Let’s take care of the horses and get some sleep. I’ll take first watch. Onora second, and Janco third,” Valek ordered.

“And I’ll take fourth,” I said.

He frowned, but kept quiet.

The stable next to the shelter had room for six horses. The straw smelled musty, and I hoped no critters had nested inside it. We filled water buckets from the well, removed tack and groomed our horses, all in silence. No one had the energy to talk.

When we finished, we headed into the shelter. The one room contained two rows of bunk beds along the walls on the left side, and a large stone hearth with chairs ringed around it on the right. We found three empty bunks next to each other and away from the two occupied ones close to the hearth.

Valek sat on the edge of mine and tucked me in. He’d always been protective, but on this trip, he seemed overly concerned. Perhaps he shared my worries about Owen and the Commander. Right now I was too tired to ask him.

Instead, I wrapped my arms around his neck, trapping him when he swooped in for a quick kiss good-night. Might as well take advantage of the extra attention. I deepened the kiss.

He broke away. “No fair, love.”

I acted innocent. “I’d thought you could use a little extra warmth before you went out into the cold night air.”

“You mean the cold lonely night?”

“You set the watch schedule. I’d be more than happy to work in teams.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You would?”

“Yes, you know how much I enjoy Janco’s company.”

“Ouch. I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

I smirked my best Janco impression. “Yes, love.”

* * *

My turn on watch arrived in what felt like a matter of minutes. I had a vague memory of Valek sliding under the blanket, but otherwise nothing until Janco poked me on the shoulder. Movement jolted me wide-awake as Valek brandished a knife.

“It’s me,” Janco whispered, jumping back.

“Sorry,” Valek mumbled before turning over and taking the blanket with him. The knife remained in his hand.

The cold air rushed in and I fumbled for the gray cloak we’d purchased at a Sitian market near the border.

I joined Janco outside. “Anything?”

“Nope. It’s been quiet.”

I peered into the darkness that wasn’t as black as it should be. Predawn light seeped in through the edges of the world. “You didn’t wake me early enough.”

He shrugged. “It’s such a beautiful night, I lost track of time.”

“Did Valek order—”

“No, but if you’re going to take a watch shift, maybe you shouldn’t share a bed with a superlight sleeper who has fast reflexes and is well armed.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“Damn right I am. Now, if you don’t mind, I need my beauty sleep.” Janco slipped back inside.

I checked on the horses. They slept in their stalls unperturbed—a good sign. Looping around the buildings, I ensured no one lurked nearby or had set up an ambush. Although my rustlings and crunchings on dead leaves would have alerted anyone within a mile of my presence. I’d taken my magic for granted. Being on watch had been much easier when all I had to do was scan the surroundings with my awareness.

No sense moping about it; I would just need to learn how to move through the forest without scaring away the wildlife. And instead of doing sweeps, I found a perfect spot to watch for movement and to listen for sounds.

Dawn arrived. I fed the horses and inspected them for cuts or hot spots. Kiki nuzzled my ear and tugged on my braid. I didn’t need our mental link to know what she desired.

“I only have a few left, and you’ll have to share them with the others,” I said.

She nudged me toward the tack room.

“All right.” I dug in my saddlebags and removed the sack of milk oats. “You’re spoiled.”

Kiki sucked hers down in one bite. The others crunched on theirs. Good thing the Keep’s Stable Master had given me the recipe for Kiki’s favorite treat. I didn’t know how long I’d be in Ixia. Could be seasons. Had Irys sent me a reply by now? My message about traveling with Valek to Ixia would have reached her last week. Did she think I stayed with him because I was terrified or because I didn’t trust her to keep me safe in Sitia? Did I know the answer?

Why did I agree to stay with Valek when Sitia needed me? The Council was probably panicking over the news that the Commander had Curare. No. Not probably. Definitely.

So why wasn’t I rushing to the Citadel to do my job and smooth relations between the two countries? And then there was Owen. What could I do to stop him? I’d actually be safer in Sitia.

I thought about it. I’d been in plenty of dangerous situations without Valek. But this time... This time I was vulnerable. The most vulnerable I’d been since I’d been a lab rat for Reyad.

And every time I’d been in mortal peril, Valek had saved me. Not always physically, but even just hearing his voice gave me the strength to stop Owen. When I’d been trapped in the fire world, the thought of never seeing him again motivated me to find a solution.

Besides, what was wrong with being selfish? Someone else could be the Liaison. Someone else could be a target for assassins. I could just be with Valek.

Except... Yeah, that was the kicker. Except, I couldn’t. Even without my powers, I remained in a position to help, and the last thing I wanted was war between Ixia and Sitia. Not when I might have a child. A country at war was no place to raise a child. Eventually, I’d need to return to Sitia.

My courage had scattered on the ground like leaves fallen from the trees. I gathered my bits of mettle, tucking them into my heart. Each one increased my motivation to learn how to survive without my magic. Bonus that the perfect person to teach me also happened to be my heart mate.

The door to the shelter creaked. I turned. Valek strode out into the sunlight. He combed his fingers through his sleep-matted black hair, but his alert gaze scanned the area. His stiff posture relaxed when he spotted me by the horses.

“Any trouble?” he asked.

“No.”

“Good.”

“Anyone else awake?” I asked.

“The people from MD-2 are packing their bags. Onora and Janco are still asleep. Since we’re ahead of schedule, I’m going to find a local patrol, see if they spotted Owen. Can I borrow Kiki?”

She would sense any magical traps. “You have to ask her. And I suggest you bribe her with milk oats.”

He smiled. “Sounds like your brother.”

As he offered Kiki the treat, I thought of Leif. One good thing about Owen, Rika and Tyen being in Ixia—I didn’t have to worry about Leif running into the magicians. I hoped he’d received Valek’s message about the booby traps.

What if he didn’t?

A vision of shattered glass piercing his body flashed. My stomach rolled with nausea. I swallowed and dismissed the horrible scene. Just my overactive imagination. Leif would smell the trap and not be skewered as I’d been. I hoped.

Kiki allowed Valek to saddle her. But before he left, he drew me close. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m concerned about Leif.”

“He’s quite capable of taking care of himself. And Devlen is with him.”

“I know. It’s just...” I fisted my hands.

“Just what?”

“It’s been forty days since I woke up without my magic. And just when I think I’ve come to terms with it, or just when I’ve mustered enough gumption to learn how to live without it, some comment or some incident sets me back, and I realize just how much I lost and it feels like day one again—all raw and new.”

Valek embraced me. Winded from my outburst, I rested my head against his chest and breathed in his spicy musk.

“You’re frustrated, love, and that’s understandable. We’ll figure it out one way or another. We always do.”

“But—”

“Tell me one mystery we haven’t solved.”

I searched my memory. About to concede the point, I thought of one. “Onora. Is she friend or foe?” And another I wouldn’t voice—Am I pregnant?—because I suspected I already knew the answer.

“Too recent. I’m still working on it, but I’m confident I’ll know in time. Just like your problem. The solution may be revealed tomorrow, or not for seasons, but it will be. No doubts.”

Wrapped tight in Valek’s arms, I believed him. But I expected that my doubts would creep back in. For now, though, I allowed hope and his warmth to sink into my bones.

Far too soon, he released me. Valek tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. “I’ll be back soon.” He kissed me, then mounted Kiki.

She butted my cheek with her muzzle before heading out. I wiped horse slobber from my face. The shelter door creaked again. Two men, wearing cloaks marked with tan-colored diamond shapes, exited. They glanced at the horses with worried expressions before heading for the road at a fast pace. I wondered if they’d recognized Valek.

When I entered the shelter, Onora was crouched next to the hearth, poking the ashy remains for a sign of life. A small flame erupted and she added logs until flames danced brightly. Pouring water into a pot, she set it near the fire. A cup with a tea bag rested nearby.

“Have I turned you into a tea drinker?” I asked in a low voice as I joined her. Janco remained asleep.

“It’s for you.”

“Oh?”

“I noticed you drink that ginger tea every morning, so...”

“That’s nice. Thank you.” Or was it nice? Was she waiting for confirmation that her little stunt had worked? That I needed the tea to soothe my uneasy stomach? I vowed she’d be the last to know.

Onora sliced cheese and bread, assembling breakfast for us. I regretted my harsh thoughts a little. While Valek and Janco searched for the tunnel, she’d taken care of me, letting me sleep and recover my strength. Perhaps she felt guilty? With her it was hard to tell. She said little and we hardly talked, which seemed to suit her just fine. No wonder Janco bugged her so much. I grinned, just thinking about it.

“What’s so funny?” Onora poured steaming water into my cup.

“Janco. He’s determined to annoy you.”

“He’s succeeded. Many times.” She handed me the tea.

“He’s looking for a reaction and for attention. You’re like The Madam, unflappable, and that irks him, so he tries hard to...er...flap you.”

Onora smiled. The first genuine one I’d seen. It reached her gray eyes and transformed her. The carefree expression was a glimpse of the young girl she used to be before her life soured and turned tragic.

“And ignoring him is the ultimate affront,” she said.

Ah. She’d figured him out. “Which is why you do it.”

“Exactly.” She sobered. “And I am an assassin. Being quiet and still for hours is all part of the job.”

“True.” I sensed there was more, so I took a risk. “Why did you decide to become an assassin?”

Onora met my gaze. All animation left her face, but uncertainty lurked behind her eyes. I guessed she contemplated what to tell me. The truth or some offhand comment.

She lowered her voice. “I didn’t want to be afraid anymore.”

That I understood. “And did it work?”

“No one can touch me.”

Not quite an answer. I remembered what Valek had said about her past and how she hadn’t killed her demons yet.

“Have you faced your fear?”

She scoffed, “Don’t you mean, have I assassinated the bastard I was afraid of?”

“No. I know murdering a tormentor doesn’t mean the problem is solved.”

“Sorry, but I don’t agree. Death is the final solution.”

“Then you are luckier than me.”

“Luckier?” Her voice rose in anger.

“Yes. When I killed Reyad, my problems didn’t disappear with his death. He continued to haunt me.”

“That’s because you’re the Soulfinder.”

“I wasn’t then. Then I was a terrified nineteen-year-old, fearing I’d lost my soul and would always be a victim. Those doubts clung to me until I faced it. And I’m still learning that running away from my fears is never a solution.”

“That’s you. Not me.” She stood up. “I better do a perimeter check.” Onora left the shelter.

I’d struck a nerve. Interesting.

Janco crept from a shadow. “She’s a tough clam to pry open. I’ve a feeling, though, once we do, we’ll find a pearl.”

“Pearls form in oysters.”

“Oysters, clams...” He waved dismissively. “It’s all seafood. You know what I meant.”

I did. Yet, I wasn’t as certain about the gem inside the hard exterior.

Valek and Kiki returned after breakfast. We joined him in the stable. “What’s the buzz?” Janco asked without preamble.

“No sign of Owen.” Valek swung a leg over and dismounted.

“Is that good or bad?” Janco asked.

“You tell me.”

Janco paused. “Bad. They could be anywhere. What about the local patrols?”

“They haven’t encountered anything unusual in the last couple of days.”

Nor had any of the other patrols we’d encountered the past three days. “Maybe Owen hasn’t traveled this far yet,” I said. “That’s a possibility,” Valek agreed. “Are you ready to go?”

We gathered our supplies and mounted. As we traveled, I considered another explanation for no signs of Owen. Perhaps he had used magic to erase the patrolmen’s memories. Could he erase memories without Loris and Cilly Cloud Mist’s help? I remembered that the three of them had each picked one of us to restructure our memories so we’d forget. Which meant he could. And then it hit me. He’d also mentioned inserting new ones.

Then why would he be careless enough to let that miner see him and the others? Why not erase the teen’s memories?

I snagged on an idea. “Holy snow cats!”

The others slowed their horses and turned to me, waiting.

I rushed to explain, “That boy, Lewin, said he saw Owen three nights before we talked to him. What if Owen planted that memory and it wasn’t really three nights, but longer? In that case, Owen, Rika and Tyen might have reached the Commander by now.”

8

VALEK

Alarmed, Valek stopped Onyx. The real possibility that Owen and the others had reached the Commander sent an icy pulse through his heart. “Holy snow cats, indeed.”

“It’s pure conjecture,” Onora said.

“Based on Yelena’s knowledge of Owen,” Valek said.

Kiki moved closer to Onyx, and Yelena put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t remember about his ability to plant new memories sooner.”

He covered her hand with his own and squeezed. “Trying to outguess your enemy is all part of the fun, love.”

“Oh, so that’s what we’ve been doing? Having fun? Who knew?” she teased.

“Gee, Valek, you ought to show your girl a better time if she doesn’t even know what fun is,” Janco said.

“All right,” he agreed, getting into the spirit. “Next time, love, I’ll take you along on a raid.”

“Oh my.” Yelena fanned her face with a hand. “Slow down, handsome, or I might swoon from all the excitement.”

Even though she smiled, it did nothing to dispel the dark smudges lining her green eyes and her sunken cheeks. She hadn’t been eating or sleeping well. But once they reached the castle, he’d ensure she got plenty of both.

“The castle, Kiki. As fast as possible. Please,” Yelena said.

He spurred Onyx, following Kiki. Janco and Onora rode close behind him. On horseback, the trip would take two full days if they stopped to sleep, a day and a half if they didn’t. The decision would be Kiki’s. She understood their desire to hurry while she also knew not to exhaust or injure the horses.

Kiki stopped for water around midnight, and Valek decided they should get a few hours of sleep. Nothing good would come from them arriving at the castle completely drained and useless.

“There should be a patrol west of us,” he said to the group. “We can overnight with them. That way we all can sleep.”

“Hoorah.” Janco pumped his fist.

Kiki found the patrol an hour after midnight. Their unexpected arrival caused a considerable stir, and Valek had to explain and soothe the nerves of the young lieutenant in charge. Another hour passed before they spread their bedrolls.

Teetering on the edge of sleep, Valek was roused by Janco’s voice.

“Just for the record, holy snow cats is my line,” he said. “You need to find your own.”

“And you had to tell us this now?” Onora grumbled.

“I thought it was important. I don’t like people stealing my lines.”

“It’s a compliment, you dolt. Did you ever think of that?”

“No.”

“Not quite the boy genius over there. Make sure to put that in the record.”

With Yelena sleeping in his arms, and Janco trading insults with Onora, Valek enjoyed a moment of peace. He suspected he wouldn’t get many more once they reached the castle.

* * *

The guards at the castle’s east gate reported no suspicious activity in the past two weeks. No surprise. If Owen had breached the walls using magic, no one would have spotted him.

After riding all day, the horses needed to be cared for. Yelena and Janco volunteered to take them to the stables while he and Onora checked on the Commander. At this late hour, he had probably retired for the night, but Valek didn’t care.

They raced to the Commander’s apartment. Two members of his detail stood outside his door.

“It’s been quiet, sir,” Private Berk said to Valek. “But he’s probably still awake.”

Valek exchanged a glance with Onora. She held her hands close to her daggers. He knocked on the door and a faint “Come in” sounded. They entered, ready to fight if needed.

The Commander sat in his armchair by the fire, sipping a glass of brandy and still wearing his all-black uniform. A book lay across his lap. No one else was in sight.

Ambrose set the glass down and studied them with his golden gaze. “Where’s the emergency?”

“We’re hoping not here.” Valek strode into the room, seeking magic and scanning for intruders. “Has anything unusual happened? Has anyone been here? Or tried to get in?”

“There’s nothing to worry about, Valek. All is well.”

Valek paused and stared at the Commander. “I’d still like to—”

“No need. I’m sure you have quite the story to tell, but it’s late and I’m in no mood to hear it. Report to the war room first thing tomorrow morning.” He glanced at Onora. “Just you, Valek. You’re dismissed.”

The Commander’s complete lack of curiosity about Valek’s mission alarmed him along with the comment that there was nothing to worry about. The Commander never believed all is well. Ambrose considered relaxing your guard to be something that would be exploited by your enemy in no time. However, Valek couldn’t press the issue. Not with Onora standing there.

“Yes, sir,” Valek said.

They left and closed the door. Valek remained in the hallway, considering his next move.

“Magic?” Onora asked him with concern.

“Not that I felt.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Everything.”

* * *

Valek sent Onora to help with the horses and to instruct Janco to complete a perimeter check of the castle, including the barracks, stables, kennels and training areas, seeking magic. If Owen was here, he’d be hiding behind one of Rika’s illusions. Valek concentrated on all the interior rooms and halls inside the castle. The odd-shaped structure had more hidden places than a labyrinth. Starting in the dungeon and working his way up, he searched for a stickiness in the air that meant magic was in use.

The air remained clear until Valek encountered a brief touch near the rooms reserved for his officers. He followed the tackiness down the hallway. One lantern remained lit, casting a sickly yellow glow on the gray stone walls. A door jerked open, and Valek yanked his knives from their sheaths.

Ari’s six-foot-four-inch frame filled the threshold. He brandished a long dagger, but relaxed when he spotted Valek. “I’ll be damned. You were right.”

“I was right about what?” Valek asked.

“Not you.” Ari stepped aside. “Reema. She said you were creeping around.”

Reema poked her head out from behind Ari. Her blond corkscrew curls fanned her face like a lion’s mane. That explained the magic. While no one, not even Master Magician Irys, could pick up on Reema’s magic, both Valek and Opal suspected she used it. But it didn’t explain the strength. Before, Valek had to be standing right next to her in order to sense her power. That puzzle would have to wait.

“I wasn’t creeping. I’m checking for intruders,” Valek said.

Ari straightened. “What can I do?”

“Stay with Reema.”

The big man pressed his lips together, but kept quiet.

“Are the others back, as well?” Reema asked. “My dad and Janco?”

“Janco and your aunt Yelena are with the horses.” Valek crouched down to her level. “Your father didn’t come. He’s in Sitia with your uncle Leif. You’ll have to stay here a little longer.”

“Oh.” She stared at him a moment. “Does that mean the bad men who are after Aunt Yelena haven’t been caught?”

Valek glanced at Ari.

“I didn’t tell her,” he said.

She huffed. “I’m not stupid.”

No, she wasn’t. “Yes. And you’re safe here. That’s why your father wants you to remain with us.” Valek hoped.

“Can I see Aunt Yelena?”

“Tomorrow. Right now you need to get back to sleep.” Valek followed her into Ari and Janco’s quarters, which included two bedrooms and a large living area with couches, armchairs, tables and desks. No need to guess that the one overflowing with papers, books and files was Janco’s.

Ari’s bedroom door stood ajar and Reema headed toward it. Valek turned to Ari, questioning.

“You ordered me not to let her out of my sight,” Ari said. “I brought in another bed for her.”

“Good. Has there been anything strange going on?”

Ari ran a meaty hand over his short, curly blond hair. “You mean other than tonight? No. Why?”

“Just checking.”

“Come on, Valek, it’s me. What’s going on?”

“Not now. We’ll have a briefing in my office in the afternoon.”

“That gives Janco time to tell me all about it from his...unique perspective. Are you sure you want to risk it?”

Valek smiled. “He’ll be too tired to tell stories.”

Ari laughed. “Janco is never too tired to tell stories.”

* * *

Valek finished his search of the castle. Not wishing to disturb the advisers and high-ranking officers sleeping, he didn’t check inside the rooms. All was quiet in the guest wing, but he touched each door just in case. None of them were sticky with magic. Valek continued ghosting through the hallways, but encountered nothing alarming.

Janco waited for him outside his office. The poor guy sat on the floor, leaning against the hard wooden door, sleeping. Valek nudged him awake with the toe of his boot.

Janco jerked and grabbed the hilt of his sword. “What? Oh.” He released his grip and shuffled to his feet.

“Did you find anything?” Valek asked.

“No. No illusions or creepy-crawly magic.” He stretched his arms above his head while yawning. “None of the guards saw anything strange or heard voices. Though there was something I wish I didn’t see.” Janco rubbed his eyes. “Sergeant Falice hooking up with Sergeant Dallin behind the barracks. Yuck.”

“Get some sleep. We’re meeting here this afternoon.”

“Yes, sir.” Janco wobbled away.

Valek glanced out the window at the end of the hallway. About one hour until dawn. He headed to his suite across the hall from the Commander’s. Private Berk remained on duty.

“Liaison Yelena is waiting for you inside, sir,” Berk said.

“Thank you.” Valek entered and closed the door behind him.

Yelena had lit the lanterns ringing the main living area. She’d sprawled on the couch and was fast asleep. He picked her up. She hardly weighed anything. As he carried her upstairs to his bedroom, she muttered a few indecipherable words. Yelena roused a bit when he laid her on the bed.

“Did you...?”

“Sleep, love. We found no signs of Owen.”

She patted the space next to her.

“Wish I could.” He pulled the blanket over her as he told her about the afternoon meeting. “I’ll have the kitchen staff send up a late breakfast for you. I want you to eat it all. Understand?”

“Yes, love.”

“That’s my line. You’ll have to think of something else.” He kissed her and left.

Exhaustion dragged on his body like a sopping-wet cloak. Valek stopped at the kitchen for a few bites to eat and to order the tray for Yelena. Sammy, the head chef, promised to send her a huge stack of sweet cakes.

The combination of the food and a cold shower revived him. Dressing in a clean uniform, Valek combed his hair. The wet strands hung past his shoulders. Valek tied it at the base of his neck with a leather string. The Commander had stopped remarking on the length when Valek explained that he might need to go undercover as a female. Since playing Valma, the beautician, had gotten Valek close enough to assassinate the King, the Commander didn’t insist Valek buzz it close to his head like all his other male officers and advisers.

Valek arrived outside the Commander’s war room just as the sun rose. No surprise the Commander had beaten him there. The man never slept more than five or six hours a night. The two guards nodded at him, but remained silent.

Bracing for the inevitable argument, Valek knocked and entered.

The Commander sat at the head of the large wooden conference table, eating breakfast. His uniform had two real diamonds secured to the collar. Not a wrinkle or crease rumpled his clothing.

A wedge of strengthening sunlight shone through the stained-glass windows that faced east. Colors splashed on the ceiling. The tall, thin windows covered three-quarters of the round room—the Commander’s favorite place.

Valek stood at attention.

“Sit down.” The Commander gestured to a chair a few places down the table on the left. “Report.”

Perched on the edge of the hard wood, Valek detailed the mission to stop the smugglers, including his detour to Sitia after he’d learned from Maren about another tunnel north of Lapeer. He ended with Owen crossing into Ixia. “And I believe he’s headed this way, although we’ve seen no signs of him.”

The Commander’s gaze grew distant. Valek kept quiet. He’d learned to let the man absorb all the information. Questions were only a matter of time. After that, Valek had many of his own.

“Why do you assume Owen is coming to harm me? If he claims to have something better against magicians than Curare, wouldn’t you think I’d be interested?”

A cold brush of dread swept through Valek. “Owen’s a power-hungry magician who can’t be trusted. He can erase memories and implant new ones. It’s...insane to let him close to you. With that type of magic, he can influence your decisions. He can make you give up command and appoint him as your successor. Owen is the embodiment of all the reasons you hate magicians.”

There was no reaction to Valek’s outburst. Instead he said, “The magic detector Opal gifted to me, that—”

“Won’t provide protection. It just lets you know there’s magic in use.”

Annoyance flashed in the Commander’s golden gaze. He hated to be interrupted. “I know. And I’m also aware that a null shield provides the necessary protection, which is why I have a null shield woven into all my uniforms.”

That surprised Valek. “How? When?”

“Yelena’s brother provided the protection for me. I asked him to keep it a secret. And, guessing from your expression, Leif hasn’t informed his sister.”

Ah. There it was. “Yelena and I do not share classified information.”

No response.

“You know I wouldn’t jeopardize your safety. I’m thrilled you’re protected. I would have suggested it, but I believed you wouldn’t be...comfortable with magic that close to you.”

The Commander brushed his hand along the sleeve of his uniform. “These are dangerous times.”

“Indeed.” And it was about to get downright perilous for Valek. He drew in a steadying breath. “Which is why I need to know everything. Why didn’t you inform me about your...arrangement with Owen Moon and the Curare?”

“Why did you disobey a direct order?” the Commander countered.

Thrown, Valek searched his memory. “What order?”

“The one not to get involved with Ben Moon’s escape. You were heading to Sitia to help Yelena before you ran into Maren.”

“How—”

“It doesn’t matter how I learned of this. What matters is you failed to inform me of your change in plans.”

“An assassin was after Yelena.”

“That is the answer to your original question, Valek. Why didn’t I inform you about Owen? Yelena.”

“I wouldn’t—”

“You wouldn’t have told her? Truly? He’s a dangerous magician, and she’s the reason he was caught. She’s the reason his brother went to prison. You wouldn’t have warned her?”

Now Valek didn’t have an answer.

“Your loyalties are divided.”

“Yes. They are. But I passed all your tests. I returned even after Yelena was shot with Onora’s bolt. I found and shut down the smuggling operation as ordered. It wouldn’t have been as successful if I hadn’t taken that detour to aid Yelena.”

“You had no way of knowing that before you left. And Owen still managed to escape.”

Valek bit down on his first retort. If he’d known about Owen in the first place, this whole smuggling mess never would have happened. “You used to trust my judgment.”

Commander Ambrose leaned back in his chair. “I did.”

“What changed? Was it because I didn’t tell you that I can be trapped by a simple null shield?”

“No. Everything changed the night an assassin crept through my window.”

“Onora?”

“Yes.”

But he’d been there with the Commander. Unless... Onora had said she’d been working with him for six months. “You mean the first time she arrived? Not the second time, when I was there, which was just another one of your tests.”

“Yes. The first time played out almost identical to the second. But instead of you fighting her, I recruited her just like I had with you.”

She had the C-shaped scar to prove it. Just like his. “It scared you.”

“Damn right, it scared me. The fact that she could get in so easily and you were in Sitia, helping Yelena. Helping the Sitian Council. Helping your friends solve puzzles while I was in real danger.”

Not quite accurate, but Valek knew not to contradict him. “All sanctioned by you. You know if these people gain power in Sitia, it’s only a matter of time before they set their sights on Ixia.”

“That is no longer a concern of mine. I’ve decided that there will be no more helping Sitia with their difficulties. You’re staying in Ixia and dealing with Ixian problems. If Sitia has a revolt and the victors attack us, then we will defend ourselves at that time. My army is quite capable, and it will give all those young hotheads something to do. As of now, you no longer have the freedom to assign agents and go off on missions as you see fit. You must clear everything with me first. Understand?”

The Commander’s words sliced into Valek as if he’d been stabbed with a knife. In all their years together and throughout all their fights, Commander Ambrose had never spoken to Valek in that tone. Had Owen manipulated him four years ago when the magician bargained for his life, promising the Commander Curare in exchange? It depended on when Leif had woven the null shields for him.

Unable to remain sitting, Valek stood. “I understand that you no longer trust me.”

“You need to earn my trust again. I need to know that when I give an order, you will follow it without question.”

Fear coiled around Valek’s chest. The Commander had never wished for him to be a mindless soldier. “Questioning your orders has been the heart of our relationship. The ability to discuss issues and determine the best way to handle them has been beneficial. It’s why I’m one of your advisers. You’ll ruin—”

In a heartbeat, the Commander shot to his feet and advanced on him. Valek remained in place, even when Commander Ambrose drew his knife and pressed the tip to Valek’s chest. Fury radiated in every one of the Commander’s clenched muscles. Valek had pushed too far.

“You’ve forgotten your place, Valek. You’re mine. Live or die, I decide.”

The Commander cut his shirt open, then traced the twenty-four-year-old C-shaped scar on Valek’s chest with the knife. Burning pain seared his skin as the razor-sharp tip sliced through his flesh with ease, but Valek refused to utter a sound.

“Do you remember what you pledged to me in that alley long ago?” he asked Valek.

“My loyalty.”

“Correct. See that you don’t break my trust again.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.”

Valek stared straight ahead. “Your orders regarding Owen Moon, sir?”

“You are to leave him and his companions alone. No more investigating. No more interference in his affairs. Owen is my guest and is staying in the guest quarters. He works for me and will continue to do so until I say otherwise. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Fear pierced Valek’s anger and humiliation. He had to warn Yelena.

“Good. Anything else?”

“Who hired Onora to kill you, sir?”

“It’s under investigation.”

Meaning, Onora hadn’t been able to learn the client’s name from Hedda. Which explained why she killed the teacher. “Your orders regarding Onora?”

“No change. She’s to continue being your apprentice.”

“Will she follow my orders?”

“As long as you clear them with me first. We will meet here at dawn every morning and again right after supper to discuss your assignments.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re dismissed.”

Valek left. He gathered the two parts of his shirt together, fisting the fabric in his right hand and pressing it against the bleeding wound on his chest. Pain flared, but his swirling thoughts distracted him. Possible explanations for the Commander’s behavior bubbled. Had Onora’s attack affected him that badly? Or was Owen to blame? No wonder neither Valek nor Janco picked up on magic. No need to hide behind an illusion when you were an invited guest. Valek would have to investigate how much Owen was influencing the Commander, which meant violating another direct order and further ruining their relationship.

Confusion warred with anger, which flipped to fear and then to outrage. Valek no longer knew what to think, to believe, to do. He’d always known what action to take, but not now. Too much had happened.

One thing stayed consistent. Yelena. He needed to protect her, to send her to safety, to ensure that she understood that his loyalties were no longer divided.

Valek arrived at his suite without any memory of the trip. Yelena sat at the table. She’d cleared a section off so she could eat her breakfast. Her forkful of sweet cakes paused in midair when she spotted him.

She dropped it. The metal clattered on the plate. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

He strode over and knelt next to her. “The Commander has reminded me of my pledge to serve him.” Opening his fist, he let his shirt hang open.

Yelena gasped and reached to touch him. “What—”

Valek grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Please, just listen. I’ve no idea what’s going on with him, but I do know that you’re the one who owns my heart and soul. And this—” he gestured to the C-shaped cut “—is not going to be a symbol of my loyalty to the Commander anymore. It’s...” Drawing his knife, Valek cut a backward C shape into his skin right next to the other, linking them so they resembled a heart. “It’s a symbol of my love, my loyalty, my respect, my trust and my commitment to you and only you. Yelena, will you marry me?”

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