“They’re professionals,” Leif said. “Terrible cooks, but they’re smart.”
“What about your magic?” Valek asked.
“I have the deluxe accommodations. Slop pot, damp walls, straw bedding and a null shield.”
“Considerate of them.” He scanned the small area, searching for possible ways to escape.
“They won’t tell me anything. What’s going on?” Leif asked.
By the time Valek finished explaining, Leif paced his cell in agitation. “She can’t give him the Ice Moon. She knows that. Right?”
Concerned about listeners, Valek tapped his ear, then switched to the sign language he had taught Leif. He motioned that Yelena was well aware of the danger. Worry over her reaction to the news of his capture flared. Even if they escaped, Owen could still lie to her.
We have to get out of here, Leif replied.
That’s the idea.
Do you have a plan?
I’m working on it.
Leif didn’t look reassured. Work faster.
The clang of a heavy bolt being pulled rang out. Fresh air swept in for a moment before the door slammed shut again. Valek jumped to his feet and moved close to the bars of his cell. Five armed guards preceded a familiar cloaked figure. The woman held a glass fox.
He cursed those magical communication devices under his breath. Not only did they put Ixia at a major disadvantage, but they complicated this situation.
The guards kept well out of his reach. Damn. Valek strained to catch a glimpse of her face, but couldn’t.
“Your heart mate will not believe us about your capture,” she said. “Seeing is believing.”
With the magic inside the glass, Valek guessed Yelena watched him through the woman’s eyes. He crossed his arms and scowled, drumming his fingers on his biceps. His actions weren’t random, and he hoped Yelena remembered the signals.
After a few moments, she snapped her fingers. The guards unlocked Leif’s cell door and rushed him. They pinned him to the wall as the woman entered. She pulled a switchblade from her pocket.
Triggering the blade, she advanced on Leif. “Now to show Yelena what happens when she questions us.”
PART 3 – YELENA
Seeing Valek through Owen’s mind, I stifled my desire to throttle the magician. Owen had been telling the truth. Valek had been caught, and he looked really pissed off. He tapped his fingers on his arm, signaling me. Since I was connected through Owen, I would have to decipher Valek’s message later.
Owen used his glass turtle to reach the other magician—a woman who held another one of Opal’s glass messengers. Through this strange double link I could “see” what she did. It was bad enough to learn of Valek’s capture, but when she triggered her switchblade and advanced on my brother, I lost it.
It, meaning my temper. I projected my awareness into the woman before Owen could sever the connection. Taking over her physical body, I stopped her thrust just in time. Her confusion lasted mere seconds before horror and fear flooded her mind, as she realized I had control of her body and soul. Score one for the Soulfinder.
But what I didn’t have was time. I had expended a great deal of energy to reach her, and Owen was already trying to break the link. He would soon succeed.
I turned the blade and rested the cold steel on her neck. I could kill you right now, but I won’t, I said to her. Instead, I’ll spare your life, and in exchange you will not harm my brother or Valek. If they’re injured in any way while in your care, I will find you, kill you and send your soul to the fire world. Understand?
Her panicked agreement flooded my senses through our connection.
With my last bit of strength, I compelled her to toss the switchblade to Valek, who caught it with ease, and then sent her and the guards to sleep. They would all wake as soon as I left, but I hoped it would be long enough to give Leif and Valek a slight advantage.
I returned to my own body with an audible snap. Exhaustion liquefied my muscles, and I slumped to the floor. We had stopped for the night in a travel shelter located near the middle of Military District 5 (MD-5) in Ixia. My old stomping grounds.
From my prone position, I had an up-close view of Owen’s boots.
“That was unwise,” he said. Fury spiked his words.
“It was instinct,” I whispered.
“How sweet. But it didn’t save your brother or Valek. It angered me, and now you’re unable to defend yourself. What did you hope to accomplish?”
“I liked angering you.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I’d pay for my smart remark.
Owen didn’t disappoint. The tip of his boot rammed into my ribs. Pain raced along the bones of my ribcage. He’d probably cracked a few with that hit. Being too weak to defend myself also meant I lacked the strength to heal myself. And Owen didn’t stop with one kick. Oh, no. He wanted to prove his point. After what seemed like a lifetime of blows to my ribs, stomach and back, he did.
Passing out was the best thing to happen to me all day.
PART 4 – VALEK
The female magician, or rather, Yelena, who seemed to be controlling her body at the moment, tossed the switchblade to Valek. He snatched the weapon from the air as the magician collapsed.
“Move,” he ordered Leif.
Leif didn’t hesitate to bolt. The guards, whom Yelena had put to sleep with her power, began to stir. But once Leif slammed the cell door shut, they surged to their feet, yelling.
“Here.” Through his bars, Valek handed Leif the switchblade. “Jam the tip in the lock and break it off. Quickly.”
“Why?” Leif asked.
“They have keys.”
“Oh.” He grunted with the effort, but managed to wedge the steel tip inside the locking mechanism before the magician could use her key. A temporary measure.
Valek expected her to attack Leif with her magic, but remembered the null shield around Leif’s cell. About time one of those blasted things worked in his favor.
Leif looked at Valek’s cell. “How do we—”
“Go find my clothes,” Valek said. “I have a full set of lock picks in them.”
“Shirt or pants?”
He smiled. “Either one.”
Laughing, Leif went to search. He left the door to the small prison ajar. Valek breathed in the fresh air for a moment as he considered his new neighbors. A couple of the guards tried to unlock the cell door, but the magician sat on Leif’s mattress. During the ruckus, her hood had fallen back.
While she might talk like a Sandseed, she resembled a Moon Clan member. Blond hair so light, it could be mistaken for white, matched her large silver-colored eyes. Her pale skin could easily blend in in Ixia. Fear lurked in her gaze, and he wondered what Yelena had said to her. Probably threatened to send her soul to the fire world. As far as threats went, Yelena couldn’t be outdone. People might risk pain and even death for a cause, but spending eternity in the fire world was just too big a price to pay.
The magician remained quiet, but Valek couldn’t contain his curiosity.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
She ignored him.
“How did you get involved with Owen?” he tried.
Again she kept silent, but her gaze flicked to her hands. They were clasped together in her lap. She wore a bright ruby ring on the middle finger of her right hand, and a heart-shaped diamond ring on the pinkie of her left.
“Are you and Owen Moon married, or just heart mates?” he asked.
A slight movement in her shoulders revealed her surprise, but otherwise her expression stayed neutral. Impressive.
“You are married. Sitians are more apt to make their unions official, and they like to have an excuse to have a party.” He tapped a finger on his lips. “You’re a few years younger than him, but since you’re both magicians, you probably met him while attending the Magician’s Keep.”
Her body language once again betrayed her. Valek was three for three.
Footsteps shuffled, and he
turned his attention to the noise. Leif backed into view. He held his hands out.
“I told you they were professionals,” Leif said. He was followed by three armed men. The weak light glinted on the sharp blades of their swords.
Valek groaned inwardly. More problems and delays.
“Move back,” the man on the left ordered Valek. “Or I’ll skewer your friend.”
Valek considered the threat. “Do you plan to wound, maim, or kill him?” he asked the guard. “Threats should be specific in order to have the maximum impact.”
The man just stared at him.
“Skewer is just too vague. I think if you say, ‘Stand back or I’ll stab him in the stomach,’ then I have an idea about how serious you are. After all, Leif’s stomach is his favorite body part, so that’s a decent threat.”
“Don’t give him any ideas,” Leif said in a low growl.
“Move,” the guard said.
“All right, I’m moving.” As Valek backed away, he cupped his left elbow with his right hand.
When they opened the door, he said to Leif, “I should have let them skewer you.” He huffed. “It was a simple task. Did you surrender right away, or did you at least find my clothes?”
“At least I managed to escape.” Leif shot back. He paused in the threshold of the cell. “Some legend you are. You let these guys get the drop on you.” He hooked a thumb at the guards.
“At least I didn’t walk blindly into a trap.” Valek stepped closer to Leif. “You let them kidnap you.” He snorted in derision. “You know why they call it kidnapping?” He moved until he was almost nose to nose with Leif. “Because only kids are stupid enough to get caught.”
Leif yelled and swung a wild fist at Valek. He ducked and dove at the guard on Leif’s right, tackling him at the knees. Leif’s punch landed on the jaw of the man on his left. What looked like chaos erupted for a few moments, but Valek had already planned every single move in his head, starting with the mock fight with Leif.
The three key components to a successful attack were surprise, speed and intensity. Within a minute, Valek and Leif had disarmed the three guards and locked them in the cell.
“Are there any more above?” Valek asked Leif.
“I hope not. I’m hungry.”
Valek and Leif crept up the prison’s stairs. Although they were both armed with the guards’ weapons, Valek wasn’t taking any chances. An operation like this could easily employ a few more mercenaries. And Leif had said they were professionals.
He paused at the top, listening for any sounds. Behind him, Leif’s stomach growled.
“Sorry,” Leif whispered.
An ordinary house sat above the prison. Heavy curtains covered the windows in the front and back. Solid side walls meant the residence was part of a row or block of similar houses. Probably indistinguishable from its neighbors. Nothing like hiding in plain sight. Valek grudgingly approved. It was how he picked his safe houses.
“Where did you run into the three guards?” Valek asked Leif.
“In the kitchen.”
Valek suppressed a sigh. Someday Leif’s stomach would get him into serious trouble.
Once they confirmed that no one lurked on the ground floor, they searched the upper floors and surprised a group playing cards. It didn’t take long to subdue them and escort them down to the prison below to join their comrades.
“Wow. You’d think a dozen soldiers would be enough to keep us from escaping,” Leif said. Then he sobered. “The man who has Yelena isn’t fooling around, is he?”
“No. And he’s quite adept at lying, even when he’s linked with another magician mind to mind.” Concern for Yelena swirled around his heart.
“Can we send her a message, letting her know we’re free?” Leif asked.
“I signaled when Owen’s wife was linked to him, who was linked to Yelena.” Valek paused, marveling at the intricacies of magical communication. Ixia really needs to find a way to keep up.
“And?”
“If she remembers all the signals, she’ll know Owen can lie and to not trust what he shows her. I hope she’s leading him on a wild Valmur chase right now, waiting for me to catch up.”
“And if she doesn’t remember?”
“Then I need to rendezvous with her before she reaches the mines.” Valek calculated how much time Yelena had been on the road. Taking into account their slower pace due to having to keep a low profile and sneaking over the Ixian border, Valek guessed they were about half way through MD-5. They had to walk, but he had Onyx, which meant it would take him approximately seven days to catch up.
Valek wasted no time. He left Leif to inform the authorities, and to lead the soldiers back to the house so they could arrest Selene and Owen’s men. Returning to the Weir Inn, Valek saddled Onyx and headed north toward Ixia.
He arrived at the border between Ixia and Sitia a day and a half later. Ixian soldiers surrounded him as soon as he crossed into the Snake Forest, but they relaxed once they recognized him. He sent a message to the Commander’s castle. As the messenger raced to the northwest, Valek continued deeper into MD-5, following a smaller road that he hoped would lead him to Yelena in time.
PART 5 – JANCO
Janco stared at the pile of reports on his desk. Ugh. He hated reading reports. In fact, he’d rather fight a magician…no, scratch that, he’d rather deal with reports than magic. Tapping the scar where the lower half of his right ear used to be with the end of the stylus he held, Janco considered the top three things he hated the most in life.
One—magic.
Two—reports.
Three—sand.
There were plenty of other things that bugged him as well, but those he could live quite happily without for a long, long time.
However, with Valek on vacation and Ari and Maren working undercover in MD-2, he was in charge of Ixia’s security. Except the job wasn’t near as glamorous as it had once sounded. Oh, no. It involved reading and writing reports, checking that the guards followed the proper procedures, giving orders to idiots, listening to complaints from idiots and having nightly chats with the Commander. No wonder Valek kept going on missions. Being in charge was boring with a capital B!
He sighed. No amount of bellyaching would reduce the pile before him. Janco pulled the top report off the stack, opened it and scanned the detailed account of a Sitian Council meeting where they bickered for hours over the wording of a new law that would regulate how close a saw mill could be constructed next to a river. Yawn.
The office door flew open with a bang. Janco leapt to his feet with a dagger in his hand. A young solider froze in the threshold.
“It’s called knocking, and it might save your life someday,” Janco said.
“Sorry, sir. I’ve an urgent message from Valek.” The words rushed out, tumbling over each other.
Unease zinged along his spine, but he kept calm. “Come in and settle down, puppy dog.” Janco cleaned off the chair in front of his desk. His side of the big office he shared with Ari was a bit…messier than Ari’s. But despite what Ari claimed, there were no rat’s nests anywhere in his stuff. He’d checked. Twice.
The private perched on the edge of the chair.
Janco resumed his seat. “Okay, spill.”
As the young private relayed his message, Janco’s unease tightened into alarm. By the time he finished, Janco was already standing. “You’re dismissed, Private. I’ll take it from here.”
“Yes, sir.”
Janco headed to the Commander’s war room. Even though Ixia wasn’t engaged in a war, the room was the Commander’s favorite. In the mornings, the Commander preferred to work in the round space. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why. The morning sunlight streamed through the colorful stained glass windows that ringed three-quarters of the curved walls. Sitting in there was like being in the middle of a rainbow.
The two guards outside the war room straightened when they spotted Janco—a perk of his position. He knocked on the door a
nd entered as soon as he heard the Commander give permission.
As expected, the Commander sat at the large oval conference table located in the middle. Open files, parchment, an ink pot and a steaming cup of tea were spread before him. The two diamonds on his collar sparkled like a prism—a bright spot on the Commander’s otherwise all-black uniform, which was nearly identical to the one Janco wore. Janco’s uniform, however, had two red diamond shapes embroidered on the collar in lieu of the precious stones that adorned the Commander’s.
The Commander’s golden gaze pierced him. “Something’s wrong.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes, sir. I just received information from Valek.”
“Proceed.”
Janco repeated the private’s message. “I’d like your permission to take one of the horses and join Valek.”
The Commander’s demeanor remained impassive. “No. You’re needed here. Assign someone else. You’re dismissed.” He returned to his work.
Janco fought the impulse to blurt out his objections. Instead, he drew in a breath and asked for permission to speak.
Setting his stylus down with more force than necessary, the Commander turned to Janco. “Make it quick.”
He swallowed. “Since I have a…sensitivity to magic, sir, I believe I’m the best one to help Valek against this rogue magician in Ixia.”
“And who will be in charge of security while you’re gone?”
Names eluded him for a moment, but then he considered the upper level agents who’d returned from assignments. “Gita’s been assisting me. She knows what to do.”
The silence lengthened. Janco squelched the desire to squirm.
Finally, the Commander said, “All right. Report back as soon as the situation is handled. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Janco bolted before the Commander changed his mind.
He raced around the castle, collecting supplies and packing a bag. Once he filled Gita in on his mission, Janco stopped at the stables. The Stable Master grumped about the short notice, but he saddled a dark brown horse with a white diamond blaze on his forehead.