“Is Leif back from Broken Bridge?” Ari asked.
“It’s possible. We’ll ask Irys once we reach the Magician’s Keep.”
“I’m so looking forward to being in the Creepy Keepy again,” Janco muttered sarcastically. “Can’t we crash in Leif’s apartment? Mara won’t mind.”
“She will if an assassin climbs through her window,” I said. “He might get my blood on her pretty yellow curtains.”
“I guess it’s the cold, hard floor of your room in Irys’s tower, then.”
“The Keep has comfortable guest quarters. I’m sure—”
“Not a chance, sweetheart,” Janco said. “Valek said ‘protect.’ We’re not letting you out of our sight. Except...you know...when...” He blushed and spurred The Madam into a faster walk.
The Citadel was a large, rectangular-shaped city divided into six quarters. The northwest and southwest quarters contained a maze of residences. The two middle quarters resembled a giant bull’s-eye with an impressive market right at the center. A diverse selection of goods imported from all over Sitia and Ixia were sold in its many stands. Large-scale businesses and factories ringed the market in ever-widening circles. The Magician’s Keep with its four towers occupied the entire northeast corner of the Citadel, and the Council Hall, government buildings and Councilor’s residences were located in the southeast quarter.
At this late hour, only a couple people hurried through the streets of the Citadel, but I knew various members of the Helper’s Guild hid in the shadows cast by the street lanterns. Fisk, the young man in charge of the guild, would be informed of my arrival well before anyone else. Good thing he was a friend and would keep the knowledge to himself.
Firelight blazed from a few taverns where voices buzzed and an occasional burst of laughter tumbled from open windows. We soon passed the outer ring that consisted of inns and taverns and entered the quieter and darker loop of factories.
After a few minutes, the cool breeze shifted and Kiki stopped. She reared up and snorted, signaling trouble. Without conscious thought, I yanked my bo staff from its holder on my saddle just as Ari and Janco drew their swords.
Dark figures rushed from the shadows and blocked our path. My pulse rate increased as I counted over a dozen. Too many for the three of us.
“Ambush,” Ari said.
“Ya think?” Janco pulled on the reins, backing The Madam closer to Kiki and Whiskey.
We turned around. More figures stood on the street behind us. There was just enough light to reveal the swords and daggers gripped in their hands. At least two aimed crossbows at us. I scanned the buildings on each side, seeking an alley to escape down. Instead, I spotted more ambushers.
We were trapped. Anger mixed with fear. Those two guards hadn’t been rushing home after their shift. Idiot!
“We’re on horseback. We can charge them,” Janco said.
“And get bolted,” Ari said. “I don’t think so.”
“Drop your weapons and dismount,” a deep male voice ordered. He strode forward and into the faint light. Two silver captain bars glinted on his shoulders—Captain Romas.
“They’re the Citadel guards,” I said to my friends, relaxing. Then, louder, I asked Romas, “Why have you ambushed us? We’ve done nothing wrong.”
“You mean other than giving false names at the gate?” he asked.
Uh-oh. We were recognized. “I don’t—”
“Save it for your hearing. Yelena Zaltana, Ardenus Ixia and Janco Ixia, you are all under arrest.”
“You can’t still be mad at me over that little incident last season,” I said, referring to when Romas and a unit of his men tried to stop Leif, Hale and me from leaving the Citadel about a hundred years ago. Or so it felt.
He grasped the hilt of his sword. “It isn’t about that.”
Oops, I shouldn’t have reminded him. “Is it for lying to the gate guards? You can’t—” I tried.
“No. For conspiring with the enemy, for espionage and for treason. Now drop your weapons and dismount, or my archers will knock you off your horses.”
And that answered my question about the Council’s state of mind regarding me. Kiki tensed. One word from me and she’d shoot forward and trample anyone unfortunate enough to be in her path. However, I’d been hit by a crossbow’s bolt before. If it didn’t kill me, it’d still mean an excruciating trip to the infirmary.
“Orders?” Ari asked me.
“It’s clearly a misunderstanding,” I said, lowering my bo. “No need for bloodshed.” I threaded the staff back on my saddle and dismounted. “Do as he asks.”
Although they grumbled, Ari and Janco returned their swords to the sheaths attached to their saddles before swinging down.
“Step away from the horses,” the captain ordered. “Hands on your heads.”
Before I complied, I whispered, “Kiki, once they have us, take The Madam and Whiskey to the Keep, please.”
Staying together, we moved a few feet down the road. Romas instructed us to kneel and then his men closed in to secure our hands behind our backs. A shout rose as Kiki lurched forward, scattering guards. The Madam and Whiskey kept pace with her.
“Sir?” someone called.
“Let them go,” Romas said. He grabbed my arm and jerked me to my feet. “We’ve only orders for these three.”
“Who signed the arrest order?” I asked him.
“You’ll be shown a copy of the arrest affidavit when you’re processed. Let’s go.”
The captain kept his hand clamped around my biceps as they marched us through the streets. I imagined one of Fisk’s helpers reporting to him about our arrest. Would Fisk even be surprised? Or had he heard about the arrest warrant through his network?
A list of recriminations spun through my mind. I should have stayed at an inn as Janco had wanted and then visited Fisk in the morning when the traffic through the gates would have hidden us. Too bad I hadn’t thought of this sooner. I’d grown lazy, relying on my magic. Being extra cautious, paranoid even, was no longer a habit of mine. At least my stupid mistake didn’t get us killed. Not this time.
Instead of leading us to the Citadel’s jail, Romas escorted us to the holding cells in the basement of the Council Hall. No surprise that the members of the Council had signed the order to arrest me and my companions on sight. And I probably shouldn’t be shocked that they didn’t incarcerate me in the Keep’s special cells—the ones that blocked a prisoner’s magic. By now, news of my condition had probably spread throughout the Citadel and Sitia.
While they searched Ari and Janco and removed a substantial pile of weapons and lock picks, they only performed a quick pat-down on me—an interesting side effect of being considered harmless. They found my switchblade, but nothing else.
We were locked in three adjoining cells, the guards departed and the metal outer door clanged shut, leaving us in utter blackness. I groped for the bed and tried to get comfortable on the thin mattress. The silence didn’t last long.
“Ah, just like old times,” Janco said. “Oh, wait. What am I saying? It’s just like almost every time I’m with you, Yelena. Don’t you get tired of being arrested all the time?”
“You’re exaggerating,” I said.
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot about our last mission. We weren’t locked up, just tied down. My mistake.”
“Give it a rest, Janco,” Ari said.
“Yeah, well, it seems every time I’m in Sitia, I’m thrown into jail. Do you think they’ll stamp my frequent-visitor card? I think I get a prize if I’ve been in them all.”
“What’s the plan?” Ari asked. “Do either of you have a set—”
“This place gives me the creeps,” Janco interrupted, warning us of magic in use nearby.
A magician was probably listening or monitoring us in some way. Lovely.
“Everything gives you the creeps,” Ari said, but he didn’t sound as exasperated as usual.
“Not everything. There are a few things that don’t both
er me.”
“What about you, Yelena?” Ari asked.
They had switched to talking in code. I replayed their comments in my mind, teasing out the true meaning. Ari was about to ask if we had a set of lock picks and from Janco’s recent comment, I guessed he did.
“There are a couple things that give me the willies, but being locked in a cell isn’t one,” I said. In other words, yes, I had two sets of lock picks on me, but we should stay put. I’d hoped to convince the Council of our innocence, and escaping would be a guilty action.
“Do you think we’ll have visitors?” Ari asked.
“I’m sure Master Magician Irys will stop by in the morning to explain what’s going on.”
“As long as that annoying little bloodsucker doesn’t show up, I’ll be happy,” Janco said.
He referred to The Mosquito, an assassin who’d been hired to kill me. I’d also be happy to never encounter him again. “We’ve only just arrived. It’s doubtful he knows we’re here.”
“News spreads fast.” Concern laced Ari’s voice.
“We won’t be here long,” I tried to assure him.
“Have you been in here before?” Janco asked.
“Yes, to visit Opal when the Council was worried about her glass-siphoning powers.” Which meant I knew the layout of the cells and building. “She scared them and they kept her well guarded.”
“Do we scare them?” Ari asked.
“Not as much.” It’d be difficult to break out, but not impossible. However, I hoped to avoid the necessity of escaping. “Just let me do all the talking.”
Ari’s deep laugh echoed on the stone walls. “Good luck with that.”
* * *
As I predicted, Irys arrived with our breakfast. My appetite disappeared when her harsh demeanor failed to soften after the guards left. She stood on the other side of the bars and studied me. Deep lines of worry scoured her forehead and dark circles ringed her emerald-colored eyes. Wearing her official purple silk magician’s robe, she had pulled her long once-black-but-now-painted-with-gray hair into a neat bun.
“Yelena, why didn’t you message me you were coming?” she finally asked.
“I didn’t have time.” I tapped my ear and gave her a questioning look.
“No one can hear us. I’ve made certain of that. Now will you tell me the real reason you tried to sneak into the Citadel last night?”
“I wasn’t sneaking. I just wanted to avoid a confrontation with the Council before I had a chance to talk to you.”
“I see. And how did that work out for you?”
“Wowzers,” Janco said in awe. “That’s some impressive sarcasm!”
“Zip it, Janco,” Ari growled.
“Yes, I realize I made a big mistake,” I said. “But Owen Moon is in Ixia, and we need help.”
“You mean like the help I needed to convince the Sitian Council of a few impossible things, like Owen being alive despite the Commander’s assurance to the contrary, and that the Commander funded an illegal Curare manufacturing facility in Sitia and now has barrels of the drug at his disposal? Like the help I could have used to explain why our Liaison headed to Ixia along with every person who could have enlightened the Council about what had happened in Lapeer? That type of help?”
Her words cut right through me. And the fact they were true gave them a sharper edge. Red-hot guilt welled from the wounds. “I’m sorry, Irys. After the encounter with Owen I...” I tucked my tail between my legs and bolted, yipping in fear. “I felt safer with Valek. I’m sorry I didn’t return sooner.”
Her anger lessened. “And I must also apologize. The last three weeks have been a nightmare.”
No kidding. The formidable Master Magician appeared as if she stood on a crumbling foundation. “Aside from the obvious problems with the Council, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“While the Council has been debating how to respond to the Commander’s allegedly bold moves with Curare and Owen, the antimagician sentiment, which had been simmering in the background for the past couple of seasons, has now boiled over. Councilor Jewelrose has proposed a new system of keeping track of magicians and overseeing what they can and can’t do and when. It’s similar to a military structure, but more restrictive.” Agitated, Irys paced. “The Councilor claims magicians are dangerous and that we need to be regulated and controlled by the Council.”
I glanced at Janco through the bars. If anyone would be happy about keeping a leash on magicians, it would be him. He mouthed, Too easy.
Irys continued, “Bain and I and a few other Councilors had enough votes to veto the idea, but...” She stopped. “However, I’m pretty sure another group has decided to implement it. I’ve been hearing rumors about a cartel.”
My relief over the veto disappeared in a heartbeat. “What do you mean?”
She yanked at the sleeves of her robe and smoothed the fabric. I’d known her for eight years and recognized her delay tactic.
“It must be bad,” I said.
Lifting her gaze, she met mine. “In the last six weeks, four magicians have been assassinated, and twelve are missing.”
The horror of her words hit me with such force that I groped for the bed as my legs lost the strength to hold me up.
“Assassinated how?” Ari asked her.
“Puncture wound to the jugular. We suspect The Mosquito. But the assassin could be using his signature move in order to throw us off.”
“Where are the attacks happening?”
“All over Sitia. There’s no pattern that we can discern.”
I shot to my feet in terror. “Leif?”
“He’s fine. I communicated with him two days ago. He’s on his way to the Citadel.” She relayed Leif’s information about my father’s discoveries and Owen’s whereabouts. “Leif planned to recruit a rescue party to save you from Owen, Yelena.” Irys laughed. It was a dry, humorless sound. “I never thought I’d ever say this, but our magicians might be safer in Ixia.”
“Only if they join Owen,” Janco said. “Probably not a bad idea, since he’s gonna be our Overlord.”
“Your faith is heartwarming,” Ari said drily. “Have there been any incidents inside the Citadel, Second Magician?”
“No. And we have sent messages to all our magicians, ordering them back to the Keep.”
“That could be exactly what this group wants you to do,” I said. What was that old cliché...something about fish in a barrel?
“But with the Keep’s thick walls and towers, it is almost impenetrable. Not to mention the increase in magicians. Surely they wouldn’t attack us there.” Her tone failed to match her confident words.
“Who says they’re gonna let them get there?” Janco asked. “If it was me, I’d set up ambushes on all the major roads to the Citadel and pick them off one by one.”
Irys pressed a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes as if enduring a wave of pain.
“Real nice, Janco,” Ari muttered.
“What’d I say?”
“You need to warn all of them of the possibility of an ambush,” I said to Irys. The desire to add Leif first, please pushed up my throat.
Her eyes snapped open. “Of course. I’ll do it right away.”
“You mean you’ll do it after letting us out of here, right?” Janco asked with a hopeful tone.
“I can’t. The Council wishes to interrogate you regarding the incident in Lapeer.”
“If they just wanted information, why charge us with treason and sign an arrest warrant?” I asked.
“Your actions right after looked suspicious, and when you add in your attempt to sneak into the Citadel with two known Ixian spies...let’s just say they’re not taking any chances. Not with magicians being assassinated.”
Janco huffed. “If we were here on official Ixian business, you wouldn’t have caught us.”
“Not helping,” Ari said.
“Will they drop the charges after I explain what happened?” I asked Irys.
“At this po
int, I’ve no idea.”
Lovely. “Then what should we do?”
“Talk to the Council. Then escape as soon as you can. It’s not safe here.”
17
VALEK
Valek considered Hedda’s question. Up until five minutes ago, both he and the Commander had been under the impression that Onora had killed Hedda when she refused to name the client who’d paid for a hit on the Commander.
He scanned her office. Spartan and neat—just like when he’d been a student here, she kept her personal effects in a hidden apartment. But nicks marked the furniture, a chair arm had broken off and bald spots littered the area rug. Despite the uniform requirement for all Ixian citizens, Hedda wore a faded gray-green mottled tunic and pants. Patches dotted the threadbare fabric.
Remaining behind her desk, Hedda clutched her knife. Her informant from the garrison sidled next to her. The young pup brandished a sharp dagger. Valek would have been impressed if the man’s arm wasn’t shaking.
“If the Commander sent me, Hedda, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” he said, showing her his empty hands.
She didn’t relax. “Then why are you here?”
“I followed your man, hoping he planned to warn the Storm Thieves about my presence.”
“I didn’t see him,” the man said in his defense.
“Of course you wouldn’t, you idiot. Valek was my best student. The only person to come close is Onora.” Hedda’s frown deepened as she gazed at Valek. “You killed her.” It wasn’t a question.
“Actually, no. Do you still keep a bottle of blackberry brandy in your desk?”
Hedda’s knife disappeared. “I do.”
Valek turned to the idiot. “Report back to the garrison before you’re missed.”
“Yes, sir.” The man paused in the doorway. “Sir, are you...?”
“Going to discipline you?”
He nodded, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
“Let me guess. You’ve been exchanging information for instruction from Hedda, right?”
His grip on the knob tightened in surprise. “Yes, sir.”
“Do you wish to become an assassin?”
“Oh, no, sir. I just wanted to improve my skills. The garrison’s master of arms is...old, sir.”