I opened my mind to Kiki. Is everything okay? I asked.
Quiet. Nap time, she said.
If the horses could sleep, then all should be well. Ghost?
Out. Woods.
My left shoulder and upper chest ached. The muscles would be sore for a few days. I sat up and examined the wound. Purple bruises surrounded an angry red circle. Another scar to add to my collection. I’d stopped counting three...or was it four injuries ago? Stretching with care, I tested my range of motion. Not bad.
The cold had soaked into my bones. My blanket had fallen to the floor. A hot soak in the tub should cure it in no time.
Stiff with blood and poison, my shirt reeked. All the more reason to bathe. But first a quick check of the rest of the cottage. It wouldn’t take long. I palmed my switchblade, but didn’t trigger the blade.
The ground floor consisted of a living area, kitchen and washroom. The living area spanned the left half of the cottage while the kitchen and washroom occupied the right half. The hearth sat in the middle of the building so all the rooms could share its warmth.
I peered into the kitchen. A layer of dust covered the table and chairs, but the wash sink, cold storage box and water jugs had been cleaned. Nothing appeared out of place.
The washroom’s entrance was to the right of the hearth. I smiled. Valek had filled the large water tank near the back wall. Hot coals glowed underneath—one of the benefits of having a stone floor. I tested the water with my finger. Almost perfect.
I climbed the stairs to the single bedroom in the loft. Our cottage was too small for company, another excellent reason to own it.
My red-silk robe and clean clothes had been spread out on the king-size bed. Valek had been busy. I resisted the urge to check under the bed as I undressed. I’d have to ask my cousin Nutty to repair yet another shirt. Despite a few mud stains, I could still wear my black wool pants. I donned the robe—a gift from Valek. Running my fingers over the smooth material, I verified all my surprises remained in place. Valek always included weaponry with my gifts.
Which reminded me. I removed the lock picks, releasing my long black hair.
After a quick peek outside to check for signs of intruders, I returned to the washroom. Steam floated from the water’s surface. I opened the valve and the warm liquid rushed into the sunken tub. Turning off the water, I banked the coals, hung my robe on the hook and settled in, oohing and aahing until only my head remained above water.
Wonderful for about five minutes. Then the door squeaked and I lunged for my switchblade.
“Sorry,” Valek said. He leaned against the door’s frame as if it kept him from falling.
Had he been up all night? “Did you find anything?”
“He’s gone. I found nothing except those boot prints. No doubt he’s a professional assassin with magical abilities.” He rubbed the stubble on his chin. “That will be the key to finding him. Not many people have that combination of skills. He’s probably already a person of interest. I’ll have to check my sources.”
I resisted correcting him. What he called sources were really Ixian spies in Sitia, which as Liaison, I’d been trying to stop. Ixia and Sitia shouldn’t be spying on each other. Instead, they needed to form a relationship based on mutual trust and respect.
“Unless he’s a new assassin. Some young hotshot.”
Valek straightened. “That’s a possibility. And if that’s the case, then he chose the wrong target if he wishes to grow old.”
“After you find out who hired him.”
“Of course. Any ideas who...?” He shook his head. “We should make a list of who doesn’t want to kill you, love. It’d be shorter.”
I’d be offended, but it was actually a good idea. “Let’s not let it ruin our vacation. Join me.”
He hesitated, frowning.
Oh no. Bad news. “Tell me.”
“I have to leave in the morning.”
“Not because of the attack?”
“No. The Commander ordered me to return earlier than I’d planned. He’s been very patient. I’ve been in Sitia for most of the past year and he says I’m needed for an urgent matter. I’m sorry we have to cut our vacation a few days short.”
Even though disappointment pulsed, I understood his loyalty to the Commander. And the Commander had been more than generous with Valek’s time. Working with Opal and helping to stop the Bloodrose Clan, Valek had done more for Sitia than Ixia.
No sense moping about something I couldn’t change. Suppressing my frustration with the time limit, I splashed Valek. “Come on in while the water’s hot.”
He grinned and peeled off his clothes. Scars crisscrossed his long lean muscles, and a faded C-shaped scar marked the center of his chest. Even after spending seasons in Sitia, his skin remained pale, which contrasted with his shoulder-length black hair.
“Like what you see, love?” Valek stepped into the water.
“You lost weight.”
He huffed. “Janco’s a lousy cook.”
“Did Janco pout when you ditched him to come here?”
“Yes, but it was fake. He’s more than ready to return to Ixia.” Valek settled next to me. “Do you really want to talk about him right now?” His gaze burned hotter than the water.
“Who?”
“Exactly.” He ran his thumb over my wound. “Does it hurt?”
“No.” His touch drove the cold away as a fire ignited in my heart.
He closed the distance between us and our lips met. Another perk of stone floors: no worries about water damage.
* * *
Morning sunlight and chills woke me late the next morning. Memories of last night replayed and I remained in bed savoring them. We’d gone from the tub to the living area, drunk the wine, tested the softness of the rug, and then up to the bedroom. My lips still tingled from Valek’s predawn goodbye kiss.
Another chill raced along my skin. Shivering, I pulled the blanket up to my chin. All my bones ached as if encased in ice. Unease swirled. Something was...off. Wrong.
Without warning, a wave of heat slammed into me. I yanked the blankets off and jumped to my feet. Sweat poured, soaking my nightshirt as dizziness threatened to topple me. I sank to the ground. The heat disappeared as fast as it had arrived, but the cold returned, seeping into my skin, freezing the sweat into a layer of ice.
Before I could pull the blanket over me, another hot flash consumed me. Memories of going through the fire to enter the fire world rose unbidden. The searing pain of my flesh burning all too familiar. I batted at my arms even though I knew my skin hadn’t been set on fire.
Fear wormed through my chest. Maybe I hadn’t expelled all the poison.
Between gasps of breath, the ice extinguished the heat. My muscles tightened and cramped. My teeth chattered hard enough to cause a headache. I curled into a ball, afraid I’d shatter like an icicle hitting the ground.
When the fire blazed again, I straightened as steam rose from my skin. Then the cold reclaimed me. And it kept going back and forth, hot to cold and hot again. Like I had a superfast fever, which gave me no time to draw power to counter it.
I endured the waves. Each flip drained my strength. One of two things was bound to happen. I’d either pass out or the attack would stop. There was a third possibility, but I preferred to stay positive.
After hours...days...weeks...the seizures ceased. At first I braced for the next cycle. But as time progressed without an attack, I slowly relaxed. With no energy to stand, I groped for the edge of the blanket and pulled it down, covering me. At this point, even the hard floor couldn’t stop me from falling asleep.
* * *
Darkness greeted me when I woke. Every single muscle ached as if I’d run here from the Citadel. My dry throat burned and my stomach hurt. I needed water, food
and a bath. But first, I needed to ensure that I didn’t have another attack. Had the poison run its course? Or was it still inside me? One way to find out.
I drew a deep breath and reached for the blanket of power. Nothing happened. Trying again, I concentrated on pulling a thread of magic.
Nothing.
Fear pushed up my throat. I swallowed it down, determined not to panic.
I opened my mind to Kiki. What’s going on?
No response. Not even images.
Dead air surrounded me.
My magic was gone.
2
VALEK
He hated leaving her. Memories of last night’s activities swirled in his mind, but he suppressed them. No sense torturing himself. Instead, he focused on the attack on Yelena as he saddled Onyx.
Valek had done another sweep of the area as soon as the sun had risen. No one in sight and no signs of anyone. Not much of a comfort, considering the bastard had been able to conceal himself so well. His identity remained a mystery for now. But Valek would find him. No doubt.
Mounting Onyx, Valek grabbed the reins. Kiki said goodbye with a sad little whinny.
“Please keep her safe,” he said to Kiki.
She nodded. Her blue eyes shone with intelligence.
“Thanks.” Valek clicked his tongue, spurring Onyx into a gallop. Kiki was the only reason he didn’t insist on personally escorting Yelena to the Citadel. Yesterday, he’d taken Kiki to the spot where the assassin had waited. She’d sniffed the area and had the man’s scent. Combined with Yelena’s magic and her skills with her switchblade and bo staff, they made an impressive fighting team. Plus Yelena had assured him she’d recovered from the injury.
Of course, there was the possibility that since the assassin knew how to construct a null shield, he might also know Valek’s biggest weakness, which would render him unable to protect Yelena. Valek could never forget that disadvantage. It was like a knife slowly piercing his heart in tiny increments. Each day it dug a little deeper.
Once his greatest weapon against magic, his immunity was now a drawback. If a magician surrounded Valek with a null shield, Valek would be trapped inside just like being caught in a bubble made of invisible steel. Weapons could cross the barrier, but he couldn’t. Well, neither he nor Opal, who was also immune to magic. Her adventures last year had uncovered this particularly nasty weakness and, while the magical community promised to keep it quiet, Valek had learned the best way to distribute information was to classify it as secret.
Valek guided Onyx north toward the Ixian border. At this pace, they’d reach the checkpoint in three hours. Their cottage had been in an ideal location. Too bad they would have to move again. He contemplated retirement—not for the first nor the last time. And for a moment, he dreamed of a time when he and Yelena could disappear and never have to worry about assassins, intrigue and espionage again.
Except she couldn’t retire from guiding lost souls. Perhaps she could wear a disguise. He imagined them dressed as an old married couple traveling from town to town. For half the year, they’d visit the local sights, try new foods and find souls. The other half would be spent together in a cottage, gardening, carving and going out for daily rides. It was a pleasant daydream.
A mile from the border, Valek stopped Onyx. He changed into his Ixian uniform—black pants, boots and shirt. Two red diamonds had been stitched onto his collar, marking him as an adviser to the Commander. He turned his cloak inside out, revealing the black material with two red diamonds instead of the gray camouflage. In Ixia, he had to wear his uniform with the Commander’s colors of black and red. While in Sitia, he had to blend in.
Back on Onyx, he headed to the main checkpoint, hoping the soldiers would recognize him. It’d save time. Valek considered sneaking into Ixia, but the Commander’s message said the situation was urgent.
The official border crossing between Sitia and Ixia was a cleared, one-hundred-foot ribbon of ground that stretched from the Sunset Ocean in the west to the Soul Mountains in the east. The border followed the contours of the Snake Forest, which also spanned the area between the ocean and mountains. At one point, Valek had asked the Commander to clear the entire forest. Even with the hundred feet of open ground, smugglers and refugees still managed to slip across the border. But now he found the forest convenient for his network of spies. Not that he’d admit that to Yelena.
The six border guards snapped to attention when he approached. A good sign.
“Welcome back, sir.” The captain saluted.
Nice. “Thank you. Any news, Captain?”
“It’s been quiet, sir. A caravan crossed earlier this morning, but they were on our approved list. A Sitian delegation is due to come through here in a couple days, but we haven’t gotten the manifest for the visitors yet.”
Interesting how the man mentioned the delegation as if routine. It was only eight years ago that the border had been sealed tight. No one in or out.
“Do you know why the Sitians are visiting?” Valek asked, wondering if the delegation was the reason the Commander had ordered him back a few days early.
“No, sir.”
Ah. He’d have to wait. “Anything else?”
The captain smiled. “Adviser Janco informed us that a Sitian spy would attempt to cross this checkpoint today. He claimed this spy would be disguised as you and ordered us to attack first and ask questions later.”
Valek suppressed his ire—he needed to have a little chat with Janco. “And why didn’t you follow Adviser Janco’s orders?”
“I was in basic training with the...er...Adviser, sir.”
“My condolences, Captain.”
The captain’s soldiers all grinned at his deep laugh. “His pranks were endless, but he taught me more than our instructor.”
Interesting and not that surprising. “You showed excellent judgment today. While being attacked by six skilled opponents would have been good practice for me, I preferred the friendly welcome.”
They parted, letting Onyx through.
“Sir?” the captain called.
Valek turned.
“Papers, please.”
Ah. Now the soldiers surrounded the horse. Smart move. Valek pulled a folded sheet from one of his cloak’s inner pockets and handed it to the captain. “The Commander’s orders.”
Valek waited as the man scanned the fake document.
The pleasant expression dropped from the captain’s face. His right hand slid to grasp his sword’s hilt. Following his cue, his men tensed and grabbed the hilts of their weapons.
“This is a forgery,” the captain said.
Valek noted he didn’t say sir. “Just testing you, Captain.”
“Dismount now.”
Valek tsked. “What happened to your manners, Captain?”
The captain drew his sword in answer.
Good. The man followed proper protocol. If Valek didn’t dismount soon, they’d rush him, yank him from the saddle and unarm him. How far should he push it? Not far. The Commander was waiting for him, after all.
Pulling the real orders from his sleeve, Valek held up his hands. The captain gestured to one of the guards who approached slowly, then snatched the parchment from Valek with one quick motion. The guard delivered it to the captain. So far, so good.
Peering at the letter, the captain relaxed. “This one is real. It was a test.”
“And you passed. What is your name, Captain?”
“Broghan, sir.”
“I’ll make sure to mention this to your commanding officer, Captain Broghan.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Pleased with the border guard’s actions, Valek urged Onyx north. They would reach the Commander’s castle by late afternoon. Dirty, hard-packed snow covered the well-used trail. The surround
ing forest showed no signs of green—all bare branches and bleak even with the sunlight streaming to the ground. Buds already coated the Sitian trees, and the southern half of the Avibian Plains would be lush with plant life and warm breezes by now.
Not that he missed the south—not at all. Just one specific southerner. Valek scanned the surrounding area seeking signs of an ambush. Memories swirled of the times he’d used the cover of the forest to hide his actions. Valek glanced up. Yelena had also exploited the Snake Forest’s tree canopy to escape the Commander’s men during a training exercise. It had been the day he learned she was far smarter than he’d thought. And more dangerous, too.
If only the Commander allowed magicians to live in Ixia, then she’d be working with him instead of being the Liaison. Valek had argued about the benefits of having a magician on staff with the Commander for years, but he remained stubborn. Perhaps Ambrose had changed his mind about magic after Kade’s demonstration. Valek had heard the Stormdancer had traveled north during this past cold season to harvest the energy from one of the blizzards that blew down from the northern ice pack. Kade’s magic had transformed the killer storm into a regular old snowstorm. The Commander let Kade stay for the rest of the season, but Valek hadn’t heard if Kade and his group of Stormdancers would be invited back next year. One thing was for sure: Valek and Commander Ambrose had a lot to catch up on.
When he arrived at the castle complex, Valek stopped at the southern gate. An immense stone wall completely surrounded the castle, barracks, stable and other support buildings.
Once again, he presented his fake orders and was pleased that these guards also followed the proper protocol.
After they allowed him entrance, Onyx automatically headed to the stables near the west gate and next to the dog kennels. Halfway there, they were stopped by a messenger.
“Adviser Valek, the Commander would like to see you in his war room right now. I’ll take your horse to the stable and see that your bags are delivered to your rooms, sir.”
He’d hoped to wash the travel grime off, but one didn’t tell the Commander to wait. Dismounting, he handed the reins to the boy and followed the path to the western entrance.