“He’s a professional. And as you can see, I’m quite capable of handling myself.”
“Yes, I know. But I have orders from the Second Magician.”
“What happens when the next assassin doesn’t fail? How would you explain my death to Second Magician?”
Alden sighed. “This is a no-win situation.”
I stood and offered him the seat. “Then tell the Master Magician I escaped. You know I’m safer on my own.”
Alden wilted. He removed his cape and hung it on the rack before sitting down. “Can you answer a few questions first?”
“As long as you’re willing to reciprocate.”
“All right. What happened last night?”
I filled him in on everything except the part where I climbed the bars. No need to give away all my tricks. Besides, there was always a chance I might need it again.
“Do you know who hired him?”
“No, but he called himself The Mosquito.” I lied for a good reason. No sense alerting Bruns that I was onto him. Kynan shouldn’t remember too much from when he was under the influence of the goo-goo juice.
“How long until he wakes?”
“Curare lasts about a day.”
“Okay. Your turn.”
“I need an update on the investigation into Ben Moon’s whereabouts.”
“There’s not much to tell. We scoured Fulgor, searching every factory, warehouse, empty building, and found nothing. They suspected you purposely misled them into believing he was in Fulgor.”
Which explained some of the hostility from Devlen and the others. “Yet they’d found his hideout.”
“Opal walked through every single alley, seeking magic. She discovered an illusion that hid a door. The place appeared to be occupied, so they set an ambush and that’s where you came in.”
Lucky me. “Did anyone go to Red Oak?”
“No. They concentrated their efforts here. None of Ben’s men have returned to the warehouse since our people have found it, but evidence at the scene suggests Ben and his gang are headed west toward Owl’s Hill. The task force left for Owl’s Hill yesterday.”
Too easy. Ben would never leave real clues. He was probably sending them on a wild-Valmur chase. My gut instinct said Ben was in Red Oak or in a town nearby. No logical reason for it, but I’d learned to trust my instincts.
“Task force?”
“A fancy name for Leif, Hale and Opal.”
So they planned to keep me in protective custody until they returned. Anger burned, but I kept my voice even. “Can you return my effects and escort me from the building?”
“I can’t convince you to stay?” He had a hopeful tone.
“No.”
All activity ceased when Alden and I stepped into the bull pen. He glared at his men and ordered them to fetch my cloak and pack. One guard rushed to comply, and in a matter of minutes, I was free.
First stop, a decent meal. I walked to the Second Chance Inn and feasted on sweet cakes. Then I inquired about renting a horse. Red Oak was too far to travel by foot.
“There’s a stable a few miles north of here called the Clever Fox,” the waitress said. “They lease horses, but they require a pretty hefty deposit.”
That wouldn’t be a problem. No, the biggest problem I foresaw was what I would do if I found Ben in Red Oak. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that Ben and his friends were the least of my worries, but when I focused on it, the memory faded. At least I had a couple of days to think about it. I thanked the waitress and left a big tip.
Before visiting the stable, I shopped for supplies. I’d need the standard travel fare—beef jerky, bread, cheese and tea. Not the most appetizing. I laughed. Leif had rubbed off on me. Traveling with him certainly had its perks. Too bad I still wanted to strangle him.
Once I left Fulgor, no one would know my whereabouts. While desirable for avoiding assassins, Ben’s spies and annoying brothers, I thought it best to send a message to Valek just in case I ran into trouble.
* * *
The Clever Fox stables offered a number of horses for loan. The tidy barns, neat tack room and the clean earthy smell all pointed to a well-run, well-cared-for place of business. The owner, a man named Ellard, peered at me as if I was crazy when I inquired about Sandseed horses.
“I wish, missy,” Ellard said. “Sandseeds won’t tolerate multiple riders, but I had one as a boarder here a couple years ago. Ah...she was a thing of beauty she was.” His brown-eyed gaze grew distant. “But I might have a good match for you. She’s a bit older, but smart like those Sandseeds. Come on.”
He led me to a stall in the back of the barn. A gray dappled mare poked her head over the door. Curiosity and intelligence shone in her light gray eyes.
“This here’s The Madam. She’s strong and steady, unflappable in most cases.”
“And what upsets her?”
“Picket fences. Not sure why, but I suspect that scar on her chest might be the reason. It’s just a guess, mind you. But if you keep her away from them, you’ll be fine.”
Good to know. “How much?”
We haggled over a price that included a saddle and tack. When we settled on a price, he saddled The Madam. Then I transferred my supplies, filling the saddlebags with my purchases. The Madam watched me instead of grazing on the grass under her hooves.
I thanked Ellard and mounted. “Let’s go,” I said to The Madam.
She didn’t move.
“Are you sure you have riding experience?” Ellard asked.
“Yes.” Just not with a regular horse. I thought back to my riding lessons six years ago.
I tapped my heels against The Madam’s flanks and clicked my tongue. She lurched forward into a walk. Ellard waved goodbye as we exited his stables. Once we reached the northeastern road, I spurred her into a trot.
As we passed farm fields, tiny villages and forests, I altered The Madam’s gait between trotting, cantering and walking so I wouldn’t exhaust her. At least, that was my intention. Kiki always picked her pace and stopped when she was tired.
A few hours after sunset, I searched for a safe place to rest for the night. This route was too remote for travel shelters, and none of the towns had inns. I needed to find a camping site hidden from view.
An hour later, I discovered a small clearing behind a rock pile, which would block us from other travelers. Since we hadn’t encountered anyone so far, I risked lighting a miniature fire to heat water for my tea.
While waiting for the water to boil, I removed The Madam’s saddle, fed her and groomed her. She stretched her neck and leaned into the currycomb, encouraging me to rub harder. Then she moved around, presenting me with various body parts to comb. The behavior seemed odd to me, but when I thought about it, it made sense. After all, she knew the itchy places on her hide and I didn’t.
I returned to the fire and ate a bland supper of jerky and cheese. At least my cinnamon tea tasted spicy. Memories of past campfires swirled—Ari and Janco arguing over the definition of the word suspect, Leif cooking up one of his delicious road stews, Valek’s gaze meeting mine over the flames as a warmth spread through my body that had nothing to do with the campfire and everything to do with Valek.
Ah, the good old days. As long as I ignored the reasons that sent us on the road and all those miserable nights freezing or being drenched by the pouring rain or experiencing both. Selective recall suited me better—especially when I sat by myself, feeling lonely and skittish.
Plus the alternative, contemplating Ben’s reasons for being near the Ixian border, was unpalatable. Except I should develop a plan of action. He might not be in the area now, but he had to have a purpose for going there. Other than leading the posse away from Fulgor.
I decided to snoop around, following the Sunworth river east. If I fo
und him then I’d... What? Deliver a message to Fulgor, reporting Ben’s whereabouts.
Report him to whom? Part of me was tempted to send a message to Valek. If he’d had his way three years ago, Ben would be dead and all these problems wouldn’t be. Of course, there’d be a whole new set of problems. It never ended. Perhaps I should just travel to Ixia and let Alden and the others deal with Ben and this mystery threat. It was tempting. Very tempting.
But Opal’s comment, “Because we can help and it wouldn’t be right not to,” replayed in my mind. And while I might have lost my magic, I hadn’t lost the past eight years of experience in outsmarting the criminal element. At least I could determine Ben’s location and possible schemes and then send the information to Captain Alden.
Now that I had a plan of action, I doused the fire and tried to sleep. Tried being the key word. Every noise jerked me awake despite The Madam snoozing unperturbed nearby. There was a downside to unflappable. I worried she wouldn’t alert me to danger.
Giving up a few hours after midnight, I packed up the camp and woke The Madam. We’d take our time so we’d reach Red Oak after dark.
* * *
It didn’t take long to determine the two main sources of income for Red Oak. Between the floating logs and barges, it was easy to guess. The place had a sawmill that misted the air with the fragrance of freshly cut wood and clouds of sawdust. Stacks of lumber filled the wagons trundling south to make deliveries.
Barges loaded with coal bobbed dockside. Men shoveled the black rocks into wagons, emptying the metal boats and paying the tender. Then the barge was tied to a team of horses and pulled back upstream to the foothills of the Emerald Mountains to be reloaded.
By the amount of inns and taverns, I guessed the town benefited just as much from the influx of tenders and merchants as it did from the goods.
I kept to the shadows until I felt safe. A new face probably wouldn’t attract attention, but a female one might. The majority of the laborers were men. No surprise, considering the backbreaking labor and strength needed to muscle the logs and shovel the coal.
After searching the entire town, I found no signs or clues that Ben had been here. None of the waitresses in the local taverns remembered serving them. Disappointed, I continued upstream, scouting two or three small towns each night, depending on the size.
Once I determined Ben and his gang weren’t in town, I moved on. I had no real strategy for figuring this out. It was a gut instinct based on odd or furtive behavior or unusual interest in my presence. I doubted Ben’s men would be working in a mill. After the place settled for the night, I’d visit the tavern for a meal and listen to the town’s gossip. Strangers setting up shop or buying abandoned buildings always caused the locals much concern, which they discussed at length.
When it grew too late, I rented a room and pumped the innkeeper for any news. Then I’d be on the road before dawn.
After three nights of finding and learning nothing besides the general grumbling over the price drop of black coal, I approached Lapeer without any expectations. The place matched all the other river towns. But once I neared, a familiar scent jolted me as if I’d been struck by lightning.
Curare.
27
VALEK
“We traced the smugglers to the foothills of the Soul Mountains,” Ari said, plopping into the chair in front of Valek’s desk. The wood creaked in protest.
“And?” Valek asked.
“We lost them,” Gerik said. He stood behind Ari, his posture rigid as if expecting a blow for reporting bad news.
It had been eleven days since Ari and Janco had left for their respective missions.
“Lost them how?” he asked.
“They either vanished over the mountain or under the mountain,” Ari said. “The trail signs just stopped, and we suspect magic is the reason for the disappearance, but we can’t be certain.” Ari shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...we need Janco. He’s the only one besides you who could see through the illusion.”
Valek considered. “It makes sense for them to use the tunnels to enter Ixia and for them to conceal the entrance with magic.” Technically, no one in Ixia could sense it except Valek.
“Did Janco report in?” Ari asked.
“Not yet.”
“Should we be worried?” Gerik asked.
Valek exchanged a glance with Ari.
Ari shrugged. “Depends. If he’s found nothing, he won’t bother to send a message, and if he’s hot, then he won’t have time. I think it’s too soon to worry.” He turned to address Gerik. “Besides, your girl is quite capable of handling herself.”
“She’s not mine,” Gerik said in a gruff tone.
“So you say.” Ari smirked as he leaned back in the chair.
Interesting. “Anything else to report?”
“We did uncover where they’re distributing all the black-market goods,” Ari said. “There’s a warehouse in the factory district of MD-5, a few miles south of the General’s manor house.”
“Do you think General Ute is involved?”
“Not sure. We didn’t do a full investigation, just watched long enough to confirm the transfer of illegal goods.”
He mulled over the information. Getting inside the warehouse wasn’t as critical as finding the smuggling route into Ixia. Neither Ari nor Gerik had the skills or the size to stow away in one of the wagons heading to the Soul Mountains, and all his best people had been assigned to other missions. Plus if there was magic involved, only he would be able to detect it. Valek would have to go.
After Ari and Gerik left, Valek contemplated the best way to present this new information to the Commander. He outlined a plan, then worked on reports. When the sun set, he lit the lanterns and candles scattered around. He liked plenty of light.
Just as he returned to his desk, the window behind him creaked. In an instant, he was on his feet with his knives in hand. Valek turned. Arbon climbed through the window.
“That’s a quick way to get yourself killed,” Valek said.
“How else was I supposed to get in here? You’ve tightened security.” Arbon jumped down, landing lightly.
“Apparently not tight enough. You could have sent me a message.”
“Where’s the fun in that? Besides, I gotta keep my skills sharp.” Arbon grinned and made himself comfortable.
Valek remained standing. “How did you get in?”
“Come on, King Killer. You know better than that. How about a pat on the back? It wasn’t easy, ya know.”
Valek admitted he was impressed. And Arbon had done him a favor by testing his security. Obviously more measures needed to be implemented.
“Do you have the name of the person who put the hit on Yelena?” Valek asked.
“You know how tight-lipped assassins are about their clients, and—”
“Yes or no, Arbon. It’s not a difficult question.”
“All he would tell me is the client is wealthy and has ties to Councilor Jewelrose.”
Valek considered. That narrowed it down to one clan. “Do you know why this person hired the assassin?”
“No. But I will tell you the assassin is called The Mosquito because he keeps a vial of the victim’s blood as a souvenir. He also won’t quit until he finishes the job. Even if it takes years.”
Not good. “Do you know his real name?”
“No. And I don’t want to. I plan on retiring soon.”
“Anything else?”
“The Mosquito wasn’t hired until after that attack on your girl.”
Valek sat down. “There’s another assassin.”
“It’s possible, but no one contacted any of the Sitian assassins for hire. Either there’s a brand-new player, or it’s someone from Ixia.”
; Or both. Valek thought about Onora. She had the skills and the intelligence to wear boots sized for a man to throw him off. But why would she?
“Last thing,” Arbon said. “The Mosquito mentioned that the only reason he took the job was because his client assured him she is vulnerable.” He shook his head. “No. He didn’t elaborate.”
Valek’s stomach pinched with worry. If the rumors about Yelena being weak spread, she’d have more than two assassins after her. “Thanks, Arbon.”
“Are we square?”
“Yep.”
Arbon left the same way he’d arrived. Valek brooded in his chair, mulling over everything Arbon had said. Onora’s arrival the very night he returned from Sitia had seemed rather convenient. Was the attack on Yelena a test to see if Valek would remain with Yelena instead of returning to Ixia? Something had happened to the Commander while Valek was gone. Perhaps Onora had sneaked into his suite prior to Valek’s return and surprised him.
Guessing would get Valek nowhere. He needed to find the right time and place to talk to the Commander—maybe after they’d stopped the smugglers. And while Valek’s heart urged him to abandon his duties in Ixia and race to protect Yelena, his mind reminded him she was traveling with Leif and another magician, and that many others had underestimated her in the past and all had regretted it.
Valek decided that he’d discover the smugglers’ new route and then make a detour to find Yelena.
* * *
“You just returned,” the Commander said. He swirled pear brandy around his glass, staring at the pale yellow liquid.
“There’s evidence that magic is involved with the smuggling operation and only I can sense it,” Valek said.
“All right. Go and shut them down. If you find a tunnel, collapse it. If you find a hole in our border defense, plug it. If you find a warehouse full of illegal goods, burn it down. If you encounter anyone who doesn’t have permission to be in Ixia, arrest them. If you discover a magician within our borders, kill him.”
Oh boy. Valek drank a mouthful of brandy to give him time to absorb the Commander’s intent. “You wish to send a message to the smugglers.” A big message.