The Study of Fire (The Study Chronicles: Valek’s Adventures #3)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

V alek had no more defensive moves left. No energy to spare.

“Yes.” He conceded the match.

The crowd cheered as the trio’s weapons were withdrawn, and Janco helped Valek to his feet. There were also some boos and jeers from the onlookers as coins were exchanged. No surprise the soldiers had bet on the outcome of the fight.

Janco whooped and danced around the training yard. Big grins spread on Maren’s and Ari’s faces as they high-fived in celebration.

Even though he’d lost the match, Valek couldn’t help being proud of the trio. They’d worked as a true team, helping to maximize their individual strengths at the right time, keeping in sync with the others, and not trying to dominate. It was a rare dynamic, and he doubted another set of three people could achieve the same results.

Once Valek caught his breath, he projected his voice and addressed the crowd. “Congratulations to my opponents!” Another round of cheers sounded. “They have earned the right to become my seconds-in-command. However, if they don’t want the job, they can choose any position in Ixia, with the exception of being Commander or a general.”

A few laughs rippled through the onlookers. Maren’s expression turned thoughtful.

“And there are new rules for my challenge. If you want to become my second-in-command, you must beat the current ones before you can face me. You have two choices. You can attack en masse, but with a maximum ratio of two against one. If your group wins against the seconds, you can fight me. The maximum ratio for our fight is three against one.”

“If we beat your seconds and you, what happens? What’s the prize?” a soldier called out.

“You will replace my seconds,” Valek said.

“If six of us earn the right to fight you, what then?” another asked.

“I will fight each team of three separately. If you all defeat me, then I’ll have six new seconds.”

A murmur rose, and Valek raised his voice. “The second option is a one-on-one challenge. In that case, you must beat one of my seconds for the chance to fight me.” This would weed out those who weren’t ready to face Valek, saving him some time and aggravation. “Win against me and you’ll replace the second who you beat.”

“Two against one or one-on-one, it doesn’t matter with this group of soldiers,” Janco muttered as excited conversations broke out among the onlookers. “No one is getting through us. Valek’s gonna be bored.”

“Nothing’s impossible,” Ari said.

The noise from the various discussions died down as the Commander strode over to them.

“An impressive fight,” the Commander said to the trio. “Congratulations.” He shook each of their hands. Then he turned to Valek and lowered his voice. “That’s an interesting set of new rules you created. Have them posted in the barracks to avoid confusion. And add the unspoken rules as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Unspoken?” Janco asked.

“Like the ones I set for our fight. Basically, no brawling,” Valek explained. “Also, we can refuse a challenge. Or rather, reschedule. There are times when it’s inconvenient or you’re recovering from an injury. Eventually, you’ll fight the challenger, but you’ll have flexibility as to when.”

By this time, the crowd had disbursed, everyone returning to work or to their training sessions.

“What’s next?” Ari asked.

“The three of you will move out of my corps housing. There are suites down the hall from mine. You can each have one or share. Some have multiple bedrooms.”

“I’ll take my own,” Maren said. “I spend way too much time with these guys. I don’t need to hear them bickering all night long.”

“Ari and I will share,” Janco said without consulting his partner.

“What will our jobs entail?” Ari asked.

“Pretty much what you’ve been doing this past year,” Valek said. “But you’ll report directly to me instead of Kenda. And you’ll get to be in charge if I’m out of town on a mission.”

“What about our spy training?”

“I’d like you to finish it. While you already have a great deal of experience and knowledge, you can still learn some new skills in the art of subterfuge.”

As the trio went off to celebrate, Valek grabbed his cape and sword and walked back to the castle with the Commander. Well, Valek might have limped a bit. His left ankle was still sore from Janco’s blow.

The castle’s asymmetrical shape really stood out among the rest of the buildings in the complex. Valek automatically scanned the canted roofs and cornices, seeking any hidden intruders.

“The winners can have any position. When did I agree to that?” the Commander asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

“You didn’t have to agree. This is my challenge.”

The Commander’s expression hardened.

Valek rushed to continue. “Consider the person or persons who can beat me in a fight. You saw the match with Ari, Janco, and Maren. Those types aren’t ordinary soldiers. We want them to be promoted. To be working with our leaders.”

“I’m all for rewarding exceptional people, but I prefer to know a person before I have to work with them every day.”

“You know Ari, Janco, and Maren. And I doubt there’ll be another trio like them for a long while.”

The Commander paused and looked at Valek. “You’ve favored them from the beginning. Did you throw the match?”

He huffed in indignation. “You saw the fight. They earned it.”

“Don’t get huffy. You weren’t at your best.”

“I’ve never fought three opponents with a bo staff before. Plus, they were relentless.”

“True.” The Commander continued walking as his expression grew thoughtful. “I only saw two thirds of the fight. They did a remarkable job of utilizing their strengths. Their teamwork was impressive as well. Usually, egos get in the way when you have more than two partners. Also, having Ari acting as the leader kept them on track. It was a successful strategy.” He side-eyed Valek. “Are you injured? Ari’s hits on your bo staff rattled my teeth.”

“Bruised and sore, but nothing serious.” Valek appreciated that they had pulled back on the hits to his body. It prolonged the fight, but far better to win with strategy and cunning than with brute strength. The other soldiers would respect them more for that.

“Good,” the Commander said. “What are your thoughts on their new positions?”

Ah, good question. “I’m officially an adviser, so they should be advisers as well. Instead of reporting directly to you, they’ll work with me.”

“That’s reasonable. And when you’re away on a mission?”

“Then they’ll be acting Chiefs of Security, unless they’re with me,” Valek said. Then he rushed to add, “They won’t outrank the generals, though.”

“Good.” But then the Commander grinned at him. “Although, it could be fun if they did. Imagine setting Janco loose on the generals.”

Valek laughed. “That would be very entertaining.”

“It would. However, they will outrank the generals when they are acting as Chiefs of Security in your absence.”

Wow, that spoke volumes of the Commander’s trust in Valek’s new seconds. “I’ll let them know.”

* * *

The hot water lapped at his chest as Valek reclined in the bath. Red and purple bruises mottled his skin with the biggest concentration of them on his torso, arms, and shoulders. He’d no idea there were so many, but now that he’d noticed them, they clamored for attention. He sank until the water reached his jaw. The abrasion on his chin burned. He closed his eyes and tried to relax his muscles.

As always during these quiet moments, his thoughts traveled to Yelena. It’d been four days since they’d parted, having teamed up and fought against two powerful enemies. Alea Daviian had first tried to kill the Commander and Valek in Ixia, and then set her sights on murdering Yelena. All to enact revenge for her brother Mogkan, whose death had been caused by a combination of Yelena’s magic and Valek’s blade.

Then there was Ferde. A magician on a quest for power, killing young women to harvest their souls. He’d hoped to complete an Efe ritual and become more powerful than all four master magicians together. If Ferde had been successful, he would have taken over Sitia and then set his sights on Ixia. And Yelena would have been killed. Valek shuddered despite the heat sinking into his skin.

He pulled his thoughts from the horrors with a reminder that Ferde had been captured and incarcerated, and Alea was dead. Valek wondered what reaction the Sitian Council and the master magicians had when Yelena returned to the Citadel as their new Liaison and Soulfinder.

It wouldn’t be an easy road for her. Soulfinders had a bad reputation, as those in the past had abused their powers to manipulate a person’s soul. Yelena had said she could gather one in her heart and then release it back into their body. She could also influence a person through their soul, but Valek wasn’t sure what that entailed.

He did know that she’d managed to reach him in Ixia from the Citadel when she needed his help. Perhaps it was due to her Soulfinder magic. And while it would be a difficult time for her as she determined the extent of her powers, she’d been through worse. He’d no doubt that she’d persevere. Of course, that didn’t stop him from wishing he could be by her side, helping when needed.

With a sigh, Valek stood, dried off, and donned a clean uniform. While the fight had felt like it lasted all morning, it was still early in the day and Valek had plenty of work to do.

His increasingly dusty office greeted him. Assigning a housekeeper to clean his office and suite was one of the items on his long to-do list. It was just—he pulled in a deep breath, detecting a faint hint of lavender—that he was reluctant to chase away Yelena’s scent with the sharp aroma of cleaning solution. However, the Commander had ordered him to clean up his office. Perhaps the housekeepers had a lavender-scented furniture polish. He huffed in amusement. Most of the surfaces of his office were covered with stacks of books, half-burned candles, weapons, and his carving rocks.

Sitting behind his desk, Valek reviewed several reports before following up on a few promised tasks. He wrote the orders for Captain Silas’s promotion. The captain had aided Valek when he had encountered trouble at Military District 3’s garrison. The Commander had to sign the orders, but Valek didn’t think he’d object.

Soon he was absorbed in his work, making notes. Reports came in weekly from his corps. They’d been assigned to all the garrisons, manor houses, and large cities in Ixia, as well as the Sitian Citadel and all the big cities in Sitia. It was a vast network that sent him information and updates. Most of it was routine and ordinary, but occasionally there was a tidbit that intrigued him, that hinted at potential trouble brewing. In that case, he’d send a message back, asking for details. Then he’d either give the agents instructions on how to follow up, or he’d dispatch more of his agents to help. In a few cases, he’d investigate himself.

Valek grinned. With the promotion of Ari, Janco, and Maren, he could go on more missions. Especially if those missions just happened to be in Sitia. Kenda, his corps manager, would fuss at him over the danger, but Valek didn’t care if it meant seeing more of Yelena.

A knock interrupted his pleasant thoughts. “Come in.”

Ari, Janco, and Maren strode in, surprising him. Between celebrating and moving to new quarters, Valek didn’t expect to see them today. They wore their new adviser uniforms; the same one Valek wore every day. The all-black pants, belt, and tunic were plain. The only adornment was on their collars, where a red diamond shape had been stitched onto each side.

Janco held his arms out and did a little spin. “Nice, eh? This outfit commands respect.” He’d bathed and his short brown hair was still wet.

“What else does it command?” Ari asked. His wide shoulders strained the seams of his tunic.

“Anything that has to do with security. The Commander’s security, the castle’s security, and Ixia’s security. Overseeing security protocols, ensuring the guards are following those protocols, preventing treason and espionage,” Valek said.

“Do we outrank the guards and officers of the Army?” Janco asked. Glee glowed in his dark eyes.

“Yes, but not the advisers, as they are your colleagues, or me, the Commander, or the generals.”

“What if it’s about security?” Ari asked.

“If I’m not here and you are acting as Chief of Security, then you outrank everyone and have the right to take the lead.”

“What about the Commander?”

“Oh, he’ll want to take charge, but his safety is the most important. More important than your own lives. So, you just have to tackle him to the ground when you hear the twang of a bow launching an arrow.” Or, to avoid a sneeze. Ambrose was never going to let him forget that one.

“What about your corps?” Janco asked. “Are we in charge of them?”

“Not yet. You’ll be working with Kenda for now, learning how the organization runs. Eventually, you’ll have more oversight and will assume my role when I’m out of town.” He scanned their concerned expressions. “You’re my seconds. You aid me in my job and fill in for me when needed. Don’t worry, there’s bound to be some growing pains, mistakes, and miscommunications. What I want you all to remember is to not jump to conclusions. Thoroughly investigate everything, even if it’s an offhand comment. Ensure the intent before getting insulted or offended or angry.”

They considered his comments in silence for a few moments.

“What do you need us to do right now?” Ari asked.

“Continue with your spy training. It’s currently quiet.” He held up a hand, stopping Janco’s outburst. “I promise to bring you in when the next crisis happens. In my experience, these quiet spells don’t last long.”

While not happy, they agreed.

“Can we have a rematch with the puppy dogs?” Janco asked. He had not been happy when the corps’ four youngest spy students had accused him, Ari, Maren, and Kimette of cheating at the last training session.

“Yes. We’ll do another set.”

“Same exercise?” Ari asked.

“No. I’ll come up with something different. Perhaps more challenging for you since you’re now my seconds.”

“Ahhh, good,” Janco said. “’Cause that last one?—”

“Janco,” Ari warned.

Somewhat mollified, Ari and Janco left his office, but Maren lingered. She hadn’t said anything during the discussion. Her hair was wrapped in a tight bun, giving her a more mature and regal bearing. A tall woman with an athletic build, her posture was always military straight.

She ran a finger along his conference table, leaving a clean streak behind. “This is filthy.”

“I’m aware. Do you need something?”

“I…” Maren inspected a pile of books.

Valek waited.

Turning toward him, she said, “I agreed to join Ari and Janco mostly for the satisfaction of beating you.”

Understandable. “You don’t want to be my second?”

“I…” She tugged the hem of her tunic. “I’m not sure I want to deal with all the subterfuge and undercover missions all the time. I mean…I enjoyed the smash and grab. And killing sand spiders was fun. But…I don’t know…” She smoothed her collar and fiddled with the embroidered diamonds. “The spy training is interesting. It’s just…” Maren met his gaze. “Can I be a part-time second? Or a when-you-really-need-me second? Is that possible?”

“I did say you can have any job. What else would you like to do?”

“I’d like to be a real adviser.”

“You are a real adviser.”

“To the Commander. I enjoy political machinations far more than security. And the generals, and Sitia…”

“Plenty of intrigue and drama?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m okay with you being an as-needed second, but I need to check with the Commander about you reporting to him. Have you told Ari and Janco?”

“Yes. Janco pouted, of course. Cried I didn’t love them anymore.” Maren huffed in annoyance. “But Ari understood, and eventually Janco came around. I’m still going to finish the spy training, if that’s okay.”

“It’s perfect. And if the Commander agrees, you’ll have to go through his adviser training.”

“Adviser training?”

“In diplomacy, politics, resource management, leadership, things like that. And there’s an extensive course on self-defense, but I think you can skip that one.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Might be nice to have a class that I can ace.” Maren fiddled with her sleeves. For the first time since Valek had known her, she appeared doubtful.

“I’m sure you’ll ace them all.”

“Really?”

“You wouldn’t be standing here in an adviser’s uniform if I thought differently. I’ll let you know what the Commander decides.”

“Thank you.” Maren grinned and strode from the room.

Conferring with the Commander was just a formality; he’d be a fool to not accept Maren. And the Commander was never a fool.

* * *

Kenda visited his office later that afternoon. “Exciting morning,” she said as she settled on the chair in front of his desk. She held a stack of files.

“Did you see the fight?” he asked.

“Most of it. You made a number of mistakes.”

“Thanks,” he said dryly. “Guess I need to practice fighting multiple opponents again.”

“Yes, you do. You upped the stakes for future challenges. Did you do that on purpose?”

“I couldn’t make an exception for Ari, Janco, and Maren. Once I agreed to that fight, I couldn’t say no to other groups.”

“You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

“Gee, Kenda, no need to sugar-coat anything. Is there a reason, other than pointing out my flaws, for your visit?”

She held the files out. “This batch of reports came in this morning. I flipped through them, it’s pretty standard stuff. You know, with your three new seconds, you can delegate and have them read all these.”

“I’d need to teach them how to read between the lines first.”

“I can?—”

He took the reports from her. “You don’t have the time.” It was an old argument. She was in charge of assigning corps members, keeping track of them, and training the new recruits. Besides, Valek had so much practice at reading reports, he could scan them in half the time.

“How’s Star?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Still grieving, which means she’s not scheming. We have bets on when she’ll start planning her next treachery. I’ve a silver on mid-warming season.”

The Commander had sent his elite unit to raid Star’s operation. She had set up quite a network of illegal activities in two small towns in MD-7. When Major Granten had returned with prisoners, confiscated goods, and stacks of paperwork, gossip spread through the castle like a wildfire. It had been inevitable that Star would learn the fate of her organization. It had been a visible blow.

Kenda had reported that Star’s confidence and bluster had died. The shattered woman moved through her days in a fog. Kenda had allowed Star some liberty while she mourned her organization’s demise. She no longer stayed in the holding cells between tasting the Commander’s food. Instead, she had a room in the servants’ wing.

“I’ll bet a silver that she starts before the cold season,” Valek said.

“That early? Her people in Castletown were also arrested.”

“Probably not all of them. I’m betting she’ll soon be exploring her options and making trips into Castletown.”

“It’s your money.” She shook her head as if to imply he was wasting it.

“Anything else of note?” he asked.

“I’ve upped the intensity of Trevar’s training.”

Ah. The young man—or young puppy dog according to Janco—had claimed to be bored with his current classes. “How so?”

“Random ambushes, late night assassination attempts, more complex knife drills. Poor guy hasn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in a while. Bright side, he’s no longer bored.”

“Good. Maybe he’ll do better during the next round of exercises.”

“Don’t wait too long for that next round. Since your return from Sitia, Janco keeps suggesting creative ways for me to test Trevar. I haven’t been implementing them, but I’m afraid Janco will take the initiative—especially now that he’s one of your seconds-in-command.”

“He has no authority over you right now.”

“Oh, I know, but his team’s honor has been called into question. In this case, I don’t think he cares about the chain of command.”

“Noted.”

Kenda left and Valek read through the new reports. It was best not to let them pile up. Gabor, his agent in the Sitian Citadel, mentioned Yelena had returned to the Magician’s Keep and was currently living in Fourth Magician’s, Irys Jewelrose’s, tower.

That was new. Before, she had lived in the apprentice wing. Valek considered the change. Yelena was still learning the extent of her magic, still technically a student. But she had defeated Ferde and Alea, exhibiting master-level powers. Irys probably decided a full time apprenticeship would work better than Yelena attending various classes. Valek hoped it wasn’t an attempt to keep Yelena under house arrest again.

He'd worry more, but Gabor had written, “all appears well.”

By the time Valek reached the last report, his muscles had stiffened, and his bruises pulsed with pain. He either needed another hot soak, or to mix some pain powder in his now-cold tea. He’d missed dinner, and he was expected at his nightly meeting with the Commander soon. Unable to leave without finishing, Valek quickly scanned the information from his agents in MD-1.

They noted that General Kitvivan had sent out a large hunting party fully equipped with traps and large cages. Not unusual for this time of year. Game would be scarce during the cold season. So why would Kelia, Valek’s agent, mention it? His gaze was drawn to the word ‘large.’ It was darker than the rest, as if Kelia wanted to emphasize it.

Valek mulled it over. General Kitvivan, like all the generals, had a bad scare. They had been targeted by a group of magicians and lost control of their thoughts and actions. Alea Daviian had led the group and been the only one to escape to Sitia. The Commander and Valek executed the others.

Had Kitvivan increased his security forces? Was that why he needed a bigger hunting party? But what about the large cages? Nothing unusual about capturing live squirrels, rabbits, and groundhogs to breed them for meat, but the hunters would use smaller cages.

An uneasy feeling bubbled in his chest. Valek remembered Kitvivan complaining about the snow cats coming down from the Northern Ice Pack during the cold season and killing their livestock. The Commander had forbidden the general from hunting the cats. However, it was clear that the general decided to ignore the Commander’s order.