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

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

S tar had stolen some of Valek’s goo-goo juice and used it to capture Yelena. Valek wondered if Star’s tiny magical talent included being able to give his agents the slip. How else could she have gotten the goo-goo juice?

The third goon picked Yelena up and carried her. If they had wanted to kill her, they wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble. Curious to see what they had planned, Valek followed the three of them. The streets were empty.

Two horses hitched to a wagon were parked in a dark corner two blocks away. Coffin shaped crates had been stacked inside. The other two goons waited for them. When the threesome neared, they opened the top crate. Yelena was dumped inside.

“Take them to our colleagues in Sitia,” Star ordered. “Make sure you prick them with the goo-goo juice every twelve hours until you reach the meeting point.”

Two of the goons hopped onto the driver’s bench. One grabbed the reins and clicked his tongue. The horses lurched forward.

“What about Porter?” Third Goon asked. “He’ll eventually figure out we kidnapped his kids.”

Watching the wagon trundle down the street, Star said, “He won’t be a problem. Porter can’t say or do anything to attract attention because Valek will kill him. Do you know the big oaf actually thought he was in charge of his rescue operation?” She laughed. “He tried to fire me. My people have been smuggling those kids out of Ixia for years.”

“He paid you well.”

“Yeah, and it was a nice feel good operation until I got a better offer.”

They walked in the opposite direction of the wagon, keeping to the shadows.

Valek would bet that better offer was why Porter’s ducklings began disappearing. But who was Star selling the young magicians to? He’d bet a year’s pay it was the Daviian Warpers, but there was a chance he could be wrong.

Star’s goons were taking Yelena to Sitia. They had already planned to go there so Valek decided he’d follow the wagon, find out who the buyer was, and then rescue Yelena and the girls.

In the past, Yelena had understood his tactics. She had even forgiven him for duping her about Butterfly’s Dust. She’d understand his decision. Right? He fervently hoped she would.

He raced back to the castle. Grabbing his pack, he shoved in a few more warm layers of clothing, then he ran over to Kenda’s office. She was working late as usual.

“Something happen?” she asked.

He updated her.

“I knew we should have killed Star right away. What should I do when she shows up?”

“Arrest her. Only allow her out of her cell to taste the Commander’s meals. I’ll deal with Star when I return. Find out if Trevar and Adrik’s covers have been blown. If not, have them continue their undercover mission. Can you tell the Commander where I’m going?”

“I can, but you owe me a big favor in return. That is, if I survive.”

“Add it to the list.” He waved and dashed to the stables.

Once again, he appealed to Kiki. She had a magical bond with Yelena. “I need your help. Yelena’s been taken and we need to catch up with her captors.”

She glanced at her back as if to say, hop on.

“I can’t ride bareback this time. This is going to take us a few days. I’ll explain everything on the way.”

She snorted and pawed the ground. No doubt telling him to hurry up. He saddled her in record time. Then, he put a bridle and reins on Onyx. If, no, when , he caught up to and freed Yelena and the girls, he’d need another horse.

Valek had barely settled in his seat when Kiki took off. Without any guidance from him, she flew through the west gate, jumping the barrier. Instead of heading through Castletown, she skirted around the town’s edge, aiming southwest. Onyx kept up with ease.

When they reached the Snake Forest, she slowed as she picked her way through the underbrush and fallen trees without making a sound. Magic horse, indeed. Onyx followed her example. They eventually reached a road. Kiki turned left and broke into a trot.

Valek leaned over her neck and whispered. “If this is the road Yelena’s on, please don’t catch up.”

Her ears flattened, but she switched to a walk. He guessed that meant Yelena was nearby. Valek explained to Kiki what he planned to do and why.

“You know I won’t hesitate if we see she’s in immediate danger.”

Kiki’s ears relaxed. They located the wagon, and Valek was surprised to see that it joined the queue of caravans going to the border exchange site. Kiki found a spot that they could watch without being seen. While they waited, Valek noted that the goods coming into Ixia were inspected, but the boxes and crates going out were not.

When the wagon reached the front of the line, the border guards glanced at their papers, obviously not reading them. The goons then unloaded the crates and carried them over the border to another wagon. They shook hands with the two large men who had been waiting. Daviians. After the goons were paid, they returned to their wagon and headed north.

The Daviians spurred their wagon team south through the Featherstone Clan’s lands. Valek and Kiki followed. The Citadel appeared to be their destination. On the second day, they stopped well off the road to camp for the night. Valek dismounted and snuck closer as the two Daviians set up.

Unfortunately, like the previous night, the two said very little. But they took care of their prisoners, letting them out, taking off the gags and bindings, feeding them, allowing them to relieve themselves in relative privacy. They did this twice a day. Valek hated seeing Yelena and the girls gagged, but he understood why. They were under the influence of goo-goo juice. The drug affected everyone differently, but most felt as if they were very drunk. He mainly used it to interrogate people. The victim couldn’t lie very well, and they couldn’t stop talking. Sometimes it was gibberish, but Valek had gotten some vital information using the drug.

Valek was about to return to Kiki and Onyx when other voices sounded. A group of people strode through the woods and joined the two Daviians. He counted six with a sinking heart. No way Valek could fight eight.

When the group reached the campfire, the light illuminated their faces. Valek stifled a curse and suppressed the urge to stroll up to Cahil and plunge his knife deep into the man’s heart. Standing with the Wannabe King were four of his minions and another Daviian. Magic swept by Valek. There was at least one warper among them.

He tensed for action, but the new arrivals just congratulated themselves on their prizes. They laughed and talked and set up tents. Eventually, they set a watch and went to sleep. Valek debated if he should rescue Yelena and the girls now. They’d been dosed with goo-goo juice. He could prick the guard with sleeping potion, and perhaps the others as well, but it would be hard to get Yelena and the girls far enough away to be safe. Once Cahil woke up and discovered them missing, there’d be a manhunt. As much as he wanted to free Yelena, tonight wouldn’t work.

Instead of heading directly south, the group turned southeast and bypassed the Citadel. Valek had been waiting for a better opportunity to rescue the captives, but the next night had all the same difficulties. Perhaps he could exchange the darts filled with goo-goo juice with water while everyone slept. Once Yelena and the girls were free of the drug, it would be much easier to escape.

Except, on the fourth night, they kept Yelena sitting by the campfire and didn’t prick her with goo-goo juice. This was new. Valek crept as close as he dared.

“Should not do this,” a Daviian was saying. “She should stay under until we reach our destination. Jal is the only one strong enough to counter her power.”

Wannabe King said, “I made a promise to her. I want her to know who has her, and what we plan to do to her.”

That could be a very big mistake. One Valek had been hoping for.

“Take the gag off,” Wannabe King ordered. He stood behind her but stepped into her view.

Yelena took a moment to gather her wits once the gag was removed. She glanced up and saw Cahil’s cocky smirk. He kicked her in the ribs. Valek jumped to his feet with his knife in hand, but he was outnumbered. And if the guards started dropping from the sleeping potion, it would warn the others. He settled back.

“That’s for hitting me with Curare!” Cahil kicked her again. “And that’s just because I can.”

Valek promised he would ensure the Wannabe King paid for each kick.

“Cahil,” she said between gasps. “You’re still…scared. Of me.”

Nice, love.

Cahil laughed. “Yelena, you’re the one who should be scared.” He crouched down and held a dart in front of her face. “ I allowed you this brief moment of lucidity. Listen closely. Remember what I said to you the last time we were together?”

“When you wanted to exchange me for Marrok?” she asked.

“No. When I promised to find a person who could defeat you and Valek. I’ve met with success. In fact, you have already had an encounter with my champion.”

“Ferde?”

The Fire Warper. And she was well aware of him.

“Act the fool, but I know better. My champion makes you sweat with fear. The Fire Warper has been called to this world with one mission. To capture you. And you’re powerless against him.” Pure satisfaction shone on Cahil’s face. “I will deliver you to Jal and the Fire Warper. Jal will perform the Kirakawa ritual’s binding ceremony on you, taking your powers as the Fire Warper claims your soul,” Cahil said.

“And what do you get, Cahil?” Yelena asked.

“I get to witness your death and watch your heart mate suffer before he meets the same end.”

“But Jal gains power. Do you really believe Jal will let you rule? And what about the Fire Warper? Do you think he’ll be content to go back after his task is complete?”

“He has come asking for you. Once he has you, he’ll go back. Then Jal rules Sitia, and I rule Ixia.”

Hold up. That was the opposite of what Cahil had claimed earlier.

“Before you said you called him. Now you say he has come. Which one is it?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does. If you called him, you have control over him.”

He shrugged. “Jal will deal with him. As long as I have Ixia. I don’t care.”

“You should care. The need for power is addicting. Ask your Daviian friends about the history of the Sandseed Clan and the Daviian Mountains. Then you’ll realize Jal won’t be content with just ruling Sitia. Once your usefulness is gone, you will be too.”

There was lots of interesting information in that statement. Valek would have to ask Yelena about it later.

“You’re just trying to trick me. I know better than to listen to you.”

Cahil tried to stab the dart into her throat. Yelena fell back, but he followed her down and jabbed the metal tip into her skin. She closed her eyes as if defeated.

But then her eyes opened. “Pay close attention, Cahil. You’ll see the truth.” She went slack, lying there unmoving.

Not goo-goo juice, but Curare. That was worse.

Cahil grunted and stood. “I’ve seen the truth. That’s why I want you dead.”

A Daviian joined him next to the fire. “I felt magic. Brief. Did she use her power on you?”

That one was a warper. Valek hoped Yelena had done something.

“No. I got her in time,” Cahil said.

They discussed their plans for leaving in the morning. As they set up the tents, the Wannabe King said, “I should kill her now.”

Valek rose to a crouch. Alarmed replies told him it would be imprudent. It seemed the Daviians had plans for her.

“Jal needs her, and we do not wish to infuriate the Fire Warper,” another said.

“Why should I care about infuriating the Fire Warper?” Cahil asked. “ I’m in charge. He should answer to me . He should worry about infuriating me , especially after the fiasco in the jungle.”

Soothing words were muttered.

“Put her back in the box,” Cahil said. “Secure it, just in case we encounter trouble.”

Two of the Daviians lifted Yelena and returned her. At least, Valek learned a name. Possibly the leader of the clan? And if this Jal managed to take Yelena’s power, they’d become unstoppable.

* * *

“Let’s get moving. If we push, we can reach the Avibian border by sundown,” Cahil said in the morning.

Valek now had a destination.

“Should we check on her?” one of Cahil’s minions asked.

“No. She’s under Curare now. She can’t do anything besides breathe until the potion wears off,” Cahil answered. “Finish feeding the girls. We’ll let the juice wear off before we prepare them for the ritual.”

And he now had a deadline. Tonight.

He followed them as they urged their horses to go faster. Sitting on top of the boxes, Cahil and the Warper added extra weight for the two equines pulling the wagon. The minions ran alongside the wagon like they’d been doing every day.

During the trip, Valek created and dismissed several rescue plans. Eventually, he figured out the best way to save Yelena and the others. Valek told Kiki his strategy. Just in case something happened to him, Kiki would know a safe place to take Yelena and the girls. Now, he only had to wait until full dark before he could make his move.

Cahil and his companions stopped just shy of the Avibian Plains. It was an hour before sunset. Valek wondered why they had come here instead of going to the Citadel. Was this where Jal would join them? Valek dismounted and edged closer.

“We’ll camp here,” Cahil said. “When you’re done setting up, let the girls out. They should be lucid by now and you can get them ready for the Kirakawa tomorrow.”

Having them lucid would aid in Valek’s efforts.

“What about the Soulfinder?” one of the vermin asked.

“Drakke will give her another dose tonight. Too much Curare could stop her heart,” Cahil replied.

Valek waited while they pitched tents and collected firewood. They finished and pulled the girls out. Prepping the girls included stripping their clothing and tying them down by the fire. Valek had to look away as the Warper cut their arms and legs to collect their blood. As much as his heart screamed at him to run in and save the girls, logic overruled. Valek needed to be methodical, and his timing had to be perfect.

When Drakke moved toward the wagon, Valek prepped his blowpipe with a dart loaded with sleeping potion.

The man lifted the lid of Yelena’s box, Valek aimed, puffed, and missed. The man grunted as he was pulled off balance. Drakke froze. Probably a victim of the Curare he was supposed to give Yelena. Then, he was hauled inside the box.

Valek silently cheered as Yelena poked her head out. He tucked his blowpipe into a pocket. He’d join her and let her know the plan. Without warning, a flock of bats appeared over the fire. They swooped down on the minions around the campfire, biting their arms as their cries filled the air. Not good.

Cahil and the warper exited one of the tents, and the warper yelled about magic. Yelena must have used her power to create a distraction. Then she popped out of her box and took off in the wrong direction.

His plan was fucked. Valek ran back to where Kiki and Onyx were waiting and mounted Kiki, leaving Onyx behind.

“Go! Go! We’ll get between Yelena and the others,” he said, pulling his sword.

Kiki broke into a gallop. They raced to the camp. Valek spotted Yelena being pursued by Cahil’s minions. Kiki angled to the left to intercept her.

Yelena dove to the ground, rolling into a ball. Kiki cut sharply, avoiding Yelena and turning her side to the minions. They drew their swords and Valek swung his own, pushing them back as Kiki’s speed gave him an advantage. Kiki pivoted in another quick turn. Yelena jumped to her feet.

“Yelena!” He yanked her bo staff from the saddle and threw it to her.

She caught it in midair. Kiki spun and Valek slid off her back. He engaged the minions in a sword fight. With four against one, he wouldn’t last long. But then Yelena joined with her bo, and Kiki with her hooves. The Wannabe King and the warper hung back, and Valek wondered what they were scheming.

A minion blocked too wide and Valek cut his arm in half. They pressed their advantage as the injured man fell to the ground. Except, Cahil ordered the rest of his minions to disengage. They stepped back. Valek glanced at Yelena.

“The girls are still at the camp,” she said.

He nodded and they stalked the retreating men.

The warper threw his arms up and yelled, “Inflame.”

Magic pressed on Valek’s skin. With a whoosh of hot air, the man on the ground burst into flames. Valek and Yelena jumped back. The poor man screamed and writhed. He stilled as the intense heat consumed him. Acrid puffs of charred flesh reached Valek.

“Come! Find your soul mate!” The warper’s voice cut through the roaring fire.

A man’s form coalesced from the pulsing flames.

“What’s going on?” Valek asked as nausea churned in his stomach.

“Let’s go.” Yelena scrambled onto Kiki’s back.

Valek hopped on right behind her. Kiki took off.

“What about the girls?” he asked.

“Later.”

It was a smart move. They couldn’t do anything at the moment, but guilt still welled in his chest. And he couldn’t return for Onyx either.

Kiki headed for the farmhouse he had told her about. It was a modest size with flower beds surrounding the structure. The stable, which Valek had praised when he talked out his plan with Kiki, was her first stop. Valek slid off the horse. But Yelena didn’t move. She studied the house with a suspicious squint.

Kiki snorted and nudged Valek. He wondered what Kiki was telling Yelena. She had the ability to communicate with Kiki and could magically connect with other creatures, like those bats.

She finally looked at him. “Summer home? Isn’t it a little dangerous?”

He smiled. “Safe house for my corps. A base of operations.”

“How convenient.”

The stable was empty. Valek helped her remove Kiki’s saddle and groom her, delaying the inevitable conversation. Valek wasn’t looking forward to confessing, but he wouldn’t lie to her.

When they finished, she sagged with fatigue. “How did you find me? And your timing was impeccable, as always.”

Valek pulled her into his arms. She leaned against him and shook. No doubt the shock of the escape and everything had caught up to her.

“You’re welcome, love. I had wanted to sneak in and free you tonight, but you had other plans. I should have been more prepared, but when I saw him poke you last night, I thought for sure you would be out of it.” He pulled away. “Let’s go inside. I need a drink.”

The interior of the farmhouse was decorated like all his safehouses—spartan and utilitarian. Valek lit a few lanterns and poured a couple of drinks. Yelena wouldn’t let him build a fire. He understood her fear, but she needed some warmth. Instead, he pulled her close, sharing his body heat as they sipped the brandy.

“General Kitvivan’s white brandy?” she asked.

“You remembered!” Valek was pleased. It had been a lifetime ago, when she had learned the taste of all the generals’ favorite brandies. Or so it felt.

“There are tastes and smells that call certain memories. White brandy reminds me of the Commander’s brandy meeting.”

“Ah, yes. And after having to taste all those brandies for the Commander, you drunkenly tried to seduce me.”

“And you refused.”

And it just about killed him. “I wanted to accept. But I didn’t know if your desire was from your heart or from the brandy. You might have regretted it later.”

“Enough small talk. Tell me everything,” she ordered.

He sighed. “You’re not going to like it.”

“Compared to what I’ve just been through these last—what? Three days? I don’t even know. It can’t be that bad.”

“I knew you were swimming in some very dangerous waters,” he said, “but I hadn’t known they extended so deep.”

“Valek, get to the point.”

This was going to be bad. Unable to sit still, he stood and prowled the room. “Five days ago, you were taken?—”

“Five days!”

Valek put up his hand to forestall her questions. “Let me finish first. You were kidnapped by Star, and the reason she was able to smuggle you so far south, was because…I let her.” He paused to let his words sink in.

She stared at him in astonishment. “You set me up?”

Betrayal laced her words, and he felt awful. He hadn’t planned for her to be a captive for so long. “Yes and no.”

“You need to do better than that.” Anger now sharpened her tone.

He hurried to explain. “I knew Star would want to exact some type of revenge on you. She has kept in contact with the underground network, and I allowed her because then I could learn who the new players were. With the Code of Behavior, there will always be a black market for illegal goods and forged papers. I like to keep tabs on the network to make sure things don’t go too far, like when Star hired assassins to ruin the Sitian trade treaty. And when?—”

“Get to the point.”

Right. “Star knew you would be at Porter’s safe house?—”

“Porter set me up?”

“I don’t think so. Are you going to let me tell you or not?” He put his hands on his hips to keep from embracing her and begging for her forgiveness.

She gestured for him to go on.

“I’ve known about Porter’s rescue operation for a couple years and have allowed it to continue. However, recently, his charges have been disappearing and I’ve been wondering why. But that wasn’t the reason I watched the house. I had followed Star and three of her men there and was shocked to see you walk blindly into her trap. Didn’t you even see her?”

“She used a subtle kind of magic.”

“I haven’t felt her, and I’ve been working with her for a while.”

“You didn’t pick up on my magic, either. And it flared out of control a couple times within the castle.”

“I will keep it in mind,” Valek said. “Star’s motives for ambushing you, I understood. The surprise arrived when she and her friends also targeted the girls. I needed to know where they were taking you.”

She scrunched her brow. “You could have helped me that night, but instead decided to wait?” she asked in outrage.

“A calculated risk. I wanted to discover the extent of her operation and why she kidnapped the girls. I had no idea you would end up across the border and in the Wannabe King’s hands.”

Valek knelt in front of her and reached for her hands. She kept them tightly crossed across her chest. Anger flashed in her eyes. He was in trouble. Well deserved, but he had learned so much.

“This wouldn’t have happened at all if you told me about your meeting with Porter,” he said. They may have been able to come up with a counter plan.

“A calculated risk. Like it or not, I’m a magician, and if there’s a way to help my colleagues I’m going to try. I wasn’t going to tell the Commander’s magician killer about it.”

Her words were a dagger in his heart. Valek sank back onto his heels. His expression hardened. “Magician killer? Is that what you think of me?”

“That is one of your duties for the Commander. I know how you operate. You like to stalk your prey before you pounce. Allowing Porter’s network to continue is part of your modus operandi.”

Valek kept his expression neutral. He deserved her anger and her censure. She’d been hurt and almost killed. But her words… She didn’t know him at all. Did she think he enjoyed killing young magicians? Then why was she even with him?

“How did Star get us into Sitia?” she asked, changing the subject.

Valek said in a flat tone, “Put you into crates, stacked boxes of goods on top, and dressed as traders. They had the proper papers. The border guards did a cursory check and off you went.” And they failed to spot the ruse. “The border guards will be taken to task and retrained.”

Exhaustion seeped into his bones. He stood. “I was going to suggest we get a few hours’ sleep and try to rescue the girls. But since I’m the magician killer, I guess I won’t concern myself about their fates.” He left the room.

He went out to the stable. Kiki dozed in a stall. Drinking some water and eating a few sticks of jerky, Valek shouldered his pack. No way he’d allow the warpers to kill the girls. Kiki needed to rest, and the Warper camp wasn’t that far. Valek slipped from the barn and jogged south.

By the time he arrived at the border, Cahil and the warpers were gone. And so was Onyx. So much for riding to the rescue. The wagon’s tracks headed deeper into the plains. Valek followed them. He braced for the Sandseed’s protective magic. It swelled and pushed, trying to eject him from the plains. He fought the pressure until it eased, and he continued without trouble.

Until Valek stepped in a puddle of magic. It exploded and he flew through the air, landing hard on his back. He gasped for breath. That was new. And it wasn’t Sandseed magic. Had the warpers placed booby traps to keep him from finding them? He wondered what the magic was supposed to do. He sat up and gingerly reached out a hand. The magic had dissipated. But there was no doubt they had set more. Valek considered how to avoid the traps.

He groaned when the answer occurred to him. Untying his shoelaces, Valek pulled off his boots and wool socks. The frosty night air nipped at his toes. He lumbered to his feet. At least the cold sand was soft, but clumps of shrubs, tall grass, and stunted trees grew in the plains. All currently brown and crispy.

Valek laced his boots together and hung them over his shoulder. Thank fate an almost full moon hung in the sky. He walked through the rolling terrain of the plains with care. It slowed his pace. When magic brushed his toes, he pulled his foot back. Sensing the edges with his hand, he skirted the booby traps. At this rate, it’d be dawn before he reached the camp. Good thing, the Wannabe King had said they would perform the Kirakawa ritual tomorrow night.

But he was in luck. He spotted the orange glow of a campfire in the distance. Using the uneven ground to hide him, Valek inched closer. The girls were staked to the ground and two warpers bent over them, cutting into their stomachs. Horror rushed through him. They hadn’t waited. He was too late!

Valek yanked his blowpipe out and loaded it. He aimed, puffed, and the dart shot out. It stopped halfway there and fell to the ground. The warpers must have erected a magical barrier. He scanned the camp. A Daviian and a few of the minions watched the ritual, but not Cahil. He must be inside his tent.

The drumming of hooves announced the sudden arrival of Kiki and Yelena. Kiki ran through the camp as if crazed, jumping and rearing, surprising everyone. The minions scattered and dodged her flailing hooves and Yelena’s bo staff.

While they were occupied, Valek decided to take care of a problem he should have dealt with long ago. He drew his dagger and snuck into Cahil’s tent. It was empty. A horse-shaped shadow loomed, and Valek dove to the ground as Kiki knocked down Cahil’s tent. The main pole just missed his head as the fabric draped over him like a blanket. He sighed. Nothing was going right.

To avoid being the next victim, Valek combat crawled toward where the entrance had been. He encountered Yelena’s pack on the way and dragged it along with him. Arguments sounded outside. The Daviians cursed and accused the minions for not protecting them. No one noticed Valek as he slipped through the opening. Not yet.

He scanned the area. Yelena and Kiki were gone. Valek backed away from the camp until he was out of sight. Now if he could reach the safe house without hitting another booby trap, he’d be happy. He slung Yelena’s pack over his shoulder.

It was a long, cold slog to the safe house. He kept an eye out for his horse, but no luck. When he arrived, Valek stopped in the stable to check if Kiki was there or if Yelena had decided to leave him behind. Smoke curling from the door was his first warning something was wrong. He ran into the barn. Yelena slept on a stack of hay bales outside Kiki’s stall. She writhed as if trapped in a nightmare.

“Yelena!” he yelled, rushing to her side. More smoke poured from the hay. Grabbing her shoulder, he yelped as heat seared his skin.

“Yelena!” No response. He dumped her pack on the ground, picked up a bucket, and poured water on top of her.

Steam hissed. She woke up, choking on the water.

“What?” She sat up. Her clothes and hair were soaking wet. “What was that for?”

“You were having a nightmare,” he said.

“And shaking me awake seemed too tame?” She snapped, still angry with him.

Valek didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled her to her feet and pointed to the Yelena-shaped scorch mark on the topmost hay bale. The place where she had slept.

“You were too hot to touch,” he said in a deadpan.

She shivered.

“I take it your rescue attempt last night has angered some powerful people. I saw you and Kiki create chaos in the camp, ruining my plans yet again. What else did you do?” He kept his expression neutral.

“The Kirakawa ritual traps the victim’s soul inside their heart. I was unable to stop the ritual once it started, but I did take the girls’ souls before they could be used, stealing the power the warpers hoped to harvest. I carried the girls to the edge of the plains and released them to the sky, where they’ll find peace.” Sadness and remorse shone in her eyes.

Valek’s own guilt churned in his stomach. If he’d been quicker, if he hadn’t let them be captured, they would have lived. More proof for Yelena that he was the magician killer.

“I should have let you kill Cahil,” Yelena said.

“Why?”

“It would have prevented all this.”

“I think not. Cahil’s involvement is recent. These Daviians are prepared. They’ve been planning this move for a while. Cahil wants you dead and wants his throne. I believe the whole Kirakawa ritual sickens him.”

“He helped with the kidnapping.”

“Because he wanted you. He wasn’t at the camp last night. He’s probably heading to the Citadel.”

“How do you know?”

Valek gave her a tight, joyless smile. “When you stormed the camp, I stole into the tent, intending to put the Wannabe King out of my misery. I had a few seconds to determine he was gone before the tent collapsed on me.”

She suppressed a smile.

“But I found that.” He gestured to Yelena’s backpack.

A happy cry escaped her lips, and she knelt down to check the contents. At least, her pack had given her some comfort. Exhausted, Valek left. The cold empty house matched his cold empty heart. He lit a small fire. Yelena was soaking wet; she’d need the warmth.

There was a bedroom on the second floor loft. Valek changed into clean clothes and wondered if Yelena would join him. After a while, the sound of an opening door reached him. He walked to the railing and peeked over. Yelena stood in the threshold, hesitating. Not wanting to witness her leaving, he walked over to the bed and laid down. He’d find out what she decided eventually.

* * *

The rattle of sleet on the windows woke Valek. Wind keened through the rafters. He rolled over. On the other side of the bed, the unrumpled sheets and undented pillow were a heart-breaking sight. He’d committed an unforgivable mistake. Too focused on solving the puzzle, he’d lost Yelena’s love.

Pain sliced right through him, and he allowed it to burn and ache for a few minutes. Then he gathered it and stuffed it deep down inside a box, cutting off all emotions. The Daviians needed to be stopped or more people would die. If Yelena was still here, they would need to work together.

Valek dressed in warm clothes and opened the door. Onyx stood there dripping wet and dragging his reins. The wonderful horse. Valek hugged him then led Onyx into the barn. The noise woke Yelena, who slept on a bed of straw in Kiki’s stall. The pain tried to escape its box, but he shoved it back.

He hitched Onyx and rubbed him down before finding an extra saddle in the tack room.

“We need to leave for the Citadel.” Valek saddled Onyx. “This weather is good cover.”

“How far?” she asked.

“Two days. I have another safe house about a mile north of the Citadel. We can set up operations there.”

Yelena prepped Kiki. They worked in complete and utter silence.

* * *

Two days later, they arrived at the safe house in the Featherstone Clan lands. Yelena planned to go into the Citadel and contact Councilor Zaltana, finding out why the council followed Roze’s orders. And to get a better sense of the danger. Valek gave her a long sleeved plain linen dress and a sand-colored cloak, disguising her as a Featherstone clanswoman.

He styled her hair into an intricate knot favored by the Featherstones and held it in place with her lock picks. It took all his will power not to kiss her neck. When she left, she had said she’d return that night.

She didn’t. Unable to sleep, Valek paced. Then he went to the barn and groomed the horses. Twice. What if she’d been captured? He chopped firewood. The sun rose and there was no sign of Yelena. Chopping more wood, he worked until his muscles burned. What if Roze was interrogating her, shredding her mind like Marrok’s? Valek walked around the house and barn. How long should he wait before searching for her? Should he take Kiki or go alone? Valek cleaned the tack, mucked out the stalls, scrubbed out the water and feed buckets, and fixed a hole in the siding. What if the warpers had cut out her heart?

By the evening, his body was exhausted, but his mind whirred with a hundred horrific scenarios. He sank onto the couch, deciding he would go to the Citadel at dawn.

When Yelena and Bavol Zaltana entered the house, Valek stared at them. She was alive. He held still just in case it was a hallucination. Bavol spotted him on the couch and balked. Ah, not a vision.

“You set me up,” Bavol said, taking a step back.

“Relax, Bavol. If Valek was going to assassinate the council, you would be dead by now. He’s helping me.”

Valek snorted and was suddenly angry. “I am? Funny how I forgot. Or is it because someone forgot about me?” Sarcasm spiked each word.

“We don’t have time for this. The Daviians have kidnapped the councilors’ children and spouses. They’re threatening them if the councilors don’t obey the Daviian’s orders. It’s not Roze influencing them. I’m going to try to find out where they’re keeping the children. I brought Bavol here because I can’t use my magic that close to the warpers or they will find me.”

Valek’s fury dissipated as fast as it had arrived. He had overreacted. At least they knew why the council had agreed with Roze.

Yelena turned to the Councilor. “Bavol, sit down. Close your eyes. Think of your daughter,” she ordered.

Valek watched as Yelena’s gaze grew distant. She sat still and silent. The minutes stretched and he worried. A familiar scent reached him. It took a moment for him to place it. The smoky aroma of a campfire. Except, only a pile of cold ashes was inside the hearth.

Alarmed, he strode to the window. Smoke billowed from the stable. Valek dashed from the house and threw the barn’s doors wide. Kiki was already out of her stall. Flames whooshed up the back wall. Opening Onyx’s stall, Valek stepped aside as they bolted outside and toward the pasture. He followed but paused when he spotted a man—a warper—standing near the burning barn. Valek pivoted, reaching for his knife.

“Kiki!” Yelena screamed.

Valek stopped. Yelena ran toward the stables.

“Yelena! She’s not there!” he yelled.

But she didn’t slow. When she reached the burning building, she dove right into the fire.