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

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Y elena stared at Valek in horror as he dramatically collapsed onto the ground. He winked at her before closing his eyes and pretending to be unconscious. No doubt there was a watcher hiding nearby, waiting for Valek and the others to fall asleep.

Butter Root was similar to the plant he used for his sleeping potion and had the same effect. He wished he’d recognized the taste sooner. Valek fought the waves of drowsiness that threatened to knock him out.

Next to him, Yelena’s bowl clattered to the ground as she slumped over. She had eaten less than him, so he hoped she was awake. Had Marrok spiked the stew? Valek peeked. The captain was sprawled on the ground sound asleep. That left— The horses whinnied in alarm.

Ah, the culprit’s friends have arrived.

“So easy! All the talk about the Soulfinder and the Ghost Warrior and look at them! Sleeping like babies,” a masculine voice said.

“Trust is a powerful ally. Right, Tauno?” a feminine voice asked. She had the same lilt as a Sandseed.

Valek really needed to trust his instincts.

“Yes. And trust is blind. No one suspected me, even after the ambush in the plains.” He laughed. “Trust is for stupid people. Even the Sandseed Elders had no idea. My ability to find the Daviian camps amazed them.”

They chuckled, enjoying themselves.

“We have captured a wanted criminal. That should make the council happy. And we’ll bring the Soulfinder to Jal.”

He counted the voices around their campsite. There were four of them, good odds for him and Yelena.

“Kill the Ghost Warrior,” one of the vermin ordered.

He prepared to move.

“Make sure you cut his throat and collect his blood. It will be just revenge for Alea and her brother.”

He wished he could kill those two again. Through slitted eyelids, Valek watched as they lifted Yelena off the ground.

“Now!” Valek yelled, springing to his feet as he drew his sword.

Her switchblade snicked and she plunged it into a Daviian’s chest. Valek spun just as Tauno tried to slit his throat with the sharp point of his spear. He blocked and backed up as another Daviian joined the fight. That left one attacker for Yelena.

Facing two opponents with spears was similar to defending against bo staffs. He had fought three people with bo staffs, and this time he had his sword. He silently thanked his seconds-in-command for the practice.

As he engaged with the two, Yelena’s attacker ordered her to drop her weapon. As if she’d listen.

Then he said, “You will not be harmed if you surrender.”

Yelena countered. “You’re not allowed to kill me; Jal wants me alive so he can feed me to his pet Fire Warper!”

Valek approved of her tactic to unnerve her opponent. He concentrated on his own fight. Tauno was a skilled warrior. His friend pushed her magic at Valek, slowing him down. It took longer than he expected, but he snaked passed Tauno’s defenses and stabbed him.

The woman yelled when Tauno collapsed and attacked Valek with renewed vigor. Her power pressed on his arms. His muscles burned with the effort to move. He ducked and dodged, waiting for the perfect opening.

Across the fire, Yelena and the other warper fought. “Is that all you have?” Yelena’s attacker asked. “What about your great soul magic? I think the Fire Warper will be disappointed. Orders are orders.” A thud sounded and Yelena collapsed.

Valek went on the offensive and created the perfect opening. The woman was dead in two moves. He turned just in time to see Kiki kick the warper in the head, denting it. Nice. Then he spotted Yelena lying on the ground under Kiki. He raced to her and rolled her over. Cuts oozing blood crisscrossed her arms and legs.

Her pulse was strong and there were no stab wounds. He looked up at Kiki, who kept her protective stance. “What happened?”

Kiki nudged Yelena’s forehead. A bright red bruise swelled on her temple. She’d been knocked unconscious. Valek carried her closer to the fire. He checked Marrok to ensure he still slept. Then he grabbed the first aid supplies from Kiki’s saddle bags. He found the pouch Leif had given Yelena and sorted through the contents, hoping something would be useful for a headache.

Using a soft cloth and water, Valek cleaned her wounds. He wasn’t gentle. She needed to wake up, and he hoped the pain would rouse her. They were running out of time.

He was almost done, when she said, “Ow! Stop that.”

“Finally,” he said. But he didn’t stop. He dabbed at her wounds, finishing the job, then sat back on his heels. “That’ll have to do for now. Come on. We need to go.”

When she failed to move, he pulled her into a sitting position. Her brow furrowed, and color leaked from her face.

“Here.” He thrust red leaves into her hands. “I found them in your saddlebags. The note said to eat them for head pain.”

“Go where?” she asked.

Valek yanked her to her feet. “We need to find the barn.”

“Barn?”

She was still groggy from being knocked out. As much as he hated to do it, Valek shook the rest of the water over her head. She jolted.

“When the Daviians don’t come back with us, the others will know something has happened and will either kill their hostages or move to another location.” Valek enunciated each word, hoping she would understand the urgency. “Here.” He handed her a set of clean Sitian clothes. “Hurry.”

Finally understanding, she changed. Valek stripped the warper, and then dressed in his clothes. Applying makeup, he darkened his skin tone to match.

Once they were both ready, they untied the horses. Tauno must have secured them so they wouldn’t interfere in the ambush. Valek mounted Onyx while Yelena hopped on Kiki. They rode the four miles to the barn in silence. Approaching the edge of the woods, they slowed. Valek scanned the barn. Illuminated by the strange red glow emanating from Diamond Lake, two Daviians guarded the entrance.

“Which horse?” Yelena asked.

“Onyx. Kiki is too well-known.”

Yelena dismounted.

“Take off your cape,” Valek said. “Lie in front of me.” He removed his foot from the stirrup.

She climbed up and laid across the saddle. He had cleaned her switchblade. Handing it to her, he said, “It’s been primed with Curare.”

Valek grabbed the reins with his left hand and held a scimitar in his right.

“Pretend to be unconscious,” he ordered as he clicked at Onyx. He hoped the Daviians would think he was returning from the ambush with the prize.

A whoop of joy cut through the air as they neared.

“Where are the others?” a masculine voice asked.

“They’re coming,” Valek said in a rough tone.

“Finally! We have her!” another man said, as he tugged at Yelena’s prone form.

“Help me.”

Valek slid off on the opposite side of the saddle, keeping Onyx between him and the Daviian.

Another person joined in pulling her off. “We’ll keep her asleep until she reaches Jal. Get the wagon, you’ll leave tonight,” the man ordered. He cradled Yelena in his arms.

Valek placed the tip of his scimitar on the man’s throat. “Where is Jal?”

The man froze. “At the Magician’s Keep. Go ahead and find Jal. Just make sure to take her with you.” The man tossed Yelena at Valek and screamed for help.

Shit. She hit him square in the chest and they both went down. But Yelena had been trained well, and she kept rolling until she cleared his body. Just in time for him to twist away from the Daviian’s downward slicing blade.

Unable to get to his feet, Valek rolled and scrambled to avoid being cut. The snick of a switchblade sounded, and the man on top of him grunted as Yelena’s knife nicked his shoulder. Determined, the man swung his scimitar until his muscles were paralyzed by the Curare.

Yelena grabbed the man’s spear while Valek scrambled to his feet. He scooped up his scimitar as four more Daviians with weapons drawn ran toward them.

Valek braced as they collided, and then focused all his energy on fighting off two and sometimes three opponents. Yelena stayed at his side. She killed one man, but before she could help Valek, another person approached.

“Why not use your power to stop me? Afraid the Fire Warper will tell Jal what you’re doing?” the newcomer said.

“Give the man a prize. Your intellect is truly amazing,” she said.

“Surrender or I’ll skewer her,” the man called to Valek.

Valek disengaged. A spear hovered in mid-air. The tip was pointed at Yelena’s throat. He met her gaze. Say the word, love.

“He won’t do it,” she said to Valek.

“You are right. How about surrender or I will set the barn on fire?” The man was a warper. He pointed to the building. “Do you want to be responsible for the deaths of ten children?”

“No! Don’t!” Yelena yelled at the warper. “Let the children go and I’ll come with you.”

“I know you will,” the warper said. The point of his spear touched Yelena’s throat. “I am more concerned about the Ghost Warrior.” He met Valek’s gaze. “Put your weapon down.”

Anger sizzled in Valek’s veins. He’d like nothing better than to run the man through with his scimitar. However, Yelena and the children locked in the barn depended on him. He bent over and set the sword on the ground, then palmed a couple darts with his left hand. When he straightened, he threw them at the warper. One hit the man’s neck, and he jerked in surprise.

“Move,” Valek ordered Yelena.

She twisted. The spear’s point cut a line across her throat. It didn’t look deep, but Valek planned to kill the warper regardless. He stepped closer as the man turned. A loud woosh sounded as bright orange flames spread under the barn’s door. The warper finally succumbed to the sleeping potion delivered by the dart. Too late. Smoke filled the air.

“Valek, go!” Yelena waved him toward the building, then whistled for the horses.

He ran to the doors. Fire consumed the dry wood and peeling paint with alarming speed. Once the roof caught, the ten children and two adults trapped inside would be unable to escape. The metal latch burned his hand as he unlocked the doors and wrestled them open. Smoke billowed ominously from inside. Did the warper set another section of the barn on fire?

He rushed in and skidded to a stop. Another structure had been built inside the barn. This one had fresh wood and new locks. Yelena appeared with Kiki and Onyx.

She took one look at it and shouted over the fire’s roar. “Tell them to move to the left side!”

Banging on the door, he yelled at those trapped within to move to the left side.

“Now!” he yelled.

Then he ripped off his tunic and yanked his switchblade from its sheath. He sliced the seams of the garment, freeing his hidden lock picks. Tossing the shirt and knife aside, he set to work on the locks, racing the flames that now galloped through the roof’s thick beams as if they were mere matchsticks.

A loud bang sounded to the right. Then another, as the horses kicked through the new wood of the interior structure. At least, that’s what it sounded like. Valek popped the locks and swung the door wide. Smoke filled the room as flames licked the walls and zipped across the ceiling. It burned his eyes and lungs with its acrid odor, but he waded into the room.

Heat roared in his ears and dulled the cries of the children. Valek found hands and helped them through the hole in the right wall. One of the adults helped, counting kids as they left.

“That’s eight,” he yelled in Valek’s ear. “I’ve the last two.”

“And the Stormdance woman?”

“Got hit by a broken plank,” he gestured to the left. “I can’t carry her. Too weak.” He coughed.

An ominous snap sounded above them, and a beam fell to the floor. No time left.

“Go,” Valek ordered.

Staying low to the ground to avoid the thick smoke, Valek searched with his hands until he found the unconscious woman. He pulled her over his shoulders and stepped toward the hole. A loud crack rent the air. The barn shook and then roared as the roof crashed down on them. A flaming beam hit his temple as they punched through the floor. Darkness consumed Valek before he hit the ground.

* * *

Valek woke sometime later. The fire raged about two feet above his throbbing head. Dirt walls surrounded him. He’d been buried alive! Panicked, he drew a breath to scream, I’m not dead , but it immediately set off a strong coughing fit which ignited the real pain. Agony shot through his ribs, and it sucked the air from his lungs. His throat burned, and the ache in his head intensified to nonstop hammering. Gasping, panting, he longed to return to unconsciousness.

A light breeze of fresh air caressed his face as a hand touched his shoulder. Yelena?

“Relax,” a strange woman rasped near his ear. She lay next to him. “You’re safe.” Then she gave him a tired half smile. “For now.”

Memories rushed back. The barn. The fire. The Stormdance woman. A fist-sized bruise marked her forehead.

“What…how…” Talking over the fire’s roar required too much effort.

“I’m a bit fuzzy on the details,” she said, touching her temple. “I woke up here with you and the fire—” As if on cue, the flames shifted and burning debris rained down.

Except the breeze strengthened. It extinguished the debris and swept the burned pieces away from them. They landed on a pile. By the size of the mound, Valek guessed she’d been keeping them safe for a while with her magic.

“Can you…” he gestured weakly “…blow all the fire out?”

“I wish. My magic is not that strong. Besides, each time I bring in fresh air for us or use it to blow out the sparks, I’m adding fuel to the fire.”

Good point. “So, we wait?”

“And hope my strength lasts. Even then…” She peered at the wall of fire above them. “If bigger beams crash down on us…” Her breath hitched with fear.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked.

“No.” She was quiet for a moment, then said, “Did the children…are they safe?”

“Yes, they all escaped along with the man. My colleagues will take care of them.”

“Good,” she sighed with relief.

Yelena must be frantic with worry. He hoped she hadn’t done anything stupid, like rushing into the burning building to save him. Did she even have time before the roof collapsed? Or did she cross into the fire world, thinking he was there? Now he was more than worried. He was terrified. Don’t leave me, love.

“Where are we?” he asked for a distraction.

“I think it’s a root cellar.”

They chatted off and on. Her name was Gale Stormdance, the wife of Councilor Stormdance.

“Valek?” she asked horrified. “As in?—”

“The Scourge of Sitia?” He kept his tone light.

“Ah…” She grew quiet.

He wondered if he scared her or if she’d fallen asleep. It’d been hours and the fire still burned hot. But a flaming plank fell toward them, and it was whisked away to the pile.

“More like the savior of children,” she finally said. “Why are you here in Sitia?”

“It’s a long story.”

“My appointment with my hair stylist isn’t until tomorrow,” she joked.

He laughed despite the pain in his head and ribs. “You’re not going to like it.”

“Try me.”

Valek smiled. He was impressed by Gale’s strength. “Stop me when you’ve heard enough.”

“Okay.”

“I came to Sitia to assassinate all the councilors, including your husband.”

She sucked in a breath, and he waited.

“Go on.”

He told her about the Daviian Warpers. It helped to keep her awake during the hours. He explained their theories about Jal and that Yelena discovered how the councilors were being threatened.

By the time he finished, it appeared that the active fire was dying down. Even though the embers still glowed red hot, Valek’s spirits rose.

After what felt like days, the last of the fire extinguished and they both fell into an exhausted sleep.

* * *

A crunching noise roused Valek from sleep. He grabbed for his knife, only to find it missing along with his shirt. What?

Daylight leaked through the ashy remains of the barn, reminding him of his precarious situation. A few half-burned beams crossed over the hole above their root cellar. The noise hadn’t woken Gale.

Valek pushed up to his elbow. Pain ringed his chest, stealing his breath for a long moment. Cracked ribs. How could he forget? Another muffled scrape reached him. He wondered if it was Yelena or if the warpers had awakened from their drugged sleep. In no condition to fight and with no extra breath to yell, he remained in place. No need to alert the warpers that he still lived. And if it was Yelena…

He sighed. When she had jumped into the stable fire, his world had ended. Valek had spent a long time staring at his knife, working up the nerve to stab it into his heart.

If it was Yelena, it meant she hadn’t gone the into the fire world. That she’d be okay for a day or so. He’d catch up, he promised.

* * *

Just in case the warpers remained nearby, Valek and Gale waited until dark to move the beams. They crumbled into ash as soon as they touched them, raining down on top of their heads and setting off coughing fits. So much for a stealthy escape. Valek scrambled up from the cellar to defend them, but no one rushed him.

The night remained quiet. Valek shivered in the chilly air. Large burn holes peppered his pants. He smelled burnt hair. Touching his scalp gently, Valek discovered most of his hair had burned off. Lovely.

He called all clear, and Gale climbed up. Her clothing had also been burned and she hugged her chest.

“What now?” she asked.

“We need to find clothes, transportation, and then the location of the children and the Greenblade man. The Daviians think you’re all dead, so you’ll be safe with them.”

“No. I’m going with you to fight them.” She held up a hand, stopping his protests. “I know I don’t have much power, but I’ll do whatever I can to aid your efforts.”

He considered her offer. They would need every bit of help they could get. “Thank you.”

She waved a hand. “I haven’t done anything yet.”

“You saved our lives.”

“Huh. I guess I did.” Then she laughed. “Don’t tell my friends at the beauty parlor that I saved the Scourge of Sitia’s life. I’ll never be invited to another dinner party.” Gale tapped a finger on her lips. “Then again, I never really enjoyed them.”

Valek clamped down on a chuckle. The movement hurt his ribs too much. Then he began the arduous task of gathering what they’d need to track the others. It wouldn’t be easy, but he’d catch up to Yelena as quickly as possible.

* * *

As expected, nothing went well. Even after he found Onyx and Topaz, they encountered many obstacles. It ended up taking him and Gale seven days to catch up to Yelena and the others in Owl’s Hill, a town east of the Citadel. Except, they were no longer at the Cloverleaf Inn, which added another day. The burns on his skin had healed, but his ribs still ached and protested at every bump in the road.

Finally, he spotted Yelena and his friends near a caravan. They discussed plans. He had hoped that when he died, they’d be able to carry on without him, and it sounded like they already had. Offended at the speed of their recovery, he huffed. Instead of rushing to join them, he stayed in the shadows, listening to them.

“When the riot starts, all the magicians will come to the Keep’s gate and help you build and maintain a null shield,” Yelena said.

“But it won’t last long,” Leif said.

“I just need a little time.”

“Time for what?”

“To get to the Fire Warper.”

A pause. “You can fight him?” Leif asked.

“No.”

“Tell me again why this isn’t a suicide mission,” Leif said.

Yes, love. Tell us.

“I think I can stop him and keep him in the fire world. And in doing so, I think I might be able to pull some of the warpers’ powers from them. If Bain and Irys are still alive, and if you round up as many magicians as you can, then you should be able to counter the warpers.”

“That’s a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘thinks,’” Janco said.

“And there’s no ‘when,’” Ari said.

“When?” Leif asked.

“When she returns. There’s a when , isn’t there, Yelena?” Ari asked.

“The only way to keep him in the fire world is if I stay, too.”

Anger blazed. No bloody way was she sacrificing her life.

“There has to be another way,” Leif said. “You always manage to produce ingenious plots.”

“Not this time,” Yelena said. She sounded tired and defeated.

Silence ensued.

Gale gave Valek a confused look and whispered, “What are you waiting for?”

“What if we can’t counter the warpers?” Leif asked.

“My cue,” he said to Gale, then called to the group, “Then you’d better have a person who’s unaffected by magic on your side.”

Gale rolled her eyes. “Are you always this dramatic?”

“Only when I come back from the dead,” he snarked. Then to the others, “Although, this time I would appreciate it if you didn’t leave me behind.” He stepped into view.

They stared at him as if he was a ghost. Yelena gaped in disbelief and tentatively reached out. He pulled her into his arms, and she pressed against him. Time stilled as they breathed as one. The worry and anxiety of the past week melted away.

The others disappeared and when he kissed her, Valek poured his heart and soul into that kiss. Yelena hugged him harder as if she’d received the message. Pain ringed his chest.

He pulled away, breathless. “Easy, love.” The words turned into a coughing fit.

“How did you survive the fire?” she asked. “The roof collapsed, and you didn’t…”

“Two things happened at once.” He explained how the beam crashed down and they fell into the root cellar. Valek rubbed his ribs and grimaced.

“You’re hurt and I can’t heal you!”

“Just bruised.” He ran a hand gently over his head. A healing gash marked the right side of his head. When he’d found a mirror, he’d cut his hair. The Commander would be pleased to see it was now military regulation short.

“Why didn’t I see you the next morning? Why didn’t you call out?”

His hand went to his ribs again. “I didn’t have enough air to yell, and Gale needed all her strength to keep us alive.”

“Why couldn’t she blow the fire out? Or save the children?”

“Her powers are limited. It’s all part of her weather dancing thing.” He gestured past the wagon, where Gale held Onyx’s and Topaz’s reins. “You can ask her. I’ve brought her along.” When he saw Yelena’s questioning look, he added, “We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

“Did you learn anything else?” she asked him.

“Yes. Finding clothes when you’re half naked is harder than you think. And scared horses can travel pretty far in the wrong direction before you find them.” He studied the group of horses. “Onyx and Topaz are fast, but there’s nothing like a Sandseed horse when you’re in a hurry. And despite your detour to Booruby, love, I had a hard time catching up.”

“You could have found a way to tell me you were all right. I’ve spent the last week in utter misery.”

“Now you know how I felt when you jumped into the stable fire. And you know how I’ll feel if you don’t come back from fighting the Fire Warper.”

She opened her mouth then closed it. “You were eavesdropping.”

“I had hoped to hear everyone discussing how much they missed my altruistic qualities, my legendary skills as a fighter and as a lover.” He leered. “Instead, you’re making plans for tomorrow. Interesting how life goes on in spite of itself.”

Valek sobered and stared at her intently. “With all that planning, love, I’m sure you can figure a way to return.”

“I’m not smart enough,” she said in frustration. “I don’t know enough about magic! I don’t think anyone does. We’re all just bumbling along, using it and abusing it.”

“Do you truly believe that?”

“Yes. Although, I’ll admit to being a hypocrite. First sign of trouble and I fall back on using magic. When I think about magic, all I see is the harm it has done to this world.”

She sounded just like the Commander.

“Then you’re not looking in the right places.” Valek studied her dubious expression. “Think about what you said to the Commander about magic.”

“I tend to agree with the Commander about how magic corrupts.”

“Then why did you mention to the Commander how magic could harness the power of a blizzard and save his people instead of discussing the possibility of using power as a weapon? If magic corrupts, then why hasn’t it corrupted you? Or Irys? Moon Man? Leif?”

“We haven’t let it corrupt us.”

“Right! You have the choice.”

“But it’s a very tempting choice. Power is addictive. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Oh yes. Sitia has been battling warpers for ages. Though you wouldn’t know it from all the peace and prosperity hanging around.” Valek’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Let’s see, how long ago did the magicians use blood magic? I think Moon Man told me two thousand years. Then you’re right! It’s only a matter of time. A matter of two thousand years. I’ll take those odds any day.”

“I never realized how annoying you can be.”

“You know I’m right.”

“I could prove you wrong. I can be corrupt.” She leered at him.

Desire shot through him. Valek glanced at Janco and the others. They milled around a small fire, trying to appear nonchalant as they listened to every word.

“Not in front of the children, love. But I’ll hold you to that.”

Yelena and Valek joined them. Tauno wasn’t the only one missing. “Where’s Moon Man?”

“He was captured by the Daviians yesterday afternoon,” Leif said. “After finding no information about a tunnel into the Keep, we met with an old magician in hiding. He only had vague details, but he taught me how to create a null shield.” He shook his head in disgust. “And since I’m a genius, I practiced. The magic called the warpers, and we were attacked as soon as we left his house.”

“How did you get away?” Valek asked.

“An unruly mob arrived. In the mass confusion, a guy pulled me free from the riot. I hid, but Moon Man wasn’t so lucky.”

Valek glanced at Yelena.

Sadness lined her eyes. “I hope he’s still alive.”

“That’s why we’re camping with this caravan,” Ari said. “If they interrogate Moon Man, they might learn about the inn.”

“What’s the plan for tomorrow?” he asked.

“We’re going to storm the Keep,” Yelena said.

“Funny.”

“Oh, she’s dead serious,” Leif said. “We’re going to hide in those coffins?—”

“Crates,” Ari corrected.

“Says the man who gets to drive the wagon. Janco and Marrok will be on horseback—part of the caravan. Once inside the Citadel, Ari will drive the wagon to the Keep, which, by the way, is surrounded by a protective magical barrier. Oh, and you’re gonna love this,” Leif said, parroting Janco. “At the Keep, he will inform the Daviians that he has captured the powerful Soulfinder and would like the bounty of five gold coins. Thank you very much.”

“And that’s when the citizens will riot, creating a distraction,” Janco said.

“And I’m supposed to create a null shield to protect us once we’re inside the Keep,” Leif said.

“A null shield you just learned how to create?” Valek asked.

“That’s the one, but Yelena will call the other magicians to help me maintain it.”

“And that’s when I heard the rest of your plans.” He turned to Yelena. “Keep thinking about your exit strategy once you defeat the Fire Warper. Please.”

She nodded, but the sadness in her eyes remained.

* * *

The next morning, they prepared to join the caravan. Valek was standing next to Yelena when Janco snarked, “You ever notice how couples start to look alike?”

In a deadpan, Valek replied, “Yes. In fact, I was just thinking how much you and Topaz resemble each other. It’s uncanny.”

Ari chuckled at Janco’s chagrined expression before saying, “The caravan is leaving soon. What part of the line do we want to be in?”

“Near the back, but not the last wagon,” Valek instructed. “When we’re out of sight of the gatehouse, head to the Keep.”

“Yes, sir.” Ari snapped to attention.

“We don’t know what we’ll encounter inside the Keep. Listen for instructions, and follow orders even if they don’t make sense,” Valek said.

“Yes, sir,” everyone said in unison, including Gale.

Before they assumed their positions, Yelena handed three glass statues to Leif and another three to Gale.

“What are these for?” Leif asked.

Yelena explained that she’d stopped in Booruby to visit Opal. “I discovered I can use her glass animals to communicate with other magicians far away, without using my own magic. When Opal blows into the glass, instead of air, she blows magic, trapping it inside.”

Valek remembered the brief glimpse of the trapped magic he’d gotten with Yelena’s help. Beautiful.

“Keep one each, but give the rest to Moon Man, Irys, Bain, and Dax if they’re still alive,” Yelena said. “I think I can use the animals to communicate with you when I’m in the fire world.”

That would be helpful, but Valek hoped she would find a way to come home.

“Come on, you first.” Yelena gestured Leif to the cart.

With a grumble, Leif, and then Gale, laid down in the row of boxes in the wagon. Valek met Yelena’s gaze and held it a moment. Come back to me, love. Then he laid down. The top closed and the darkness was instant. After a few moments, his eyes adjusted. Light shone through the cracks in the crate.

Thumping sounded above him as goods and Yelena’s crate were loaded, followed by a pile of rugs to conceal everything. The wagon lurched. Valek reviewed the plan as they trundled closer to the Citadel. The caravan planned to enter through the south gate, as it was the closest to their destination.

A couple hours later, the wagon jerked to a stop. Then voices sounded. This was it. If they were discovered, all bets were off.

Something banged on wood. “What’s in this one?” a man asked.

“The finest silk sheets woven by the Moon Clan, sir,” the owner of the caravan replied. “Perhaps you care to purchase a set? Just feel the fabric and you’ll know your wife will be most anxious to try them out.”

The man laughed. “I’ll not be spending a month’s pay for a night with my wife. That’s why I married her.”

More laughter, then the Citadel’s guard asked the owner a bunch of standard questions. He answered without hesitating. After an age and a half, the wagon finally moved. They had made it passed the gate. Soon, the sounds of bartering, children shrieking, and the general buzz of people gathered in one area reached him. They were in the market, where Ari was signaling his resistance force to riot when the wagon entered the Keep.

They turned a corner and came to an abrupt halt. Ari cursed as the jangle of many horses echoed on the cobblestones.

“Oh no. This will not do,” the Wannabe King called out.