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

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

V alek found the seven glass prisons in the Keep’s special cells underneath the Administration building. It was the only logical place, as Irys’s safe could easily be cracked. As much as he hated to leave Yelena after being apart for so long, Valek had promised her he would find a better hiding place for the glass statues.

He packed his things and saddled Onyx. After stopping to give the Ambassador another letter, he headed north. The letter said that the Commander had summoned him home, and to please let the others know where he’d gone.

Heading north through MD-7, Valek mulled over where to hide the prisons, dismissing various locations as soon as he thought of them. When he reached the border to MD-8, he turned Onyx east, thinking the thousands of caverns in the Soul Mountains would be a great hiding place. Except, an earthquake might trigger a collapse and crush them. Stopping at a travel shelter in the middle of MD-6, he considered his options. And then it dawned on him.

It didn’t matter where he hid them. If someone threatened Yelena’s life if he didn’t tell them the location, he would tell them. She was more important.

Valek returned to the castle. Ambassador Signe had arrived a few days earlier. Of course, the Commander sent a messenger to the stable with a summons for Valek to report in right away. Valek shouldered his pack and went straight to the Commander’s office.

“Where have you been?” he demanded.

Valek placed the box of glass prisons on his desk.

“Is that—” The Commander glanced at him. “The Sitian Council suspected you stole them. It made it very difficult for Ambassador Signe to work with them. What are they doing here?”

“They need to disappear, somewhere no one can find them,” Valek said. “I can’t hide them, because I can be compromised. Yelena is beyond precious to me. No one has that type of leverage over you. And I know you’ll tell no one.”

“Consider it done.”