Night Study

by Maria V. Snyder

  After I inhaled a few bites of the beef-and-vegetable soup, I asked him if he’d identified any more of the other plants inside the glass hothouse Owen had constructed to grow the Curare vine. Before this invention, Curare only grew in the Illiais Jungle far to the south, where it was warm and humid all year round. Another benefit of the vine being confined to one area was that the Sitian Council could limit its availability, which it did. The Council kept strict control of who was allowed to carry it as a weapon. A watered-down version was also manufactured and given to healers in order to reduce a patient’s pain, which I thought was the best aspect of the drug. It was the reason my father had hunted for the vine all those years ago.

  “I know all but four. We’ll have to wait until Father arrives to identify the rest.” Leif filled another bowl and sat opposite me. He fiddled with his spoon, twirling it around on the table.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I keep thinking of that factory in Lapeer. In order to produce so much Curare, Owen must have more of those hothouses. Lots more.”

  I’d suspected as much. “We’ll find them. Has anyone interrogated Ben? He may know where the others are.” Owen’s brother had been caught, along with Loris and Cilly Cloud Mist. Ben wasn’t as powerful as Owen, but he could erect a null shield, light fires and move small objects. The Cloud Mist siblings’ abilities to mentally communicate and manipulate a person’s thoughts and memories had aided Owen in maintaining the deception of his death.

  “No. The three magicians were taken to Lapeer and incarcerated in a cell with a null shield. The authorities won’t let any of us near them, although Devlen left this morning to try again. The Captain claims he’s waiting for orders from the Sitian Council.”

  I cursed under my breath. “I hope the Captain’s a patient man.” The Council took far too much time to make a decision on anything.

  “I’d bet they’re in a panic,” Leif said. “The Commander has Curare, and he won’t be afraid to use it. Unlike our soldiers, I’d bet every single one of his soldiers will have darts laced with the stuff in no time. He could be preparing to invade Sitia as we speak.”

  As the Liaison between Ixia and Sitia, I found that scenario to be unlikely. However, with the Commander keeping secrets from even Valek, I might not know the Commander as well as I’d thought. Still... “Or he could just want to even the playing field. Having both Curare and magicians, Sitia has had the advantage for years.”

  Leif picked up the spoon. “Which has made me feel all safe and warm. Now I’m wondering what type of uniform I’d have to wear when we’re conquered.”

  Considering the Commander had banned all magicians, except me, from Ixia and executed most of those caught inside his borders, I knew that, at best, Leif and the others would be incarcerated in a magic-proof cell for the rest of their lives—or, at worst, they’d all be killed. I decided not to sour his mood any further.

  Instead I said, “I’m sure the Commander will find a job that’s perfect for your qualifications. You’d look good in a stable boy’s uniform, or spiffy as a chamber pot manager.”

  “Sure, you can laugh. The Commander likes you. And now you...” Leif ducked his head, focusing on the bowl in front of him.

  “What? Now I’m not a Soulfinder anymore, the Commander will welcome me with open arms?”

  He wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Something like that.”

  “Then say it. I don’t want people dancing around the subject or treating me different...or locking me in jail ‘for my own protection.’”

  “I was under orders from the Council,” Leif protested.

  It had backfired. The second assassin had found me in no time. “And look how well that turned out.” Thank fate I still had a few tricks up my sleeves.

  “Sorry. Won’t happen again,” Leif promised.

  “Good.” I changed the subject. “Are you staying here until Father comes?”

  “Yes. I expect he’ll arrive in about fifteen days.”

  That was a long time to wait. Leif’s wife, Mara—a real sweetheart—wouldn’t ever complain, but she couldn’t be happy. “What will you do all that time?”

  “We plan to search the surrounding towns and villages, looking for more of those hothouses.”

  “We?”

  “Devlen believes it’s a good idea. And he’s got a way with the locals. They talk to him.”

  With Owen at large, Devlen’s daughter, Reema, would have to remain with Ari in the Commander’s castle until it was safe. Owen had threatened to kill her.

  “Have you found any records here? That would make it easier.” And so would interrogating Ben. I wondered if Valek had “talked” to him before the authorities swooped in.

  “It appears Owen didn’t keep any records at this location. Which is why I’m hoping to find another place where he may have left information behind.”

  “Or you might find him.” The thought of the two of them hunting Owen alone caused a queasiness to roll in my stomach. Leif had been kidnapped by Owen before. And while Devlen was skilled with a sword, Owen’s magic outmatched Leif’s.

  “Even better,” he said in a low, dangerous tone.

  Not good. “At least make sure you take Hale with you.” I was glad Hale had been assigned to travel with us for added protection.

  “Hale’s gone. He was ordered back to the Citadel.”

  Interesting. “And you weren’t?”

  “Oh, I was.”

  “Leif—”

  “Don’t ‘Leif’ me.” His green eyes sparked in annoyance. “You know as well as I do the Council will debate what to do for months. Meanwhile, Owen’s out there—”

  “Along with Rika Bloodgood and Tyen Cowan. Two powerful magicians, which brings the total to three against you and Devlen.”

  He squared his shoulders with that stubborn Zaltana determination.

  I tried another tactic. “Owen’s smart. He knows both the Commander and the Council will be searching for him, so he’s going to lay low for the next few months while he figures out his next move.”

  “That’s why we need to stop him before he can act.”

  Leif had a point. I considered the situation. “Then the best use of your time would be to convince the Sitian Council to let you use your magic to interrogate Ben and the others.”

  He grunted, but I wasn’t sure I’d convinced him.

  We ate the rest of our soup in silence. After a few minutes, Devlen entered the kitchen. A deep scowl etched his dark face, and tension radiated from his powerful build.

  “Still no luck?” Leif asked him, referring to Devlen’s repeated attempt to speak to Ben.

  “Yelena, where is Valek?” Devlen asked, ignoring Leif.

  “He said he had to take care of a few things. Why?”

  Devlen cursed.

  “What’s going on?” Leif asked.

  “Ben, Loris and Cilly have all been assassinated.”

  2

  VALEK

  As he prepared for the trip, Valek’s mind whirled with the implications of becoming a father, even though he knew Yelena might not be pregnant. Just the thought of a baby sent a giddy, wild happiness mixed with fear pulsing through his veins. No surprise his immediate instinct was the intense desire to protect both his heart mate and the baby. He imagined locking them both in a tower so no one could harm them. Pure fantasy at best.

  His second reaction was to plan the logistics. Yelena would stay with him, of course, and they’d raise the baby together. Where would they live? In the Commander’s castle? No. In their cabin in the Featherstone Clan lands? No. That location was too well-known. And what if he was on assignment for the Commander?

  Valek banished all his crazy thoughts with effort. Yelena needed to be a part of this discussion. And he needed to confirm a suspicion.

  When he’d finished gathering supplies, he searched for Onora. She had offered to get the horses ready. Leaning on the side of the stable, Valek studied Onora as she groomed Onyx. The black horse allowed her
to inspect the underside of his hooves, lifting each in turn. Kiki and The Madam grazed nearby in the farm’s pasture. Their coats gleamed. In order for each member of their traveling party to have a mount, Onora had picked a chestnut-colored Thoroughbred from those Owen had left behind. The gelding displayed a gentle manner and appeared to be strong and healthy. Valek approved of her choice.

  Just about everything was ready for their trip east. They would leave at dawn and set a fast pace to catch up to his operatives already in the field. The Commander wouldn’t be happy about the delay. Valek straightened as anger rolled through him. If the Commander had confided in him, this entire fiasco would never have happened, and Yelena wouldn’t have been in danger. Instead the Commander chose to reveal his plans only to Onora, the twenty-year-old assassin whose sole desire was to take Valek’s place.

  At this point in time, Valek would be happy to give it to her. The Commander has been using her to test Valek’s loyalty for the past month. First by attacking Yelena, to determine if Valek would disobey a direct order, and then with a fake assassination attempt on the Commander. Tiresome, to say the least. Then the Commander assigned him the task of shutting down a new smuggling route into Ixia without informing him of crucial details...

  Valek drew in a deep breath to calm the rising fury. No need to waste the energy now. He planned to confront the Commander on his return. In the meantime, he needed to clarify one vital detail with, as Janco liked to call her, Little Miss Assassin.

  Onora glanced up as he approached. She continued to comb Onyx’s tail, but a wariness crept into her gray eyes despite her attempts to neutralize her expression. Barefoot even in the cold air, Onora had pulled her long brown hair away from her narrow face. A pretty girl and almost unflappable, it was difficult to discern Onora’s thoughts.

  “The horses are almost ready.” She pointed to Kiki. “She won’t let me put shoes on her.”

  Her horse knowledge must be considerable if Onora felt comfortable enough to shoe a horse. “Kiki’s a Sandseed horse—they dislike shoes,” Valek said.

  “Yeah, she made that quite clear.” Onora pushed up the sleeve on her right arm, revealing a bright red, horse-teeth-shaped bruise.

  Valek suppressed a smile. “That’s not for the shoes. Sandseed horses also have a keen sense of smell. That bite is for shooting Yelena with an arrow. Be glad she didn’t decide to kick the side of your head in, as well.”

  Kiki snorted as if in agreement. Onora shifted away from Onyx’s hindquarters. She tensed, probably sensing from Valek’s tone that he wasn’t there to talk about horses. The young assassin had helped rescue Yelena and Janco from Owen, which weighed in her favor, and she had been acting on the Commander’s orders when she shot his heart mate. Valek, more than anyone else, understood the advantages and disadvantages of being loyal to the Commander. However, he suspected Onora had lied to him about a few details.

  Valek strode right up to her. “The Commander didn’t give you that arrow, did he?”

  Dropping the comb, she reached for her knives, but Valek already had his pressed to her throat. She froze. Smart girl.

  “You filled the arrow with starlight, hoping Yelena would become pregnant, hoping I’d be happy to retire from my position to raise a family.”

  Onora didn’t deny it.

  “Are you that hungry for my job?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Show me.”

  She hesitated.

  “Show me or I’ll slice your tunic open.”

  Giving him a nasty glare, she yanked down the collar of her shirt. A purple C-shaped scar marked her chest. From his own experience with scars, he calculated that it’d been done approximately six months ago. Probably when she first started working for the Commander. Emotions boiled in his stomach. Betrayal and relief dominated. Betrayal over the Commander marking another without discussing it with Valek or even informing him. Relief that he no longer needed to fear for the Commander’s safety whenever Onora was near him, because she had given her life and loyalty to the Commander.

  Onora braced for his reaction.

  “That scar won’t protect you from me. Don’t lie to me again. Understand?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  He pressed harder. Blood welled under the sharp blade.

  “Yes, sir,” she said.

  “Hey! What’s going on?” Leif asked.

  In one quick motion, Valek sheathed his knife and stepped away from Onora. Leif, Devlen and Yelena hurried to join them. Color had returned to Yelena’s cheeks. It was much better than the deathly paleness that had clung to her skin over the past few days. Of course, it would be even better if she wasn’t staring daggers at him. Probably not a good time to inform her that the Commander and Onora had plotted against her.

  “Haven’t you assassinated enough people today?” Leif glared at him, then yanked out a handkerchief to dab at the blood on Onora’s throat. “It looks shallow, but I should put a poultice on it just in case.”

  Onora shooed him off. “I’m fine.”

  Uncertain about what had caused all this hostility, Valek mulled over Leif’s question. “Who died?”

  “Oh, come on. Don’t play the innocent, Mr. Assassin,” Leif said. “I get that you’re all protective of my sister and think anyone who hurts her should die. But they had vital information that could have led us to Owen, you idiot!”

  Ah. “All three?”

  Leif opened his mouth, but Yelena stopped him. “Yes, Ben, Loris and Cilly.”

  While not in the least bit upset over their deaths, Valek did regret not having more time to “talk” with them. He’d used goo-goo juice on Ben to learn the location of the escape tunnel’s exit point, but by the time he’d returned from his failed attempt to track Owen, the Sitian authorities had arrived.

  Valek suppressed the urge to glance at Onora. Was she responsible? And, if so, was she acting on her own or following the Commander’s orders? Now was not the time to ask. “How were they killed?” he asked Leif instead.

  Leif huffed in annoyance, but Devlen said, “Puncture wound to the jugular. They died of rapid blood loss.”

  Yelena touched her neck—a gesture her mother often used when feeling anxious or vulnerable.

  None of the assassins he knew killed that way. “Sound familiar?” he asked Yelena.

  “When The Mosquito attacked me, he aimed an ice pick at my neck. If he’d succeeded, I probably would have died the same way,” she said.

  Valek vowed to find the assassin and squash him. But first... “Didn’t Bruns Jewelrose hire him to target you?” Another whom Valek needed to have a little chat with—he planned to let the sharp point of his knife do all the talking in that conversation.

  Her hand remained around her throat. “Yes. Do you think Bruns sent him after the magicians? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “You’re right, it doesn’t. And an assassin rarely works for one client. Owen has the most to lose if they talked to the Council. Plus, he has the money to hire The Mosquito,” Valek speculated.

  “He wouldn’t kill his own brother,” Leif said. “He rescued Ben from Wirral Prison.”

  “Which alerted the authorities,” Valek said.

  “Who would have lost him if Ben had not gone after Yelena,” Devlen added.

  “Brothers,” Yelena said, gazing at Leif pointedly, “can be troublesome and have the tendency to jump to conclusions. You need to apologize to Valek.”

  Leif crossed his arms as two red splotches spread on his cheeks. “It wasn’t a jump. It was a perfectly reasonable assumption. One you made, too.”

  “I suspected Valek, as well,” Devlen said. He towered about six inches over Leif, and his blue-eyed gaze held contrition.

  “No need for apologies.” Valek considered. “I don’t suppose they would let me examine the crime scene?”

  “That would be...unwise at this time,” Devlen said. “They would not even let me near it or the bodies.”

  Which meant Captain Fl
eming suspected Valek and would probably report his suspicions to the Council. “Should we leave tonight?”

  “No,” Yelena said. “By the time they make a decision, we’ll be in Ixia.” Her matter-of-fact tone belied her heated gaze. She hadn’t forgotten his promise.

  Warmth spread throughout his chest. He’d risk being arrested for a night alone with Yelena. Hell, he’d risk his life. Once they left in the morning, there would be no privacy on the road.

  Yet there was no sense in taking an unnecessary risk. Setting a watch tonight would provide Valek with ample time to escape should the captain decide to arrest him. “All right, we’ll proceed as planned. Onora, where’s Janco? I thought he was helping you with the horses.”

  She gestured to a two-story barn to the left. “He’s pouting.”

  Should he even bother to ask?

  Yelena did. “About what?” She fed an apple to Kiki, who cleaved the fruit in half with one bite.

  Onora rubbed her right arm as she watched Kiki chew. “He wanted to name the horse we’re taking with us ‘Beach Bunny,’ after some stuffed rabbit he had growing up, and I said it was a stupid name for a horse. Then he claimed, if it was his horse, he could name it anything he wanted, and I said he should ride The Madam because she’s the easiest to handle, and—”

  “You offended his pride and he stalked away in a huff,” Yelena finished.

  “Yup.”

  As Yelena scratched Kiki in all her favorite spots, Valek gestured for Onora to follow him to the barn. He stopped outside the oversize doors that had been painted green with white trim.

  “Tell Janco to set up a watch schedule for tonight. I’ll take the last shift,” he said.

  “Should he include Yelena?”

  “No. She needs her rest.”

  Onora bit her lip, clamping down on the question dancing behind her eyes—was Yelena with child? Valek walked away without answering. It was too soon to tell, and, as far as he was concerned, Onora would be the last to know. Though a part of him was impressed by the twenty-year-old’s ambition and cunning, he also wished to throttle her. But the Commander had chosen her as Valek’s successor. And now it was up to Valek to decide if he agreed.