Night Study

by Maria V. Snyder

  Devlen returned from doing a reconnaissance. “Nothing. All’s quiet.”

  “Suspiciously quiet?” Leif asked.

  “No. Abandoned quiet.”

  They ventured closer. Leif tasted the wind, seeking the flavors of past intentions. He drew in deep breaths, sensing the echoes of emotions. The trees rustled and the dry grass crackled under Rusalka’s hooves. Otherwise, all remained undisturbed.

  Peering through the glass of the house, Leif confirmed that nothing grew inside. A crate filled with an assortment of objects sat in the center.

  “Perhaps there is information in the box,” Devlen said next to him. He strode to the entrance.

  Leif followed. When Devlen opened the door, stale musty air puffed out. They entered.

  “Looks like they yanked the plants in a hurry,” Leif said. He bent to grab a handful of soil, testing the moisture. He freed a root that had been left behind. It was brittle. “It’s been about two weeks since this place was in use.”

  “That fits the timeline,” Devlen said. He knelt next to the crate.

  “There’s...something...off.” Leif wiped the dirt from his hands.

  Devlen paused. “Off?”

  “I can’t pinpoint it. It’s...subtle.” Leif joined his brother-in-law. “Is there anything in there of value?”

  Devlen reached into the box.

  “Malice,” Leif said. “That’s what’s off. The air is tainted with malice.”

  “Considering Owen was in here, I am not surprised.” Devlen pulled a broken shovel and tossed it aside. He dumped the rest of the contents—mostly old gardening tools.

  “Let’s check the other building,” Leif said, exiting the glass house.

  The oversize wooden barn door gaped open.

  Leif halted. “The air reeks of death. And there’s nothing subtle about that.”

  “I smell it, too.”

  They exchanged a glance. Leif yanked his machete from his belt and Devlen brandished his scimitar. Devlen eased the door wider and signaled him. Leif held his breath and crept inside with the Sandseed right behind. Dim sunlight trickled through the dusty windows. The large single room contained furniture and gardening supplies and a dead body.

  Leif cursed aloud. Then he gagged on the rotten stench. “Check.” He motioned to search the room. “Quick.” Covering his nose with his hand, he took the right side while Devlen went left.

  Not much to see. An old frayed couch, a couple chairs and a desk. Although the stack of files piled on top might be interesting. Leif sheathed his machete. He opened the first file.

  A loud pop sounded. The sharp, acrid smell of malice sliced right through death’s foul odor. Inside the file was a single piece of paper.

  “Run,” Leif yelled, just as a whoosh vibrated through the air.

  The barn’s walls ignited. Flames ripped up the sides, surrounding them.

  7

  YELENA

  One look at Valek’s hard expression and I braced for bad news. He didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately. “Are you certain it was Owen and the others?” I asked Valek. “It was dark and the boy is very young.” The thought of Owen in Ixia coiled like a snake in the pit of my stomach.

  Onora and I had been relaxing by the campfire when Valek and Janco returned from searching for the tunnel. They’d found it, but also learned one of the teen miners had reported spotting three strangers that had appeared right out of thin air the same night his camp’s food stores had been raided.

  “It’s not a hundred percent, but it makes the most sense,” Valek said, sitting next to me. He held his hands close to the fire, warming them.

  “Why did Lewin see them at all?” Janco plopped down between me and Onora. “That Rika chick should be hiding them behind an illusion all the time. That’s what I’d do if I were her.”

  “It’s difficult to maintain an illusion when the subject is in motion,” I explained. “The magician has to constantly adjust it to match the surroundings. It’s exhausting. While something static, like covering the mouth of the cave with an illusionary rockfall, is much easier.”

  “But what keeps it going?” Onora placed the cook pot on the fire, reheating the beef stew the cook from the miner’s camp brought over for supper. “Once the magician leaves, shouldn’t the illusion dissipate?”

  “In most cases, the illusion disappears,” I said. “However, some magicians can loop the magic back to the power blanket. This loop keeps the illusion intact by drawing power from the source. Booby traps work in a similar fashion, except when one is triggered, it connects to the source to fuel the trap and then disintegrates. There’s no loop.”

  “Yeah, yeah, this is all very fascinating,” Janco said, “but why would Owen even be in Ixia? The Commander is angry at him for getting too greedy. His best play is to lie low in Sitia.”

  “Owen claimed he has something that would make the Commander forgive him,” I said, remembering that smug, cocky tone he’d used. And now that I thought about it... “Makes sense for him to want to reach the Commander before Valek reports in. He can spin his story, skewing it in his favor.”

  “Or he can just use his evil mojo and put the Commander under a spell.” Janco waggled his fingers.

  That wasn’t quite how it worked, but Janco had a good point. I met Valek’s gaze. “When were they spotted?”

  “Three nights ago, and they’re on foot,” he said.

  If they wished to keep a low profile, they would avoid riding horses. In Ixia, only generals and top-ranking advisers rode horses. Merchants used them to pull their wagons, but everyone else walked.

  “If we leave now, we can easily catch up,” I said, gesturing to Kiki and the others grazing nearby.

  “Yeah, but can we stop them?” Janco rubbed his ear. A queasy expression creased his face. “Leif’s not here to make those null thingies that protect us from their magic.”

  “We have Curare, darts and blowpipes. As long as they don’t suspect we’re close, we can incapacitate them,” Valek said.

  “Can we find them?” Onora asked.

  Janco huffed in annoyance. “Of course we can track them. That won’t be a problem. If they cover their tracks with illusions, Valek and I can sniff out their magic, and I can follow them if they don’t. No, the real problem will be if they can sense us coming.”

  Everyone turned to me. I considered Owen’s magical powers. Back when Owen had coerced me into helping him search for the Ice Moon in the MD-3 mines, he had failed to locate Valek’s hiding place on the ceiling.

  “Owen can’t, but I’m not certain about Rika and Tyen,” I said. “Many magicians don’t reveal all their powers. They like to keep one or two hidden from public knowledge so they have an advantage.”

  “Not helping, Yelena,” Janco said.

  “Owen’s been one step ahead of us the entire time,” Onora said.

  “That’s what happens when he has a six-day head start,” Janco snapped.

  She pressed her lips together and shot him a nasty glare. Onora wasn’t the type to state the obvious, so I sensed there was more.

  “What are you thinking?” I asked her.

  “They argued while stealing food and under a cloak of illusion. That’s just stupid. Owen’s many things, but he’s not stupid.”

  Valek nodded in agreement. “You think he wanted the boy to see them?”

  “Yes, so he can lead us into another booby trap,” she said.

  Sounded like Owen. “Do we follow the bread crumbs or dash ahead and set our own trap?”

  “How far ahead?” Valek asked.

  “The castle?” Janco suggested.

  “That’s dangerously close to the Commander,” Onora said.

  “Yeah, but it’s our home territory. Nobody knows it as well as we do.” Janco thumped his chest. “And there are a gazillion soldiers there to protect the Commander.”

  “Yet we’re just guessing that they’re heading to the castle. The red and black colors on their uniforms could be a diversion,�
�� Onora said.

  As they discussed options, I mulled it over. Why else would Owen be in Ixia? To hide from the Sitian authorities. Possible, but Ixia kept a close watch on its citizens, making it difficult to blend in and disappear. Owen had managed to avoid execution before; he must believe he could do it again in order to risk the journey. I knew Owen the best, so I put myself in his boots and contemplated the problem.

  “Owen’s heading to the castle,” I said, stopping the discussion.

  “Then we need to beat him there,” Janco said.

  “They’re on foot. How long will it take them to reach the castle?” I asked him.

  “On foot, it would take about ten days to get there from here.”

  “With their head start, they’ll be there in seven days,” Valek said.

  “And it will take us five days on horseback. Is two days enough time to prepare?” I asked, already worried about it.

  “It should be plenty of time. Plus if they’re planting booby traps, using magic to cover their tracks and avoiding detection, it’ll take them longer than seven days.” Valek lifted the pot’s lid and stirred the stew with a spoon.

  A puff of steamy goodness wafted up. My stomach grumbled in response. It was nice to have an appetite for a change, but I wondered how long it would last before another bout of queasiness swelled. The nausea came and went, but was never bad enough to make me vomit. Thank fate.

  Valek ladled stew into the bowls and passed them around the fire. Every day it was harder to ignore my sensitive stomach. By now, I was four weeks late. Hard to pin the delay on stress when I’d just spent most of the past two days resting. And what would I feel if it was confirmed? I shied away from those thoughts. Too scary.

  Instead, I decided to wait until we reached the castle to indulge in any more speculation. Once there, I’d visit the medic and seek advice. Lots of advice.

  “When do we leave?” But then Janco waved his hands at Valek in a stopping motion. “Don’t say it.”

  “At dawn.”

  He groaned. “I told you not to say it!”

  No one talked while we ate. When we finished the stew, we prepared to turn in early. Valek insisted on checking my cut. The wound remained painful to the touch and throbbed if I made any big movements, but there weren’t any signs of infection. He changed the bandage, then pointed to my bedroll. An unspoken order.

  Despite my initial annoyance that he’d left me at camp while he and Janco searched for the tunnel, I had to admit the downtime helped restore some of my energy, which I would need for the next five long days in the saddle. I lay down facing the fire.

  “What’s the watch schedule?” Onora asked.

  “I’ve assigned Ivon and his men to patrol the camp. We all could use a full night’s sleep.” Valek joined me, spooning in behind and covering us both with the blanket. He draped his arm over my shoulder.

  Ah. My favorite time of the day. I snuggled closer. “What are they going to do once we leave?” I asked.

  “Continue investigating and track down any smugglers who used the tunnel before Owen and his companions blocked it with the illusion.”

  A good plan, but what if they found more than they bargained for? I remembered the brothers, Tex and Jax, and how they might have been planted by Owen. What if Lewin was, as well?

  “What if Owen is still nearby?” I whispered to Valek, clutching the blanket. Ivon and his men wouldn’t stand a chance against the three magicians.

  “He’s not. Stop second-guessing yourself.” Valek kept his voice low, as well.

  Easy to say, so hard to do. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

  “Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. But it’s not your fault or mine. Owen is responsible for his own actions,” Valek said.

  Again the logic made sense, but my heart failed to agree.

  Valek smoothed my hair away from my face. “What’s really bothering you, love?”

  “That we won’t be able to stop him. That he teams up with the Commander and...” Horrible scenarios bubbled, but one stood out.

  “And?”

  “And the Commander orders you to execute me.” When the Commander had written my execution order eight years ago, he hadn’t given it to Valek. If he had, Valek would have killed me. No doubt. His loyalty to the Commander was absolute. And I understood and have accepted it.

  “It’s highly unlikely.”

  I turned to face him. “But not impossible.”

  He met my gaze with an unwavering intensity. “Then it will be the first time I’ve disobeyed a direct order.” His words a promise.

  That was new. Warmth spread throughout my chest, and it wasn’t because of the fire.

  * * *

  We reached a travel shelter after three exhausting days on the road. The horses had set the pace and we arrived near midnight—a half day ahead of schedule. Sweat stained Kiki’s copper coat and her sides heaved with the effort. She’d adjusted her gait, keeping my ride smooth. Even without our magical link, Kiki had known each stride sent a jolt of pain through my side.

  Onora and I walked the horses to cool them down while Valek and Janco checked the area around the small wooden building for magical booby traps. After signaling the all-clear, they entered the structure.

  They returned in no time and joined us.

  “All’s quiet,” Valek said. “There’s a couple travelers from MD-2 sleeping, but there’s not a whiff of magic anywhere nearby.”

  The Snake Forest surrounded the shelter on three sides. The fourth side faced the wide fields of cotton and flax plants. The rich soil and weather was ideal for growing both, and with their overabundance of sheep, MD-5 produced and dyed all the thread for the Territory of Ixia. The skeins were then sent to MD-3 to be woven into fabric.

  “Let’s take care of the horses and get some sleep. I’ll take first watch. Onora second, and Janco third,” Valek ordered.

  “And I’ll take fourth,” I said.

  He frowned, but kept quiet.

  The stable next to the shelter had room for six horses. The straw smelled musty, and I hoped no critters had nested inside it. We filled water buckets from the well, removed tack and groomed our horses, all in silence. No one had the energy to talk.

  When we finished, we headed into the shelter. The one room contained two rows of bunk beds along the walls on the left side, and a large stone hearth with chairs ringed around it on the right. We found three empty bunks next to each other and away from the two occupied ones close to the hearth.

  Valek sat on the edge of mine and tucked me in. He’d always been protective, but on this trip, he seemed overly concerned. Perhaps he shared my worries about Owen and the Commander. Right now I was too tired to ask him.

  Instead, I wrapped my arms around his neck, trapping him when he swooped in for a quick kiss good-night. Might as well take advantage of the extra attention. I deepened the kiss.

  He broke away. “No fair, love.”

  I acted innocent. “I’d thought you could use a little extra warmth before you went out into the cold night air.”

  “You mean the cold lonely night?”

  “You set the watch schedule. I’d be more than happy to work in teams.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You would?”

  “Yes, you know how much I enjoy Janco’s company.”

  “Ouch. I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

  I smirked my best Janco impression. “Yes, love.”

  * * *

  My turn on watch arrived in what felt like a matter of minutes. I had a vague memory of Valek sliding under the blanket, but otherwise nothing until Janco poked me on the shoulder. Movement jolted me wide-awake as Valek brandished a knife.

  “It’s me,” Janco whispered, jumping back.

  “Sorry,” Valek mumbled before turning over and taking the blanket with him. The knife remained in his hand.

  The cold air rushed in and I fumbled for the gray cloak we’d purchased at a Sitian market
near the border.

  I joined Janco outside. “Anything?”

  “Nope. It’s been quiet.”

  I peered into the darkness that wasn’t as black as it should be. Predawn light seeped in through the edges of the world. “You didn’t wake me early enough.”

  He shrugged. “It’s such a beautiful night, I lost track of time.”

  “Did Valek order—”

  “No, but if you’re going to take a watch shift, maybe you shouldn’t share a bed with a superlight sleeper who has fast reflexes and is well armed.”

  “You’re just jealous.”

  “Damn right I am. Now, if you don’t mind, I need my beauty sleep.” Janco slipped back inside.

  I checked on the horses. They slept in their stalls unperturbed—a good sign. Looping around the buildings, I ensured no one lurked nearby or had set up an ambush. Although my rustlings and crunchings on dead leaves would have alerted anyone within a mile of my presence. I’d taken my magic for granted. Being on watch had been much easier when all I had to do was scan the surroundings with my awareness.

  No sense moping about it; I would just need to learn how to move through the forest without scaring away the wildlife. And instead of doing sweeps, I found a perfect spot to watch for movement and to listen for sounds.

  Dawn arrived. I fed the horses and inspected them for cuts or hot spots. Kiki nuzzled my ear and tugged on my braid. I didn’t need our mental link to know what she desired.

  “I only have a few left, and you’ll have to share them with the others,” I said.

  She nudged me toward the tack room.

  “All right.” I dug in my saddlebags and removed the sack of milk oats. “You’re spoiled.”

  Kiki sucked hers down in one bite. The others crunched on theirs. Good thing the Keep’s Stable Master had given me the recipe for Kiki’s favorite treat. I didn’t know how long I’d be in Ixia. Could be seasons. Had Irys sent me a reply by now? My message about traveling with Valek to Ixia would have reached her last week. Did she think I stayed with him because I was terrified or because I didn’t trust her to keep me safe in Sitia? Did I know the answer?

  Why did I agree to stay with Valek when Sitia needed me? The Council was probably panicking over the news that the Commander had Curare. No. Not probably. Definitely.