I looped around the factories, searching for stockpiles of sand, smokestacks and the smell of molten glass. None of the structures indicated a glass shop might be inside.
I stopped at the Dolomite Inn and woke a stable boy from his afternoon nap. He stretched and yawned, helping me with Quartz’s saddle and tack. I fed her grain. She drank water as I groomed her. After making sure she had a comfortable and clean stall, I rented a room.
I chatted with the innkeeper, an older man whose hair had migrated from the top of his head to sprout from his ears, eyebrows and nose.
“What’s the main industry here?” I asked him.
“Engravers and carvers, mostly,” he said. “The slabs of stone from the quarries are cut to size, polished and then customized, depending on the order. The big government projects always want some fancy columns or statues. Date stones are popular.” He touched the top of his head as if he still couldn’t believe his hair was gone. “We also carve tombstones. Name, date—the works!”
“Any glass or pottery factories?”
“Nope. We import that stuff. We’re focused on stone, granite and marble.”
“I didn’t see a market.”
“Of course not, it’s not market day. You’ll have to wait three more days.”
I didn’t have the luxury of three more days. “Do you know where Boulder Street is?”
His wheezy laugh turned into a hiccup. “Half the streets in town are named Boulder, the other half are Stone. Masons are not known for their imagination.” When he regained his breath he asked, “What are you looking for?”
I debated how much to tell him. He seemed harmless, but I’d made that mistake before. “A friend wrote me that he found a job at a new factory here. I thought I’d visit him.”
“New?” The innkeeper pulled at his bushy white sideburns as if trying to yank the information from his brain. “I don’t know about new, but someone bought the old Donner place on the eastern edge of town. It’s tucked into the woods hidden from view. We haven’t seen much activity besides a few deliveries. Figured they were renovating the inside and would be looking for workers when it was ready.”
He gave me directions to the Donner place. I decided to let Quartz nap and walked to the site. I almost missed the narrow lane leading back to the factory. Paralleling the path, I crept through the woods. Surrounded by trees, the two-story building looked ordinary at first glance. However, the stone construction and smokestack hinted a kiln might be in use. I circled the structure and spotted oversize doors. Sand and lime littered the ground as if spilled from wagons being wheeled through the doors.
“What took you so long?” Janco asked.
“I asked for directions.”
He scoffed. “Amateur.”
“Am not.”
“Oh, yeah? Then why did you let your soldier friend follow you?”
“Eve’s here?” I looked around. No wonder it was too easy. She’d played along to see where I was going.
“She’s at the inn. She tried to trail you from there, but a clumsy man with a slab of marble almost knocked her out.” Janco tsked. “By the time they untangled, you were gone.”
“Guess I am an amateur.”
“You’re more a rookie,” Janco said. “You need to learn how to spot a tail.”
Muffled voices reached us and we ducked down. I glimpsed movement through the windows of the building.
“Is that our target?” Janco asked in a whisper.
“I think so.”
“Tonight, then.”
He traveled through the woods with silent steps. I felt like a pregnant cow in comparison. Did I really want to spend hours and hours and hours learning how to be a professional sneak? No. I’d rather be lying on a beach with Kade, with all this furtive nonsense behind me and with the Warpers all safely locked away.
I crouched in the darkness. Crickets chirped and an owl hooted above me. No sounds emanated from the factory. No light glowed from the windows. When I was confident the place was empty, I snuck to a side entrance and picked the lock.
The door swung inward with a tiny squeak. Heat puffed in my face, smelling of white coal and molten glass. I lit a small lantern. The ground floor contained two standard kilns, annealing ovens, benches and tools. Glassware and vases with Gressa’s unique design lined a shelf. Why did she make them here and not at her factory in Fulgor?
In a back room I found a dozen of my messengers. The messengers still glowed with magic. Gressa had tricked me and sent my batch here instead of to the Citadel. Unexpected. Points for her.
I glanced out a window. Janco should be in position by now. After he had distracted Eve, he planned to wait outside just in case.
As I searched the mixing room and storage room, my mind tried to reason why the messengers were here. Then I almost knocked over a table filled with pyramids made from opaque glass. I picked one up.
Magic pulsed through my hands. My stomach twisted. I recognized Ulrick’s magic, and even though the opaque glass concealed the glow, I felt my own magic. They were mixed inside the pyramid.
Why? Unknown. An icy wave of dread slammed into me. I set the pyramid on a table before I dropped it. What I did know was Ulrick worked here and could be nearby. Ulrick’s warning back in Ognap replayed in my mind. I can sense you from a distance.
Which would explain why Gressa had this hidden factory. Devlen was a wanted man for his involvement in the ambush on Zitora and me long ago. Since everyone was convinced switching souls was impossible, Ulrick would have to keep a low profile in Devlen’s body.
I yanked off my backpack, tore it open and fumbled for my orb. Potential throbbed as I hugged the glass to my chest. I stood and scanned the darkness.
“Did you enjoy the tour?” Ulrick asked. He stepped from a shadowy corner. A wide smile spread on his face. “Took you long enough to put it together. You’re still oblivious to magic. You walked right past my concealing illusion without noticing a thing.”
“I can feel magic now.”
“So you can,” he agreed without concern. “What do you think of my shop?”
“Your shop? Don’t you mean Gressa’s?”
“It’s more like a family business. We’re working together.”
“And Tama is involved, too.”
“Of course.”
“Why are you experimenting with my messengers?” I asked.
“Come on, Opal. You’re not stupid. And neither is Gressa. She knew you’d eventually stop working for her.”
“Have you been able to duplicate my messengers?” I asked.
“Not yet, but we’re close.”
“Then what?”
Ulrick sobered. “Businesses are more profitable without competition.”
Meaning they planned to kill me once they figured out how to make the messengers. Wonderful.
“I must admit, you surprised me this afternoon. We didn’t expect you to find this location or me. Gressa’s going to be upset.” He shrugged. “But now that you’re here, you might as well stay until I figure out our next move.”
“You can’t force me to stay.” The glass orb in my hands vibrated.
“If I use magic, you’ll just channel it into your orb. But I don’t have to use magic. Can you defend yourself while holding an orb?” He moved closer.
“No, but remember I can siphon all your magic before you get near me.”
“Go ahead.” He stepped.
Through the glass, I reached for his magic and pulled. It resisted my efforts. It wouldn’t budge.
Ulrick pried the useless orb from my fingers. I tried to fight, but he backed away and let his magical power hold me immobile.
Pleased by his surprise, Ulrick leaned close to me and said, “I lied when I said it was a family business. We expanded to include a few old friends.” He turned to the side and swept his arm toward the door. “You remember Tricky. After he offered to share the most wonderful present with us, we welcomed him to the family.”
23
<
br /> MY SINGLE LIFESAVING SKILL BLOCKED, I WAS…OUTMANEUVERED, outsmarted and outwitted. I would like to say they cheated, but that would be if they played fair. In this situation, no rules applied. However, all was not lost, as I had my own surprise.
Ulrick searched me for weapons, removing my sais, lock picks and glass creatures.
“She has a switchblade tucked into the small of her back,” Tricky said. He stood next to Ulrick with his three goons flanking him. I recognized Boar, Len and Aubin from the attack on The Flats.
Ulrick confiscated the weapon.
“Now what?” Boar asked.
“We should kill her,” Tricky said.
“Don’t be foolish,” Ulrick admonished. “Until we have our own, her messengers are going to make us rich and her blood will make us powerful.”
“She’s dangerous,” Tricky said.
“Not anymore.” Ulrick held out his arms, showing the network of black tattoos. “We’re all protected.”
But Tricky shook his head. “We thought we had her before. Devlen and Crafty lost their powers, and I ended up in an Ixian prison. Bleed her dry now before her Stormdancer boyfriend shows up and blows the place to splinters.”
“No one knows she’s here. We’ll wait for Gressa’s orders. Until then, lock her in the basement,” Ulrick said.
Aubin and Len glanced at Tricky. He nodded. I staggered as Ulrick’s magic released me. They each grabbed one of my arms.
“We’ll go with you,” Tricky said, gesturing to Boar. “She’s been training.”
They dragged me down a flight of stairs. I wished I could fight four men and would have at least tried except I knew Tricky’s magic would paralyze me in an instant.
The basement was all concrete, cinder block and thick wooden doors. A whole row of them—five in all. Tricky pushed the third door open. Aubin and Len shoved me into darkness. I landed hard on the floor.
“Should we chain her?” Len asked.
“Not yet,” Tricky said. He slammed the door shut.
A muted snap of the lock sounded, then nothing. The weak light under the door faded and disappeared. Complete blackness surrounded me.
I remained on the ground, letting various emotions roll through me. Imagining myself as a piece of sea glass caught in the tide, I swayed with each wave. Panic. Fear. Despair. Anger. Chagrin. Hope. Determination.
When I calmed, I pushed all the negative thoughts away and concentrated on the positive. One—Janco would help me. Two—I wasn’t chained. Exploring with my hands, I discovered the room contained a sleeping mat, a chamber pot and chains—four short lengths with cuffs at the ends and attached to the wall. I pulled hard, hanging my weight on a chain. It didn’t move.
I touched every inch of the room within reach and found nothing more, not even a window. The door’s hinges were on the outside and the door lacked a knob. My fingers felt a keyhole—positive number three. I paused to thank Janco before reaching for my shirt’s hem. Another set of lock picks hid inside.
Sitting back on my heels, I hesitated. Both Ulrick’s and Tricky’s magic would sense me. They knew I was here, but could they determine my distance? I didn’t know. What if they posted guards? I doubted one of Tricky’s goons stood in the darkness, but someone could be watching the door at the top of the steps. Only one way to find out.
I extracted my diamond pick and tension wrench with care. No sense leaving a gaping hole as evidence. The lock had a large number of pins; hurrying only hindered my efforts. Time passed. Sweat ran. The pins slipped.
A tremble of relief washed through me as the cylinder finally turned and the door opened. I waited for a cry of alarm, but when nothing happened, I returned my picks and felt my way into the corridor.
At the bottom of the stairs, I paused. Why did Tricky choose the third door and not the one closest to the steps? I tried all the doors. The first and second were locked, but the others swung open. I debated: picking the locks would take more time, but I couldn’t leave people here. Or could I? If I escaped and met up with Janco, we could return with help. Unless Ulrick moved everyone while I tried to convince the authorities. Considering my record, I doubted anyone would believe me.
I crouched next to the first door. “Hello? Anyone there?” I whispered through the crack underneath. Nothing. “Hey. Are you awake?” I called a little louder.
Shuffling noises, then a frightened female voice asked, “Who’s there?”
“My name is Opal. I was a prisoner here, as well. I just escaped. Who are you?”
“Faith Moon, First Adviser to Councilor Moon.”
First? Then I realized she was the former adviser, and one of the main people who’d conspired against Tama. A dilemma. She was supposed to be here.
“Hello? Are you still there? Please help us,” she pleaded.
“Us? Is someone with you?” I asked.
“Yes. Councilor Moon is locked in the room next to mine.”
The poor girl had lost her mind. Tama’s sister Akako must be in the second room. I thought fast. “I’m going to get help for you both. I’ll be back.”
“No! The authorities won’t help you. Come back! Are you there? Everyone believes Tama is safe at the Councilor’s Hall, but she isn’t there. Hello? She’s trapped in Akako’s body.” Sobs emanated.
I felt as if I’d been slammed flat by a heavy slab of marble. My lungs refused to work as shock gripped my entire being.
“Are you there? Please answer!”
Her harsh cry pierced my paralysis. “I’m here.”
“Thank fate!”
“Calm down, you’re getting loud.”
Faith sucked in a few gulps. In a low, intense voice, she continued, “I know it sounds insane, but you’ve got to believe me. Akako and a magician did…something to Tama’s blood and they switched…bodies.”
“I believe you.”
She gasped in surprise. I understood all too well. Before she could say more, I told her my plan to check the door at the top of the steps. If no one guarded the door, I would come back and free her and Tama. No way would I leave them behind.
“Can you unlock cuffs? They’ve chained her to the wall,” she said.
“Why?”
“To punish her. She tried to escape.” Pride filled her voice.
“Why didn’t Akako kill her?”
“She has information they need. They killed all her other supporters. I’m alive for only one reason. To ensure she cooperates.”
With that gruesome image in my mind, I crept up the stairs, feeling for the door. I counted fourteen steps before I touched the wood. The knob turned without a creak and I pushed. Unlocked, it swung open. No cry of alarm sounded.
I waited. Darkness pressed on the windows. When I was satisfied, I returned. The lock on Faith’s door resisted, but with more time than I could afford, I popped it, figuring out the trick to keep the pins aligned. Tama’s lock popped within seconds.
Faith quickly explained to Tama as I worked on the Councilor’s cuffs. The woman sagged in my arms when I finished. She whispered a thank-you in my ear before straightening.
“Let’s go,” Tama said.
We held hands, forming a line. I led the women to the steps. At the top, I instructed them to run as soon as we left the building. The presence of three people would no doubt alert Ulrick and Tricky, who, I hoped, slept on the second floor, since I hadn’t seen bedrooms on the first level.
“Faster is better,” I whispered. “If we get separated, meet up behind the Dolomite Inn’s stables.”
They nodded in determination.
It was a real shame we didn’t even make it to the door. Tricky and his men poured from the shadows, creating a barrier between us and freedom.
“I thought you were smart,” Tricky said to me. “Then again, you probably didn’t realize just how much power I’ve amassed since our last encounter. Your blood has given me a boost, and I’m well on my way to Master level.” He gestured to his men. Boar and Len grabbed Faith and Tama. They
dragged the women back toward the stairs. Faith’s cries pierced me.
“You would have gotten farther without them,” Tricky said.
I shrugged, projecting nonchalance even though my heart crawled up my throat. Janco was being smart. If he tried to rescue me, Tricky would have him, too.
“Not much farther,” Tricky added. “As soon as you touched the basement door I knew. I’ll give you extra kudos for popping all those locks. I guess Ulrick didn’t do a proper search.” His gaze swept my body.
Oh no.
Boar and Len returned.
“You boys go to bed. I’ll see to our guest.” Tricky advanced.
The goons leered, made rude comments and left.
Not good.
“Time for a proper search. Take off your clothes.”
No way. I bumped into a gaffer’s bench. Scrambling around it, I kept backing up. He continued to advance until I hit a wall.
He stopped inches from me. “Last time. Strip.”
I fumbled with my shirt, yanking out the lock picks. “Here.” I thrust them at him. “They’re all I have. Honest!”
“Excuse me if I don’t trust you.” He reached for my collar.
I knocked his arm away. Big mistake. His magic wrapped around me, holding me immobile. He ripped my shirt open, then tore my undershirt off. His hot hands burned my skin as he pretended to search my upper body for weapons.
“Sir?” Aubin said from behind him.
He stopped. “It better be important.”
“You should wait for instructions from the Councilor before…harming her. Her cooperation is critical.”
He laughed. Tugging at my pants, he said, “This will ensure her cooperation. After I’m done, she’ll do anything I ask.”
“You just need to wait a day at most. The Councilor and Gressa may be upset.”
“I don’t care. Go away.”
Satisfied with the ensuing silence, he pulled my pants down to my knees. I strained, wanting to scream when he touched my leg, but I was unable to make any noise.
Then he lurched forward as a horrible thud sounded. Bouncing off me, he dropped to the floor. His magic released its hold on me.
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