“Just a cut. You don’t look fine. I’ll fetch the healer.”
I grabbed his arm before he could stand. “No.”
“But your ribs—”
“Aren’t broken, just bruised. They were professionals. Just give me a minute.” All the muscles in my upper body ached.
He settled next to me. “What did they want?”
I repeated their questions. “They think I have a hidden agenda.”
“You have worked for the Masters in the past,” Finn said. “What did you tell them?”
“The truth. I’m here on my own. Although I don’t know why a bunch of fired guards would care if my orders came from the Council or not.”
The soldiers returned. Scowls creased their faces.
The guard on the left said to Finn, “They’ve disappeared. Why didn’t you stay behind us as requested?”
“You weren’t fast enough,” Finn said. “I couldn’t let them hit Opal again.”
The soldiers grumbled, but didn’t argue.
Finn helped me stand. His concern was evident in the gentle way he pulled me to my feet. “I’m sorry for not protecting you.”
“Don’t be silly. We were outnumbered and those guys…” Reminded me of Valek and his corp. “Even with my sais…Damn. They took my sais.”
“At least they didn’t take your life,” Finn said.
“Thanks to you. How did you find me so quickly?”
“Pure luck. When I woke up, I flagged down a couple guards. We were on the way to the station to organize search teams and we passed this street.”
Nice of luck to go my way for once. Finn insisted on coming along as the guards escorted me to the closest station house.
It turned out to be HQ, and every soul on duty descended on me the instant I arrived. Finn stayed beside me as I reported the attack. We remembered a few vague details about the men, but couldn’t provide any usable information. As for a motive, I speculated on the recent security changes at the Council Hall.
The ache in my ribs combined with my fatigue, and I fought to keep my eyes open. Finn noticed and offered to walk me home. However, the guards felt one protector was inadequate and I ended up with six escorts.
Before the group would allow me to enter my room at the inn, I had to promise not to go outside without protectors. At this point, I agreed. Finn shot me his slanted smile and mimed riding a horse, reminding me of our…date?…the following day. I nodded and hurried inside. With only a few hours left until dawn, I didn’t waste any time changing my clothes. Careful of my sore ribs and wishing for Leif’s pain-relieving wet dog potion, I slid into bed.
I’d just finished my breakfast when Nic and Eve joined me at my table in the common room.
“What a stroke of luck,” Nic said. “Meeting you here this morning. A happy coincidence.”
I peered at him. “Yeah, right. Does this mean we’ll be having more of these coincidences?”
He scratched the stubble on his chin. “You liked being beat up? I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Yeah, but it was late and—”
“Strength in numbers. Eve, explain it to her while we’re walking.” He stood.
“You can’t walk and talk?” Eve asked him.
“I’d like to stay focused on other…things.”
As we strode over to headquarters, Eve said, “After last night’s attack, the Captain arranged for you to be escorted at all times.”
“All? You know I’m protected in the Councilor’s Hall and at the inn.”
“I meant on the streets. We are to make sure you arrive at your various destinations without incident,” Eve said.
“What about tomorrow? I’m going riding with Finn.”
I shouldn’t have mentioned his name. Nic’s attention snapped to me. “Riding with Finn? What about Kade?”
“Shouldn’t you be focusing on the shadows or something? There might be another attack.” I appealed to Eve, but she wouldn’t help me. “Finn works at Wirral.”
Nic’s scowl eased. “Part of your secret mission?”
“It’s not…” Secret mission sounded so…deceitful. “I’m trying to find information.”
“Uh-uh.” Nic remained unconvinced.
“And you’re romancing it from Finn,” Eve said.
I didn’t like that word choice, either, but couldn’t think of a better replacement. “And it’s not very romantic with escorts. Besides, I’ll have Quartz with me.”
Eve conferred with Nic and they agreed I would be accompanied to the stables, but once I was with Quartz, I wouldn’t need their protection.
My sides still ached and I begged off training.
“Not that you need practice or anything.” Nic remarked. His voice heavy with sarcasm.
In response, I lifted my shirt up and showed him my torso.
Nic whistled. “Wow. Every shade of red and purple. Colorful.”
“Painful,” I corrected. “And one jab to my ribs and I’ll be screaming.”
“So? Don’t let me get past your blocks.”
“I’m not worried about you,” I said.
Eve laughed. “Point for Opal.”
Nic remained silent the rest of the way to the Councilor’s Hall. When I reached my desk, I read through the file on the hotshots who worked in the SMU at Wirral, looking for any bit of oddness. I reviewed the rookie’s…Lamar’s paperwork. The only thing that stood out was the verification for him. The letter took fourteen days to travel to Iolite Prison and fifteen days to return. An extra day. Which could be explained by many reasons—weather, problems with the horse, sickness. Except two letters had been sent at different times, and each one took a day longer to return.
As I read through all thirty-six hotshots’ records again, I noted their performance on the locked-up challenge. Eighteen had managed to escape their cells, but not the prison. Six had successfully started a black market inside the prison, bringing in contraband goods to sell. Ten had built complex weapons from the standard items available to prisoners. Only two had escaped the prison.
Flipping through the paperwork, I found the names of the two. Finn and Lamar. Finn had been very modest when he’d said he managed. Lamar’s file noted he had escaped in three days—the fastest in the history of the prison. Finn had taken seven. Interesting.
When Tama and Zebb entered the reception area, I put the files away. Color had returned to her face and she fired off a list of things she needed me to accomplish for the day. I asked her about taking tomorrow off.
She bit her lip as panic flashed in her eyes. “Come in my office, please,” she said. Then Tama turned to Zebb. “You can maintain my null shield from out here, right?”
He hesitated. “Yes, but—”
“Wonderful. Opal, when we’re done, have another desk brought up here for Zebb.” She entered her office.
I ducked Zebb’s glare as I followed her and closed the door behind me. Tama stood near the window, hugging her arms.
“Magic can’t reach you now,” I said. “You’re safe.”
“I don’t feel protected.” She rubbed her hands along her white silk shirt. “I only feel safe when you’re nearby.”
“But I was here yesterday, and that magician—”
She cut me off. “Yes, I know. I’ve been thinking about the attack all night, trying to deduce a motive for it. Nothing made sense until I remembered the magician’s strong desire to lock you away.”
“I’m not very popular with the guards we fired.” I debated telling her about the attack, but she had enough to worry about without me adding more.
“This was…different. And you saved me. Blocked the magic. How did you do it? You have no powers and you sent for Zebb to build a null shield.”
I had hoped she wouldn’t recall any of the details of my “rescue.” Should I formulate a creative explanation or should I tell her the truth? Tama held herself as if my words could knock her over. She had been lied to, betrayed and ill-used. I would undo all the good progress if she dis
covered I hadn’t been frank with her. She needed to trust.
“I’m immune to magic. That’s how I was able to block the attack. But I can’t shield you. Remember when I touched your wrist?”
“Yes.”
“It didn’t work, so my efforts were a temporary fix until Zebb arrived. If the magician had been prepared for my interference, I wouldn’t have saved you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
I sighed and explained my reasons. She sank into her chair as I talked.
“And Zebb knows?”
“He figured it out the first day.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because I asked him not to.” Before she could respond, I added, “I wanted to keep the knowledge of my immunity from the Council until I decide what I want to do with it. His primary concern is keeping you safe. Since my immunity wouldn’t harm you, he respected my request.”
“You do plan to tell the Council. Right?”
“Yes. It’s inevitable. Anytime I interact with a magician, he or she will figure it out. I’m just waiting for the Council to…settle down and be a little more receptive to listening to me.”
She laughed. “You’ve been hanging around here too long. That was very diplomatic.” Tama paused for a moment. “At least my instincts are still reliable. When you asked for a day off, I sensed your presence was linked to my feelings of safety.”
“But—”
“I know, I know.” She waved me off. “Feelings are not logical, Opal. And I’m not going to let my fears stop you from taking a day off. You need it. No offense, but you look terrible.”
“Gee thanks.”
“Why don’t you take today off, as well?”
“I’m fine.” When she didn’t appear convinced, I added, “Your list of tasks won’t take long. I’ll leave early. Okay?”
“Good.”
I turned to go, but she asked me to wait. She scooted her chair closer to her desk and stacked a few papers. “Can you take these to the realty office?” She held out the sheets.
“Sure.” I reached for the papers and hit an invisible wall. My fingers bent back as I tried to pierce it. The barrier felt solid and hard. Not magic. Magic moved like thick syrup, and I could put my hand in and swirl it around.
“Opal, what’s wrong?”
“I think…” I leaned my weight on the invisible barrier. “I think—”
Zebb burst into the room with Tama’s two bodyguards right behind him. “She’s being attacked,” he cried as he rushed over to us.
“Relax, Zebb,” I said. “It’s just me. I got too close”
“Oh.” He dismissed the guards, and waited for my explanation.
When the door closed, I said, “The shield must have reacted to my immunity.” I thought it through and followed the logic. My immunity was created by magic. A null shield blocked magic. I couldn’t reach Tama through the shield. Another interesting quirk to my new status. Another thing to keep quiet.
As I saddled Quartz early the next morning, Finn arrived on the back of a beautiful golden quarter horse. Her blond mane and tail had been braided and her legs had white socks.
I couldn’t resist running my hand along her long neck. “What’s her name?” I asked him.
“Sun Ray.”
“Perfect.” I tightened Quartz’s girth strap. Anxious to go, she fidgeted.
“Is she a Sandseed horse?” Finn asked.
I looked over. “Yes.”
“I thought they’re rare, and only given to…”
I finished for him. “Councilors, Master Magicians and powerful people like the Soulfinder?”
He remained neutral. “Yeah.”
“They are.” I let him figure it out. When I swung up into the saddle, I was eye level with Finn.
He changed the subject. “Is that a jumping saddle?”
“Yep.” I grinned. “Quartz loves to jump. I hope you can keep up.”
“That won’t be a problem, because you won’t catch me.” He spurred Sun Ray into a gallop.
To be fair, I waited a few seconds before giving Quartz the signal. Then we gave chase.
My ribs protested the motion, but the pure joy of riding banished my aches, worries and problems. I concentrated on my connection with Quartz and soon we moved as one, flying over fences, chewing up the miles and drinking the wind. We transformed into a combined mass of energy and power, free to go anywhere. Exhilarating.
We caught up to Finn and Sun Ray. He pointed to a forest in the distance. Our destination. With a burst of speed, we passed them and bolted for the forest. Once at the edge of the woods, we slowed and returned to horse and rider. I dismounted and walked beside Quartz, letting her cool down.
Holding Sun Ray’s reins, Finn joined us, leading her beside us as she puffed for breath. Her golden coat gleamed with sweat. “I always thought the stories about the Sandseed horses had been exaggerated. Now I’m thinking they didn’t quite explain the—” he searched for the proper word “—splendor of the horse. Not just physical attractiveness, but the whole way she moved as if she embodied the tangible essence of pure beauty.” He looked a bit chagrined. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to gush.”
“As long as it doesn’t go to her head. She’s already spoiled, but she’d be impossible to live with if she developed an over-inflated ego.”
We entered the forest, following a trail through the bare branches and crunching dead leaves under our boots. A few evergreens saved the landscape from being outright creepy. Only a few days remained in the cold season, but full greenery wouldn’t arrive until the end of the warming season.
The gurgle of water reached me before we entered a rocky clearing. A stream cut through the middle, snaking around the bigger rocks. Finn tied his horse to a nearby tree, but I pulled Quartz’s bridle off and let her explore.
“Aren’t you worried she’ll run away?” he asked.
“No. Although, if she chooses to leave, I’d be devastated.”
Quartz snorted and flicked me with her tail. Finn peered at me as if my skin had turned another color.
“With Sandseed horses, the horse picks the rider. And if she decides she wants to return to the Avibian Plains, there’s nothing I could do to stop her. Well…I could tempt her with milk oats.”
She raised her head at the mention of her favorite treat, but returned to drinking from the stream when I failed to produce them.
I scanned the clearing. “Where’s the waterfall?”
“Upstream.” He removed a sack from Sun Ray’s saddlebags and slung it over his shoulder. “Come on.”
We hiked along the bank, hopping from rock to rock to avoid the mud and water. A light shushing filled the air and a moisture-rich breeze fanned our faces. The sound grew louder and the stream widened as we continued. Up ahead, a bend blocked my view, but a thin mist floated low over the water.
Anxious, I increased my pace and rounded the corner. I stopped. The waterfall was three feet high.
Finn shot me his slanted smile. “I did say it was a pretty little waterfall.”
He opened the sack and drew out cheese, bread, two flasks, two cups, a variety of small sandwiches and a blanket. Arranging them on the top of a large flat boulder, he smoothed out the blanket and invited me to sit next to him.
For a moment I stood in stunned silence. This was a date. An actual date. I’d never been on one before. Ulrick and I had started as friends and then took the next step. And Kade…Our initial meeting hadn’t gone well, but the relationship grew over time and crises. We never had a peaceful moment. Not even a picnic on the beach.
I suddenly wished Kade and not Finn waited for me to join him. Settling on the ground, I turned my attention to him. We talked about nothing in particular as we ate, but at the first natural segue, I steered the conversation to Wirral. Because this shouldn’t be a real date. I needed to learn everything I could about the prison.
Finn answered a few questions, but the gleam in his eyes meant he sa
w right through me. Eventually he asked, “Is your interest in the prison linked to the attack last night?”
“No. I was just curious.”
He leaned back on one elbow. “Even if I hadn’t been trained to spot one, you’re not a good lair. Your questions about security at Wirral combined with the attack last night, mean you’re up to something. You’re on a mission.”
I tried to protest, but he shook his head. “Don’t bother denying it. Since I doubt you’re up to no good, why don’t you tell me what’s going on so I can help you?”
I hesitated. He straightened and said, “I have sources all over Fulgor.” He leaned toward me. “What if you’re attacked again? If I know what’s going on, I can better protect you.”
Sticking to the truth, I said, “I’m on a mission for myself. No one sent me. You know I’m not popular among the guards. Remember the drunks at the Spotted Dog?”
“What’s the mission?”
“I’d rather not say. Don’t worry. It doesn’t involve helping any of the prisoners at Wirral.”
“Good. Do you expect to be ambushed again?”
“Not with my escorts following me around Fulgor.”
Finn gave me a wry smile. “They care about you. And…” He reached for one of the flasks, twisting off the cap. He poured wine into one of the cups and handed it to me. He filled the other and fiddled with it.
Unsure of what to do with the cup, I prompted, “And?”
“And, I’m beginning to care about you, too.” He brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. His warm fingers stroked my cheek and lingered under my chin, drawing me closer. He kissed me.
My heart broke into a gallop. In order to maintain the ruse, I kissed him back. After…I don’t know…seconds?…minutes?…he drew back and gave me that slanted grin. He raised his cup and stopped as a twig snapped.
We both turned. The four men who had attacked us before stood a few feet downstream. My heart increased its pace to a full-out canter.
“How romantic,” Middle Man said. “I hope we’re interrupting.”
Finn stood and pulled his sword. I cursed myself for not replacing my sais. Instead, I grabbed my switchblade and triggered it as I positioned myself next to Finn.
He glanced at me and asked, “Are you certain these goons aren’t here about your mission?”
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