They
agreed.
Tama walked me to the door. “Is this…mission for Irys
dangerous?”
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“It shouldn’t be.”
“Shouldn’t?”
“I’ve learned to expect the unexpected.”
“Does it work?”
“No.” Although it wasn’t funny, I laughed at the sad
truth.
“Is there anything I can do?”
I opened my mouth to decline her offer, but I realized she
had become a trustworthy friend. “Actually, there are two
things you can help me with.”
My one request was granted without hesitation, but the other
took Tama a few minutes to consider before she agreed.
Carrying a backpack with her meager possessions, Reema
trailed behind me. “Are you sure?” she asked for the hundredth
time. “I can stay with Tee. The barracks are huge. No one
would notice me.”
“The barracks are filled with student magicians. They’ll
notice. If I’m not back by the hot season, you can move in
there with him until I return.” Only a handful of students
remained at the Keep over the long break. A few stayed to
work; others had no place else to go.
When we reached the door, Reema grabbed my arm in a
panic. “You’ll be back before then. Won’t you?”
I had reassured her before. With travel time, I estimated my
trip to last about thirty days. “What’s really worrying you?”
“Nothing.” She shifted her backpack to her other shoulder
and scuffed her foot on the ground.
Putting myself in her place, I imagined how I would feel
moving into a stranger’s house and having the only adult you
trusted leave. “I promise, I’ll be back.”
“Don’t promise,” she said. Moisture glistened in her eyes.
“You can’t control fate. If she wants you, you can’t stop
her.”
“Did your mother—”
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“Promised us everything would be fine. Don’t worry, she
said when we were kicked out of our apartment. Don’t fret,
she told Teegan when he got sick. I’ll return with enough
money for a season, she promised. She never came back.”
Sorrow gripped my heart and squeezed. I knelt next to her.
“You’re right. I can’t stop fate, but I can stay one step ahead of her.”
She squinted at me. “Can you really do that?”
“Already have.” I winked.
Faith opened the door and welcomed us inside. She had
a plate of cinnamon cookies on the table, and she addressed
Reema as if she were an adult, gaining bonus points from the
girl. We chatted about nothing in particular until I needed to
leave.
After I said my goodbyes, I stood in the doorway.
Faith led Reema upstairs to her new room and office.
“You’ll be my assistant. First Adviser to the First Adviser.”
Faith’s laugh f loated down the stairs.
Confident Reema would be safe, I returned to the Keep
and saddled Quartz. I mounted and patted her on the neck.
“First stop, Fulgor. You know the way.”
As Quartz walked to the Citadel’s east gate, I enjoyed the
sunny day. Only seven days into the heating season, the cool
temperature would warm as the sun climbed the sky. No
humidity and a light breeze kept the f lies from annoying
Quartz. The hot sticky weather wouldn’t arrive until late into
the season and by then, I planned to be back at the Citadel.
And then? No idea. I hoped this trip would be decisive.
Five days later, I arrived in Fulgor. Again. No matter how
far away I traveled or what else was going on in my life, I
seemed to return to this town. Mixed emotions f luctuated in
my chest as Quartz navigated through the morning business
crowd.
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The familiar streets comforted like home and upset my
stomach like a horrible nightmare. I did have friends here, and the factory, which I should sell. And Devlen was here. Why
was I so… Impulsive? Confused in Fulgor? At least, this stop
would be short. In other words, no visiting Devlen.
I had missed the morning training at Fulgor’s Security HQ.
The new annex looked complete from the outside, but various
workmen carried supplies into the building. Not wanting to
see Devlen, I hustled into the reception area.
The same bored receptionist sat behind the counter. Would
she recognize me as the prisoner Rhea Jewelrose?
“Can I help you?” she asked.
Guess not. “I’d like to see Captain Alden, please.”
“Name?”
I told her.
“One minute.” She swiveled around in her chair and shouted
through the opening in the wall behind her. “Collin, tell the
Captain Opal Cowan’s here to see him.”
So much for a quiet return. Chairs scraped the f loor and
Nic and Eve filled the doorway.
“The Captain more important than us?” Nic asked in an
unfriendly tone.
I sighed. “I’m here on business. If I asked for you first, the
Captain would be upset. Besides, I thought you’d be out.” I
pointed toward the door. “You know, working?”
While Nic scowled, Eve cut to the heart of the matter.
“What business?”
“I need to check with the Captain first,” I said.
“Come on in.” Eve gestured toward two desks facing each
other in the back corner.
“Cozy,” I said.
“Not my idea. Believe me. It’s bad enough I have to work
with the guy,” Eve said.
“Cap’s in with some bigwig from the Councilor’s Hall. Take
a load off.” Nic pushed a chair out with his foot and patted
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the seat. “So… Besides the new hairdo, what have you been
up to?” He acted casual, leaning back and resting his arms on
his waist, but his gaze pinned me with keen interest.
“Not much.” I yawned, playing along. “I went down to
Booruby for my sister’s wedding and then to the Citadel to
hang out with the Master Magicians. Boring stuff.”
“Too bad.” Eve tsked in mock sympathy. “You missed all
the fun here.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah. Lots of laughs,” Nic said without humor. “There
was a prison break at Wirral.” He studied me.
I kept up the inquisitive facade. “Did anyone escape?”
“One person. And she left a mess in her wake.” Hard lines
formed on his face. “Five max security prisoners dead, two
missing officers and one enraged warden.”
“We’re still dealing with the consequences and the cleanup,”
Eve added.
“Sorry to hear that,” I said with genuine sorrow. No matter
what anyone else said, Ulrick’s death rested on my shoulders.
It wasn’t guilt. It was regret.
“Are you?” Nic asked.
“Of course,” I snapped. “Spit it out, Nic. What are you
implying?”
“Evidence led to one of the hotshots as the killer, but he
> could have taken them out at any time and made it look like
suicide or an accident. I suspect the escapee planted the evi-
dence to cover her tracks.”
He thought I killed them. I glanced at Eve. She looked
curious and not hostile.
“Why?” I asked.
“For someone who allegedly committed a crime of passion,
she certainly knew what she was doing. She smuggled in lock
picks and darts treated with a sleeping drug. The deceased
prisoners had no connection to this woman, who, by the way,
doesn’t exist except on paper. I would bet a month’s wages she
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was a hired assassin, paid to eliminate them, except for one
thing.”
“Go on, you’ve created quite a story.”
“You.”
“How am I involved?”
“You’ve been asking about the prison. You disappeared the
same time she appeared. You had an excellent reason to see those men dead.” Nic clutched the chair arms.
“Easy, Nic,” Eve said.
I locked my gaze on him and leaned closer. “Do you really
believe I am capable of cold-blooded murder?”
No
answer.
“I’ve met only one person in my life that I would have
gladly killed if I’d been given the chance.”
“Who?” Eve asked.
“Devlen.” I stood. “Good thing I don’t know how to hold
a grudge.”
Captain Alden’s door opened. He shook hands with an
elderly man. Without saying another word to Nic or Eve, I
crossed to the Captain. He invited me in and I closed the door
behind me.
“I guess this isn’t a social call,” the Captain said when I
refused to sit down. He stood behind his desk.
“No.” I pulled Councilor Moon’s letter from my pocket
and handed it to him. “I’ve a request.”
Alden scanned the document. “Shouldn’t be a problem.
Take Nic and Eve with you. The three of you seem to work
well together.”
I barked out a humorless laugh. Originally, I had planned
to request them. “I don’t think they would…enjoy the assign-
ment. I’ll take your two best officers.”
He gave me a sardonic smile. “They are my best officers. I
don’t assign people based on enjoyment, but on skills. When
do you need them to start?”
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“Right away. I should brief them.” I suppressed a cringe.
This was not going as I had imagined.
Gesturing for me to take his seat, he strode to the door.
“There’s no privacy out there, I’ll send them in for the
briefing.”
I sat down, placed my elbows on the neat desk and rested
my head on my hands for a moment. The air thickened when
they entered. A surly resentment pulsed from Nic, but Eve
seemed more annoyed at her partner than at me.
Tossing a small sackful of coins across the desk, I outlined
what I needed them to do. They nodded in understanding.
Eve tucked the purse into her pocket, and they left to prepare
for the assignment.
I had completed my business at HQ before noon. Glad for
the extra time, I led Quartz to Justamere Farm and groomed
her. The owners were happy to see her, but I explained she
would be there for one night only. After I had brushed all the
road dirt from her copper coat, I checked on my factory.
Stale air and dust puffed in my face when I entered the
factory. Darkness filled the first f loor and I groped for the
lantern, hoping it remained in the stone alcove. I found and lit it, breathing a little easier when the soft light illuminated the kilns. Walking around, I inspected the equipment. In order
to return this place to a true glass shop, I would have to tear down the boards on the windows and install shutters.
The apartment upstairs looked undisturbed. I pulled back
the curtains and the late-afternoon sunlight revealed the dust
motes. Valek had left a few of his belongings behind. I straightened a couple things and rolled up the blueprint of Wirral.
The place echoed and I longed for company. After shaking
out my sheets and dumping my pack onto the bed, I debated
about supper.
I had planned to go to the Pig Pen and have a bowl of Ian’s
stew with my friends. The memory of Nic’s accusation ruined
my appetite. And I would not visit Devlen. Instead, I lit extra
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lanterns and brought them downstairs. I practiced blocks and
strikes with my sais.
Concentrating on perfecting a set of moves, I almost
dropped my weapons when a loud bang cracked through the
air. It took me a second to realize someone had pounded on
the door.
I peered through the peephole and groaned. Nic waited
on the other side. This would not be fun. Wiping my sweaty
hands on my stained practice tunic, I opened the door and let
him and the gray twilight in.
We stood in the front room. Gressa had used this space for
her store. Nic carried a package wrapped in wax paper, and I
still held my sais with the tips pointing toward the f loor.
He eyed them. “Planning to attack me?”
I glanced at his uniform and sword. “Depends. Did you
come to arrest me for murder?”
He sucked in a breath. I waited.
Releasing the air in a rush, he said, “Damn it, Opal. I’m
sorry.”
“Are you really? Or did Eve make you come?”
“I am. I was mad and had jumped to conclusions.”
“Heck of a jump.”
“No it wasn’t. You didn’t trust us with your plans. Why
would we trust you?”
“I trusted you with my life, Nic. Remember all those early
mornings?”
“Yeah, well…I said I was sorry.” He held out the package
to me. “Peace?”
I sheathed my sais and took it. Warmth radiated under the
wax paper. Curious, I peeled back an edge, releasing a yummy
scent. Ian’s stew. My stomach growled. “You’re forgiven,” I
said.
With those two words he returned to his old self. “Are you
going to tell us more about this new assignment?” he asked.
“Is Eve waiting outside?”
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“No. She thought I should talk to you myself or you’d think
she made me apologize.”
“Did
she?”
His face creased into his wounded puppy dog expression.
“No. She just explained a few things, made me remember you
aren’t the killer type.” He hooked his thumbs on his weapon
belt. “When I get mad my brain turns off.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” I smirked. “And Eve’s right, I’m not the type to murder my husband. He committed
suicide. Poor guy had rotten aim.”
I laughed as Nic sorted it out.
“I knew it was you!” He rubbed the stubble on his chin.
“But if you didn’t kill those prisoners, who did?”
“Finn.”
“You’re sticking with that?” Nic asked.
“Yep.”
He grunted, but didn�
�t comment.
The stew cooled in my hands. “Come upstairs. I’ll give you
a few more details about our trip to Ognap.”
Nic shook his head. “Tell us tomorrow. I wasn’t planning
to stay.”
“Oh.”
He smirked at my disappointment. “I know I haven’t been
that supportive of your…new interests. So I brought you an-
other peace offering.”
“A mug of Ian’s mulled ale?”
Nic didn’t answer. He opened the door and disappeared.
While he was gone, I tried to guess—a new weapon, a
bottle of Ian’s house wine—but none of them came close.
Nic returned with Devlen.
I stepped back and I think I gasped. “How…?
When…?”
Devlen stood in my front room. Devlen. He wore civil-
ian clothes. His hesitant smile faded and he glanced at Nic in
uncertainty.
Nic said, “We can sign prisoners out for a few hours at a
time. Only the ones who have earned a ton of trust. Your guy
here stopped a riot at Dawnwood. He received major points
with the prison along with a nasty gash and death threats from
his fellow inmates. He’s being housed in protective custody—a
special wing of the prison.” He looked at Devlen. “I hear they
have real beds in there. It’s pretty nice, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Devlen said, but his worried gaze was fixed on
me.
My muscles had petrified. I couldn’t move or speak.
“Anyway, I thought you two would like to catch up. You
have three hours before he has to return,” Nic said. “I’ll be
back then.”
“Opal, are you okay with this?” Devlen asked in
concern.
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More than okay. That was the problem. I nodded and forced
myself to relax as Nic left. Devlen didn’t move. An awkward
silence filled the air.
“Come upstairs,” I said to Devlen. “I need to heat this up
before I starve to death.”
A tentative smile f lashed as his blue eyes shone with hope.
My insides liquefied and pure willpower kept me from tossing
the stew aside and…what? Why could I be so rational about
him when I was with Kade, yet when he stood mere feet from
me, my heart acted like a teenage girl with her first crush?
With effort, I concentrated on moving my feet without
falling as I led him through the factory.
“Grab a lantern,” I said to break the quiet. “I didn’t light a
fire upstairs.” Which meant Nic’s peace offering would have
to wait.
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