Oh no. Tyen’s magic could move large objects, including me. Except a cold dart pricked my neck. I yanked it from my skin, but it was too late.
“That doesn’t work on her. Use one of the barrels.”
As the room spun, I knew I was in big trouble. My foot slipped off the ladder and I slid back to the ground. Darkness pressed along the edges of my vision. Not Curare. A sleeping potion? Poison? A heavy object slammed into me, knocking me to the ground, sending me into oblivion.
* * *
I woke to the rumbling vibrations of wagon wheels over cobblestones. My head ached, pain ringed my wrists and ankles, and dry cotton filled my mouth. It didn’t take long for me to learn the full extent of my predicament. Lying flat on my back in a wagon, I stared at a canvas covering that hung inches from my nose. No light shone through the fabric. Nighttime.
Gagged and tied spread-eagle to the sides of the wagon, I’d been effectively neutralized. Had they figured out the sleeping potion worked or did they assume the barrel had knocked me unconscious? Did it matter? Since I’d been bluffing people based on my reputation alone...yes, it did matter. Very much.
The only thing that kept me from panicking was the hope that Captain Fleming realized I was missing. Also Ben might be taking me to the same location as the other shipments where Janco and Onora should be. A thin hope, but better than nothing.
I marked time by the noise from the wheels. The jarring shake of cobblestones stopped and the crunch of gravel signaled we’d left the main streets of a town. Then the smooth, quiet hum of either a dirt or grass path meant we were in the countryside between towns. Keeping track of the cycles of noise, I’d counted three towns when we slowed after reaching the outskirts of the third town.
We turned left and lurched over uneven ground before hinges squeaked and what sounded like doors clicked shut. Lantern light cast shadows on the canvas covering. Voices talked, but not close enough for me to understand the words. The familiar jingle of a harness indicated someone worked at unhitching the team of horses. This stop could be our final destination. My stomach skittered. Bad choice of words.
The distant voices grew louder as the speakers moved toward my position. Ben and another man argued. The Boss? Something about his superior tone seemed familiar.
“...doesn’t matter now. He knows what you’re up to,” Ben said. “He has plenty of inventory. Cut your losses and run.”
“I’d planned to renegotiate, but now you’ve screwed that up, too.”
“What else was I supposed to do?”
“Disappear like I ordered after I rescued you from Wirral,” the Boss said.
“I endured three years of hell in that prison,” Ben said. “And she put me there. She deserves to die.”
“We’ve discussed this. If she dies, then the Master Magicians, the Sitian Council and Valek will all be breathing down our necks. Even if we’re arrested, Valek will still find us and kill us. No. I have a better idea.”
A better idea? I didn’t like the sound of that. The wagon tilted as someone climbed onto it. The canvas was pulled away and there stood—
“Hello, Yelena. Remember me?”
30
VALEK
“Kiki’s at the gate and she brought friends?” Valek asked the guard, just to ensure he’d heard the man right. He kept a tight grasp on his emotions. No sense worrying until he had all the facts.
“Yes, sir.”
“Who’s with her?”
“Ah...it would be best for you to see for yourself, sir.”
“All right.” Valek followed the guard back to the castle complex’s main gate. Sure enough, Kiki stood on the other side with two riders. The last two people he’d expect, but not unwelcome, either. “Let them in,” he ordered.
Kiki didn’t wait. She cleared the gate with one leap, then butted his chest with her head. He stroked her neck, but his attention focused on Devlen and then Reema, sitting in front. She wore Yelena’s cloak.
“While I’m glad to see you both, I’m curious why you’re here,” he said.
“It is a long story.” Devlen dismounted. He helped Reema from the saddle.
She gazed at the castle with rapt attention. Kiki, on the other hand, drooped with fatigue. Valek ran a hand down her legs, checking for hot spots.
“She kept a brisk pace and would not stop for long,” Devlen said.
“Let’s take care of Kiki and then we’ll talk.” Valek pulled Yelena’s saddle from her back and carried it to the stable while Kiki plodded beside him.
Devlen and Reema trailed behind, gawking at the sights. Valek clamped down on the million questions boiling up his throat. The castle’s Stable Master tsked over Kiki. He assigned her two favorite lads to attend to her. Satisfied, Valek led the others to his office.
Many of the household staff and soldiers stared at Devlen. Hard to blame them, considering his size and skin color. Unlike the pale Ixians, his bronzed skin stood out. Then add Sitian clothes, a powerful build, a scimitar hanging from his belt and a nasty-looking scar on his neck and he was the definition of intimidating. Devlen ignored the attention. He held Reema’s hand.
Valek ushered them into his office. Ari sat at his desk, but jumped to his feet as soon as he spotted Valek.
“I just finished sketching the security around that warehouse,” Ari said. Then he grinned. “Devlen! What brings you here?” He shook Devlen’s hand. “Tired of beating up those wimpy Sitians and decided to come up here for a real fight?”
“I wish. I have been too busy trying to outsmart a crafty fox who finds new and unique ways to avoid going to school every morning,” Devlen said. “Ari, meet my daughter, Reema.”
Ari crouched down to her eye level. “Nice to meet you.” He took her hand and pumped it once.
“Hello,” she said, gazing at him in awe. “Ari as in ‘Ari and Janco’?”
“Yup.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you two.”
Valek fought to keep a straight face.
Ari straightened. “Is that so? What have you been saying, Devlen?”
“Not me. Yelena. She tells Reema stories before bed. Seems the ones with you and Janco put Reema right to sleep.”
“Ouch.” But Ari la
ughed.
Yelena’s name cut through Valek’s amusement. “Ari, why don’t you give Reema a tour? Make sure you show her the Commander’s war room. She’ll love seeing the stained glass.”
“All right. Come on, Reema. I’ll even show you where Janco likes to hide when he doesn’t want to do paperwork.”
Reema glanced at Devlen. He nodded and she hurried after Ari, already asking questions.
As soon as the door shut, Devlen said, “Yelena’s fine—at least the last I heard.”
Relief shot through him. He gestured to a chair. “Sit down. Would you like a drink?”
“Yes.” Devlen plopped into the chair.
“Tea? Water? Or something stronger?”
“Stronger. It has been a long four days.”
Valek poured two shots of whiskey and handed one to Devlen before sitting down behind his desk. Devlen drank his in one gulp. Valek followed suit and poured them both another.
“What’s going on?” Valek asked.
Devlen tossed back the second shot. “Do you know about Ben Moon’s escape?”
“Yes. And I received Yelena’s message that he and his cohorts might be in Ixia. I dispatched agents to MD-5 but, so far, we haven’t seen any sign of them.”
“That’s because they were in Fulgor. Now the authorities believe Ben and his gang are headed west.”
“With Yelena and her colleagues chasing after?”
“No. Yelena is in the holding cells at the Fulgor security headquarters.”
Valek stilled. “For a very good reason. Right?”
“To keep her safe.”
“That’s extreme.”
Devlen sighed. “Did Yelena message you about her magic?”
A cold mist of fear settled on Valek. “No. What about her magic?”
As Devlen filled him in on Yelena’s predicament, Valek employed every ounce of self-control not to interrupt. His emotions cycled from fear and worry to fury that she hadn’t confided in him and then back through them all again at least twice more.
“...understand why Leif had her placed in protective custody?” Devlen asked.
“Yes.” Valek was halfway to the door before he realized he’d even stood up. “Come on. She won’t be locked in there for long.” And she was a sitting duck. The Mosquito would be stupid not to use that golden opportunity to make another attempt to assassinate her. Irys’s message about Yelena being vulnerable and the rumors Arbon heard made more sense now. He understood why Irys had been vague. She’d probably assumed Yelena had told Valek about losing her magic.