I moved through my rooms, checking if I missed anything. I had packed the valmur statue for Valek, the rest of my Sitian coins, my northern uniform and an extra set of clothes. My armoire remained filled with my apprentice’s robes and a couple of Nutty’s skirt/pants. Papers and books piled on my desk, and the room smelled of Apple Berry and Lavender. My stomach squeezed with longing and with a sudden realization. These rooms in the Keep had turned into my home, despite my resistance.
Shouldering my pack, I felt the weight of it drag on me as I left. Stopping at the Keep’s guest quarters on my way, I visited my parents. I could hear Esau in the kitchen and Perl had a strange expression on her face. Her hand touched her neck so I knew something had upset her. She made me promise to stay for tea, pulling my backpack off, and she hovered over me until I sat in one of the pink overstuffed chairs.
Calling to Esau to bring another cup, Perl perched in the seat next to me as if she would spring into action should I decide to leave. Esau brought in the tea tray. She jumped up and handed me one of the steaming cups.
Seeming to be satisfied that I was anchored to my chair, at least until I finished the tea, Perl said, “You’re leaving. Aren’t you?” She shook her head before I could answer. “Not that you would tell me. You treat me like a delicate flower. I’ll have you know that the most delicate flowers often produce the strongest scent when crushed.” She stared at me.
“I have some unfinished business to attend to. I’ll be back,” I said, but the weak response failed to soothe her.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I wasn’t lying.”
“All right. Then don’t lie to yourself.” She eyed my bulging pack that she had set on the floor. “Send us word when you’re settled in Ixia, and we’ll come visit,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Though, probably not until the hot season. I don’t like the cold.”
“Mother!” I stood and almost spilled my drink.
Esau nodded, seeming nonplussed by the topic of our conversation. “I’d like to find the Mountain Laurel that grows near the ice pack. I read somewhere that the plant can cure Kronik’s Cough. Be interesting to find out.”
“You’re not concerned that I might return to Ixia?” I asked my parents.
“Considering the week you had,” my father said, “we’re just happy you’re alive. Besides, we trust your judgment. “
“If I do go to Ixia, will you promise to visit often?”
They promised. Not wanting to prolong the goodbyes, I snatched my pack and left.
Apple? Kiki asked with a hopeful tone.
No, but I’ll get you some peppermints. I went into the barn’s tack room to search for the bag of candy. I took two and returned to Kiki.
After she sucked the candy down, I asked her, Ready to go?
Yes. Saddle?
Not this time. The Keep provided tack for the students, but it was understood that once a student graduated, he bought his own equipment.
I pulled the step stool over and Kiki snorted. I know. I know, I said. No step stool in wild. But I’m tired.
In fact, what little energy I had left leaked away with an alarming speed. Kiki and I didn’t encounter any trouble at either the Keep’s or the Citadel’s gates. We took the road through the valley for a while. I refused to look back at the Citadel. I planned to come back, didn’t I? Today wouldn’t be the last time I saw the pastel colors of the sunset reflected in the white marble walls. Right?
As the light faded from the sky, I heard the pounding of hooves on the road behind me. Kiki stopped and spun to face the newcomer.
Topaz, she said with pleasure.
Though by the molten anger and murderous expression on Cahil’s face, I knew this encounter would be far from pleasant.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.
“That’s not your concern.”
Cahil’s face turned a livid red as he sputtered in astonishment. “Not my concern? Not my concern?”
I saw him rein in his temper. Then in a deadly rumble, he said, “You’re the heart mate of the most wanted criminal in Sitia. Your whereabouts are of the utmost concern to me. In fact, I’m going to personally see to it that I know exactly where you are at all times.” He whistled.
I heard a rush of movement and turned in time to see Cahil’s men move into defensive positions behind me. Trying to conserve my strength, I hadn’t scanned the road ahead with my magic. Hadn’t believed I would need to. Silly me.
Did you smell them, Kiki? I asked.
No. Upwind. Go past?
Not yet.
Looking back at Cahil, I demanded, “What do you want?”
“Playing the simpleton to delay the inevitable, Yelena? I guess it has worked for you in the past. You certainly played me for a fool,” he said with an eerie calmness. “Convincing me and First Magician that you weren’t a spy, using your magic to make me trust you. I fell for it all.”
“Cahil, I—”
“What I want is to kill Valek. Besides getting revenge for the murder of my family, I will be able to show the Council my abilities and they will finally support me.”
“You had Valek before and lost him. What makes you think you can kill him this time?”
“Your heart mate will exchange his life for yours.”
“You’re going to need more men to capture me.”
“Truly? Take another look.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Cahil’s men had kept their distance from Kiki’s hindquarters, but, even in the twilight, I could see that each one held a blowpipe to his mouth, aiming at me.
“The darts are treated with Curare,” Cahil said. “An excellent Sitian weapon. You won’t get far.”
Fear replaced annoyance as my heart rate increased. I had some Theobroma in my pack, but I knew if I tried to take it off my back, I would become a pin cushion for Cahil’s men.
“Will you cooperate or do I need to have you immobilized?” Cahil sounded as if he asked if I would like some tea.
Ghost, Kiki said.
Before I could understand what Kiki meant, Valek sauntered into our group from the tall grass of the plains. Everyone froze for a second in shock. Cahil gaped.
“That’s an interesting choice, love,” Valek said. “You’ll need some time to think it over. In the meantime…” Valek held his arms away from his body as he moved closer to Cahil. He had changed from his beggar disguise into the plain brown tunic and pants that the local citizens wore. He appeared to be unarmed, but I knew better, and, it seemed, so did Cahil who transferred Topaz’s reins to his left hand and pulled his sword.
“Let’s see if I have this right,” Valek continued, seeming unconcerned about Cahil’s sword a few feet away. “You want revenge for your family. Understandable. But you should know that the royal family is not your family. One thing I have learned over the years is to know my enemy. The royal bloodline ended the day the Commander took control of Ixia. I made sure of that.”
“You lie!” Cahil urged Topaz forward, lunging at Valek with his sword.
Stepping to the side with grace and speed, Valek avoided being trampled and cut.
When Cahil turned Topaz for another charge, I said, “It makes sense. Valek wouldn’t leave a job unfinished.”
He pulled back on the bridle, stopping in disbelief. “Your love for him has damaged your senses.”
“And your hunger for power has affected your intelligence. Your men are using you, yet you refuse to see the obvious.”
Cahil shook his head. “I won’t listen to any more lies. My men are loyal. They obey me or else they will be punished. Goel’s death helped me to reinforce that lesson.”
I recognized that flatness in his pale blue eyes. “You killed Goel.”
He smiled. “My men have pledged their lives to me. I committed no crime.” He brandished his sword. “Ready,” he called to his men. “Aim and—”
“Think about this before you gloat about your men, Cahil. They look to Captain Marrok
for approval before following your orders. They gave you a sword that was too heavy for you, and failed to properly train you with it. You are supposed to be related to the King, who was a powerful magician. Why don’t you have any magic?”
“I—” Cahil hesitated.
His men glanced at each other in either consternation or confusion. I couldn’t tell, but it broke their concentration. And in that moment, Valek leaped onto Kiki’s back behind me. She took off into the plains without being told. I grabbed her mane as Valek’s arms encircled my waist, and Kiki broke into her gust-of-wind gait.
I heard Cahil yell fire, and thought I heard the whiz of a dart near my ear, but we were soon out of range. Kiki traveled twice the distance of a normal gallop without any obvious effort. When the moon had reached its apex, Kiki slowed then stopped.
Smell gone, she said.
Valek and I slid off her back. I inspected her for injuries before she snorted with impatience and moved away to graze.
I shivered in the cold air, searching my body for darts before wrapping my cloak tighter. “That was close.”
“Not really,” Valek said, pulling me toward him. “We distracted the men so when Wannabe King gave the order they didn’t have time to aim.”
Valek felt warm even though he wasn’t wearing a cloak. Seeming to read my thoughts, he said, “I’ll share yours.” He smiled with a mischievous delight. “But first you need a fire, food and some sleep.”
I shook my head. “I need you.” It didn’t take me long to convince him. Once I had divested him of his clothes, he elected to join me in my cloak.
I woke to the delightful smell of roasting meat. Squinting in the bright sunlight, I saw Valek crouched near a fire. He had set up a spit of meat over the glowing embers.
“Breakfast?” I asked as my stomach rumbled.
“Dinner. You’ve slept all day.”
I sat up. “You should have woken me. What if Cahil finds us?”
“Doubtful with all this magic in the air.” Valek peered into the sky, scenting the wind. “Does it bother you?”
I opened my mind to the power surrounding us. The Sandseed’s protective magic tried to invade and confuse Valek’s thoughts, but his immunity deflected the strands of power with ease. The magic seemed indifferent to my presence.
“No.” I told Valek about my distant relationship to the Sandseed clan. “If I came close to their village with the intent to harm them, I think the protection would attack me.” Then I thought about Moon Man’s magical abilities and his scimitar. “Either that or one of their Story Weavers would.”