“Yeah, the Sitian assassins all have monikers to keep their real identities a secret.” Arbon didn’t sound impressed.
Valek couldn’t resist asking, “What’s yours?”
“The Ixian. Original, eh?”
“Accurate. What about the other possible assassins?”
“Sorry, can’t do it. I’m planning on retiring soon and don’t need some guy with a grudge tracking me down.”
“Fine. How about you find out who took the job and ask him who hired him? Get me the name of the patron and I won’t go after the assassin.”
“And why would I do that?”
Time for the ace. “Because you owe me a favor and I’m collecting.”
Arbon shook his head. “I waited all these years for you to ask for that favor. I figured after the takeover, you’d forgotten or you didn’t want help from me.”
“I offered you a position on my staff.”
“Yeah, well, I like my freedom.”
“I have freedom.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.” Valek’s tone turned icy.
“It doesn’t look like it from where I’m standing. From what I’ve seen and heard, the Commander holds your leash and has since you first met him.”
“You know nothing about it. Now, can you get me that name or not?”
“I can, but I’m going to need lots of gold. That information doesn’t come cheap. And once I do then we’re even.”
“As long as the information is accurate. If not—”
“Save it for one of your green recruits. Give me some credit. I’ve known you longer than anyone else. Do you really think I’d double-cross you?”
“Not if you value your life.”
“Exactly. Now, where’s that gold?”
“How much do you need?”
“Forty pieces.”
Valek waited.
“All right, gimme thirty-five. That should be enough.”
“Thirty. I don’t think we need to help fund your retirement.”
“Too bad. I’ve a sweet little place picked out on the coast.”
“Ixia?”
“No way.” He shivered. “Too cold.”
“I like the cold.”
Arbon laughed. “No surprise. You spent more time hanging out on that freezing-cold rock than in your room at Hedda’s.”
Valek sobered. “Have you heard about Hedda?”
All humor dropped from Arbon’s round face. “No. What happened?”
Surprised Arbon didn’t already know, Valek broke the news.
“And you let this chicky live?” Outrage colored his voice. “I would have sliced her into three pieces.”
“I need to learn more about her and the situation before I decide on her future.”
“What else do you need to know? Hedda took us in, she taught us, she—”
“I’m well aware of Hedda’s generosity. However, the girl has made an impression on the Commander.”
“So what?”
Valek met his gaze.
“Oh yeah, I forgot.” Arbon put his fist up near his neck and pretended to yank on an invisible leash. “He’s your master. But he’s not mine. If I just happen to run into this chicky, I’ll ensure she gets what she deserves.”
“Better brush up on your knife-fighting skills, Arbon. She’s younger, faster and more skilled than you. In fact, if you do go after her, make sure you get me that name first.” Valek unlocked the lower drawer of his desk. He filled a pouch with thirty gold coins and tossed it at Arbon, who caught it in midair.
“That good, eh?” He jiggled the pouch. The coins rattled. “I’ll think about it.” Arbon stood to leave.
“Would you like an escort, or would you rather sneak out the way you came in?” Valek asked.
“I’ll find my own way out.” Arbon waved and left.
Valek counted to two then raced to the door. He caught sight of Arbon’s back as the man turned the corner. Curious to see how Arbon had reached his office without calling attention to himself, Valek followed. However, the assassin didn’t duck down a secret passage or climb out a window or bribe one of the guards. He simply sauntered through the corridors as if he owned the place. Arbon nodded and said good afternoon to the people he passed. No one questioned him or glanced at him in suspicion. He exited the castle complex without trouble. And when Arbon reached the other side of the gate, he turned and saluted Valek.
No wonder Onora had reached the Commander with ease. Not only had his security detail been compromised, but everyone in the entire castle had relaxed just like at MD-2’s military base. Valek had assumed Onora scaled the outer wall and climbed up the castle, but after this little demonstration, she could have waltzed right in the main gate.
Valek pulled the guard who had let Arbon through aside. “Who is that man who just left?” he asked.
“One of the servants,” the guard said.
“What’s his name?”
“Uh...” The man glanced at his colleague, who pretended to be engrossed in another task.
“Here’s an easier question. Where does he work?”
“Um...”
“You’ve no idea, do you?” Valek demanded.
“He’s wearing—”
“A basic uniform that could have easily been stolen. Have you seen him before today? Did he have the proper papers?”
Fear replaced the man’s confused expression. “I—”
“You are relieved of duty, Sergeant. Collect your things and come to my office in one hour for your transfer papers.”
“Yes, sir.” The man hurried away.
Valek turned to the other three guards. White-faced, they braced for his anger.
“Do not let anyone into or out of this complex without checking their papers and making sure their name and position are on the approved list. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” they chorused.
“Make sure all of the shifts are following the proper procedures. You will be te
sted frequently. Failure to catch one of my agents will result in immediate reassignment. They’re always looking for more workers in the mines.”
They blanched. “Yes, sir.”
Fuming, Valek strode to the castle. Something had happened to his security measures while he’d been gone. He’d trusted Maren to be in charge, but it seemed as if she’d left long ago and not the few weeks the Commander claimed. Unless she’d been overwhelmed by the job, which allowed the guards to be lazy. Either way, he had to test all the security for the entire castle to discover what else had changed.
Again he wondered if the Commander had orchestrated all this to test Valek. Although he couldn’t fathom why Ambrose would put himself at risk. The man had a strong sense of self-preservation. Always had.
Valek remembered when Hedda assigned him what had seemed at the time an easy job.
“It should take a couple weeks at most,” she had said. “This young man’s been making people nervous with his speeches, and we’ve been paid a whole pile of gold to make him disappear for good.”
“What’s the mark’s name?” Valek asked.
“Ambrose Diamond. He has all the miners agitated and has amassed quite the following. According to our patron, he has based his operations in Pinchot.”
That was on the other side of Ixia near the Soul Mountains. “What’s he look like?”
“Black hair, average build, your height, but he’s about seven years older than you, around twenty-four. I’m told his eyes are distinctive—almond-shaped and gold in color.”
“Does our client want me to give Ambrose a message before I kill him?”
“No.”
So this wasn’t personal. Probably political. “Anything else?”
“No. This job shouldn’t be too difficult. He’s been making public speeches. You could probably blend in with the crowd and put a bolt in his heart.”
Valek scoffed. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Careful, King Killer. I lose more assassins to overconfidence than to the authorities.”
He grinned. “That’s sweet. I didn’t know you cared.”
“Only until you kill the King. That’s the only reason I’ve kept you around.”