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“Not that kind of shopping, you dolt,” Ari said. “He wants us to shop for black-market goods.”
“Correct. And see if you can...persuade the sellers into revealing their sources.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll go first thing in the morning.” Ari stood.
Janco groaned. “What’s wrong with going in the afternoon? We’ll avoid the crowds and I can catch up on my sleep and it’s warmer.”
Ari ignored his partner and headed for the door.
Janco trailed after. “I’ve been working undercover for the past two years. It’s hard to rest when you might wake up to a knife at your throat. I should visit my mother. I haven’t seen her in—”
The door closed on Janco’s prattle. He might be annoying and have a short attention span, but he could be counted on when a situation turned serious. Then he was focused and deadly with his sword.
Valek sat a moment longer, savoring the quiet. He needed to review the piles of reports that waited for him on his desk so he could prepare for his meeting tonight. The Commander’s stiff manner during supper warned him it wouldn’t be pleasant.
* * *
As expected, stacks of files filled every square inch of his desk. Although Maren had kept his office clean of dust while he’d been in Sitia for most of the past year, the room smelled musty and a stuffiness pressed against his skin. Valek wove through the piles of books and heaps of stones that littered the floor, lit the lanterns and candles ringing his desk, opened the window a crack and settled in his chair.
Maren had been in charge during his absence. Again he wondered what mission she’d been assigned and how long she’d been gone. Perhaps he’d find out tonight. Practical as always, Maren had organized the reports into three categories—general updates, important and action required. Notes written in her loopy handwriting accompanied each one. Handy, it would make it easier, but still time-consuming since the reports from his network of spies had been written in code that had to be deciphered.
Sneaking into Wirral and helping the Bloodrose Clan win their freedom was more appealing than sifting through all the files. However, years of experience had taught Valek that golden nuggets of information resided within these piles. He’d just have to dig through them one at a time.
Hours later, a light knocking on his door jolted him from a detailed description of the Hunecker quarry operations in MD-4.
“Yes?” he called, grasping the handle of his sword with his right hand and palming a dagger with his left.
A guard entered slowly.
Smart man.
“Commander Ambrose has retired for the evening, sir.”
Valek studied the man’s face, committing the guard’s features to memory. “Thank you...?”
He straightened. “Sergeant Gerik, sir.”
“You’re new. How long have you been with the Commander’s security detail?”
“Three seasons, sir. I was assigned by Adviser Maren.”
Ah. “Has anyone else been promoted in my absence?”
“No, sir.”
“Thank you, Gerik. You’re dismissed.”
Gerik did an about-face and left. Valek added the man’s name to the list he’d written of items he needed to follow up on. New personnel in the Commander’s detail were not unheard-of, but Valek performed a complete background check on each candidate before he or she was assigned. Perhaps the paperwork for Gerik waited in one of the stacks he had yet to peruse. Those would take another couple of days to complete.
At least Valek had found a few clues that might lead them to uncovering the new smuggling routes. And, even better, he had an action plan to report to the Commander.
Valek swept up a few files, extinguished the lanterns and candles, and locked his office door. The three complex locks prevented most intruders from gaining entry. However, a professional could pop them in minutes.
Heading to the Commander’s suite, Valek passed a few servants and soldiers, recognizing them all. He nodded at those who met his gaze. A few returned the gesture while others kept their gazes on the floor.
Two massive wooden doors guarded by two soldiers Valek knew well blocked the entrance to what had once been the King’s royal apartments. The guards opened the doors, allowing Valek to pass into a short hallway.
When the Commander’s forces took control of Ixia about twenty-three years ago, Ambrose divided the King’s expansive rooms into two suites, one for him and one for Valek. The hall had only two doors opposite each other. Valek knocked on the one on the left and waited.
A faint “come in” sounded. Valek entered the Commander’s main living room. The Commander’s living space matched the rest of the castle. In a word, utilitarian. After the takeover, Ambrose had stripped the castle of all its opulent decorations. Paintings were removed, tapestries shredded and statues crushed. If it didn’t have a specific or useful purpose, it didn’t stay.
Instead of sitting in his favorite armchair near the fireplace, the Commander sat behind his desk facing the entrance. He still wore his uniform. A bad sign. Valek approached.
“Sit.” The Commander gestured to a hard chair with his quill. “Report.”
Valek perched on the edge. “Ari and Janco are going to sniff around the markets tomorrow and see if they can get a lead on the suppliers of the illegal goods. Once we’ve identified them, we’ll follow them and see where they cross back into Sitia.”
“A good start. Anything else?”
“No, but—”
“You’re dismissed.” The Commander returned to his work.
Valek didn’t move.
The Commander ignored him. Valek studied his boss. Thin, clean-shaven despite the late hour, and with a couple more wrinkles than the last time Valek’d been in Ixia. They’d been working together for the past twenty-four years. Cold fury emanated from Ambrose, and Valek wasn’t going to leave until he discovered why.
The top of the desk resembled the rest of the room: neat, spartan, and no ink stained the wood. However, a single decoration stood out amid the starkness. A ylang-ylang flower crafted from small multicolored stones glued together. Probably a gift from Yelena. Her clan, the Zaltanas, had a number of artists who created those figurines.
“You’re disobeying a direct order, Valek. Do I need to call for the guards and have you arrested?”
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” Valek asked.
“And if I say no?”
“Then you’ll need to call the guards.”
The Commander set down his quill. “You have one minute.”
“Spit it out, Ambrose. Why are you so upset with me?”
The silence stretched.
Valek waved a hand, indicating the two of them. “This isn’t going to work. If we no longer have an open rapport with us batting ideas back and forth, then fire me or arrest me.”
Nothing.
Last try. “Our relationship has always been based on complete trust and—”
“And I trusted you to tell me everything.”
Ah. There it was. Valek had kept one thing from the Commander. He reported all his adventures in Sitia, and obtained permission to render aid, but he had failed to inform Ambrose about the disturbing fact that a null-shield bubble could trap him. The reason? Initially to keep the knowledge from spreading. But in omitting the Commander from the list of those in the know, Valek acted as if he didn’t trust the Commander, which wasn’t true at all. So why didn’t he tell him?
“I’m sorry.”
How did the Commander find out? Who did know? Those fighting in the Bloodrose revolt—Opal, Devlen, Ari, Janco, Quinn, Kade, Heli, Nic and Eve. Quite the list. Who had opportunity? Anyone could have sent a message, but why would they? Only three people had been in Ixia since then: Ari, Janco and Kade.
“Not good enough, Valek.”
“You’re right.” He stood. “I’ll go collect—”
“Sit down.”
Valek resumed his seat.
The Commander studied Valek. The force of his gaze had broken many people, rendering them into a quivering mess as they begged forgiveness or confessed to every crime. It was impressive. And Valek suspected the Commander used a form of magic even though Valek had never felt it. To him, magic pushed against his skin like molasses. The stronger the power, the thicker the air around him. The Commander’s appraisal certainly held enough weight. The C-shaped scar on his chest burned in response.
“Why?” Ambrose asked.
Digging deep within himself, Valek considered the question. His immunity to magic was not only a part of him, but a protection. Years of practice had honed his fighting skills, and experience with spies, criminals and schemers had given him a sharp mind. To be trapped in a null-shield bubble and encased within an invisible force field of magic galled him. A silly thing to have such dire circumstances. But his weakness meant he could no longer be... What? Invincible? Did he have that huge of an ego? Or was it another thing altogether...?
“Fear,” Valek said into the silence. “That once you found out, you’d no longer need me. I am getting older, and Ari and Janco could—”
“Drive me insane. No, thank you. Do you really think I’d replace you because of one drawback? Actually, two.”
“Two?”
“Yelena.”
“I think she’s an asset.”
“Until her life is compromised. That would be the easiest way to hurt you. Or influence you.”
True. “I guess I just need more time to...adjust to my predicament.”
“Time is an excellent way to gain perspective. I trust this won’t happen again.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Commander pushed away from his desk and swiped a decanter of brandy before settling into the cerulean suede armchair. He waved Valek into the other chair and poured two drinks.
Valek sipped the spicy liquid. Blackberry. A pleasant warmth spread into his stomach and he smiled, remembering when he’d taught Yelena how to detect poisons in various flavors of brandy. She’d gotten drunk at the General’s brandy meeting and tried to seduce him. Talk about self-control. Valek had deposited her in her bedroom and bolted before he ravished her. Worry had trumped desire. She might have regretted it when she sobered, and he’d wanted more from her than a drunken one-night stand.
With the tension between him and the Commander gone, Valek asked how he’d found out about the null shields.
“Janco mentioned it before you arrived. He’d assumed I knew and I didn’t correct him. And during his monologue of prattle, he remarked that he has a certain sensitivity to magic. Is that true?”
“Yes, he’s pretty good at seeing through magical illusions.”
“Useful. What about Opal Cowan? After all that training, is she going to join your corps?”
“Not quite.” Valek swallowed a mouthful of brandy. “She offered to assist us if we need her.” He set his glass down. “And she sent you a present.”
“One of her glass animals?”
“No. She no longer is able to make her magical messengers, but what she can now do is far more useful to us.”
“Oh?”
“I’ll be right back.” Valek dashed across the hall and grabbed the package from his saddlebags that had been delivered as promised. He returned and handed it to the Commander.
Unwrapping the cloth, Ambrose uncovered a lifelike glass snow cat. He examined the hand-sized statue. “Her artistic skill has improved, but it doesn’t glow with an inner fire.” He raised a slender eyebrow, inviting Valek to explain.
“That fire was her magic trapped inside.” And only visible to magicians and the Commander. “What’s inside that snow cat is a bit of her immunity. What you’re holding is a magic detector. When a magician uses magic near that cat, it will flash with light, alerting you to its presence.”
“Clever. Is she mass-producing these for the Sitians?”
“The Councilors all have one for protection, and in case a rogue magician tries to use magic to influence them. Regarding mass production, I don’t know what Opal plans. The Sitian Council wishes to be in charge of the distribution, but Opal won’t give them control. I think she’s letting her father handle the allocation of the detectors.”
“Wise.” The Commander tapped a finger on the glass. “And our spies can purchase more of these for us, evening the playing field a little between Ixia and Sitia.”
“They still have those super messengers.”
Ambrose frowned. “Those put us at an extreme disadvantage.”
Valek agreed. The messenger was a glass cube with a magic-charged black diamond at its heart. The cube allowed magicians to communicate over vast distances instantly. An indispensable tool, and one that would give Sitia a big advantage during warfare.
“We can hire magicians and they would no longer have the upper hand,” Valek said despite the Commander’s deepening scowl. “You know how versatile magicians are and how many ways they could aid Ixia.”
“Better to stop the Sitians from making the super messengers. If we assassinate Quinn Bloodrose, Sitia couldn’t produce any more.”
The thought of killing Quinn didn’t sit well with Valek. “Not quite. They could still charge the blacks with magic and encase them in glass, but once the magic is gone, it’d be useless. Quinn’s the only one who can recharge them without cracking the diamond.”
“Then we need to steal the diamonds and sabotage their mining operations.”
Once they’d won their freedom, the Bloodrose Clan kept dredging the sand for the black diamonds, going deeper into the sea with each sweep. Soon they’d have to use boats.
“It would be difficult.” His stomach soured.
“Look into it after you find the new smuggling route.” The Commander finished his drink. “I need to write a note to General Rasmussen and have him check his beaches for black diamonds.” He returned to his desk.
Valek held up his glass. The light from the fire reflected off the amber liquid. An odd shuffle-step sounded behind him. He jumped to his feet, yanked out his dagger and spun in one fluid motion.
A figure dressed from head to toe in black pressed a knife to the Commander’s throat.
5 (#ulink_3cef6f4c-5904-541c-bcb7-79e34b6ca042)
YELENA (#ulink_3cef6f4c-5904-541c-bcb7-79e34b6ca042)
