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Back to Stories.
Ice Study
Part 1
The scent of lavender woke me.
Kiki what’s wrong? I asked my horse through our magical connection.
Bad smell, she thought.
Keeping my eyes closed, I reached out with my senses, searching for trouble. A man crept along the side of my house. Since it was the middle of the night, I doubted he had come for a social visit. His surface emotions flipped from nervous energy to anticipation.
I dug a little deeper into his thoughts and encountered a strong barrier. He was a magician. Opening my eyes, I rolled over to wake Valek. He was already gone. The blanket settling to the mattress and his musky scent were the only evidence of his recent presence. How does he do that without magic?
Thanks, Kiki. We’ll take care of the intruder, I said as I slipped out of bed and into my red silk robe. A gift from Valek. Made from the finest Sitian silk, he had it designed just for me--sized to fit my body, hand embroidered, reversible and included various hidden weapons.
Smells, Kiki said with alarm. Many bad smells.
How many? I asked. A sudden barrage of scents filled my mind. Sharp. Tangy. Rank. Earthy. Grain. Five intruders not one. I pushed my awareness out further, past the barn and pasture and into the woods surrounding my cottage. An owl. A raccoon. A mouse. No others. Which meant…
I snapped my focus back to the man and concentrated. He protected his companions with a null shield, which blocked my magic. An icy wave flushed through me. This was no longer a simple problem. I raced down the stairs.
Metal picks scraped in the lock, I grabbed my switchblade and took a position next to the door. Between the faint moonlight and the glow from the embers in the hearth, there was enough light to discern the bigger shapes in my living room. A couch. An overstuffed chair. An end table. No Valek. Good. If I could see him, they could as well.
The door swung toward me. I waited as the five snuck in. They didn’t talk to each other as they fanned out. My heart did a little foxtrot in my chest. The last one was the magician. When he reached to shut the door, I moved.
Stepping in close behind him, I triggered my weapon. No snick sounded—another one of Valek’s gifts. I grabbed the man’s hair, pulled back hard and pressed the blade against his neck.
“Don’t move or I’ll slit your throat,” I whispered in his ear.
The man froze, but called out, “Found her.”
The others spun, but didn’t draw weapons. In fact, they held their hands out and away from their bodies.
“Easy Yelena,” my hostage said. “We’re not here to hurt you. We have some business to discuss with you.” He must be the leader of the group.
“In the middle of the night? And cloaked with a null shield? Try again.” The comment about the shields was for Valek’s benefit. He had to be nearby, waiting to see what develops.
“Both are precautions. We don’t want anyone to see us here.”
“And the null shield?” I asked.
“To protect my men. If I had wanted to surprise you, I would be behind the shield as well.”
Good point. “But your thoughts are blocked from me. All I’m getting is surface emotions.” Which were rather calm for a man with a knife against his throat. I could search his soul, but that seemed extreme right now. Perhaps later.
“I will reveal everything in time. Is the Ixian assassin here?”
“You’re not in the position to ask questions.” I felt a swell of magic, and before I could react, the handle of my switchblade turned red hot. I yelped as it seared my skin, dropping the smoking weapon.
He twisted away and drew his sword, aiming at my chest. The other men pulled their weapons.
“I know you don’t realize it yet, but I am in charge. Answer my question.”
Instead, I stretched to claim his soul and encountered an obstruction. He had moved the shield and now stood behind it. Magic could not pierce a null shield from either direction. I was safe from his magic and he from mine, but physical objects, like the tip of his blade remained unaffected. Breathing became harder and beads of sweat rolled down my chest.
I crossed my arms, and located the darts hidden in the fabric of my robe with my fingertips. “Valek isn’t here.”
“She could be lying,” one of the men said. “How do we know for sure?”
“That’s easy,” I said. “Put two fingers on your neck, here.” I demonstrated with my left hand while my right palmed a dart. “Can you feel your pulse? That means Valek isn’t here, because if he was, you’d be dead. No pulse.”
One of the younger men blanched and glanced over his shoulder.
“You can split up and search the house if you don’t believe me,” I suggested.
“No,” the magician said. “We stay together.”
Too bad. Valek would have enjoyed picking them off one by one.
The magician gestured to the couch. “Sit down, Yelena.”
I considered for a moment. My dart was filled with Curare. One jab and the magician would be paralyzed and his magic neutralized. Yet, I was curious about their reasons for being here. Valek’s influence no doubt. I obeyed and settled on the middle cushion.
The magician sat next to me. His short dark hair and pale skin reminded me of a Moon Clan member. He ordered a man to add wood to the embers. Soon a bright fire lit the room, and I studied the man’s face. Brownish-green eyes with a downward slant stared back at me. He was in his forties and his all black clothes covered a powerful build.
“All right, I’ll ask. What do you want?”
He quirked a smile. “I want you to help me rescue the Ice Moon from Ixia.”
I laughed, but his expression remained the same. “You’re serious? That’s the Commander’s.”
“It’s ours. He stole it from Sitia.” Fury radiated from him.
Obviously a touchy subject. “It’s hidden under the Soul Mountains. Only the Commander knows the location. And besides, why would I help you?”
He pointed to his men surrounding the couch then to his chest.
“You’ll need more incentive,” I said.
“Than preserving your own life?”
“Trying to steal the Ice Moon is suicide. Die now or die later. I’d rather save myself the trouble.”
“Good thing I anticipated your…reluctance.”
His smug smile sent a cold knife of dread into my heart.
“How about preserving your brother’s life for incentive?”
Part 2
“You? Have Leif?” Doubt laced my voice.
“Oh yes. He’s in a secured location with my men,” the magician said. “If you don’t help me recover the Ice Moon from Ixia, he will die.”
I considered. The magician lounged on my couch. Confidence radiated from him, yet he remained behind a null shield protected from my magic.
“Do you have any proof?” I asked him.
“Of course. But first, a warning. If I don’t send a message to my men every day, they will kill your brother.” He held out a glass turtle.
The inner core of the sculpture glowed with the magic that had been trapped inside. With the glass messenger, the magician could communicate telepathically over vast distances to another magician.
Did he steal the turtle from Leif? “Is that your proof?”
“No. This is for my safety. If you harm me, then I won’t send a message, and you won’t have any time to find your brother before my men carry out their orders. My proof lies in my memories. Go on, Yelena. I’ve moved the null shield. Take a look.”
I projected my awareness toward him, seeking his thoughts. The image of Leif bound and gagged and furious floated in his mind. My own anger bubbled, but I suppressed it. For now. He would pay for every mark on Leif’s body. I promised.
The magician had instructed his men to hide my brother without telling him the location. They set up a complicated message system to ensure their boss’s life and his freedom during the mission.
Digging a little deeper into his mind, I learned his name, Owen Moon. And I discovered he had a warped sense of honor. He would keep his word not to harm Leif if I agreed to his demands and help him steal the Commander’s Ice Moon. He would also not hesitate to order my brother’s death if I failed. I tried to find Leif’s current location to no avail. With a sudden snap, my connection to Owen broke.
“That’s enough. Do you believe me?” Owen asked.
“Yes.”
“And your answer?”
“When do we leave?” I asked.
He smirked with satisfaction. “Now. Go pack a small bag. Reed, go with her.”
A young man with short dark hair stepped forward. I allowed him to follow me upstairs, but at my bedroom door I stopped. “Stay here,” I ordered.
“But--”
“I need to change my clothes.”
His shoulders stiffened. “I’ll turn my back.”
“No. You’ll stay here. What do you think I’ll do? Your boss has my brother.” I shut the door and drew in a breath before pushing my awareness to Reed. As I suspected, he wasn’t covered by the null shield. Owen’s confidence in my cooperation could be used to my advantage. Too bad Reed didn’t know anything useful. I capitalized on his fatigue, and eventually my escort couldn’t resist lying down in the hallway for a little nap.
Valek coalesced from the shadows and wrapped me in his long lean arms. I soaked in his musky smell, listening to his heart beat. Strong and steady. No indication that he had been sneaking around.
“What do you want me to do, love?” he asked in a low whisper. “Find Leif or smooth the way for your trip north?”
“How about both?”
“It’s Ixia. Messages take forever compared to Sitia, but if you drag the trip out a few days, I could have a couple helpers in place.”
“Leif first.”
“Right.” His sigh vibrated through my chest. “So much for our vacation.” He pulled back and I recognized the eagerness in his blue eyes. “Interesting problem, though. Could be a bit tricky.”
“Free Leif and then you can play,” I said.
He grinned. “Promise?”
“If I don’t get to them first.”
“That’s my girl.” He released me.
While I changed, Valek packed my bag. In order to travel in Ixia without drawing attention, we would have to leave Kiki and the rest of the horses behind. I swung my gray cloak around my shoulders. The cooling season in Ixia, meant icy winds and freezing nights. Valek would have to find Leif before the cold season’s blizzards began or we would be stuck in Ixia for two months.
Valek handed me the backpack. “Directly north of us there’s a safe house near the Ixian border.”
“You’re not suppose--”
“We can argue about it later. It’s stocked with Ixian uniforms, money and papers. You’ll still have to sneak across the border, but it’ll help once you’re inside.” He gave me directions to the house. “Then head for Military District 3 and find the Commander’s diamond mine--the one he grew up in. Its designation is MD-3-13 and it’s in the foothills of the Soul Mountains near the northern ice sheet. I’ll meet you there.” He rested his hands on my shoulders. “Stay safe, love.”
I reached and pulled him close, rising up on the balls of me feet to kiss him. Heat pulsed in my chest, and I wanted to melt into his skin. But I sensed Reed waking up. We broke apart.
Valek said, “I doubt you’ll get close to the Ice Moon, but if some odd twist of fate leads you to it, do not let that magician get his hands on it. Not even in exchange for Leif’s life. The consequences--”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Master Magician Bain Bloodgood told me.”
“Good.”
The knob on the door turned and Valek moved, disappearing into the shadows. Reed entered the room, glaring in suspicion.
“I’m ready,” I said as I breezed pass him. I joined Owen and the other three men in the living room. Without waiting for Owen to give the order, I said, “Let’s go.”
Leading them outside, I turned north. I was sure Owen knew how powerful the Ice Moon was. But I’d bet my butterfly pendant, he had no idea that it had been given--not stolen--to the Commander by the Master Magicians for safe keeping.
Part 3
Valek watched Yelena, Owen Moon and his four men head north toward Ixia. The cold wind rattled the bare branches of the trees and a shiver zipped over his skin. She was out numbered and the magician could protect himself with a null shield. Worry swirled in his chest as they disappeared over a slight rise. Yelena led the men on an impossible quest—to recover the Ice Moon from the Commander's mine. The only reason Valek hadn't killed the five of them was her brother, Leif. They held his life in their hands, forcing Yelena to help them.
Time to fix that problem, Valek thought. He roused the stable boy, asking the lad to saddle his horse, Onyx. Kiki stuck her head out of her stall and gave him a morose look. Because horses were only ridden by the Generals and special officers in Ixia, she had to stay behind and wait for Yelena to return. She would miss Onyx's presence, but that couldn't be helped. He needed to get to the Citadel as fast as possible.
He fed Kiki a few milk oats and scratched her behind the ears before mounting his pure black horse. For a moment, he wished he could communicate with the horses the same way Yelena could, but he knew they were smart. He asked Onyx to hurry to the Citadel and the horse broke into a fast gallop.
They arrived at the northern gate of the Citadel just as the first rays of dawn shone over the white marble of the outer walls. Onyx headed straight for the Magician's Keep in the northeast quadrant of the city. Valek wondered how Yelena fared. Was she tired? Worried? But when he reached the Keep's gate, he shoved his concerns deep within his heart. No time to be subtle, he informed the guard in the gatehouse he needed to see Master Magician Irys Jewelrose. Valek didn't wait for permission to enter. Onyx hopped the wooden barrier with ease and they crossed to the administration building.
If Irys wasn't in her office, she soon would be. There was always a magician stationed in the gatehouse and he or she would inform the second most powerful magician in Ixia he waited for her. Having a reputation is handy in certain situations, he thought wryly.
Valek hopped off Onyx and entered the building, finding Irys's office without encountering anyone. He wasn't too surprised to find her working at her desk. Her normally tidy hair hung to her shoulders as if she'd given up on keeping it pulled back.
“What's wrong?” she asked.
“Where's Leif?”
She eyed his dusty travel clothes. “I asked first.”
He huffed in annoyance. Yes he could find out where Leif's last known location was without her help, but he didn't want to waste anymore time. Besides Irys may have information on this Owen Moon. He explained the midnight ambush to her.
“I remember Owen,” she said. “Cocky little twerp who came from a rich family. His strongest ability is mental communication. The only magician I know who can lie to another magician in his mind. Most people can't lie when you're linked mind to mind, but he can.”
“Where's Leif?” he asked again.
“Councilor Moon requested his help to interrogate a murderer. Not all of his victims have been found and they wanted to use Leif's magic to locate their remains.”
“Have you heard from him recently?”
“No and I was beginning to worry. Last time he made contact was three days ago. He reported that he had reached Fulgor late at night and would go to the Councilor's Hall in the morning.”
“Can you contact one of the Councilor's people?” he asked.
Irys nodded and pulled a glass statue from her pocket. He guessed the red tailed hawk glowed with magic, but he couldn't see it. She stared into the depths of the messenger.
“Ask if Leif checked in with Tama Moon,” he said. He needed to know if Owen's men had ambushed Leif before or after he talked to the Councilor.
Irys frowned. “We'll have to wait. My contact will ask the Councilor and report back. Get some sleep, Valek. You look exhausted.”
It was a good idea, but sleeping now seemed impossible. Valek desired action. His hands itched to squeeze the life out of the people who held Leif. Instead, he stabled Onyx and then joined the morning training session, working out with the students until Irys appeared and waved him over.
“Councilor Moon never requested Leif. She hasn't seen him at all,” she said.
Valek calculated. Leif was taken three days ago. He could still be in Moon Clan lands or in Cloud Mist's lands or even the Featherstone lands. He would need to travel to Fulgor, but Onyx required a few more hours rest before they could leave. With reluctance dragging at his feet, he finally took Irys's advice and slept.
#
By mid-afternoon, Valek and Onyx headed toward Fulgor. The horse seemed to sense his impatience and pushed himself harder than normal. The five day journey turned into four. Valek made sure to find a clean stable and rubbed the black horse down himself.
“You've been hanging out with those Sandseed horses too long,” Valek said to him, patting his neck in gratitude. With Onyx fed, watered and settled, Valek hurried to his safe house. He didn't care if anyone recognized him on the streets of Fulgor, but he made sure no one saw him enter the small nondescript townhouse a few blocks from the Councilor's Hall.
The agent on duty shot to her feet when Valek appeared. She would have launched into an update about what had been happening in the city, but he silenced her with a sharp wave.
“I need to know if any of our Fulgor agents has reported seeing Leif Liana Zaltana in the last ten days,” he said.
The young woman pulled a log book from the desk. Flipping through the pages, she scanned the entries. Valek paced the narrow room. A few armchairs had been set up near the window to give the appearance of a home. However the rest of the dwelling was used as an office and safe haven for his corps. The Commander had ordered him to set up and maintain one of these safe houses in each major city in Sitia, including the Citadel. All to keep track of the neighbors to the south. Yelena would be livid if she knew, but Valek couldn’t disobey a direct order from the Commander. Besides the houses came in handy.
“Sir, he was spotted entering the Weir Inn seven days ago, and two days ago an agent noted his horse is still at the inn’s stables. No one has seen him around town or at the Councilor’s Hall.”
Valek raced to the inn, beating the supper rush by a few minutes. The common room hummed with voices and servers weaved through the table. Valek sought out the inn’s owner and heard the same story. Here for one night and disappeared the next day. She figured Leif would return for his horse eventually.
“Did you notice if he talked to anyone?” Valek asked her.
“I’m too busy cleaning rooms in the morning, but you can ask our cook. He’s friends with Mr. Leif,” she said.
The sizzling smell of grilled beef dominated the kitchen. Valek’s stomach grumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since yesterday. The cook flipped beef steaks with an expert twist of his wrist.
“I stayed up all night with Leif,” the cook said between tasks. “We talked food—no surprise there, the man has an excellent palette—and then I whipped him up some sweet cakes for breakfast. When I left that morning, I saw him talking to four security guards.” He shrugged. “He told me he was in town to help the guards, I think they all left together.”
Valek thanked the cook. Returning to the common room, he sat at a table in the back corner and ordered a beef steak. It didn’t take a genius to guess that those guards weren’t legit. After Valek finished his meal, he walked toward Fulgor’s security headquarters. In order to maintain the ruse long enough to lead Leif somewhere relatively deserted, the fake guards would have to start out in the right direction.
In the graying twilight, Valek scanned the street, searching for places he would use for an ambush. He peered into dark alleys and circled abandoned buildings. One alley a couple blocks away from the Inn had signs of a struggle scuffed on the cobblestones near the alley’s entrance. It could be from a street fight, but he needed to investigate before the light was gone. Half way down, he discovered drag marks leading to a warehouse door. Rust coated the hinges and knob, but not the lock.
Could it really be that easy? Not trusting the door, Valek climbed to the second floor and found an unlocked window. Ghosting inside the empty building, he didn’t encounter anything or anyone on the second floor. On the first floor, he found a machete in the corner of a big open room. Dried blood splattered the blade. Nearby, he spotted faint scratches on the brick wall, but it was too dark to read them.
“Need a light?” a woman’s voice asked.
As a fire blazed to life behind him, Valek spun and grabbed his daggers. Six black-clad figures fanned out in front of him, pointing their swords at his heart. Guess it isn’t going to be that easy.
Part 4
Valek was literally cornered. Six armed figures blocked his only escape route. He kept his expression neutral, but inside he chastised his own lack of judgment. “Only six?” he asked. “My, my.” He tsked, and spun the curved daggers in his hands. “Do you want to surrender to me now or later?”
The woman laughed—a deep almost sexy sound. She held the lantern aloft. Standing safely behind the semi-circle of fighters, she had pulled the hood of her long cloak up to conceal her face. “We’re well aware of your reputation. And I must say, I’m disappointed,” she said.
Magic brushed Valek’s skin. At least one of the ambushers was a magician. Even though he was immune to magic, he could feel it, and, if it was strong enough, it could slow him down.
The woman continued, “We expected you to show up at some point, but we never thought you would be this easy to catch.”
“Who says I’m caught?” he asked.
This time a chuckle rippled through the six fighters. Valek studied them. They wore tight-fitting black clothes that covered everything but their eyes. Sharp swords pointed at him with steady hands, and a few clutched short knives in their other hand.
His daggers wouldn’t reach as far as their weapons. Leif’s machete lay by his feet, but the thick blade would still not be long enough. He considered the darts treated with Curare tucked in his belt. They would even the odds a bit if he has time to use them.
“Enough banter,” the woman said. “Put down your weapons, and you will not be harmed.”
“Did you give Leif that choice as well?” he asked.
“No. In fact, if you manage to escape tonight, he will be harmed in retaliation for your attempt to interfere. Yelena will witness us cutting his arms off.”
So they did have him. “And if I surrender?”
“He will not be hurt, and you will provide more incentive for her to complete her mission successfully.”
“What if she doesn’t follow Owen’s orders?”
“Leif and you will suffer.”
“But you just said I wouldn’t be harmed.” Valek kept his tone reasonable as he suppressed a smile at the woman’s growing frustration.
“Yelena’s disobedience would hurt you. As long as she obeys, you will be fine.”
He noted the woman’s speech patterns. Her word choice reminded him of Moon Man. Strange. Most of the Sandseed clan had been killed and he couldn’t imagine one of the survivors working for Owen Moon.
“Drop your weapons, now,” she ordered.
Escape would be difficult, but not impossible. But there was no guarantee he would be able to follow them to Leif once he escaped. And what if they used a glass messenger to report his involvement and they cut Leif’s arms off before he could reach him? If he surrendered, they’d take him to Leif and then they’d both escape.
Valek slowly set his daggers on the floor and held his hands up.
“And the rest,” she said.
He removed a few more weapons, but left the darts, lock picks and a few other surprises in place. She ordered him to turn around and put his hands on the wall. Doing as instructed, Valek knew exactly what would happen next. Even though he braced for the blow, the impact sent him to his knees as blackness claimed him.
#
A dagger of pain stabbed him between the eyes. Valek groaned and touched the back of his head, fingering a tender fist-sized lump. Nausea churned in his stomach. He lay still to keep from losing his supper.
“At least you’re not dead,” Leif said. “Although after a few meals in here, you’ll wish you were.”
Valek opened his eyes. He was in a cell comprised of one stone wall with bars along the remaining three. Beyond his door was a wide walkway and another stone wall. The walkway ended at a set of metal doors on his left. Lanterns hung along the far wall, illuminating the narrow prison. From his location, he counted three cells in total. The configuration was unfamiliar.
Leif stood in the adjoining cell on his right, watching him with a semi-amused expression. Purple bruises and half-healed cuts marked his face. He wore a blue coverall that resembled a prison uniform.
“If you’re my knight in shining armor, I’m screwed,” Leif said.
Careful not to jar his head, Valek pushed into a sitting position. He was getting too old for this nonsense. Valek also wore a blue coverall, and a quick check confirmed that none of his own clothing remained. Leif may have a point about being screwed.
“They’re professionals,” Leif said. “Terrible cooks, but they’re smart.”
“What about your magic?” Valek asked.
“I have the deluxe accommodations. Slop pot, damp walls, straw bedding and a null shield.”
“Considerate of them.” He scanned the small area, searching for possible ways to escape.
“They won’t tell me anything. What’s going on?” Leif asked.
By the time Valek finished explaining, Leif paced his cell in agitation. “She can’t give him the Ice Moon. She knows that. Right?”
Concerned about listeners, Valek tapped his ear then switched to the sign language he had taught Leif. He motioned that Yelena was well aware of the danger. Worry over her reaction to the news of his capture flared. Even if they escaped, Owen could still lie to her.
We have to get out of here, Leif replied.
That’s the idea.
Do you have a plan?
I’m working on it.
Leif didn’t look reassured. Work faster.
A clang of a heavy bolt being pulled rang out. Fresh air swept in for a moment before the door slammed shut. Valek jumped to his feet and moved close to the bars of his cell. Five armed guards preceded a familiar cloaked figure. The woman held a glass fox.
He cursed those magical communication devices under his breath. Not only did they put Ixia at a major disadvantage, but they complicated this situation.
The guards kept well out of his reach. Damn. Valek strained to see the woman's face, but couldn’t.
“Your heart mate will not believe us about your capture,” she said. “Seeing is believing.”
With the magic inside the glass, Valek guessed Yelena could see him through the woman’s eyes. He crossed his arms and scowled, drumming his fingers on his biceps. His actions weren’t random, and he hoped Yelena remembered the signals.
After a few moments, she snapped her fingers. The guards unlocked Leif’s cell door and rushed him. They pinned him to the wall as the woman entered. She pulled a switchblade from her pocket.
Triggering the blade, she advanced on Leif. “Now to show Yelena what happens when she questions us.”
Part 5
Seeing Valek through Owen’s mind, I stifled my desire to throttle the magician. Owen had been telling the truth. Valek had been caught and he looked really pissed off. He tapped his fingers on his arm, signaling me. Since I was connected through Owen, I would have to decipher Valek’s message later.
Owen used his glass turtle to reach the other magician—a woman who held another one of Opal’s glass messengers. Through this strange double link I could “see” what she did. It was bad enough to learn of Valek’s capture, but when she triggered her switchblade and advanced on my brother, I lost it.
It meaning my temper. I projected my awareness into the woman before Owen could sever the connection. Taking over her physical body, I stopped her thrust just in time. Her confusion lasted mere seconds before horror and fear flooded as she realized I had control of her body and soul. Score one for the Soulfinder.
However what I didn’t have was time. I had expended a great deal of energy to reach her and I felt Owen’s efforts to break the link. He would soon succeed.
I turned the blade and rested the cold steel on her neck. I could kill you right now, but I won’t, I said to her. Instead, I’ll spare your life and in exchange you will not harm my brother or Valek. If they’re injured in any way while in your care, I will find you, kill you, and send your soul to the fire world. Understand?
She did.
With my last bit of strength, I sent her and the guards to sleep and tossed the switchblade to Valek. They would all wake as soon as I left, but I hoped it would be long enough to give Leif and Valek a slight advantage.
I returned to my own body with an audible snap. Exhaustion liquefied my muscles, and I slumped to the floor. We had stopped for the night in a travel shelter located near the middle of Military District 5 (MD—5) in Ixia. My old stomping grounds.
From my prone position I had an up—close view of Owen’s boots.
“That was unwise,” he said. Fury spiked his words.
“It was instinct,” I whispered.
“How sweet. But it didn’t save your brother or Valek. It angered me and now you’re unable to defend yourself. What did you hope to accomplish?”
“I liked angering you.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I’d pay for my smart remark.
Owen didn’t disappoint. The tip of his boot rammed into my ribs. Pain raced along the bones of my ribcage. He probably cracked a few. The whole unable to defend myself also meant I was unable to heal myself. And Owen didn’t stop with one kick. Oh no. He wanted to prove his point. After what seemed like a lifetime of blows to my ribs, stomach and back, he did. Passing out was the best thing to happen to me all day.
#
Consciousness swelled and died. During my lucid times, snippets of conversation reached me.
“…dangerous delay…what were you thinking?”
“…can’t do anything…Selene’s terrified…”
When I no longer drifted in and out, I assessed my situation. I remained on the floor of the travel shelter with two cracked ribs and one broken. All three ribs stabbed me with white hot fire every time I moved. The bruised muscles around my torso throbbed with pain. And I didn’t have enough strength to heal myself. Not yet.
With no other option available, I kept still. I reviewed the whole encounter with the woman who had threatened Leif and I remembered Valek’s signal. It was hard to decipher through the haze of pain, but I dredged up the memories of his lessons.
Leif had been the better student, learning all the signals. I had memorized the basics—handy when we had a mission requiring silence, but now I mourned my lack of foresight.
Puzzling out the different gestures, I pieced together most of his message. He seemed confident that they would escape and he warned me about Owen lying. Not exactly earth—shattering news, but he must have a good reason to state the obvious. Too bad I couldn’t translate what Owen might be lying about.
A day passed and, even though Owen’s men gave me food and water, my energy level stayed low. The tension between the men grew. I considered ways to increase the friction, including drawing out my recovery time.
Finally, Owen knelt next to me. “We need to go. Now.”
“Can’t move,” I said.
He studied my expression. I shifted and winced as pain tore through my ribcage.
“How long?” he asked.
“A couple days.” My answer alarmed his men. Good.
“We don’t have that much time. Someone is bound to grow suspicious and alert the local soldiers.” He rubbed a hand over the dark stubble on his cheeks. White hairs flecked his soon—to—be beard. “I’ll share my strength with you. Heal your ribs only.”
So much for my plan. Owen grabbed my hands with his, letting me tap into his considerable magic. I pulled threads of magic and repaired the damage to my body. When I finished, I yanked my hands back, but he held on.
“I communicated with my other team today,” he said. “Despite your interference, nothing has changed.”
Through his memories, I saw Valek pacing in the small cell. His expression devoid of emotion�a bad sign. Perhaps escaping was no longer an option. The view changed to Leif. He lay on the straw bedding either asleep or unconscious. The bruises on his face stood out against his unnaturally pale skin. Blood soaked the fabric of his jumper on his right shoulder and chest.
“He’ll live,” Owen said. “For now. But anymore tricks and I’ll order Selene to stab him again. But this time she won’t miss.”
Anger mixed with fear and I reached for Owen’s soul. If I controlled his body—
He dropped my hands and erected a null shield between us. “Oh no. You don't.” The magician blinked at me as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. “What did I just say?”
“Company’s coming,” Reed called from his post by the front window.
Owen cursed. “Who?”
“Ixian soldiers.”
More curses. “How many?”
“A dozen.”
“Colors?”
“They’re wearing green and black.”
MD—5 uniforms. Not as concerning as the Commander’s soldiers. Owen pulled me to my feet. I wiped dirt from my shirt and pants. We all wore the purple and black uniforms of MD—3. Posing as miners returning to MD—3 from a delivery, we had the paperwork to prove our story. However, I hoped the forms we carried hadn’t been changed recently. Standard forms were altered on a regular basis to avoid forgeries. If they didn’t match the current form, we would be arrested.
The soldiers entered the shelter and took up defensive positions around us. It was time to find out if our paperwork would pass inspection.
Part 6
The Lieutenant scanned our uniforms and our faces. I kept my expression neutral even though disappointment settled in my chest. Logically, I knew Valek had been caught by Owen’s collaborator, Selene. The same woman who also held my brother, Leif. Yet I had been hoping he had time to send me a few Ixian reinforcements. But I didn’t recognize any of the seven soldiers surrounding us or the Lieutenant who checked our papers with care. Perhaps a few of the five men the Lieutenant had left outside the travel shelter would turn out to be allies. Small chance, but I’d take any bit of optimism I could.
We were in MD-5, and our group wore the purple and black uniforms of MD-3. The papers that might or might not pass inspection said we were miners returning to our home after a delivery. I had warned Owen and his five men to keep quiet. Their accents might give them away. And I had asked Owen not to use magic because some Ixians could detect its presence.
I wondered what Owen would do if they tried to arrest us. We were outnumbered and his magic seemed limited to null shields and mental communication. Would a fight result in the end of his quest to steal the Ice Moon? Would it also be the end of Leif and Valek? Impotent fury simmered in my blood. Owen would pay for threatening those I love.
Even though he looked young, the blond haired Lieutenant’s blue eyes held a sharpness that indicated he might be hard to fool. He looked at Owen as he asked what goods we had delivered.
“Diamonds for General Ute,” I said.
His gaze focused on me. “Really? I hadn’t heard about it.”
“Of course not. We don’t like to announce we’re walking around with expensive diamonds.”
“Is that why your companions are armed?”
“Yes, sir.” I learned from Valek to just answer the question that is asked and not to expand.
“Why did the General need them?” he asked.
“I don’t know, sir. I just follow orders.”
“I see. Where do you work?”
“Mine 3-19, sir,” I said.
Once again the Lieutenant studied us. He gestured to my side. “What happened to you?”
I glanced down. My shirt was ripped and a large bruise could be seen through the hole. “I fell.”
As the Lieutenant peered at me with suspicion, Owen stiffened. The Lieutenant’s expression smoothed and it blanked out for a moment before returning to normal.
“You’re papers are in order, you may go,” the Lieutenant said.
Despite my warning, Owen had used his magic to influence the man. The risk paid off. We gathered our things and left the shelter, heading north. Once we were well out of sight of the Ixian soldiers, I sent a thin tendril of magic back to the Lieutenant. Scanning his surface thoughts, I sensed his befuddlement clearing. And before he could dismiss the strange incident, I planted a seed of doubt.
#
We reached the border between MD-5 and MD-4 on the twelfth day of our trip and four days after the encounter with the Lieutenant. The cold air blowing from the west sent shivers down my spine despite my heavy cloak. Or my unease could be due to the daily images Owen showed me of Leif and Valek still incarcerated in Sitia.
With nothing else but worry to occupy my mind, I replayed over and over the first time Owen had shown me Valek. He had signaled a message to me then, but hadn’t since. He warned of Owen lying to me, which wasn’t earth-shattering news. So what had he meant? I cursed myself daily for not memorizing all of Valek’s hand signals. Two motions eluded me. They had to be critical.
The MD-4 border patrol stopped us at mid-day. They scanned our party and papers with bored expressions. I searched their faces, looking for a recognizable feature or a hint of intelligence and was disappointed.
That night as the wind wailed through the many cracks in the travel shelter and we all huddled close to the campfire, I asked Owen about the Ice Moon.
I chose my words with care. “How did you know the Commander…stole it? Not many do.”
“My great-great-grandfather created it,” Owen said. “Perhaps you’ve heard about Master Magician Ellis Moon?”
“Bain Bloodgood was my history teacher at the Keep.”
A rare smile flashed on his face. “Bain is a stickler for history, but I’m sure he didn’t tell you the truth about the Ice Moon.”
“He said it was a desperate measure when Master Magician Sefton Cowan had gathered the power blanket. A measure that was never used.”
“True. But did he tell you why they never used it?”
“They didn’t need to. The other six Masters found Sefton’s hiding place and attacked along with every magician in Sitia not working for Sefton.”
“And almost all died. Of the Masters, only Ellis and Rivana survived. Had they deployed the Ice Moon, not a single soul would have been lost.”
“Bain indicated that there had been a great risk in using the Ice Moon. It could have backfired.”
“There was no danger.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I found Ellis’ notes and read through them. He was a genius. The other Masters were cowards. And now the Commander has the Ice Moon, believing he is keeping Ixia safe by preventing us from using it against Ixia. He has no idea that he has the single most powerful weapon against magicians.”
“Since he doesn’t know, it’s safe with him,” I said.
Owen scoffed. “Would you give a knife to a small child who doesn’t know it can cut skin? No. The Commander could accidently trigger the Ice Moon. Or he could learn its true nature and do what he most desires-rid the world of magic.”
Part 7 coming to your inbox in late September 2010 :)
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