Night Study

Devlen followed him to the glass building. Using a shovel, Leif spread the glowing remains of the coals while Devlen filled the water pans. A puff of smoke stung Leif’s eyes as he added more of the expensive white coals to the fire. They burned hotter and cleaner than the black type. The smell reminded him of Mara and he closed his eyes for a moment to breathe it in. The sugary scent always clung to her clothes after she’d spent the day working in the Keep’s glass shop.

“How does the smoke escape?” Devlen asked. The tall man peered at the ceiling.

“Probably through the seams in the panes.”

Devlen reached up and ran a finger along the wet drops, leaving a clear line in the condensation. “There are small holes in the glass.”

Leif groaned. He’d been so focused on the plants, he hadn’t considered who might have constructed the house. Devlen, too, creased his face in chagrin. He’d worked with Opal in her glass factory in Fulgor for the past six months.

The sisters had taught their husbands that making holes in a pane of glass after it hardened would shatter it, but while the glass was molten, holes of any size and number could be added. These panels had been made for this specific purpose. If they found the manufacturer, they might uncover the location of the other houses and, even better, Owen’s hiding place.

“Not a word to our wives. Agreed?” Leif asked.

“Agreed.”

4

YELENA

Valek set a fast pace and, even though Kiki switched to her smoothest gait, after a few hours in the saddle, I clutched Kiki’s copper mane to keep from falling off. My recovery from Owen’s attack hadn’t been as complete as I’d thought. Lack of sleep didn’t help, either.

All morning, we’d pause in a series of small river towns as we headed east, paralleling the Sunworth River. Janco and Valek would dismount and poke around, searching for magic. Or rather, seeking Rika Bloodgood’s magical illusions, which may have been employed to conceal the three outlaws. Onora and I would visit the local authorities to inquire about any unusual activities and strange glass houses.

I lost track of the number of towns as the day wore on. We finally stopped for the night in one of the larger settlements. Valek checked us into the Anchor Inn and I collapsed on the bed as soon as he shut the door.

He was next to me in an instant. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just need to sleep. I’ll be fine. You should be more worried about Janco and Onora sharing a room. One of them is going to kill the other by morning.”

“Janco’s trying to provoke her.”

“And when she snaps?”

“He’ll have a bruise and an ego to nurse.”

“Are you sure it won’t be worse?” Despite Valek’s assurances of her loyalty, I didn’t trust the girl. And since learning she’d shot me with an arrow laced with starlight, I’d wanted to punch her. Frustration flowed through me. If I had my magic, I’d examine her soul and learn just how dangerous she was. The Ethical Code be damned. She’d started it.

“She won’t harm Janco, because it would upset me,” Valek said. “And right now, she’s still scared of me.”

“And when she’s no longer afraid?”

“Then it will get interesting.”

Typical Valek bravado. If I had any energy, I’d argue.

Sensing my mood, Valek said, “Before you form an opinion of her, I’d suggest you get to know her better. Like you, she’s been assaulted and raped. But unlike you, she hasn’t killed her demons yet.”

“Now you’ve done it.” Regret for my earlier dark thoughts pulsed.

“I’ve done what?”

“You complicated things. My feelings for her were rather simple. It was nice to just dislike her. Now I want to help her. Too bad my powers—”

“Are not needed,” Valek said. “You’ve overcome your difficulties without using magic, so can she. But I’m sure she’d like a friend to confide in.”

“You’re sure? Why do you care? She’s after your job.”

“I’ve always had people after my job, love. And the Commander’s been telling me to find a protégé for years. She’s the first to have real potential, and if she can step up, then perhaps she should.”

I studied his face, searching for regret or sorrow over the prospect. Finding none, I relaxed back into the pillows. Valek tucked me in and left to listen to the local gossip. I fell asleep dreaming of our future together.

* * *

Morning intruded. I groaned and tightened my grip on Valek as he tried to disentangle himself from me and the blankets.

“A few more minutes,” I mumbled.

“I caught a lead last night,” he said, pulling my arms off his waist.

Suddenly wide-awake, I let go and sat up. “You found Owen? Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Easy, love. It’s never that simple. I talked to a man who knew about a strange house made of glass.”

“And? Did you go check it out?”

“No. The man claimed he needed his brother’s help to find the place again. He offered to get his brother and take me there in the morning, for a fee of course.”

“Smells like a classic setup.” Instead of taking the mark to the promised location, the journey would end in an ambush.

“Indeed. However, from his comments, I think Owen may have tried to erase his memories, which is why he needed his brother to find the location again.”

“Still might be a setup.”

He smiled. “There will be four of us.”

“And if it’s a trap, we’ll be facing three magicians.” I flung the blankets off and dug through my pack. “Make sure all your darts are filled with Curare.”

“Yes, sir.”

We dressed and met Janco and Onora for a fast breakfast. The man joined us at the stables. He was in his forties, broad-shouldered and good-natured despite the tension. He introduced himself as Tex. I checked that his shadow matched his physique, ruling out a magical disguise. A short sword hung from his waist, but he might have other weapons tucked in his clothes or boots. I drew my cloak tighter around my shoulders. Or rather, Reema’s cloak. We had switched garments when I’d sent her to Ixia and out of danger.

Tex’s brother was named Jax—a thick, muscled man the size of Ari, whose shadow also matched. A rolled-up horse whip was tied to Jax’s belt. Janco eyed the whip with trepidation, rubbing his arms.

Valek introduced us. He used Janco’s and Onora’s real names, but changed mine to Elliona and referred to himself as Ilom. The men brought their own horses. Jax mounted a beefy gray quarter horse, and Tex rode a dark brown stallion.

Tex gazed at Kiki. “Is that one of those Sandseed horses?”

No sense lying. “Yes.”

“Is it true they can go twice as fast as a normal horse?”

“Only when they’re in the Avibian Plains, otherwise, no.”

“Huh? I thought no one can go into the plains without getting lost.”

“That’s true, but if you’re riding a Sandseed horse, they never get lost.”

“That’s handy,” Tex said.

We discussed horses as Tex and his brother led us south. From the way Janco scanned our surroundings, I knew he was searching for any magical traces. Valek remained quiet, content to let me chat with the brothers. Onora appeared to be bored, but the stiffness in her movements said otherwise. She also kept well away from Jax and I wondered if the man who had assaulted her had been his size.

As Tex had said, he couldn’t quite remember the route through the farmlands and forest. At one point, Tex and Jax argued on the right direction. I asked him how they’d found the place before.

“We’ve been working the river,” Tex said. “Loading and unloading the barges. Last season, a man hired us to transport these bundles of vines from this glass house you’re so interested in to the river. I don’t remember picking them up, but Jax does—that house really intrigued him. Apparently we did one trip. I collected the payment, but the man didn’t pay enough, so we quit. I guess.”

“Do you remember what the man looked like?” Valek asked.

“No. And Jax never met him, so, like I said, I don’t remember much. It sounds crazy, I know.”

It did, but if Owen had erased Tex’s memories, and hadn’t known about Jax, then it made sense.

After a few hours we crested a hill and stopped. Down below in the middle of a valley was a large glass house twice the size of the one near Broken Bridge. The afternoon sunlight reflected off its roof. Next to it stood another structure that resembled a barn. No one was in sight.

“There should be a...gardener around here,” Jax said. “I think.”

“We need to head back for another job,” Tex said. “You folks okay with finding your own way from here? We’re not in the plains.” Concern creased his brow.

Genuine? Or a hell of a good actor? “Yes, thank you. Sandseed horses have an excellent sense of direction regardless of location,” I said.

Valek paid Tex a generous sum. The man flashed him a grateful smile and headed back with his brother right behind him.

Janco rubbed his goatee, frowning. “Does anyone else think that’s odd?”

“What’s odd?” Valek asked.

“Those guys. They were...”

“Nice,” I finished for him. “Don’t tell me you’ve never met friendly people before.”

“Not in my line of work. Who wants to bet me that there’s an ambush waiting for us below?” Janco gestured to the valley.

“Do you sense any magic?” Valek asked.

“No, but we’re pretty far. You?”

“Nothing.”

A pang touched my chest. If I still had my magic, we’d know for sure if this was a trap.

“How do you want to proceed?” Onora asked Valek.

“You and Janco cut through the woods on the left side, check for any unfriendlies. I’ll check right. Meet back here.” Valek dismounted.

“And what about me?” I asked.

“Stay with the horses.”

Red-hot anger flared. “Kiki can stay with the horses. I’m coming with you.” I didn’t wait for his permission. I swung down from Kiki’s back, removed my cloak and yanked my bo staff from its holder on her saddle.

Valek studied me and I prepared for an argument. Instead he nodded. “Let’s go.” He untied his gray short cape and slung it over Onyx’s saddle.

Onora and Janco melted into the woods, and I followed Valek. He wore Sitian clothes—a plain tan tunic and brown pants that blended with the surrounding forest. The trees and bushes remained bare of leaves, but a few buds dotted a number of branches, promising warmer days ahead.

Valek traveled through the underbrush without making a sound, his movements graceful and balanced like an acrobat’s. I rustled behind him. My woodland skills had grown rusty with neglect. No need to slink about the woods when I’d already known exactly what creatures lurked inside. Since I could no longer rely on magic, I suspected many hours of training would be in my future.

Using hand signals, Valek communicated when to stop, wait and go. We encountered no one, and didn’t see tracks, broken branches or any other sign that another person had been here.

We returned to the horses and, soon after, Janco and Onora reported the same thing—no ambushers. Mounting our horses, we rode down into the valley. As we neared, Valek asked Janco if he sensed a magical illusion.

“No. I’ll let you know if I do,” Janco said.

Valek stopped us about fifty feet from the barn. He signaled for us to wait, dismounted and circled the buildings. I peered at the glass house. No condensation coated the panes and no greenery pressed against the sides. From this angle, it appeared to be empty.

When he reappeared he said, “No signs of activity anywhere and the barn door is locked.”

“Let me,” Janco said with a grin. He jumped off Beach Bunny and hurried toward the barn.

“He does know we can all pick a lock, right?” I asked Valek. Janco had taught me the art, and my set of picks held my hair up in an intricate knot.

“This one’s a swivel.” Valek drew his sword. “Come on.”

Onora and I followed him around the building. Janco knelt next to an oversize door, working on a shiny new padlock. We waited behind him until he made a small sound of triumph. He removed the lock and glanced at Valek, who signaled him to open the door.

Janco yanked it open with a whoosh. We braced for an attack, but nothing happened. Instead a foul odor wafted from the entrance—the unmistakable rancid smell of death.

With a grim expression, Valek ventured inside. After a moment, he returned. “It’s safe.”

Covering our noses with our shirts, we filed in. From the overturned chairs and scattered trash, it appeared as if they’d left in a hurry. Valek crouched by the body of a man whose throat had been sliced open.

“The gardener?” I asked.

“Probably. He has dirt under his nails. No defensive wounds, which means he knew his attacker.”

“Or he was trapped by magic,” Janco said. “How long has he been dead?”

“Three or four days.” Valek straightened. “Take a look around. See if they missed anything.”

We spread out. A small bed and night table lined the far wall. Gardening tools hung near the door. I poked at the ashy remains of the fire, uncovering a half-burned parchment. Fishing it from the pile, I smoothed it flat, revealing a picture of a hobet plant, along with instructions for its care.

My shirt slipped down and the putrid smell filled my nose. It flipped the contents of my stomach and I bolted for the door. Once I reached clean air, the need to vomit slowly disappeared. Shivering with the cold, I retrieved my cloak from Kiki. Once ensconced in its warmth, I strode to the glass house. I peered through the clear walls. Leaves and broken stems littered the dirt floor. It appeared as if plants had been wrenched out by their roots. I spotted something white in the middle of the mess.

Wagon wheel tracks lined up next to the entrance. I guessed they’d loaded everything up that had been in the glass house and didn’t bother to lock up. The knob turned with ease and I entered. The air was colder inside. Boot prints marked the muddy spots.

The white object was a sheet of parchment folded in half. When I picked it up, a loud pop sounded. I straightened. Thousands of cracks raced through the glass like lightning. Fear sliced through my heart just as fast.

“Yelena!” Valek yelled from the doorway, too far away.

I yanked my hood over my head and dropped to the ground. Pressing my forehead to the dirt, I curled up like a turtle, lacing my fingers behind my neck as an explosion of glass roared.

5

VALEK

The glass walls and ceiling of the house shattered with an eruption of sound. Unable to reach Yelena in time, Valek watched in horror as razor-sharp shards and jagged chunks crashed down onto her huddled form. The force of the impact sent glass flying in all directions. He stumbled back, covering his face with his hands. Pinpricks of pain pierced his legs, arms and torso.

“Holy snow cats!” Janco yelled next to him.

When the noise died, Valek yanked his hands down. He raced along the side of the house, searching for Yelena in the heaping piles of broken glass. The gray fabric of her cloak poked through a mound. An ice-cold dread filled his heart when he spotted the blood. Without hesitation, he waded into the ruins. The glass crunched, popped and cracked under his boots.

“Careful,” Janco said as he followed.

They reached Yelena’s side. She was buried. They removed the big slabs and brushed off as much as possible. She tried to move, but her cloak was still pinned.

“Easy, love,” he said, relieved she was conscious. “Let us free you first.”

Yelena stilled. Blood soaked her back from dozens of slivers, but the real concern was a large triangle-shaped piece that jutted from her left side, just below her ribs. Janco pointed to it and mimed a yanking motion. Valek shook his head. They’d remove the dangerous one after they assessed where it had hit her.

Working together, Valek and Janco cleared the rest of the glass and freed her. By the time they finished, blood dripped from his and Janco’s hands from the numerous cuts they’d gotten.

“Can you stand?” he asked her.

“Yes.” She pushed up to a sitting position. All the color drained from her face. “Uh...maybe not. How bad—” She noticed the shard.

“Let’s get you out of here first.” He helped Yelena to her feet and supported her as they navigated the uneven debris.

Onora waited for them. She had retrieved the first-aid kit from Kiki’s saddle. Once they cleared the house, Valek removed her ruined cloak and she sank to the ground. He cut away part of her shirt to expose the worst injury. It looked deep, and he worried it might have pierced her stomach. At least it wasn’t close enough to endanger the baby, if she was in fact pregnant.

Yelena inspected the damage. “It shouldn’t bleed out when it’s removed, but the wound will need to be sealed.”

Good thing the first-aid kit contained a jar of Rand’s glue. The Commander’s late chef had invented an edible adhesive for his cakes that also worked on skin.

“Let’s take care of these others first,” Valek said. “Do you want me to pour the medicinal Curare on your back?” Yelena’s father had supplied them with a watered-down version of the drug for this contingency.

“Save it for when you seal the serious wounds.”

Being the only one without cuts on her hands, Onora used a pair of tweezers to remove the slivers from Yelena’s back and the back of her head. Onora peeled off Yelena’s tunic as she worked. Janco hovered, getting in the way.

“Do a sweep of the area. Make sure no one is around,” Valek ordered him. “If it’s secure, we’ll camp here for the night.”

“Yes, sir.” Janco dashed off.

“Thanks,” Onora said. She continued, creating a pile of bloody pieces next to her. “It could have been worse. The cloak’s fabric stopped a bunch.” Onora continued to pluck glass from Yelena’s skin and then her hair.

Valek hated seeing Yelena hurt. A helpless frustration boiled up his throat, and the desire to murder the person who’d harmed her pulsed with every heartbeat. If she reclaimed her magic, he’d never take her healing powers for granted again.

“Valek, attend to your wounds,” Onora said, shooing him away. “You can’t help me with bloody fingers.”

He stifled a protest—she had a point. And now that she had mentioned them, pain flared to life. Multiple stings peppered his body and blood stained his clothes. Valek pulled glass from his skin, then washed his hands and wrapped a bandage around his right palm, which had sustained the largest gash. He’d save the glue for Yelena.

When Onora finished, he knelt next to his heart mate and met her gaze. “Ready?”

She nodded.

He grasped the triangular shard and yanked it out in one quick motion. She gasped. Blood poured from the wound. Pressing a bandage on it, Valek stanched the flow as she lay on her uninjured side. When the surge eased, he rubbed Curare around and in the injury, then inspected it. It wasn’t as deep as he feared. Relieved, he used Rand’s glue and sealed the gash before tending to the others.

In the time it took for Janco to return and build a campfire, Yelena’s cuts had been cleaned and wrapped in bandages, and she’d changed into fresh clothes. Despite her protests, Valek tucked her into her bedroll, insisting she rest. The sun balanced on the crest of the hill and darkness would soon fill the valley.

Janco boiled water for one of Leif’s healing teas. “I knew those brothers were up to no good. They must have doubled back after they left us.”

“Did you see them?” Valek asked.

“No, they were gone by the time I did my sweep. The crossbow must have been hidden somewhere nearby.”

“Crossbow?” Onora asked Janco.

“Of course a crossbow. How else could they have shattered the glass from a distance? It had to be a bolt.”

It made sense, but Valek had felt a brush of magic right before the walls exploded. “I think it was magic.”

“But I thought you checked,” Janco said.

“I did.” He’d not only circled the building, but touched the glass walls to ensure no magical alarms had been installed.

“It was a booby trap,” Yelena said, pushing up to her elbow.

“Then what set it off?” Janco asked.

She gazed at the fire as if in thought. “There was a piece of parchment on the ground. As soon as I picked it up, the glass started cracking. It must have triggered the trap.”

“A magical booby trap?” Janco cursed. “Oh, that’s just wonderful. The more I learn about magic, the more I hate it.”

Valek considered. “Was there a message on the paper?”

“I didn’t have time to look,” Yelena said. “It’s probably still there.”

Janco sprang to his feet. “I’ll get it.” He crunched through the debris. Cracks and pops marked his noisy passage. After a few minutes, he returned with the folded note and a murderous expression on his face.

Janco handed it to Valek. “Read it.”

Valek unfolded the parchment. One word had been written in black ink.

“Gotcha.”

Fury burned in his chest. Owen would pay for this little stunt the next time Valek encountered him. And he wouldn’t allow Owen to catch him in a null shield. Oh no. Valek had no intention of letting the magician know he was in mortal danger. Not even with a note.

“Let me see.” Yelena held out her hand. Small cuts crisscrossed her knuckles.

He passed it to her.

She huffed. “Typical Owen.”

“How do you know it was Owen?” Onora asked.

“He’s the only one of the magicians who can set a trap like this,” Yelena explained. “Rika is limited to magical illusions, and Tyen can only move objects.”

“What else can Owen do?” She poured hot water into a teacup and gave it to Yelena.

Valek approved of her question. One of the lessons of being an assassin was to know everything possible about your mark.

Yelena crinkled her nose as she sniffed the tea, either disgusted by the smell or the topic. “Owen’s quite talented. He can mentally communicate with another magician, which isn’t a big deal, but his ability to lie to another when communicating mind to mind is extremely rare.”

“He can also lasso one of those null shields around someone pretty quick,” Janco added. “They can block magic, but not objects or people, except for—”

“I know what they are,” Onora said, glancing at Valek.

Valek hid his amusement. She was worried about upsetting him.

“Owen can also mess with a person’s memories, erasing the real ones and inserting fake ones. Or he can just tear your mind apart, leaving you a mindless idiot.” Yelena rubbed her forehead, no doubt remembering Owen’s attack.

“So that’s what happened to Janco,” Onora quipped.

Janco tsked. “Nasty.”

“Accurate.” She shot back.

“You wish. I can think circles around you!”

“I agree. Your mind spins round and round, like a gnat’s. A truly dizzying intellect.”

Janco squawked in protest, but before he could respond, Valek said, “That’s enough.”

Janco clamped his mouth shut, but shot Onora a venomous glare. She ignored it. This time. It was inevitable that Janco would push too far and they’d fight, which would be interesting to watch. However, for tonight, Valek didn’t want to upset Yelena.

“Is that the extent of Owen’s magical powers?” Onora asked.

“No,” Yelena said. “He can heat objects. I once held a knife to his throat and he made the handle so hot, I had to drop it, which means he can also start fires. And apparently set traps. That’s new to me, so he might have other hidden powers.”

“Gee, what a sweetheart.” Janco’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Sounds like the creep could be a Master Magician.”

Yelena sipped her tea. “He’s not that powerful, but he’s close. I wonder if he took the master-level test and failed. That could explain some of his...bitterness and antisocial behavior. It’s a brutal test.” She covered her expression with the cup.

“Have you taken it?” Onora asked.

“Oh, no. Not really.” Yelena glanced at the embers swirling in the hot air above the fire.