The Chronicles of Ixia

No one said a word. Valek’s unease turned sharp, jabbing his guts. “Go on,” he urged Lewin.

“There’s been lots of ac...activity around here and weird...stuff. So I followed the voices to the...the edge of the camp. And...” He shuddered. “Three people step...stepped from the air. Bulging sacks floated behind them. They con...continued into the woods, heading west. I found out later the stores had been raided.”

Valek and Janco exchanged another glance.

“I hate it when I’m right,” Janco said.

“Can you describe them?” Valek asked Lewin.

“Yes, sir. Two men and one lady.”

Valek tightened his grip on Onyx’s reins. “Did you see their faces?”

“Yes, sir.” Lewin described the thieves.

Janco cursed under his breath.

“Anything else?” Valek asked, almost hoping the answer was no.

Lewin scuffed his boot in the dirt. “Yeah. Their uniforms. They wo...wore the Commander’s colors.”

The information rendered Janco speechless. However, Valek knew Janco would say holy snow cats. If Valek considered the bright side, at least they knew where Owen, Rika and Tyen were. Too bad they were in Ixia and appeared to be heading toward the Commander.

6

LEIF

“Nope, haven’t seen anything like that before. Good day.” The glassmaker hustled Leif from his shop, closing the door right behind him.

At least he didn’t slam it, Leif thought. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. Between the heat pumping from the glass factory’s brick walls and the unseasonably hot afternoon sun, his tunic was soaked. Leif returned the small square of glass with the miniature holes to his pack. He’d cut a couple of pieces from the glass house’s ceiling for him and Devlen to take along and show to the glassmakers.

He scanned the street. A few people walked along the row of factories and businesses in Whitestone’s small downtown. Over the past nine days they’d been checking with every glass factory and workshop in ever-widening arcs from Owen’s farmhouse. They hadn’t been back there in the past four days, and Leif planned to return after this stop. There hadn’t been any messages from Yelena, and that worried him.

Whitestone was located two days southeast and about a half day from the border with the Cloud Mist’s lands.

Devlen rounded the corner. Hard to miss the tall Sandseed among the paler Moons.

“Any luck?” Leif asked when his brother-in-law drew closer.

“No. You?”

“Think I’ve found something.”

“Oh?”

“Guy in there showed me the door faster than I could eat a slice of apple pie.”

“That is an impressive amount of speed,” Devlen agreed.

“And he smelled like black licorice.”

“Which you do not like.”

“Not at all.” He’d always hated it. The candy tasted of fear and deceit.

“Shall we go talk to him again?” Devlen asked.

“Thought you’d never ask.”

They entered the thick air. Five kilns roared, masking the sounds of the glassworkers who sat at benches and shaped the molten slugs of glass gathered onto the end of their pontil irons. Assistants scurried, fetching tools, cracking off pieces and filling the annealing ovens to cool the piping-hot glass slowly. The open windows did nothing to dispel the force of the heat.

The older man Leif had spoken with earlier directed the traffic, but once he spotted them he hustled over with a scowl. The spicy scent of red pepper burned the inside of Leif’s nostrils. Anger had replaced the man’s fear.

“Get out,” he shooed. “I’ve no time for your nonsense. I’ve orders to fill.”

“This will not take long.” Devlen projected his voice through the noise. “Your office.” When the man hesitated, he leaned closer and said, “Now.”

The man bolted for an open door to the left. Nice. And it’d been the reason Leif waited for Devlen before confronting the lying glassmaker. They followed close behind. Leif shut the door on the din.

The neat and utilitarian office lacked personality. No pictures hung on the walls. No decorative glass lined the shelves.

Devlen laid his square sample on the desk.

The glassmaker jabbed a finger at it. “I’ve told you—”

“Look again,” Leif said. “Closer this time.”

The man huffed with annoyance and picked it up, pretending to inspect the piece. A fog of black licorice almost gagged Leif. The man was terrified.

“The person who ordered those panels is no longer a threat,” Leif said in his most soothing tone, letting his magic mix with the words. “We’ve halted his operations and are in the process of determining how extensive it is.”

“We who?” he asked.

“Me, Leif Zaltana and my colleague, Devlen Sandseed.”

The man’s fear eased only a fraction. Leif would have been insulted, but unfortunately he’d dealt with Owen and understood just how much of a scary bastard the magician could be. And with the size of this operation, Owen couldn’t erase all the staff’s memories—too many people.

“Also the Sitian Council and the Master Magicians,” Leif added.

“Have you arrested him?” the man asked.

“Not yet. He’s on the run, but every city and town has been alerted and he’ll be caught soon.” Leif hoped.

“Then he remains a threat.”

“I’ll order the local security forces keep a close watch on you—”

“Not me. My family.”

Typical. At least Owen stayed consistent. “Your family, then.”

“And in exchange?”

“A list of locations where you delivered those special glass panels.”

The silence stretched and Leif sensed a variety of emotions. The bitter tang of fear dominated.

Finally, the man pulled open a drawer and rummaged through the files. He handed Leif a stack of papers. Leif scanned the pages and counted enough panels to construct at least ten glass houses. Delivery dates and locations had been written on the orders. The closest one was about a day’s ride west. The others were scattered north and east, up toward the Sunworth River.

“Can I keep these?” Leif asked.

“Yes.”

“Thank you. I’ll inform Captain Ozma of the situation right away. We talked to her this morning and none of her forces have seen anyone matching Owen’s description in this area.”

The man’s relief smelled of sweet grass. “Good.”

They left and stopped by the security offices. Captain Ozma sent a detail to the glass factory to collect more information.

Leif studied the sky. “We won’t be able to reach the closest hothouse today, but, if we leave now, we can make it to the town of Marble Arch in time for supper.”

“Let me guess, there is an inn there that serves some type of delectable dish that you cannot find anywhere else.” Devlen’s tone rasped with smugness.

“Wrong, Mr. Know-It-All! It’s a tavern, not an inn.”

“A thousand apologies.”

“Can you say that again without the sarcasm?”

“No.”

They had stabled their horses in the guards’ barn. Devlen had picked a sturdy cream-colored horse with a dark brown mane and tail. She had lovely russet eyes and she watched Devlen’s every move. Leif had teased him that it was love at first sight. Devlen named her Sunfire, which was a heck of a lot better than Beach Bunny.

Mounting the horses, they headed east and, as predicted, they sat at a table in the corner of the Daily Grind tavern just in time for supper.

“Lots of stone carvers come here.” Leif explained the name to Devlen. “Marble and granite fill this whole area of the Moon Clan’s lands. These people earn their living either quarrying it from the ground or chiseling, shaping and grinding it for use.”

A server approached and Leif ordered without consulting Devlen. “Two ales and two extra-large portions of pit beef, please.”

“Pit beef? Sounds...unappetizing,” Devlen said.

“Have I ever steered you wrong?”

Devlen groaned. “You have been spending too much time with Janco.”

While they waited for the food, Leif spread out the pages they’d received from the glassmaker and they marked the locations of all the glass houses on a map.

“My father will be here in roughly five days.” Leif traced a route with his finger. “We have enough time to check three of them on the way back to the farmstead.”

* * *

Late-morning sunlight glinted off the glass panes of the hothouse. Leif stopped Rusalka before drawing too close. No need to tip anyone off that they were nearby. The long, thin structure sat in the middle of an open clearing along with a small wooden building. Forest surrounded the complex. This was the first of the three they planned to check on their return to Owen’s ex-headquarters.

From this angle, it seemed as if the place was deserted. No greenery stained the inside of the glass house and, after an hour of observation, no one appeared.

Devlen returned from doing a reconnaissance. “Nothing. All’s quiet.”

“Suspiciously quiet?” Leif asked.

“No. Abandoned quiet.”

They ventured closer. Leif tasted the wind, seeking the flavors of past intentions. He drew in deep breaths, sensing the echoes of emotions. The trees rustled and the dry grass crackled under Rusalka’s hooves. Otherwise, all remained undisturbed.

Peering through the glass of the house, Leif confirmed that nothing grew inside. A crate filled with an assortment of objects sat in the center.

“Perhaps there is information in the box,” Devlen said next to him. He strode to the entrance.

Leif followed. When Devlen opened the door, stale musty air puffed out. They entered.

“Looks like they yanked the plants in a hurry,” Leif said. He bent to grab a handful of soil, testing the moisture. He freed a root that had been left behind. It was brittle. “It’s been about two weeks since this place was in use.”

“That fits the timeline,” Devlen said. He knelt next to the crate.

“There’s...something...off.” Leif wiped the dirt from his hands.

Devlen paused. “Off?”

“I can’t pinpoint it. It’s...subtle.” Leif joined his brother-in-law. “Is there anything in there of value?”

Devlen reached into the box.

“Malice,” Leif said. “That’s what’s off. The air is tainted with malice.”

“Considering Owen was in here, I am not surprised.” Devlen pulled a broken shovel and tossed it aside. He dumped the rest of the contents—mostly old gardening tools.

“Let’s check the other building,” Leif said, exiting the glass house.

The oversize wooden barn door gaped open.

Leif halted. “The air reeks of death. And there’s nothing subtle about that.”

“I smell it, too.”

They exchanged a glance. Leif yanked his machete from his belt and Devlen brandished his scimitar. Devlen eased the door wider and signaled him. Leif held his breath and crept inside with the Sandseed right behind. Dim sunlight trickled through the dusty windows. The large single room contained furniture and gardening supplies and a dead body.

Leif cursed aloud. Then he gagged on the rotten stench. “Check.” He motioned to search the room. “Quick.” Covering his nose with his hand, he took the right side while Devlen went left.

Not much to see. An old frayed couch, a couple chairs and a desk. Although the stack of files piled on top might be interesting. Leif sheathed his machete. He opened the first file.

A loud pop sounded. The sharp, acrid smell of malice sliced right through death’s foul odor. Inside the file was a single piece of paper.

“Run,” Leif yelled, just as a whoosh vibrated through the air.

The barn’s walls ignited. Flames ripped up the sides, surrounding them.

7

YELENA

One look at Valek’s hard expression and I braced for bad news. He didn’t disappoint. Unfortunately. “Are you certain it was Owen and the others?” I asked Valek. “It was dark and the boy is very young.” The thought of Owen in Ixia coiled like a snake in the pit of my stomach.

Onora and I had been relaxing by the campfire when Valek and Janco returned from searching for the tunnel. They’d found it, but also learned one of the teen miners had reported spotting three strangers that had appeared right out of thin air the same night his camp’s food stores had been raided.

“It’s not a hundred percent, but it makes the most sense,” Valek said, sitting next to me. He held his hands close to the fire, warming them.

“Why did Lewin see them at all?” Janco plopped down between me and Onora. “That Rika chick should be hiding them behind an illusion all the time. That’s what I’d do if I were her.”

“It’s difficult to maintain an illusion when the subject is in motion,” I explained. “The magician has to constantly adjust it to match the surroundings. It’s exhausting. While something static, like covering the mouth of the cave with an illusionary rockfall, is much easier.”

“But what keeps it going?” Onora placed the cook pot on the fire, reheating the beef stew the cook from the miner’s camp brought over for supper. “Once the magician leaves, shouldn’t the illusion dissipate?”

“In most cases, the illusion disappears,” I said. “However, some magicians can loop the magic back to the power blanket. This loop keeps the illusion intact by drawing power from the source. Booby traps work in a similar fashion, except when one is triggered, it connects to the source to fuel the trap and then disintegrates. There’s no loop.”

“Yeah, yeah, this is all very fascinating,” Janco said, “but why would Owen even be in Ixia? The Commander is angry at him for getting too greedy. His best play is to lie low in Sitia.”

“Owen claimed he has something that would make the Commander forgive him,” I said, remembering that smug, cocky tone he’d used. And now that I thought about it... “Makes sense for him to want to reach the Commander before Valek reports in. He can spin his story, skewing it in his favor.”

“Or he can just use his evil mojo and put the Commander under a spell.” Janco waggled his fingers.

That wasn’t quite how it worked, but Janco had a good point. I met Valek’s gaze. “When were they spotted?”

“Three nights ago, and they’re on foot,” he said.

If they wished to keep a low profile, they would avoid riding horses. In Ixia, only generals and top-ranking advisers rode horses. Merchants used them to pull their wagons, but everyone else walked.

“If we leave now, we can easily catch up,” I said, gesturing to Kiki and the others grazing nearby.

“Yeah, but can we stop them?” Janco rubbed his ear. A queasy expression creased his face. “Leif’s not here to make those null thingies that protect us from their magic.”

“We have Curare, darts and blowpipes. As long as they don’t suspect we’re close, we can incapacitate them,” Valek said.

“Can we find them?” Onora asked.

Janco huffed in annoyance. “Of course we can track them. That won’t be a problem. If they cover their tracks with illusions, Valek and I can sniff out their magic, and I can follow them if they don’t. No, the real problem will be if they can sense us coming.”

Everyone turned to me. I considered Owen’s magical powers. Back when Owen had coerced me into helping him search for the Ice Moon in the MD-3 mines, he had failed to locate Valek’s hiding place on the ceiling.

“Owen can’t, but I’m not certain about Rika and Tyen,” I said. “Many magicians don’t reveal all their powers. They like to keep one or two hidden from public knowledge so they have an advantage.”

“Not helping, Yelena,” Janco said.

“Owen’s been one step ahead of us the entire time,” Onora said.

“That’s what happens when he has a six-day head start,” Janco snapped.

She pressed her lips together and shot him a nasty glare. Onora wasn’t the type to state the obvious, so I sensed there was more.

“What are you thinking?” I asked her.

“They argued while stealing food and under a cloak of illusion. That’s just stupid. Owen’s many things, but he’s not stupid.”

Valek nodded in agreement. “You think he wanted the boy to see them?”

“Yes, so he can lead us into another booby trap,” she said.

Sounded like Owen. “Do we follow the bread crumbs or dash ahead and set our own trap?”

“How far ahead?” Valek asked.

“The castle?” Janco suggested.

“That’s dangerously close to the Commander,” Onora said.

“Yeah, but it’s our home territory. Nobody knows it as well as we do.” Janco thumped his chest. “And there are a gazillion soldiers there to protect the Commander.”

“Yet we’re just guessing that they’re heading to the castle. The red and black colors on their uniforms could be a diversion,” Onora said.

As they discussed options, I mulled it over. Why else would Owen be in Ixia? To hide from the Sitian authorities. Possible, but Ixia kept a close watch on its citizens, making it difficult to blend in and disappear. Owen had managed to avoid execution before; he must believe he could do it again in order to risk the journey. I knew Owen the best, so I put myself in his boots and contemplated the problem.

“Owen’s heading to the castle,” I said, stopping the discussion.

“Then we need to beat him there,” Janco said.

“They’re on foot. How long will it take them to reach the castle?” I asked him.

“On foot, it would take about ten days to get there from here.”

“With their head start, they’ll be there in seven days,” Valek said.

“And it will take us five days on horseback. Is two days enough time to prepare?” I asked, already worried about it.

“It should be plenty of time. Plus if they’re planting booby traps, using magic to cover their tracks and avoiding detection, it’ll take them longer than seven days.” Valek lifted the pot’s lid and stirred the stew with a spoon.

A puff of steamy goodness wafted up. My stomach grumbled in response. It was nice to have an appetite for a change, but I wondered how long it would last before another bout of queasiness swelled. The nausea came and went, but was never bad enough to make me vomit. Thank fate.

Valek ladled stew into the bowls and passed them around the fire. Every day it was harder to ignore my sensitive stomach. By now, I was four weeks late. Hard to pin the delay on stress when I’d just spent most of the past two days resting. And what would I feel if it was confirmed? I shied away from those thoughts. Too scary.

Instead, I decided to wait until we reached the castle to indulge in any more speculation. Once there, I’d visit the medic and seek advice. Lots of advice.

“When do we leave?” But then Janco waved his hands at Valek in a stopping motion. “Don’t say it.”

“At dawn.”

He groaned. “I told you not to say it!”

No one talked while we ate. When we finished the stew, we prepared to turn in early. Valek insisted on checking my cut. The wound remained painful to the touch and throbbed if I made any big movements, but there weren’t any signs of infection. He changed the bandage, then pointed to my bedroll. An unspoken order.

Despite my initial annoyance that he’d left me at camp while he and Janco searched for the tunnel, I had to admit the downtime helped restore some of my energy, which I would need for the next five long days in the saddle. I lay down facing the fire.

“What’s the watch schedule?” Onora asked.

“I’ve assigned Ivon and his men to patrol the camp. We all could use a full night’s sleep.” Valek joined me, spooning in behind and covering us both with the blanket. He draped his arm over my shoulder.

Ah. My favorite time of the day. I snuggled closer. “What are they going to do once we leave?” I asked.

“Continue investigating and track down any smugglers who used the tunnel before Owen and his companions blocked it with the illusion.”

A good plan, but what if they found more than they bargained for? I remembered the brothers, Tex and Jax, and how they might have been planted by Owen. What if Lewin was, as well?

“What if Owen is still nearby?” I whispered to Valek, clutching the blanket. Ivon and his men wouldn’t stand a chance against the three magicians.

“He’s not. Stop second-guessing yourself.” Valek kept his voice low, as well.

Easy to say, so hard to do. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. But it’s not your fault or mine. Owen is responsible for his own actions,” Valek said.

Again the logic made sense, but my heart failed to agree.

Valek smoothed my hair away from my face. “What’s really bothering you, love?”

“That we won’t be able to stop him. That he teams up with the Commander and...” Horrible scenarios bubbled, but one stood out.

“And?”

“And the Commander orders you to execute me.” When the Commander had written my execution order eight years ago, he hadn’t given it to Valek. If he had, Valek would have killed me. No doubt. His loyalty to the Commander was absolute. And I understood and have accepted it.

“It’s highly unlikely.”

I turned to face him. “But not impossible.”

He met my gaze with an unwavering intensity. “Then it will be the first time I’ve disobeyed a direct order.” His words a promise.

That was new. Warmth spread throughout my chest, and it wasn’t because of the fire.

* * *

We reached a travel shelter after three exhausting days on the road. The horses had set the pace and we arrived near midnight—a half day ahead of schedule. Sweat stained Kiki’s copper coat and her sides heaved with the effort. She’d adjusted her gait, keeping my ride smooth. Even without our magical link, Kiki had known each stride sent a jolt of pain through my side.

Onora and I walked the horses to cool them down while Valek and Janco checked the area around the small wooden building for magical booby traps. After signaling the all-clear, they entered the structure.

They returned in no time and joined us.

“All’s quiet,” Valek said. “There’s a couple travelers from MD-2 sleeping, but there’s not a whiff of magic anywhere nearby.”

The Snake Forest surrounded the shelter on three sides. The fourth side faced the wide fields of cotton and flax plants. The rich soil and weather was ideal for growing both, and with their overabundance of sheep, MD-5 produced and dyed all the thread for the Territory of Ixia. The skeins were then sent to MD-3 to be woven into fabric.

“Let’s take care of the horses and get some sleep. I’ll take first watch. Onora second, and Janco third,” Valek ordered.

“And I’ll take fourth,” I said.

He frowned, but kept quiet.

The stable next to the shelter had room for six horses. The straw smelled musty, and I hoped no critters had nested inside it. We filled water buckets from the well, removed tack and groomed our horses, all in silence. No one had the energy to talk.

When we finished, we headed into the shelter. The one room contained two rows of bunk beds along the walls on the left side, and a large stone hearth with chairs ringed around it on the right. We found three empty bunks next to each other and away from the two occupied ones close to the hearth.

Valek sat on the edge of mine and tucked me in. He’d always been protective, but on this trip, he seemed overly concerned. Perhaps he shared my worries about Owen and the Commander. Right now I was too tired to ask him.

Instead, I wrapped my arms around his neck, trapping him when he swooped in for a quick kiss good-night. Might as well take advantage of the extra attention. I deepened the kiss.

He broke away. “No fair, love.”

I acted innocent. “I’d thought you could use a little extra warmth before you went out into the cold night air.”

“You mean the cold lonely night?”

“You set the watch schedule. I’d be more than happy to work in teams.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You would?”

“Yes, you know how much I enjoy Janco’s company.”

“Ouch. I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

I smirked my best Janco impression. “Yes, love.”