When they left the armory, a young soldier ran up to Bruns and handed him a red flag. “They’re ready for you, sir.”
“Wonderful.”
Bruns led him outside the compound. The bruiser brothers closed in on Leif, staying a mere foot away. Unfortunately, the null shield remained. Leif wondered if it had been woven into his clothing. Only one way to find out, but he’d wait until he was alone to strip.
Now the air held the faint scent of the sea. The Jewelrose clan did have a thumb-shaped bit of land that extended into the Jade Sea. And, if he remembered correctly, the area was rather isolated. In fact, just north of it was the Lion’s Claw Peninsula, where the Bloodrose cult had lived for years in relative obscurity, until Opal discovered their illegal activities and stopped them.
Reaching a pasture with a wooden fence, Bruns halted. A forest lined the north and west sides. Dozens of soldiers crouched on the southern side.
“Watch this,” Bruns said. He leaned against the fence and waved the flag. Gesturing to the soldiers now climbing through the wooden rails, he said, “That’s one of our platoons. And in the woods is a mock Ixian army about the same size.”
When the platoon reached the halfway mark, arrows sailed from the forest. Instead of slamming into the soldiers, they stopped in midair, as if hitting an invisible barrier, and dropped to the ground. The platoon increased their pace. Two people called enemy positions. Branches shook, dislodging archers.
Within minutes the platoon had penetrated the forest and captured the Ixian soldiers.
Bruns beamed. “See how effective we can be when we have magicians fighting alongside soldiers?”
Leif tried hard not to get swept up in Bruns’s enthusiasm. But damn. That was one hell of an impressive demonstration.
22
YELENA
“How many are in hiding?” I asked Fisk. With all the bad news, it was nice to hear something good.
Fisk shot to his feet as if he needed to move. He paced behind his couch. “Five of them. Once the word spread that magicians were disappearing and dying, they came to me to help hide them.”
“With that cat slinking around your headquarters, are you sure they’re still safe?” Janco leaned forward in his chair.
“Yes. But the requests have stopped, and I fear he’s responsible.”
I mulled over the information. “So we still have seven missing and four dead magicians.”
“Eight, if we count Leif,” Ari said.
My heart squeezed. Leif wouldn’t become a statistic. I’d make sure of that.
“And they’re just the ones we know about,” Fisk said. “It’s not like they all work for the Council or the Master Magicians. They’re spread over the eleven clans of Sitia.”
“Who would know if there are more missing?” Ari asked.
“Does it matter how many?” Janco asked. “I’d think the more important question is where are they?”
“Not if they’ve joined forces with the Cartel.” Ari gestured. “We wouldn’t get a warm welcome if we showed up to rescue them and they have no intention of leaving, and oh, by the way, they outnumber us, so now we’re captured.”
I held up my hands, stopping Janco’s retort. “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Fisk, do you know how long the Cartel’s been recruiting?”
“I heard rumors starting soon after you left for Fulgor eight weeks ago.”
Almost a full season.
“But they could have been at it for much longer,” Ari said. “We should assume that once the rumors started, they no longer cared if word spread.”
Good point. Unfortunately. “Any ideas where they’re...gathering?”
Fisk strode over to his desk. He leafed through a stack of papers, pulled one out and returned. “Hilly’s been keeping an eye on the people who have been associating with the man who was so interested in your whereabouts, Yelena.” He sat on the couch and handed me the paper. “I’ve been identifying them. This one...” He tapped the blank space next to a description of the man with the large ruby pendant. “I just received confirmation on his name. He’s—”
“Bruns Jewelrose?” I guessed.
“Yes. Friend of yours?”
“Hardly. He hired The Mosquito to assassinate me.”
“Odd.” Fisk’s brow crinkled.
Janco laughed. “That’s not odd. That’s just another typical day for our girl here.”
Fisk ignored him, but I scowled at him.
Unaffected, Janco said, “You know I’m right.”
Fisk continued, “I mean, why kill you and risk getting Valek involved? That would be dangerous. Plus, he already neutralized your magic.”
Ari and Janco glanced at me. Not many people knew that the first attack hadn’t been The Mosquito, but Onora following the Commander’s orders to test Valek. Perhaps Bruns had learned this and hoped my death would send Valek after Onora or the Commander.
“Bruns knows that I will rescue Leif, despite not having magic,” I said. “And that I have powerful friends to help me.” I stood. Time to answer at least one question. “Fisk, do you have a window that faces in the same direction as the stable?”
He grinned. “You want to take a look at that cat hanging around?”
“Yes. Except I suspect he’s not a cat.”
Fisk led me to the loft above his office. Navy blue curtains covered two long, narrow windows. He pointed. “The glass is tinted, so no one can see you.”
“Handy.”
“Opal’s father made them for me. They’re getting popular with people who want extra privacy.”
I eased the curtain aside carefully, just in case the movement drew attention. Late-morning sunlight warmed the cobblestones below. The street appeared to be empty. Half a block south, there was an entrance to an alley. Perhaps the cat hid inside the alley’s shadows.
“He’s good,” Fisk said, standing behind me. “Look at the second-floor windows on the third building to the left across the street.”
I followed his directions. Sure enough, a figure in dark clothes stood behind the panes of glass.
“Is that your Mosquito?”
“I can’t see his face.” I considered. Even if he wasn’t the assassin, the man still worked for the Cartel and could provide information about Leif’s location. “We need to set a trap.”
We returned to the living area and I explained my plan to lure the cat from his lair.
“Too dangerous,” Ari said. “There’s only three of us.”
“I can provide as many people as you need. No charge,” Fisk offered.
“We can’t put a bunch of kids in danger,” Janco said.
Fisk huffed in annoyance, but before he could educate Janco about the skills of his people, I said, “That would be wonderful.” I calculated how many helpers I’d need. “Six should be plenty. How soon can they be in position?”
“Give me an hour. In the meantime, make yourselves at home.” Fisk left.
* * *
“I still don’t like it,” Ari said as he swung up into Whiskey’s saddle.
Janco mounted The Madam. “This is going to be fun.”
“You said that about the Bejin ambush, and look how that turned out.” Ari gathered the reins.
“There’s just no way to stifle a sneeze once it reaches a critical level. Besides, no one was hurt.”
“No one was arrested, either.”
Janco waved a hand. “Details, details.”
I helped Hilly into Kiki’s saddle. She wore my cloak with the hood pulled down low over her forehead. “Listen to Ari and ignore Janco.”
“Hey.”
She smiled. “Will do.”
The three of them left the stable, heading toward the Magician’s Keep. I remained in a dark shadow with a view of the street. Would the cat follow them? It depended on his powers of observation.
“He didn’t take the bait,” Fisk said, standing next to me.
“Give it a few more minutes. He might have slipped out t
he back entrance.”
We waited. After five minutes, there was still no movement and no signal from Tweet that he’d left the building. It seemed the cat realized Hilly hid under my cloak, even though we were of a similar size and build.
“Time for Plan B,” I said. “Shall we?”
Fisk grinned. “We shall.”
We peeked from the stable, glancing left and right as if searching for witnesses. Then we strode into the street, going in the opposite direction as Ari, Janco and Hilly. I wore a Helper’s Guild uniform and had arranged my hair into a bun similar to Hilly’s. We followed a predetermined route that appeared to be random, as if we were checking for a tail, but it allowed Fisk’s helpers to relay information to us. The guild members knew every shortcut and alley in the Citadel and could reach certain intersections faster than us.
“Ah,” Fisk said, catching sight of one of his helpers. “Smart kitty is following us.”
“How soon will everyone be in position?”
“Let’s take the scenic route and give them time to prepare.”
As we continued walking through the streets, Fisk played tour guide, filling me in on the various buildings and businesses. “A few businessmen have copied me and converted the abandoned factories into living spaces. It has improved the living conditions in the Citadel’s two resident quarters, and having four families live in one house is a thing of the past.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
“It is, but there’s still criminals and those who prey on the weak. If I can only expel them, then everyone can live in peace.”
“It’s a lovely goal, Fisk, but I’ve learned there will always be criminals. You can arrest them and prevent certain crimes, but they’ll never be completely gone. They’re even in Ixia, despite the Commander’s soldiers patrolling the streets and watching the citizens. It’s human nature.”
“I guess you’re right, but I’m still going to try.”
I touched his arm. “Just please don’t get yourself killed.”
He placed his hand over mine and squeezed. “That’s not in the plan.”
“So that means you’ll ask for help when things get too hot?”
His shoulders stiffened with a familiar stubbornness, and he dropped his hand. “Well...”
“Fisk, it’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. We’re friends, and that is what friends do. Help each other.”
“But then I should pay you like you pay me.”
I shook my head. “Not how it works.”
“Why not?”
“You need the money to run your business and give your helpers food, clothing and shelter, which is very important. Me, Ari, Janco, Valek and Leif don’t need the money. We are paid and have all the necessities in life.”
“I still feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”
I lightly smacked the back of his thick skull. “Then donate some money to Child Services.”
Fisk made a rude noise.
“They’re inefficient because they don’t have enough staff or resources.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Progress! I let the subject drop. We walked in silence for a while. A few other people strode along the streets Fisk had chosen. Some nodded to him in greeting; others smiled. I spotted one of his helpers lurking in an alley, but she faded from sight once Fisk met her gaze.
“They’re ready,” he said.
My heart fluttered as my hand rested on my abdomen for a moment. I’d been the bait before. However, this time, I had a baby to keep safe. If Valek ever found out... No. Not going there. I concentrated on the plan.
Fisk took a few turns, then led me to an alley’s entrance. He made a show of checking for a tail before we dashed inside. When the alley’s rank fragrance turned my stomach, I thought of Janco whining about the stench. The alley dead-ended, but a few doors surrounded us. Fisk produced a key and stepped toward the one on the right.
“Hold it right there,” a familiar voice ordered.
I spun. The Mosquito stood about twenty feet away. He aimed a crossbow at us. I wasn’t expecting that particular weapon, but we could adapt.
“Hello, Kynan, or do you prefer to be called The Mosquito?” I asked.
“You don’t really think Kynan is my name, do you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Perhaps you did, since you believe I’m not very bright and would follow your Ixian friends.”
“It was a good decoy,” I said in my defense.
He huffed with amusement. “Maybe at night or if I was half-blind. Her posture on Kiki didn’t match yours.”
I’d say his powers of observation ranked pretty high. “You need to get a life if you’ve been watching me that long.”
“I told you before. I don’t give up, and I always finish a job before moving on.”
I glanced at Fisk. He held his hands to the side.
“The boy can go,” The Mosquito said, gesturing with his weapon.
Fisk hesitated.
A twang snapped, sending the bolt right between us. I jerked in surprise as the tip struck the building behind us. By the time we returned our attention to The Mosquito, he had loaded another bolt.
“You’re not fast enough, boy. Now go on. Fetch help for Yelena.”
“Go ahead, Fisk,” I said.
Fisk frowned, but he strode past The Mosquito, who kept his weapon aimed at Fisk until he disappeared from view. Then he swung it back to me.
“That’s new.” I gestured to the crossbow. “What happened to your ice pick?” I asked.
“I learn from my mistakes. I’m not getting close to you until I’m sure you don’t have any of those darts hidden in your clothes.”
“Then it’s in my best interest to keep you at a distance.”
He laughed. “Yes, that would be right. But you’re in luck. The game has changed.”
“Funny, I’m not feeling very lucky.” Actually, I was quite confident—one gesture from me and The Mosquito would be squashed.
“Cute. My client has changed his mind about you. Instead of killing you, he wants to talk to you.”
“So he can kill me later?”
“All I know is you get a free pass this time. I don’t have orders for next time.”
I considered his offer. “Does your client have my brother?”
“Yes.”
“Will he exchange him for me?”
“No. And if you’re thinking you can use your...truth serum on me to get the location of your brother, I’ve no idea where my client is keeping him. My knowledge is limited just for that very reason.” He shot me a sour look.
“I’m guessing Bruns...or rather your client isn’t happy you blabbed.” I couldn’t resist needling him.
The Mosquito tightened his grip on the crossbow. “Is that your answer?”
“Where does Bruns wish to meet?”
“I don’t know. I’m to inform him of your response, and then he’ll tell me the location.”
Smart. This way I couldn’t detain him until after I’d learned the meeting place. Unless he lied about the extent of his knowledge.
“And I know all about your trap.” The Mosquito glanced up at the windows on the second story. “Should I wave to the Ixians?”
Busted.
“You really do think I’m an idiot.”
“Not anymore,” I said.
He smiled. “Your answer?”
“Tell Bruns I’ll meet with him.”
“Excellent.” The Mosquito backed away. He paused at the entrance, checked for an ambush and disappeared.
I replayed the encounter in my mind, but really couldn’t determine a way that it could have gone any differently.
Fisk arrived with a handful of his helpers. “You let him go?”
“I didn’t have much of a choice.” I explained what had happened.
“I’ve assigned a team to keep an eye on him,” Fisk said. “Maybe he’ll lead us to his boss and where they’re holding Leif.”
“He’s inte
lligent, so I doubt he’d be that careless. But it doesn’t hurt to try.”
The door into the alley swung open and Ari and Janco arrived. The red splotches on Ari’s normally pale cheeks warned me. I braced for his lecture on the dangers of meeting with Bruns. He didn’t disappoint, listing a number of horrific and creative outcomes. Janco had rubbed off on him.
“...not listening, are you?” Ari asked.
“I got the point. You’re not happy and neither am I, but I see no other way.”
“What do we do while we wait?” Janco asked.
What indeed? “We need to update Irys and...” My stomach soured. “And Mara. She needs to know what’s going on.”
“Can we trust the guards at the Keep not to turn us in to the Citadel’s security forces?” Janco asked.
For the first time since I’d come to Sitia, I truly didn’t know. “Fisk, can one of your helpers deliver a message to the Second Magician?”
“Yes. In the meantime, you’re welcome to stay with me. I’ve guest rooms.”
“Fancy,” Janco said.
Pride momentarily eclipsed my anxiety for Leif. Fisk had turned into such a fine young man.
* * *
Irys and Mara arrived after supper. Both wore worried expressions. Mara fisted the fabric of her skirt. We settled in Fisk’s living area. He had left earlier and hadn’t returned. I sat next to Mara on the couch and held her cold hand in mine. Janco leaned against the door and Ari occupied the other chair across from Irys.
“No,” Mara said when I’d finished detailing my conversation with The Mosquito. “You can’t sacrifice yourself for Leif.” She smoothed the wrinkles over her lap.
“It’s not an exchange.,” I assured her. “He just wants to talk. Plus we can follow him after—see if he’ll lead us to Leif.”
“And if he doesn’t? What if something goes wrong?” Ari asked.
“Then I’ll have a talk with him,” Irys said. Her steely gaze promised results, and the magic detector flashed in response. “Let me know when the meeting is scheduled.”
* * *
While we waited for a message from The Mosquito, my thoughts turned to Valek. It’d been sixteen days since we’d parted. I wondered if he waited at our rendezvous location or if he still hunted the Storm Thieves. Should I send a messenger? I asked Ari and Janco.
Night Study Page 25