Night Study

by Maria V. Snyder

Loris moaned. Valek found his knife and slashed the man’s throat, ending his ability to bark orders and his life. Then he pulled Yelena to him and held her tight, needing to breathe in her scent and just take a moment before he released her.

  Valek scanned the cave, assessing damage. Everyone appeared to be okay, despite their collection of cuts, bruises and bloodstains.

  “Pack up,” he said. “We need to move to another location. This one’s been compromised.”

  A shout from outside the cave drew his attention. More enemy soldiers already?

  He, Ari and Janco raced to the entrance with their weapons in hand, preparing for a fight. The bright sunshine seemed incongruous to the carnage inside. A small group of people huddled over a prone figure. And then Valek remembered.

  Leif.

  His brother-in-law had been shot with a crossbow bolt. The wooden shaft jutted from Leif’s chest an inch from center. Blood pooled underneath him. Unable to stand, Valek knelt beside him, feeling for a pulse. Weak. He sank back on his heels. Ah, hell.

  Yelena’s and Mara’s cries of alarm roused Leif. His eyes fluttered open, focused on Mara. She crouched next to him and grabbed his hand in both of hers. Tears streamed down her face.

  “I...tried to...warn...” Leif gasped. “...sorry.”

  “No,” Yelena said with anguish, falling to her knees next to her brother. “You’re not leaving.”

  “Don’t think...I...have...a choice. Mara...I...love you.” Leif passed out.

  Yelena growled in frustration. “I’d give anything to have my magic back.”

  Magic! “Get Zethan, Zohav, Teegan and Heli,” Valek ordered Janco, who hovered nearby.

  Janco raced to the cave and returned with the twins, Heli and Teegan right behind him. Valek asked them if they could heal.

  “No, sorry,” Zethan said.

  Heli shook her head sadly. “It’s not part of a Stormdancer’s power.”

  Teegan creased his brow, looking queasy. “I tried to heal a squirrel, but I killed the poor thing instead.”

  Silence followed the bad news.

  “We can’t,” Zethan said. “But maybe you can.”

  “I...”

  “Valek? What are you talking about?” Yelena demanded of Zethan.

  Wordless, the poor boy stared at her.

  The idea seemed ridiculous. He might flame out or end up injuring someone. Plus he’d never used magic before and had no clue how to wield it. But he was intimate with someone who did. He had to try, or he’d never forgive himself.

  “Everyone except Yelena go inside the cave,” Valek ordered. When they hesitated, he said, “Go now!”

  They hurried to obey. Valek stripped off his shirt to remove the null shield Leif had attached, tossing it far away.

  “Valek...?” Yelena began, but then she pressed her lips together. “Tell me what you need.”

  “I need you to imagine you have magic and you’re going to heal Leif. Think of each step and how you’d use the magic to repair the damage. I’ll follow your instructions. Be very specific.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “Imagine in my mind, right?”

  “Yes. Visualize as much as possible.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

  “Touching me will block your magic. Tell me when you’re ready.”

  Valek grabbed the bolt in both his hands. “When I yank this free, start.”

  “Okay. Make sure you press your hand to the wound.”

  “Got it. One, two, three.” Valek tugged the shaft from Leif’s chest. Blood welled, pouring out. He covered the hole with his hand and dropped his mental barrier.

  Yelena’s instructions flooded his mind. He reached for the blanket of power. A bolt of energy pulsed, and power flowed inside him. The temptation to grab it all consumed him. Bruns and the Commander’s plans to take over Sitia would be easy to stop. Nothing could match his power. Nothing could harm him or Yelena or the baby.

  “Focus on Leif.”

  Yelena’s voice sliced through the greed. With effort, he extracted a small thread and sent it into Leif’s wound. He matched the images in Yelena’s mind of stitching skin and bone together with that glowing fiber of magic. One thing Valek did know how to do—sew. The other assassins hadn’t called him the King Knitter for nothing. As he worked, pulling thread after thread to repair the damage, the images in Yelena’s mind faded. Valek needed to reinforce the connection over and over. It was as if another magician sucked at the magic he used. Odd—but then again, it might be normal. He had nothing to compare it to.

  “You got it. Keep going,” she encouraged him.

  Healing a wound involved more than he’d ever imagined. Broken bones needed to be fused together. Muscles woven back in place. Tissue smoothed. Veins repaired and reconnected.

  Exhaustion flirted with him, but he shoved it aside.

  “Blood,” Yelena said. “He’s lost too much. You need to generate more.”

  “How?”

  “Inside the bones.” She showed him a mental image.

  He seized additional magic from the blanket to keep their link, then drew extra strands to induce Leif’s bones to produce blood. And when his own body fatigued, he tugged a few more to energize him.

  “The color is returning to Leif’s face,” Yelena said. “His pulse is stronger.”

  Valek removed his hand. A livid red scar surrounded with black, purple and green bruises marked Leif’s chest.

  Relief, joy and pride pulsed through Valek. He’d saved Leif’s life. With magic! The power still rushed through his veins, as if he’d drunk too much whiskey. Valek worked on his own injuries. The cracked ribs gone. The bump on his head erased. The bruised muscles and all the cuts, sewn together. He hadn’t felt this good in a long, long time.

  “Valek, stop!”

  Valek focused on Yelena. Worry and love and gratitude and jealousy swirled in her mind. And that...tug. It sucked his magic, as if he’d sprung a leak. Good thing an unlimited power supply was so easy to reach.

  The magic filled him, and he wrapped it around his body, layer after layer after layer, protecting him. Valek ignored Yelena’s sharp tone. Her fear grated on him, so he broke their connection. Now he wouldn’t lose any power to that leak. He’d keep it safe. And keep it from everyone. Owen and Ben Moon and all those who used it to harm others wouldn’t be able to hurt another. No. Valek controlled the magic now, and he wasn’t going to share. With anyone.

  33

  YELENA

  Valek gathered too much power. He was going to flame out and kill himself and anyone nearby. I had to stop him, but wasn’t sure how. Panic threatened to jumble my thoughts, but I wasn’t going to lose him now. I yelled for Ari and Janco. They rushed from the cave.

  Pointing at Leif, who stirred, I said, “Take him inside. Tell the twins, Teegan and Heli to come out here now!”

  They didn’t hesitate. An eternity later, the magicians arrived.

  “Oh, no,” Zethan said. “He’s out of control.”

  Zohav backed away. “We need to take cover. It’s not safe.”

  “Can you bleed off the magic?” I asked them.

  Heli raised her arms and a gust cooled my sweaty forehead. “Some, but he’s just drawing more.”

  I glanced at the twins. “How about you?”

  “Are you crazy? You’re going to get us all killed,” Zohav said.

  “Yeah, we can. Zo, that’s our brother.”

  “But you heard Heli, it won’t stop him, just delay the inevitable.”

  “Since I’m still learning control, I’ve been augmenting Zo’s and Zee’s powers,” Teegan said. “We can bleed off more magic that way.”

  “Good. Use as much as you can. I’ll do the rest.” Grabbing Valek’s shirt from where he’d tossed it, I put it on and held the material close.

  Valek scowled at me as I approached him. The null shield in the fabric must seem like a hole in his cocoon of power. The air grew thick and viscous, and I struggled to get closer. Valek’s
gaze darted to the magicians, then back to me. He crouched as if preparing to fight, and no glint of recognition appeared in his gaze.

  Nothing left to do, I yanked off the null shield. Magic slammed into me. I braced against it as if it were a gale. I concentrated on our love. On the matching heart-shaped scars on our chests. On all our times together. On our baby growing inside me.

  He staggered. “I can’t...stop.”

  “Send it back to the sky.” I took another step.

  “I...can’t.”

  I searched my mind for an image Valek could use. “The magic is an ugly gray stone. Carve it. Shape it into a butterfly and let it fly to the sky.”

  His black hair clung to his sweaty face. He swiped it from his eyes. His muscles shook with the effort.

  “Do it, or we will all die.”

  That seemed to rouse him. His gaze focused on a distant point. I twisted the fabric of his shirt in my hands. If this failed, I might have to use the null shield to sever his connection to the power blanket. But the magic he’d gathered would be released like a flameout, killing us. Unless he managed to return enough of it.

  “It’s working,” Zethan said. “Keep going, bro!”

  Valek sank to the ground. He fisted his hands and his brows creased with pain. I moved to within touching distance.

  He met my gaze. Exhaustion and misery etched on his face. “Can’t...do...more.”

  I glanced at Zethan.

  The teen shook his head. “Still too much. But he disconnected.”

  “Go inside the cave,” I ordered. And when they hesitated, I added, “Now.”

  Zohav grabbed her brother’s hand and pulled him along. Heli frowned, but she left with Teegan.

  When they were safe, I tossed the shirt aside and knelt next to my husband. Perhaps what drained Loris’s magic from me would work for Valek. Reading my intentions, he shook his head and tried to scoot away.

  “Risky,” he rasped.

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  “Go.”

  “No.”

  “Yelena, wait!” Zethan ran toward us. “Leif says I can share my strength with Valek. You and Leif have done it in the past.”

  True. “But we could both control our magic. Valek—”

  “Lasted longer than he should.”

  “No,” Valek said.

  We both ignored him.

  “Come on. Let me try,” Zethan said.

  “All right, but if he starts gathering more—”

  “I’ll disconnect.”

  “What if you can’t?”

  Zethan gestured to the shirt. “Use the null shield.”

  A temporary measure, and one that wouldn’t save his life, but I agreed. We had to do something. Despite Valek’s protest, Zethan grabbed his brother’s hands.

  “Send the power back,” I instructed, imaging how I would release souls into the sky, including the pure joy of it—a feeling I’d missed.

  I waited a lifetime. Deep lines of strain scored Valek’s face.

  “No,” Zethan said. “Take the energy from me.”

  After another couple of centuries, Zethan wilted, but held tight.

  “That’s it,” Zethan encouraged. “Almost there.”

  Picking up the null shield just in case, I fisted the fabric. It wouldn’t be big enough to cover both of them.

  “Just a...little bit more.” Zethan’s head dropped as if it was too heavy to hold up. “Stop.” He opened his hands and pulled back, but Valek clung to him. “Stop.” Zethan glanced at me with wide eyes. “He’s drawing power again.”

  Dropping the shield, I grabbed both their hands, hoping the blocking effect worked with direct touch. Magic sizzled along my arms and ripped through me. The force pushed me back. Pain exploded in my head and a loud crack sounded. Then it all disappeared in a snap of black.

  * * *

  When I woke, I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning. I groaned, and Heli helped me sit up.

  “Not lightning,” she said. “I promise. But probably a mini flameout.”

  “Valek?” I asked.

  “Still out,” Heli said, pointing.

  He lay a few feet away. I scooted over to him. His skin looked almost translucent, and dark smudges ringed his eyes. I smoothed his hair and trailed my fingers down his cold cheek. Someone had put the null shield back on him. Good.

  “How long?”

  “Four hours.”

  Not long, but I pressed my hand to my abdomen as a new worry flared. Did the magical explosion harm the baby? I hoped not.

  I glanced around. We were in a small wooden structure. Perhaps a barn or shed. “Where are we?”

  “Empty cabin somewhere in the Krystal Clan. We had to find a new hiding place, and the big guy took charge.”

  “Ari?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Where is everyone?”

  “Ari and Janco went to fetch the horses. Fisk and his people left to return to the Citadel. Leif and Mara are in the other room with the twins and Teegan.” She quirked a smile. “Leif mentioned something about cooking supper.”

  Which meant he’d recovered from his brush with death. Thanks to Valek. I checked his pulse. Steady.

  “How’s Zethan feeling?”

  “Probably about the same as you, but he wasn’t out as long.”

  Ah, youth. Ten years made a difference.

  “Tea?” Heli asked.

  “Please. And could you ask Leif to come?”

  “Sure.”

  Leif brought the tea. Even though he was pale and haggard, he still smiled when I crinkled my nose over the smell of the tea.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked him.

  He rubbed his chest. “Sore, but I don’t care. I’m happy just to be alive! That’s the closest I’ve come to death.” Leif glanced at Valek. “He certainly took his role as my best man seriously. Did you know Valek could do that?”

  “No.” I gazed at my husband. “We haven’t had time to talk about anything.”

  “He’ll wake. The man doesn’t know how to quit.” Leif studied my expression. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m not sure.” I asked him about the baby.

  “I don’t know. Let’s ask Teegan.”

  “Teegan?”

  “Yeah. Kid’s impressive.”

  Leif fetched Teegan, who was happy to help. The boy gazed at me and said, “Two strong heartbeats.”

  That was impressive and a huge relief. “Thanks, Tee.”

  He grinned. “Anytime, but why are you siphoning my magic?”

  Surprised and alarmed, I asked, “I am?”

  “Don’t worry. It’s not like you’re stealing it from me. It’s just when I used my magic to...scan you, something pulled it. When I stopped, it stopped.”

  “Do you think it’s the baby?”

  He shrugged. “No idea.”

  “Hold my hand and see what happens.”

  Teegan grasped my hand and frowned. “It’s like a null shield, blocking my magic.” He released me as if I’d burned him. “Sorry, but that’s...awful!”

  “I know. But it gives me some protection.” And perhaps a bright side to losing my ability to use magic.

  * * *

  I remained by Valek’s side as one day turned into two. Leif brewed his healing teas, and I dripped spoonful after spoonful into Valek’s mouth. My worry grew. What if he didn’t wake up? Was this how he felt all those times our positions had been reversed? I think I preferred being oblivious rather than nauseous and on the edge of panic.

  At the end of the third day, Ari called everyone into the main room for a meeting. We gathered around the hearth.

  “We can’t stay here much longer,” Ari said. “Bruns has sent patrols to search for us, and we’re too close to the garrison. Any ideas?”

  “We report back to Ixia,” Janco said. “They can come with us as...political refugees.”

  “You can’t,” I said.

  “Why not? The Commander needs to know what’s
been going on.”

  “He already knows.” I filled them in on Bruns’s and the Commander’s plans. “I’m pretty sure once they take over Sitia, Owen is going to kill the Commander.”

  “Holy snow cats,” Janco said. “We’re screwed.”

  Trust Janco to sum it up succinctly.

  “We need to stop them,” Ari said.

  “How?” Leif asked. “There are nine of us, and a million of them.”

  “Ten.” Mara elbowed Leif.

  “Oh no, you’re staying far away from danger,” Leif said. “When I saw you in Bruns’s custody, I almost died. I’m not going through that again.”

  “You were shot in the chest and almost died. So by that logic, you’re staying away from danger, too.” Mara’s stubborn expression matched Leif’s.

  “We can hide on the coast near The Cliffs,” Heli suggested. “No one lives there or would dare come there during the storm season.”

  “Are we really going to hide?” Janco asked. “That doesn’t sound like us.”

  “What sounds like us?” Ari asked.

  “Being in the thick of things, causing trouble and—”

  “Being captured and thrown in jail,” Zohav said. “Have you forgotten that they have magicians, Curare, Theobroma, weapons and garrisons full of soldiers?”

  “Fisk and his people would help,” Zethan said.

  “And Loris is dead,” Janco added. “I’m feeling pretty happy about that.”

  “Ben, too,” I said, but unlike Janco, I didn’t relish the fact that I’d been forced to kill him.

  “Are you sure? ’Cause these guys have a tendency to fake their deaths, and I don’t want any more nasty surprises.”

  “Yes.”

  “We could try to warn the Commander about Owen,” Ari suggested.

  “If you can get near him, and if you can block Owen’s magic,” Leif said. “And then what? The Commander still wants Sitia.”

  “The Commander doesn’t want Sitia,” Valek said from the doorway.

  Relief poured through me, cleansing the worry away. I jumped up and rushed to him, wrapping him in my arms. “How do you feel?”

  “Like I wrestled a snow cat and lost.”

  Leif took charge. He made Valek sit down and eat. When Leif was satisfied, he allowed Valek to explain.

  “I don’t think the Commander has any desire to rule Sitia,” Valek said. “But he’s probably afraid a rogue magician or magicians will take control of Sitia and invade Ixia. And with all the Sitian resources—magicians, Curare, Theobroma and the glass messengers—he knows he can’t win a war with Sitia. Which is probably why he agreed to the Cartel’s plan.”