I skidded to a stop in front of number ten. Sliding back the cover on the window, I peered into the cell. Darkness spilled out between bars. I would have to trust Valek.
“Ulrick,” I whispered through the opening. Nothing. “Ulrick, it’s me, Opal,” I called louder.
A rustling sound reached me and Ulrick appeared. “Opal?”
He met my gaze and I gasped. Haggard, hollow-eyed and looking years older, he blinked at me without emotion. The fire gone from his green eyes.
“Nice try, Finn,” he said. “But you don’t even look like her.” He sighed. “Which means you lied about seeing her in Fulgor.” He turned away.
“Wait! It’s me. I’m disguised as a CO.”
Returning to the window, he said, “That’s a new one. At least you got the voice right.”
“Ask me something only I would know.”
“Nope. Not playing your games anymore, Finn.”
Frustrated, I peeled the putty from my face, yanking off the padding around my nose. “It’s me!”
He considered. “What are seeds?”
“Bubbles in the glass.”
“Too easy. What killed the leader of the Storm Thieves?”
“I did.”
An incredulous laugh burst from his lips. “It is you! Only Opal would blame herself and not the Greenblade bee for his death.” Then he sobered. “Why are you here? Did you come to gloat?”
“Of course not. I need information.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why would I tell you anything? You’re the reason I’m here.”
Sudden fury welled. “No, I’m not,” I snapped. “Your own selfish actions led you here.”
“You stole my magic!”
“It wasn’t all yours. Most of it was mine, and you left me with no other choice than to suck us both dry!” Anger burned through me and I didn’t care if I shouted. “Take responsibility for your own actions, Ulrick. Admit your mistakes and make amends.”
“Like Devlen? Don’t tell me he’s still conning you? How stupid can you be?”
“I’m smart enough to avoid the lure of blood magic. It made you greedy for power.” Nic’s comment about greed and stupidity being the downfall of many criminals replayed in my mind.
“You think you can resist blood magic? Overcome the addiction?” Ulrick asked.
“Of course. And I don’t have the time to argue with you. I need—”
“I know what you came for, Opal. What do I get in return?”
“I can appeal to Councilor Moon and the rest of the Sitian Council to not execute you.” My offer had an unexpected effect.
Instead of looking relieved, Ulrick blanched. “No deal. I’d rather die than be in this hell for the rest of my life.”
After spending a day here, I understood. “How about if I promise to inform the Councilor about the horrid conditions?”
“Can you kill Finn for me?”
“Tempting, but no. I could try to get him fired.”
“Not enough.” He considered. “And Miss Goody-Goody wouldn’t help me escape. Would she?”
“No.”
“You don’t have much to offer.” He stared at me a moment. “I wasn’t planning on telling you, but I changed my mind. Since Miss High and Mighty thinks she can resist the lure of blood magic, I’m going to tell you where you can find your blood.” Ulrick explained where he hid it. “The rules still apply whether the blood is yours or not. You’d better talk to the Councilor about the conditions in here before you become an inmate. See you later, Opal.” Ulrick retreated into the darkness of his cell.
I slid the window shut as a variety of emotions twirled in my chest. Relief mixed with fear—he could be right about becoming addicted even if I’d use my own blood. I shoved my concerns aside. It was time to escape.
A good plan, except a sizzling whoosh sounded as all the lanterns blazed at once. Squinting into the sudden brightness, I froze.
Finn and his goons—Erik, Carrl and Lamar—stood between me and freedom.
13
NOT WAITING FOR FINN TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE, I threw a dart at him, aiming for his neck. He deflected the weapon with his magic, sending it skittering along the wall before it landed on the ground.
He advanced. “What a lovely reunion. I think I might cry.” Finn mimed wiping tears as he sniffed. “I knew that rat would squeal to you. He resisted my torture and my tricks, guarding his precious little secret. Even my truth serum failed to work. Unfortunately it’s a hit-or-miss type of drug. You babbled on and on about searching for your blood and about your immunity to magic, but I couldn’t get you to tell me how you managed to become immune.”
“Why do you care about my blood?” I asked.
“It’s very valuable. Gentlemen, please escort Miss Rhea Jewelrose back to her cell.”
In the narrow hallway, only two men could rush me. Though they were skilled fighters, I jabbed Erik with my last dart and held off Carrl with a flurry of palm heel strikes until Lamar joined in. Even with my intensive training, the two of them overpowered me. Held between them, I struggled to no avail. They anticipated all my self-defense techniques, rendering them useless.
“Someone’s been practicing. Bravo,” Finn said. He picked the dart from the floor. “A sleeping potion?” he asked me, but didn’t wait for an answer. “I must say I’m impressed with your efforts. When you left Fulgor, I set a watch for you, but I expected you to get caught sneaking in.”
“Councilor Moon knows I’m here.”
He smiled, but the humor failed to reach his eyes. “No she doesn’t. Nor will she. Whatever insurance you left behind will be intercepted before it arrives. Didn’t her new assistant seem too qualified?”
“But her background—”
“Impeccable.” He cocked his head. “Are you going to cooperate or do I need to incapacitate you?” Finn raised the dart.
Horror swept through me at the thought of being unconscious. “No need for that.”
“Secure her hands,” Finn ordered.
On my right, Lamar released his grip. With Finn aiming the dart only a few feet away, I couldn’t resist. Lamar pulled my arms behind me and nausea bubbled in my throat. He snapped the cuffs on my wrists, but he didn’t tighten them. Then he slipped a round object into my palm. Trying to keep the surprise from showing on my face, I automatically fisted it, recognizing the shape.
Finn stepped to the side as my escorts guided me past. They would never be this close again. It was now or never. I held my breath, yanked my arm from the loose cuff and from Lamar’s weak grip and flung the glass ball to the floor.
It shattered on impact, releasing a bright flash and a noxious gas. Finn and Carrl coughed and sputtered and were soon prone. It was one of Valek’s toys, but it had been too big to conceal on my body. I met Lamar’s cocky gaze. Despite the gas, he remained standing.
Several clues clicked together and I groaned. “I shouldn’t have worried,” I said, being careful not to breathe in. “It was a classic damsel-in-distress situation. Who else would save me?”
He grinned. “Better hurry, Opal. I can’t reveal myself. This guy is brutal.” He nodded at Finn. “And hard to figure.”
“Thanks, Janco. Guess you shouldn’t have pissed Valek off or you would have gotten Pellow’s—or should I say—Ari’s cushy job at Dawnwood.”
“And be bored? No thanks.” He shooed me away and crouched in the fumes, inhaling deep breaths. By the time I reached the door, he was unconscious, as well.
The outer entrance to the wing was quiet, but when I slipped into the stairwell, the shouts and pounding of boots echoed below. My exit route was blocked. I had spent too much time with Ulrick and Finn. Panic rolled through me. I allowed the fear to crash and settle before reviewing my options. It was time for my backup plan.
With no way to get past the commotion below, I went up instead. I reached the warden’s office without incident. The lack of COs meant the warden wasn’t inside. Good. Using my lock picks on the four complex lock
s, I eventually let myself into his office and relocked the door.
Exhausted, I collapsed on his desk chair, wondering how long it would take the COs to inform the warden of my escape. I lounged back and put my feet on his desk to appear casual. My heart, though, didn’t get the whole acting relaxed order and insisted on knocking against my breastbone.
When the distinct sound of a key shoved into a lock reached me, my heart jumped. I chanted the word relax in my mind, but I still froze with fear when the warden entered his office. His diatribe trailed off as he noticed me. The COs who had been enduring a dressing-down gasped.
For a moment we all just stared at each other. Then the officers moved toward me, splitting up to go around each side of the desk.
“Stop,” the warden ordered.
They halted mere feet from me. Furious glares promised I would pay dearly for my escape.
“Is this the prisoner you seek?” the warden asked.
“Yes, sir,” the guard on the left said.
“You’re certainly a bold one,” the warden said to me.
“I just did what you wanted, Grogan.”
He glowered, and I suppressed the urge to sink under the desk.
“Explain,” he ordered.
“You issued me a challenge to find anything wrong with your officers or prison. I sneaked in disguised as a prisoner and escaped. I’d say that qualifies as something wrong.”
“You didn’t fully escape,” he said.
“Doesn’t matter. You said anything.” I leaned back in his chair, exaggerating the motion. “Besides, if I wanted to leave, I could have ambushed you when you entered your office and used you to escape.”
He laughed. “Wouldn’t work. We all know our lives are forfeit if we’re taken hostage.”
I shrugged. “I still managed to get into the SMU before coming up here. And I found other problems.”
As I talked, color rushed into his face. “Get Finn. Now,” he ordered the COs. They bolted.
Not good. I swallowed. “Finn isn’t reliable. He’s been torturing the SMU prisoners.”
“He’s my right-hand man. I’m sure he can explain your allegations.”
I stood. “They’re not allegations. They’re facts.”
We glared at each other until one of the COs burst into the room, panting.
“He’s…gone, sir.” The guard motioned to me with his hand. “She was…in the wing…knocked every…one out.”
Lamar and Carrl entered behind the guards. The gas in the glass ball didn’t last near as long as the sleeping juice.
Grogan aimed his anger at them. Carrl blanched, but Lamar…Janco kept his face neutral. Although a spark of humor flashed in his eyes when he met my gaze.
“Where is Finn?” the warden asked them.
“She must have done something to him,” Carrl said.
“I’m impressed that you think I’m strong enough to move an unconscious man.”
“When we woke, sir. Finn was not among us,” Janco said. “I believe he was working here under false pretenses.”
And then it hit me. Finn had overheard Ulrick and knew where to find my blood. I caught Janco’s attention. He understood my sudden need to leave.
“Why wasn’t I informed?” Grogan bellowed.
“Truthfully, sir. Finn is scarier than you,” Janco said.
Carrl nodded in agreement, but he still appeared nervous. “Do you think he’s gone for good?”
“If not, he will be,” Grogan promised.
I edged toward the door.
“Should I escort our…guest out?” Janco asked.
“Not until you get details on how she managed this…” He swung his arm wide, indicating me and the room. “I want a full report on my desk in one hour.”
“Yes, sir,” Janco snapped.
He held my arm and we left. The warden’s loud orders to Carrl followed us until the door closed.
Janco and I raced down the stairs.
“Think you’ll have time for that report?” I asked.
“Doubtful. Too bad, I live to write reports.”
Unfortunately, we were stopped a few times by COs. Janco informed them the prisoner had been captured and to return to their regular duties. Even though I wore a CO uniform, a few squinted at me with suspicion, but Janco was a hotshot and therefore outranked them. Handy.
We reached the street and ran to the nearest stables.
“How long?” I asked.
“Finn has about an hour head start.”
Damn. We arrived at the stables and roused the owner, renting his two fastest horses. The man would have an interesting tale to tell.
As the horses chewed up the miles to Hubal, the sun rose. We didn’t slow when we reached the downtown. People scattered and cursed at us. The trip to Ulrick’s glass factory located in the woods passed in a blur. We rushed around the back of the building and dismounted. The sandpile had been removed, but evidence of where it had been remained along with more recent activity.
My world tilted and I sank to my knees. Dirt piled next to a fresh hole in the ground. My blood was gone.
Janco crouched near the hole. He scooped a handful of dirt and sniffed it. Scenting the wind as if he were a dog, he scanned the area. He put a finger to his lips and drew a dagger from his boot.
I jumped to my feet and followed him toward the abandoned factory. The back door was locked. Janco pointed and I popped the lock in a few seconds with my picks. Impressed, he raised his eyebrows. My speed had improved while working with Valek.
Turning the knob, I eased open the door. Janco rushed in without making a sound. I stayed right behind him. We stopped in the main area. Finn stood in the middle of the empty room with a sword in his right hand and a large glass bottle filled with a bright red liquid in his left. They had drained more blood than I thought. From the color, I knew the blood had been preserved by magic.
“Lamar, how very unexpected,” Finn said with a disapproving tone.
Magic brushed us. Janco flinched, but held steady.
“Even now I can’t sense your deception. No matter. We’ve already proven you’re no match for me.”
Janco grinned. “It’s never wise to beat your boss. Good thing you’re not my boss anymore.”
I stifled a laugh. Not only had he used the word wise, but Janco’s current position in Ixia had been gained by beating a succession of his superior officers.
“Give Opal her bottle,” Janco said.
“No. Someone is willing to pay an outrageous amount of gold for this.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Someone who hates you very much.”
Janco glanced at me. “That narrows it down to half of Sitia.”
“Not funny.” Because if I considered the people who were upset and inconvenienced due to the loss of my glass messengers, he might be right. “Hand it over, Finn.”
“Seems we’re at an impasse,” Finn said. “If we fight, or if you use one of your darts or that nifty gas ball, I might drop the bottle, spilling your blood. You’ll have to decide if you want to risk it or not.”
“All right. How much?” I asked.
Finn jerked with surprise, but recovered. “You can’t afford it.”
“Try me.”
He peered at me as if assessing my net worth. “Did the Council let you keep the diamonds from here?” He pointed down.
“Yep. I’m richer than Vasko Cloud Mist.”
Finn flinched at the name. “Doubtful.”
“How much?” I asked again. Would I be willing to give him all my money for that bottle? Yes.
He hesitated.
“Despite his claims, Finn’s not doing this for the money, Opal,” Janco said.
Janco was right. Better to spill my blood than for it to get into the wrong hands. “Janco, why don’t you entertain Finn with one of your rhymes?”
“My pleas—” Janco froze.
I reached and encountered a bubble of magic around him.
“I’m not
in the mood for a fight,” Finn said. He sheathed his sword and yanked out a blowgun. Loading the pipe without rushing, he was confident I wouldn’t be a problem.
“Too bad,” I said as I snatched Janco’s dagger.
Finn blocked my first attack with the blowgun. I parried and my blade hacked chunks from the wooden tube as he used it to protect himself. He backed up as I advanced, pressing my advantage.
“Well done, Opal,” he said when the dagger sliced his blowgun into two.
I stepped closer and he chopped my wrist. He used this move before to the same effect, stunning my hand with the edge of his palm and taking the weapon from me. At least this time, I saw it happening. Didn’t help, but it was progress.
Finn touched the tip of the dagger to my neck. “I’m growing quite fond of you. My patron paid for your blood, but I imagine you would bring a higher price. Or perhaps you would pay me to release you?”
Oh no. Not this again. I leaned back away from the blade and kicked forward, hitting him in the ribs. Not hard, as I was unbalanced, but enough to distract him while I shuffled out of reach. He surrounded me with a thick bubble of magic. It weighed me down and slowed my movements. Holding a dart, Finn stalked me.
Frantic, I splayed my hands and without piercing the bubble of magic I pushed it away from me before Finn could aim. It moved. I did it again until I was free.
“Unbelievable,” Finn said. The bubble dissolved. “You have an affinity with magic, but it can’t affect you…I wonder if your immunity is fueled by magic.”
I rushed him to keep him from making that last logical connection and slammed into an invisible barrier. Too late. He figured it out and erected a null shield. Magic couldn’t pierce it. Stunned, I blinked at an ecstatic Finn. He held his hand out and the barrier forced me back until the shield trapped me in a corner.
“A null shield,” Finn said in amazement. “I love the irony! This is going to make my life so much easier.” He threw the dart.
I couldn’t move my arms to block it. Hitting my shoulder, the drug worked fast. The room spun into darkness.
“Opal?”
(Glass #3) Spy Glass Page 15