I pointed at the tray. “Have you heard or seen anything about those black diamonds while working in the mines?” I asked.
He picked one up, and rolled it between his fingers. “It doesn’t look like a diamond. Are you sure? It feels weird.” Dropping it into my palm with distaste, Janco rubbed his hand on his shirt.
A familiar stickiness clung to the stone. “It’s real. And it’s charged with magic. You don’t have any power, but you’re sensitive to magic. Aren’t you?”
Janco scratched his goatee. “I’m not sensitive. I’m allergic.”
The next morning at breakfast, I asked Pazia about her older brother again. By the way she frowned, they weren’t close.
“I haven’t seen him in ages,” she said.
“Sounds like you don’t get along with him.”
“He’s a bully, but he stopped bossing me around once my powers came in.” She smiled. “My magic was stronger than his and it galled him!” Then the humor dropped from her face. “Now I’m not worth his time. We avoid each other. It works for me.”
“What’s his name?”
“Phinnegan. Why all the questions?”
Yes! I kept my voice steady. “Just curious. I didn’t even know you had brothers until I met Walker.” I changed the subject even though I wondered just how long ages was.
Pazia escorted me to the command center, but she stopped outside the building. “Galen said a guide would be waiting for you at the mine entrance. Come to the glass shop when you’re done.”
When I reached the lower level, I encountered two men. They argued, but ceased their discussion as soon as I appeared. They both wore yellow helmets and orange coveralls. No dirt stained the one on the left, but mud spattered the other man’s.
“I’m Opal.”
Mud-spattered man said, “He’ll be out soon.” They entered the mines.
With nothing else to do, I explored the area, searching for another entrance. Eventually, a lanky man slipped out from behind the mirror. His black hair hung in greasy clumps to his shoulders and his skin looked as if it hadn’t seen the sun in years. He wore oversize dark glasses.
“I’m Galen,” he said. Instead of shaking my outstretched hand, he handed me a clean pair of orange coveralls and pointed to a privacy screen. “Regulations. Leave your backpack on the shelf. No one will bother it.”
I changed. The durable material chafed against my skin, but the fabric blocked the chilly air. When I stepped out, he gave me a helmet for safety.
“Shall we?” He swept his arm out toward the large tunnel.
I glanced around. The other men were gone. “I thought you’d—”
“You’re our special guest.” He grinned. Black grit discolored his teeth. “I would be remiss in my duties if I assigned just anyone to show you around. Besides, you want to visit a highly restricted area.”
His bulky glasses blocked his expression, but there was something…off about him. Creepy seemed mild. Why the dark lenses? Perhaps this tour wasn’t a good idea, but it was too late to change my mind. I followed Galen into the mines.
At first the walls of the tunnel rose high above my head. Lanterns hung every couple of feet and a nice breeze fanned my face. The damp smell of earth alternated with the sharp tang of rock.
As we traveled, I noticed scratches and deep grooves marred the walls. The passageway shrank and the light dimmed. When the ground angled down, I imagined the dark corridor before us as the gullet of a large beast, swallowing us.
My guide grabbed one of the lanterns to carry with us. He paused every so often and pointed out an interesting rock formation or geological feature.
If it wasn’t for the current of air, I might have panicked. The tunnel zigzagged and we passed so many other branches and caverns that I was soon lost. The distant sound of machinery echoed off the hard walls. I spotted a few miners, but soon we were alone with the darkness being held back by that one lantern.
I felt the pressure of the mountain on my shoulders, reminding me about all that weight hanging over us. I asked Galen about cave-ins.
“Unlikely. This section is new. We haven’t opened it up yet.”
“What about along the way out?”
He chuckled without humor. “Down here, anything can happen.”
I decided to quit asking questions. We entered a narrow shaft. My arms brushed the walls and Galen hunched over. The moist smell intensified as the airflow died. I moved closer to him and almost bumped into him when he stopped without warning. Another dry chuckle.
He held the lantern up, illuminating the end of the shaft. It widened slightly like a head on the end of a match. I moved closer as he tapped the black wall in front of us. The pock-marked surface appeared porous.
Galen pulled a small metal tool from his pocket and scraped at the black stone. A few pieces broke off and clattered to the floor.
After a few minutes, he handed me a smooth black rock. “A diamond hidden in the lava.”
Magic radiated from the stone so I ran my hand along the bumpy wall of lava, but didn’t feel any power. I suspected he planted this diamond here.
Pretending to be awed, I asked him how he could see it with his glasses on.
“My eyes are sensitive to the light.” He tried a smile, but it failed.
The slight catch in his voice meant he lied. A person could change his hair color and style, grow a beard, add putty to his face, put lifts in his shoes, or stuff his clothes with cotton. But one thing that was impossible to do without magic was change his eye color. Seeking a disguise, I asked if I could dig for a diamond.
He handed me the scraper. I opened up a small hole, but didn’t find anything. He swept his fingers inside and pulled another stone free, using sleight of hand. Before my training with Valek I would have missed the subtle motion. That and the fact the stone pulsed with magic.
I kept quiet as we started back to the surface. Why would Vasko set up this elaborate ruse? Perhaps he didn’t want anyone to know where he mined the diamonds. Then why not refuse to give me a tour? Because he wanted me to back up his claims. It would have worked if Vasko knew I could feel the magic.
Another realization hit me. Galen wouldn’t have used charged diamonds if he had been warned about my immunity. Which meant Finn hadn’t been here since our encounter in Hubal. No Finn. No blood.
I pulled my morose thoughts back to Vasko. Nothing illegal about hiding the source of the black diamonds. No one had reported them stolen. Unless he imported them illegally from Ixia? The Commander and Valek hadn’t known about the other diamond pit in the Northern Ice Sheet at first. Why would this be different?
A rumble shook the ground under my feet. Galen cursed.
“What was that?” I asked, coughing on dust.
“An explosion or a cave-in…or both.” He handed me the lantern and jabbed a finger toward the ground. “Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll return for you.”
The panic must have shown on my face because Galen gave me the two diamonds. “Here’s more incentive for me to return.” He disappeared into the blackness.
If he had been joking about the diamonds, it failed to amuse me. I clutched the stones in my fist. The sharp edges dug into my palm, but the pain wasn’t enough to distract me from the situation. The lantern’s flame stayed steady. No breeze, but before I worried about running out of air, I remembered a fire couldn’t burn without it.
Waiting was torture; I decided to continue up the shaft until I reached a junction. I reasoned that Galen would still be able to find me. The next intersection resembled all the others we had passed on our descent. At least there was a little more room for me to move. I turned a circle, searching for an airflow. Nothing stirred.
Resigned to wait, I sat on the ground, crossing my legs under me. My thoughts kept trying to imagine all types of horrible scenarios. I clung to one piece of logic. This wasn’t part of Vasko’s revenge for Pazia. He needed me to confirm the legitimacy of his messengers to Irys and Bain. Besides, Pazia, Nic and
Eve knew I was down here. No. I wouldn’t contemplate this as a murder attempt.
Instead, I examined the black diamonds. The rough uncut gemstones lacked beauty, but held an incredible amount of magic. Too bad I couldn’t use it to communicate. Then again, what would I say? I’m stuck at the intersection of Rock Boulevard and Rock Street? Come get me.
I was being silly, but it gave me an idea. I looked on the walls of the connecting shafts, searching for directional markings. The miners had to get lost from time to time. Wouldn’t it make sense to name the shafts or at least indicate an exit? An array of scratches lined all the walls. Perhaps the miners could read them, but I couldn’t.
Focusing my energy on what I did know, I mulled over a reason Vasko would lie about where the black diamonds had been found. Perhaps he discovered them in a more accessible or even public location, and didn’t want his competitors to find out. Unlike my glass messengers, these super ones didn’t require any special magic. Any magician could charge the diamonds and any glassmaker could encase them in glass. Therefore keeping the location secret was key.
If he imported them from Ixia, Valek might already be suspicious. Before, he had Ari and Janco investigating General Kitvivan’s illicit operation. Except this time all three of them have been here in Sitia helping me.
Fisk might know if any of the blacks have gone through the underground market in the Citadel. He had been the first to discover Kitvivan’s diamonds and had kept track of the pearls. Thinking of Fisk, I remembered my promise to investigate the Bloodrose Clan.
I shot to my feet as my brain made a connection. My helmet tumbled to the ground as I raked a hand through my hair, pulling all the clues together. It was a huge leap of logic. But I believed the reason the blacks looked so familiar was because I had seen them at the Bloodroses’ complex.
The second building where Walsh’s men had captured Quinn. Instead of oyster shells and long tables filling the space, boxes with mesh screens like the ones I had seen in Vasko’s sorting building, mounds of sand and black rocks littered the area. I had been so worried about Quinn flaming out I hadn’t given the strange contents a thought.
Walsh’s actions against the other oyster farms made more sense. Not only could he affect the pearl prices, but he could keep the others from discovering that those black rocks are actually diamonds.
But once I considered it fully, there were more than a few holes. Those rocks could indeed be rocks. If they weren’t, then how did Walsh figure out the rocks were diamonds? I remembered the sea glass Heli had found. The pieces had been scratched, and there were only a few substances hard enough to scratch glass. Diamonds being one of them.
But why would Walsh team up with Vasko? Even with these questions, a visit to the Bloodrose Clan was overdue.
One problem. Galen hadn’t returned. I checked the oil level in the lantern. Half-full. I settled back on the ground. Devlen had been right. Waiting wasn’t easy. And how long should I stay here before trying to find my own way?
The diamonds still clutched in my hand could scratch a mark into the wall. Perhaps I should explore—
A rumble rolled through the shaft. The lantern jiggled and small stones rained down. I donned my helmet as dust filled the area.
Then a blast of fresh air cleared the cloud. Unfortunately, the wind extinguished the flame.
The complete absence of light was a unique experience to me. Even at night there was always the moon or a distant fire or a lantern. Without any real hope, I waited for my eyes to adjust. The darkness clung and pressed, feeling tangible like magic.
Perhaps the coveralls I wore had matches in the pockets. This had happened before. Pazia had warned me about the lanterns.
Relaxing my grip on the diamonds, I opened my fist. A dim orange light glowed from my palm. I blinked a few times to clear my vision, but the weak radiance remained. Teegan had said I shimmered when I touched magic. Probably why he called me Fire Lady. Unable to see it for myself, I didn’t really believe him. At least it was useful in this situation.
I searched the pockets, and only found the items I had taken from my pack—my lock picks and switchblade. Waiting was no longer an option, I turned in a circle and stopped when I felt the breeze full in my face. The air had to come from somewhere and I planned to find the source. I scratched an arrow pointing in the direction I traveled and walked into the wind.
At each intersection I marked my route. I ignored the doubts and worries bubbling on the surface of my mind. When I reached a shaft with lanterns hanging from hooks, the pressure eased in my chest. The glass was still warm, which meant these had been lit before the blast of air.
Encouraged, I increased my pace. A crunching shuffle sounded behind me. I turned. Galen rounded a corner. Thank fate! He held a dim lantern.
He slowed. “I told you to stay put. You’re lucky I found you. Otherwise you’d die down here.”
“Sorry. When you didn’t come back, I thought the worst. What happened?”
“They were enlarging a cavern and hit a stink hole.”
“What’s that?”
“There’re bubbles of gas trapped underground. When you drill into one, a horrible stench hits you first, then it reaches the lanterns and…boom! If you’re lucky it’s a flash fire and you walk away with minor burns.”
“And if you’re not?”
“The force blows you apart and brings the ceiling down on your head.”
“Which one?”
“The explosion collapsed two quadrants. Vasko’s going to be livid.”
“Did many miners…” I couldn’t finish.
“A handful died.” Galen dismissed the loss of life as insignificant. “He’ll be more upset about the time and cost to open up new shafts.”
“That’s—”
“A risk they’re well aware of and are paid extra for. And most of them still steal gems from the mines.”
Another tremor vibrated under my feet.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”
Galen brushed past me as he took the lead. When his shoulder had touched my upper arm, I felt magic. By itself, it wouldn’t cause me any alarm. Vasko was a shrewd businessman, and I could understand why he would hire a magician as his right-hand man. But the texture of the power reminded me of someone. I just couldn’t put my finger on who.
My opinion of Galen increased as he navigated the maze of shafts, chambers and intersections with confidence. The trip seemed never ending.
“How much longer?” I asked. My throat burned from the dust.
“A few more minutes. We have to bypass the weak quadrants.”
When the shaft’s incline increased, I hoped I would see blue sky soon. I would never take it or fresh air for granted again. But the passage leveled off and ended in a room. Galen set the lantern on a desk, and I corrected my initial impression.
“I thought—”
“You thought wrong.” Galen rummaged around the office and found a canteen and two cups.
Pouring water into both, Galen handed me one of the cups. Our fingers touched, and I finally recognized the magician. Finn.
24
I DREW MY SWITCHBLADE AND STABBED, AIMING FOR his heart. He blocked the attack, but didn’t move quite fast enough to avoid the blade. It sliced his upper arm.
Finn/Galen growled in pain and I slammed into a null shield. Acting on pure instinct, I flipped my switchblade around and flung it at him. It sailed through the shield, but he deflected it with his power.
Then the shield pressed on me, forcing me back until it flattened me against the wall, unable to move.
Finn plopped into his desk chair and drank from his cup. “Too easy, Opal.”
I glanced at his ripped and bloodstained sleeve. “Next time, Finn, I’ll slice higher.”
He pulled off his glasses and wig. “Points for following the clues and linking me to Vasko, but I’m not his son Phinnegan. I’m really Vasko’s faithful dog.” He didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in h
is voice.
“Then who is Junior?” I asked, managing to surprise him.
“I didn’t think you’d learn anything useful from Vasko’s office. Your Ixian teacher should be proud.” He watched me. “The Commander isn’t the only one with a network of spies in Sitia. The Council is more aware of what’s going on than you give them credit for. And Vasko’s tapped into that network.”
“Is Junior working for the Council or Vasko?”
“He’s me. I’m not related, but I have disguised myself as Vasko from time to time. Occasionally he likes to be in two places at once.”
“Why tell me all this?” I pushed against the null shield, but it remained firm.
“You’re going to be a player in this game. You should understand the basics.”
“What does Vasko want now?” I asked. “He already has my blood.”
“No he doesn’t.”
“But he sent you to Wirral?”
“To gather information on blood magic. The existence of your blood was a nice surprise. One I failed to tell him about.”
“Why does he…oh.” I connected the dots. “He wants to use blood magic to return Pazia’s powers.” All my actions, whether good or bad, inadvertent or on purpose have all spun in circles and returned with force, slamming right back into me. “Does he know about the side effects?”
“Yes, but not to worry about your friend. Vasko would never endanger his daughter. Instead he has been experimenting on test subjects, trying to find a way to increase a person’s magic without the addiction.”
“Should I be horrified by the mention of test subjects?”
“Oh yes. I am. And I’m not the squeamish type. Vasko makes me look like the nice guy. Why do you think I’m so loyal?”
“For your private office?”
He laughed with genuine amusement then sobered. “If I were to betray or double-cross Vasko, I’d disappear in these mines. I’d either become a new test subject or locked in the cells below and left to die of thirst.”
I reviewed his comments. “If you haven’t told him about the blood, isn’t that a betrayal?”
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