Spy Glass

Home > Science > Spy Glass > Page 19
Spy Glass Page 19

by Maria V. Snyder


  cold logic, but on the emotional level, it was all wrong. Then

  horror swept through me.

  “What about Devlen? Him, too?” I asked.

  Valek glanced at Ari.

  “No,” Ari said. “He’s committed to making amends.”

  I inhaled as powerful relief welled. “So could Ulrick and

  the others. You need to give them a chance.”

  Just as fast as it had come, the feeling of respite f led when

  the three men exchanged a look. I stood on shaky legs. “It’s

  too late. Isn’t it?”

  “Your escapades in Wirral provided the perfect distraction,”

  Valek said. “They didn’t suffer, and I left evidence pointing

  to Finn as the assassin.”

  As all sensation f led my body, I gaped at Valek. “All of

  them?”

  “No reason to kill Gressa and Akako. They don’t know

  how to use blood magic.”

  A minor concession. My mind couldn’t steer away from the

  knowledge Valek had used me to kill five men. My escapades

  had allowed him to… Grief f looded. Poor Ulrick. I had hoped

  he would… What? See the error of his ways?

  “Come on, Opal.” Janco stood and hooked his arm in mine.

  “You’re exhausted. I’ll escort you to your room.”

  “You just don’t want me having a fit in public.”

  “Of course. I’ve a reputation to maintain.” He shot me a

  grin, but it died just as quick. “Almost forgot.” He picked up

  the necklace and put it on. Tucking the pendant under his

  shirt, he tapped the slight bump it made. “I promised Yelena

  I would keep Lamar safe.” He looked at me with a very un-

  Janco expression. “We all make sacrifices for what is right.

  180

  Maria V. Snyder

  And you’ve experienced firsthand the horrors caused by blood

  magic. To be truly safe, we should assassinate Devlen regard-

  less of his efforts to redeem himself.”

  I clutched his arm to keep from shouting the words. “Then

  why didn’t you?”

  Ari said, “Because of you.”

  “Me?”

  The big man shifted in his seat, appearing uncomfortable.

  “Do you really believe we would eliminate someone you’re

  in love with?”

  I sputtered. “I’m not—”

  Ari held up a hand. “He’s helping you, then. That’s impor-

  tant to us.”

  Staring at him in shock, I finally asked, “Love trumps

  logic?”

  “Every time,” Valek said. “Plus he’s being watched. One

  move toward his old habits and I’ll pay him a visit.”

  Overwhelmed, I let Janco pull me away from the table. On

  the way to my room on the second f loor, I sorted through the

  conversation. How could Ari think I was in love with Devlen?

  We’d kissed a few times. That was all. No big deal.

  After I said good-night to Janco, I locked the door and

  faced my empty room. At least it matched the hollowness in

  my chest. No blood. No magic. No Kade.

  Kade had stayed away just like I asked. Finn planned to sell

  my blood to someone who hates me. And magic… Not my

  friend. The happy discovery that I could move it had been

  countered by Finn’s effective use of the null shield to trap me.

  My immunity to magic was no longer an asset.

  All in all, a horrible day.

  The next morning the four of us headed north to Valek’s

  small stable. Once there, we discussed options on how to find

  Finn.

  “I’ll alert my network throughout Sitia. Someone will spot

  Spy Glass

  181

  him,” Valek said with confidence. “Once we pick up his trail,

  I’ll have a chat with him.”

  Annoyance f lared. “I thought you said Finn was my

  problem.”

  “As an obstruction to your goal, he was. But now we know

  he has a different agenda.”

  Still unhappy, I grumped. “If you’d taken care of him in

  the beginning, we wouldn’t have this different agenda.”

  Unfazed, Valek cocked his head. “Then we wouldn’t know

  about this other player. The one who is willing to spend a lot

  of gold for a vial of your blood.”

  Player. Interesting word choice. This wasn’t a game to me.

  In a foul mood, I left the three of them to plan.

  I visited Quartz. Just seeing her warm brown eyes melted

  my frustration. Not bothering with a saddle, I hopped onto

  her back and let her choose our path. The landscape streaked

  by, and I released all my tension. Concentrating on the move-

  ment of her powerful muscles against my legs, I became an

  extension of her.

  When she slowed to a walk, I returned to my problems.

  I didn’t doubt Valek would find Finn. As for recovering my

  blood, at this point I gave us a fifty percent chance.

  After rubbing Quartz down and filling her water bucket,

  I sought Valek. If he planned to confront Finn, he needed to

  know about the null shields. I found him in the kitchen, bent

  over a map of Sitia.

  He might keep his secrets, but I believed in full disclosure.

  “Valek, have you ever encountered a null shield?”

  He glanced at me with a frown. “I don’t think so. Why?”

  I explained about Finn’s attack. “I moved the magic around

  me and Finn followed the logic.”

  He straightened. “That is concerning.”

  Trust Valek to downplay it. “It can trap you.”

  “Perhaps. But your immunity seems to be different than

  mine. I can’t move magic.”

  182

  Maria V. Snyder

  “Have you tried?” I asked and covered my grin when sur-

  prise f lashed on his face.

  “No. It always feels like syrup. I assumed it moved like a

  viscous f luid and would ooze.”

  “That’s how it feels to me, too. But when I panicked, I

  spread my hands and pushed.”

  “Interesting.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “Can

  a weapon pierce a null shield?”

  “Yes. Anything but magic can. You can defend yourself as

  long as your arms aren’t pinned.”

  “I guess we’ll need to experiment when we have some

  time.” Valek tapped the map. “First we need to find Finn.

  The three of us are going to split up, and search all the cities we can reach between here and Booruby.”

  “Three?

  Booruby?”

  “You need to go home to help your mother.” He slowed

  his words as my confusion continued. “And we’re going to

  meet you there for the wedding.”

  “Mara!”

  Valek laughed. “Even spies take time off for weddings.”

  I groaned aloud. “I don’t have a gown or a date. I asked

  Kade. But he never replied, so I’m guessing it’s a no. How am

  I going to explain his absence to my mother?”

  The humor dropped from his face and an emotion I’ve

  never seen on him replaced it. Guilt? Chagrin? Hard to tell

  with Valek.

  He pulled a letter from his pocket. “Been meaning to give

  you this. It’s from Kade.”

  I snatched the letter from his hand. Folded multiple times, its worn edges looked as if it had been in
his pocket for a while.

  When I frowned at him, he said, “Er…it came a while ago.

  I didn’t want to distract you from your training.”

  “You’re evil. Did you know that?”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  Instead of wrapping my hands around his neck, I left the

  kitchen to find a private place to read Kade’s letter. I returned to my room and sat on the edge of the bed. Unfolding the

  paper, I braced for anger, sarcasm, rejection or perhaps all

  three. He had the right to be upset. But there was no hint of

  any of them.

  What melted my heart was his sadness. He wanted to un-

  derstand why I ran off to Fulgor and why I asked him not to

  join me there, but he couldn’t. If I really wished for him to be at Mara and Leif ’s wedding, I needed to explain my reasons

  in person. He would wait for me at his parents’ indigo farm

  until the heating season. Then he would be on the coast to

  harvest the storms blowing in from the sea.

  184

  Maria V. Snyder

  Reading between the lines, I realized if I didn’t go, our

  relationship would be over. The thought of not being with

  Kade struck me like a hard slap to my cheek. It cleared my

  head. I didn’t want to lose him.

  Calculating how long I had until the wedding, I rushed to

  gather my things. Twenty-five days until the nuptials. I needed ten days to reach the heart of Stormdancer lands, leaving me

  fifteen days to talk to Kade and arrive in Booruby with enough

  time to avoid giving my mother a heart attack. It would be

  close.

  As I raced to pack my saddlebags, I wondered exactly what

  I would say to Kade. At least I had ten days to think it over.

  After a hurried goodbye to Valek, Ari and Janco, I saddled

  Quartz and spurred her into a gallop. All the things I left

  undone in Fulgor would have to wait. I owed Nic and Eve

  an explanation. Councilor Moon should be informed about

  Wirral and her new assistant. Devlen… Unlike my feelings

  for Kade, confusion about him twisted inside me. I planned to

  unknot my emotions and sort it out on the way to Kade’s.

  As I traveled around Fulgor, I sent a message to Nic and

  Eve. I assured them I was fine, informed them that Tama’s

  assistant worked for Finn and asked them to tell Devlen I was

  okay.

  I discovered traveling by yourself for an extended period of

  time was lonely and it was easy to lapse into bouts of self-pity.

  Stopping at inns along the way, I listened to the gossip in the common room, hoping for some useful information. Perhaps

  even a clue to Finn’s location.

  The major complaints centered on the Council’s inability

  to deal with the glass messenger crisis. I almost choked on my

  food when a man sitting nearby used the word crisis. They

  thought a Sitia-wide search for another glass magician should

  be launched and they grumbled over having to go back to the

  old way of doing things.

  Spy Glass

  185

  Good thing no one recognized me with my short, dirty

  blond hair or I would be worried for my safety. Janco’s com-

  ment about half of Sitia hating me replayed in my mind. And

  who hated me enough to pay so much for my blood? During

  the trip, I couldn’t name anyone. Well…anyone alive.

  I also couldn’t prepare for what I needed to say to Kade.

  And I failed to decide about Devlen. Without them with me,

  I couldn’t make a connection. Logic said one thing, but being

  in their presence had a different effect. I hoped I would find

  the proper words.

  After ten long days on the road, I found the lane to Kade’s

  parents’ farm. The two-story wooden house had been painted

  blue at one point. The roof sagged in the middle and rocking

  chairs filled a large wraparound porch.

  Fields of indigo plants spread from the house on both sides,

  and what appeared to be a workshop or factory sat behind it.

  The place felt deserted, but as I guided Quartz to the porch,

  a woman stepped out.

  Tall and lean, her resemblance to Kade was undeniable. She

  dried her hands on her apron, which covered a pair of dark

  brown pants. Her tan shirt was peppered with blue stains.

  “Can I help you?” she asked.

  I dismounted and approached. “I’m looking for Kade. You

  must be his mother. I’m Opal Cowan.” I smiled and held out

  my hand.

  “Uh-huh.” She glanced at Quartz. “I see you have one of

  those fancy Sandseed horses, too. Something wrong with a

  dependable and hardworking Stormdance horse?” She didn’t

  wait for an answer. Hooking a thumb, she indicated the field

  to the right. “He’s out harvesting with his father.” Without

  another word, she returned to the house.

  I lowered my hand, wondering what Kade had told her

  about me. Scanning the field, I saw no signs of Kade or his

  father, but the land rose in the distance and then dropped from

  186

  Maria V. Snyder

  sight. I mounted Quartz and patted her neck. Then I asked

  her to find Kade.

  Since she was a fancy Sandseed horse, she had no trouble

  understanding me and finding Kade by his smell. He hunched

  over a tall green plant, cutting leaves off. His shirt lay on the ground in a heap and sweat shone on his back. His skin had

  tanned in the sun to a deep golden color.

  Another nice perk with a fancy Sandseed horse, she didn’t

  make any noise when walking on dirt so neither Kade nor his

  father heard us approach.

  I hesitated to call to him. After his mother’s cold reception,

  I worried he would frown or ignore me. But Quartz wasn’t

  shy. She neighed a loud hello. Both men stopped and turned

  around in surprise. I held my breath as Kade squinted into

  the sunlight in confusion. I tugged at the short strands of my

  hair. Would he even recognize me?

  Moonlight whinnied and ran up to us, happy to see Quartz.

  I dismounted and removed her saddle so she could spend time

  with the big black horse—another Sandseed.

  And then Kade smiled. My world brightened and I didn’t

  hesitate this time, rushing to him. He pressed me to his chest

  for a moment, then tried to pry me off, claiming his sweat

  would stain my shirt, but I clung a little longer, breathing in his scent. Even this far inland he smelled like the sea.

  “I’m guessing this is Opal,” his father said.

  I finally stepped away to greet Kade’s father. Shorter than

  Kade, he had a full beard streaked with white, and a mess of

  white hair that fell to his shoulders. His stocky build was the opposite of his son’s thinner frame.

  Kade said, “Opal, meet my father, Igarian.”

  “Call me Ink.” He shook my hand. “Everyone else does.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  He swept a hand out, indicating the plants. “Because of my

  job.”

  Kade coughed. “He’s being modest. He’s known for the

  Spy Glass

  187

  quality of his indigo. Most of his fellow farmers claim he has

  ink in his veins instead of blood.”

 
Ink dismissed Kade’s comments. “My boy likes to exag-

  gerate. It’s easy to raise indigo when it always rains just when the soil dries out.” He beamed at Kade with a proud smile.

  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get these leaves into the

  shed.”

  When Kade moved to help, Ink shooed him away. “I can do

  it, boy. Spend some time with your friend. Give her a tour of

  the farm.” Ink whistled for Moonlight. The horse trotted over

  and let him hitch the cart full of leaves onto his harness.

  My opinion of Ink rose. Moonlight liked so few people.

  He drove the Keep’s Stable Master crazy by refusing all the

  students. So far, he tolerated Janco and Ulrick, before Ulrick

  became addicted to blood magic. And, I realized Devlen had

  also been able to ride him when his soul was in Ulrick’s body.

  I wondered if Moonlight would let Devlen ride him now.

  Quartz followed Moonlight as he headed back toward the

  house. I watched her until she was gone from view. Without

  Ink and the horses, an awkward silence formed between us.

  “I didn’t think you’d come,” Kade said.

  “I would have come sooner…” Would I? “Your letter was…

  delayed.”

  He wiped his brow with a rag and shrugged his shirt on.

  “Delayed how?” he asked.

  “It’s a long, complicated story.”

  “Will it explain your hair?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then we’ll take the extended tour.” A hint of a smile

  quirked and humor f lashed in his amber-colored eyes.

  Relieved by his reception, I returned his smile. The sunlight

  glinted from the gold and red highlights in his brown hair. It

  had grown long enough to be pulled into a ponytail.

  As we walked through the indigo fields, I told Kade of my

  adventures in Fulgor and at the prison, including Valek’s and

  188

  Maria V. Snyder

  Janco’s involvement and about visiting Devlen, but not about

  kissing Devlen.

  Kade had remained silent during the whole story. “Opal,

  why do you want to reclaim your magic? It has given you

  nothing but trouble.”

  He had a point. “I’m lost without it,” I admitted. “I feel

  useless.”

  “Your

  immunity—”

  “Is

  worthless.”

  “Only this Finn knows. And besides, don’t you think you’ve

  done enough? You almost died and those who know how to

  use blood magic are gone.” He took my hand in his. “After

 

‹ Prev