Chapter 16

Yelena spun before the man reached her and yanked her bo staff free from its holder. He skidded to a stop, holding his hands out and away from the machete hanging from his belt. Muscular, but stocky with short black hair, the man was taller than Yelena. She said something to him and turned away. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

Valek hurried to intervene.

"I know where you're going," the man said.

He slowed. Perhaps this wasn't Ferde.

"Bully for you." Yelena shrugged his hand off. "Then you know time is of the essence. Go back to the Keep." She resumed her walk.

"If I do, I'll tell the masters what you're doing." He trailed after her.

And just what was she doing? Going after Ferde on her own?

"Truly? You're not very good at telling," she said.

"This time I won't hesitate." The man kept pace.

Valek hung back. Close enough to overhear their conversation but not be noticed.

She stopped. "What do you want?"

"To come along."

"Why?"

"You'll need me," the man said.

"Considering how helpful you were in the jungle fourteen years ago, I think I'm better off on my own." She spat the words at him, surprising Valek with her vehemence.

But the man only cringed. And by the stubborn set of his shoulders, Valek knew Yelena's anger was not going to deter him.

"Either include me in your plans, or I'll follow you and ruin them."

"Fine. But let me warn you that you're going to have to let me inside your mind in order for you to get through Ferde's shield."

The man paled but nodded. They headed west.

As Valek suspected, Yelena planned to go after Ferde. But at least she wasn't on her own. She might hate the man with her, but she had accepted his help.

Valek followed them to the market. Yelena greeted a tall, lean man and left the stocky guy with him while she searched for someone. Valek found a spot to watch. Yelena approached a stand selling fabric. Her young friend…Fisk? Was helping a customer, but he finished quickly when he spotted Yelena. She talked to him and he flashed her a brilliant smile before racing off.

She returned to the two men and they waited together. Soon, a bunch of street rats gathered around them. Fisk's friends? Yelena appeared to be giving them instructions. The children nodded and scattered, disappearing down alleys. Fisk led Yelena and the stocky guy to another alley while the thin guy headed in a different direction.

Valek wished he could join them, but it was too risky. Instead, he kept close just in case she needed him. Although, he doubted she would. He marveled at her confident stride. It appeared she had a plan and she had made friends. Determined, intelligent, a truly remarkable person he was honored to know. Her time in Sitia had changed her for the better. Irys had been right to ask him to stay away for a year. Yelena had discovered her wings.

Her group stopped about half a block from a large courtyard. A magnificent white statue of fifteen horses running in a circle occupied the center. Words were exchanged and Yelena drew in a breath. Then she signaled Fisk. He barked like a dog.

Soon after, other barks echoed. And then Fisk's friends ran into and out of the courtyard, playing tag with loud joyful shouts and taunts. Yelena held Stocky's and Fisk's hands. The trio walked into the courtyard. Ah there must be a magical barrier around the courtyard and the kids were the distraction. Smart.

They paused next to the fountain. She released Fisk and he ran to join his friends. Then Stocky and Yelena headed to a house on the other side of the street, going around to the side. Valek assumed Ferde was inside that building. Once she picked the lock and they disappeared, he entered the courtyard. The magic slid around him as if he'd walked through a wall of water.

Valek searched for a hidden location nearby. He found an alcove that would work. Waiting was always the most difficult part of his job, and this time was no exception. He wondered how long he should wait. Yelena had proved to be quite capable of protecting herself, but Ferde had master level powers.

Trust me.Her words from four days ago echoed in his mind. She'd asked for his trust in handling the exchange for Opal, and she'd survived. He could wait a bit longer and not rush in there like some knight in shining armor.

Time stretched toward infinity. Trust me, trust me, trust me, he chanted under his breath.

Pain suddenly pierced his heart. He grabbed his chest and sank to the ground as fire burned inside him.

He concentrated, focusing on Yelena. Trouble, love?

I need your immunity to magic.

Yours.When she had asked for his strength, he'd pushed his energy directly toward her. This time, he imagined his immunity as a cloak. He lifted it from his shoulders and wrapped it around hers.

The effort cost him. He slumped but not in exhaustion. A strange sensation vibrated through his muscles. It was like a heavy blanket had been removed and now he could fly. He was untethered. Free.

His senses sharpened and he choked on the fetid stench of manure emanating from his clothes. Valek clambered to his feet, moving carefully so he didn't launch his body into the air. Then his immunity slammed back into him, knocking him to the ground.

Lying on the hard surface, he panted with the effort to breath under the pressure. Moving seemed impossible. He remained there as his strength slowly returned. When he'd recovered, he sat up.

From his position, he spotted the tall, thin man trotting across the courtyard with a wide grin on his face. He entered the building. A clear sign Yelena had stopped Ferde.

Way to go, love.But he couldn't celebrate for too long. Valek needed to move before the master magicians arrived with their soldiers.

He hurried back to the Council Hall and joined his new friends.

Minel sidled up to him. "Where've you been?" He sniffed. "Not bathing, unfortunately."

"Nature called."

"What? You too good to use the manure pile?"

"I've a shy bladder."

Minel laughed.

After a while, Yelena appeared. Her face was drawn, and dark smudges of exhaustion lined her eyes.

"Ah, that's one of the kind ones," Minel said as a couple beggars headed toward her.

Valek joined them.

"Sorry. I can't help you today," she called without slowing.

The others returned, but he followed.

Yelena turned. "I said?—"

"Lovely lady, spare a copper?" Valek asked.

She peered at him with a bit of confusion. But when she met his gaze, recognition flared.

"Can't you spare a copper for the man who just saved your life?" Valek asked, guessing that was why she needed his immunity.

"I'm broke. I had to pay off the distraction. Those kids don't work cheap. What?—"

"Unity fountain. A quarter hour." Valek returned to the steps.

"Any luck?" Minel asked.

"You were right." He dipped his hand into his pocket and removed all the Sitian coins he had on him, giving them to Minel. "She has a big heart."

Minel squinted at him. "Uh huh."

"I think I'll go take that bath now."

Instead, he headed to the Unity Fountain. It was a large jade sphere with holes that showed smaller and smaller spheres tucked inside. Water sprayed from eleven waterspouts around the statue. He found a doorway with a dark recess and removed a layer of rags, hoping to reduce the smell. Soon, Yelena entered the courtyard, she gazed at the fountain for a moment. He stepped from the shadows long enough to catch her eye.

She joined him and hugged him tight, trapping his arms. Then she released him.

"Thank you for helping me against Ferde," she said. "Now go home, before you get caught."

Valek smiled. "And miss all the fun? No, love. I'm going with you on your errand."

She rocked back in surprise that he'd guessed her next move. It made sense to him that once she dealt with Ferde, she'd need to finish her business with Alea.

"There's no way I can convince you to go to Ixia?" she asked.

"None."

"All right. Although I reserve the right to say, ‘I told you so,' should you get captured," she said in a mock serious tone, but couldn't hide the relief that shone in her tired green eyes.

"Agreed." Valek would enjoy this mission for so many reasons. The best one, spending time with Yelena.

They arranged to meet at the edge of the Avibian Plains an hour after sunset. That gave him enough time to get washed, changed, put on a new disguise, gather a few supplies, including more Sitian coins, and grab his pack.

Brigi and Gabor both cautioned him to be extra careful when he'd updated them on his plans. There were still groups of soldiers out hunting for him in the Citadel. Plus, all the guards at the gates had been notified to keep an eye out for him. That presented his biggest challenge. Valek considered his options. He knew to avoid the south and east gates. The north gate was too far; he'd have to loop around the Citadel to reach the plains. That left the west gate.

When Valek reached the market, he paused as an idea struck him. He furrowed his brow in confusion and wandered through the stands selling goods. Picking up a few items, he shook his head and replaced them when the sellers started haggling. Soon enough, Yelena's little entrepreneur, Fisk, appeared.

"Kind sir, do you need some assistance?" he asked.

"I do. Can you provide me with a few helpers. I need a distraction."

Fisk crossed his arms. "I don't do anything illegal."

"You won't. Just a little commotion like you did earlier for my friend Yelena."

He squinted his light brown eyes. "Friend? Prove it."

"She wears a butterfly pendent that is black with silver streaks."

"She keeps that mostly hidden under her tunic. How do you know about it?"

Boy, this kid was definitely not a dupe. "I carved it for her. How do you know about it?" he countered.

Fisk smiled. "She fingers the lump whenever she's thinking. I asked her about it and she showed it to me. Okay, you're legit. How many helpers do you need?"

"Four should do it."

"It'll cost you two silvers."

"Agreed."

"Ha! I would have done it for one silver. You need to learn how to bargain."

Valek would have given him a gold if asked. The kid was delightful. No wonder Yelena liked him. "Noted for next time."

Fisk laughed and raced off to find three of his friends. When they assembled, Valek told them what he needed. Fisk gave Valek a shrewd look, but he grinned in anticipation.

"Sounds fun," the boy said. "I wanna be the tattler."

"You got it."

They headed to the west gate. Before the gate became visible, Valek paid Fisk and the boy hung back. Valek continued walking with the kids. Two boys and a girl who had dressed in their nicest clothes in order to work as helpers in the market. They still looked a bit shabby, but Valek found most adults didn't really look closely at children.

When they neared the gate, the girl grabbed his hand. "I'm so excited we're going to visit Grandmom!" she squealed.

The boys agreed. "She makes the best pie, doesn't she Dad?"

"She does indeed." Valek smiled indulgently at his "children." "Don't forget, your Uncle Vincent promised to take you fishing."

The guards asked a few standard questions, but one keen-eyed man asked Valek to come into the guardhouse for a safety check. No doubt wanting to pull on his nose and hair to test if he wore a disguise.

He gave the guard a puzzled look and signaled surreptitiously to Fisk. "But my children…"

"They'll be fine, we'll watch them for ya."

"Hey! Hey!" Fisk shouted, running toward the gate and waving his arms. "Hey!"

"What's that kid yelling about?"

"Hey! That man…" he puffed, "The one…everyone's looking for! Just robbed the bakery down the street!" He gestured wildly. "He grabbed a loaf of bread!"

Valek and his children were promptly forgotten as two of the guards took off in the indicated direction. He nodded a thanks at Fisk and continued through the gate. The children accompanied him outside of the Citadel to the south entrance, so they could return to the market.

However, before the kids could cross through, a group of soldiers exited followed by the Wannabe King riding on a brown horse. Valek yanked the children out of the way and hoped no one would bother to give them more than a glance. Thankfully, the unit was in a hurry, and Cahil didn't look back as they disappeared down the road toward the plains. The last time Valek had been here, they'd caught him. He shivered at how close he'd come to a repeat performance.

Once he ensured his helpers returned through the gate without trouble, Valek turned his focus on Cahil's plans. He doubted the Wannabe King had given up searching for him. Perhaps Cahil learned of the disturbance at the west gate and assumed Valek was on the move? Or was he hoping to set up an ambush before Valek arrived? But then, how did he know Valek was heading toward the plains and not returning to Ixia? Perhaps the trap was for Yelena, who would be coming this way in about an hour's time.

Regardless of who he planned to capture, where would he set his trap? Since Cahil wasn't related to the Sandseeds, he couldn't set it up inside the plains, so the best place would be at Valek and Yelena's rendezvous location. Party crashers. Lovely.

Valek could remain at the gate and warn Yelena, but he was dangerously exposed. Plus, she'd proved she could protect herself. It'd be fun to watch her take down the Wannabe King. He decided to find a good spot to watch the action. But before he did, he searched the ground by the Citadel's walls. Valek's pack had been left behind, but did one of his people take his cloud-kissed dagger— Ah. A gleam caught Valek's eye. Dried blood and dirt coated the weapon, but his weapon was undamaged. A good sign. He wiped the blade clean and tucked it away.

The road that traveled south dipped into a valley below the Citadel before snaking along the western edge of the plains. Valek stayed east of the road to avoid running into Cahil and his men and entered the plains. The Sandseed's magic pressed on him, but it wasn't hard enough to impede him. He crept westward through the tall grass and spotted the Wannabe King's soldiers. They hid on the other side of the road, but Cahil was nowhere to be seen.

Valek waited. Eventually the sky darkened and the sound of hoofbeats came from the north.

"Where do you think you're going?" Cahil's demand rang out over the quiet plains.

"That's not your concern," Yelena said.

Valek moved north. On the road, Yelena and Kiki faced Cahil on his horse. The Wannabe King's face was bright red.

"Not my concern? Not my concern?" He sputtered. "You're the heart mate of the most wanted criminal in Sitia. Your whereabouts are of the utmost concern to me. In fact, I'm going to personally see to it that I know exactly where you are at all times." He whistled.

His unit broke cover and fanned out behind Kiki. They all held blowpipes to their lips. That complicated things. Valek clamped down on a curse.

"What do you want?" she asked Cahil.

"Playing the simpleton to delay the inevitable, Yelena? I guess it has worked for you in the past. You certainly played me for a fool," he said with a flat tone. "Convincing me and First Magician that you weren't a spy, using your magic to make me trust you. I fell for it all."

"Cahil, I?—"

"What I want is to kill Valek. Besides getting revenge for the murder of my family, I will be able to show the council my abilities and they will finally support me."

"You had Valek before and lost him. What makes you think you can kill him this time?" She asked.

"Your heart mate will exchange his life for yours."

True. But touch her and die.

"You're going to need more people to capture me."

You tell him, love.

"Truly? Take another look."

She glanced over her shoulder.

"The darts are treated with Curare," Cahil said. "An excellent Sitian weapon. You won't get far."

Unless she had the antidote-of-sorts, which was a game changer. Unease swirled in Valek's chest.

"Will you cooperate, or do I need to have you immobilized?" Cahil asked. The smug bastard.

Valek had had enough. He straightened and strode out to the road. Everyone gaped at him. Fun.

"That's an interesting choice, love," he said. "You'll need some time to think it over. In the meantime…" Valek held his arms away from his body as he approached Cahil. See? I'm not armed.

Cahil transferred the reins to his left hand and pulled his too-heavy sword from its sheath.

"Let's see if I have this right," Valek continued in a casual tone. "You want revenge for your family. Understandable. But you should know that the royal family is not your family. One thing I have learned over the years is to know my enemy. The royal bloodline ended the day the Commander took control of Ixia. I made sure of that."

"You lie!" Cahil urged his horse forward, lunging at Valek with his sword.

Valek side-stepped, avoiding being trampled. The sharp blade cut through air.

When Cahil turned his horse for another charge, Yelena said, "It makes sense. Valek wouldn't leave a job unfinished."

He pulled back on the bridle, stopping in disbelief. "Your love for him has damaged your senses."

"And your hunger for power has affected your intelligence. Your people are using you, yet you refuse to see the obvious."

Cahil shook his head. "I won't listen to any more lies. My people are loyal. They obey me or else they will be punished. Goel's death helped me to reinforce that lesson."

Yelena jerked back in surprise. "You killed Goel."

He smiled. "My soldiers have pledged their lives to me. I committed no crime." He brandished his sword. "Ready," he called to his unit. "Aim and?—"

"Think about this before you gloat about your people, Cahil," Yelena said. "They look to Captain Marrok for approval before following your orders. They gave you a sword that was too heavy for you and failed to properly train you with it. You are supposed to be related to the King, who was a powerful magician. Why don't you have any magic?"

Nice, love.Valek met Marrok's wary gaze. Sorry mate, but that's what you get for lying to Cahil all these years.

"I—" Cahil hesitated.

Time to move. Valek took a running jump and joined Yelena on Kiki's back. The horse launched into the plains, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Fire!" Cahil yelled.

A few darts whizzed past, but none struck either of them. If Cahil's people were smart, they would have aimed for Kiki—a much larger target. However, Valek and Yelena's comments had managed to rattle them.

Kiki flew through the grasses. He'd no idea what gait she used, but it was as if he sat between the wings of a bird. They rode for a few hours before Kiki slowed and stopped. It looked like they were in the middle of nowhere, but at least the full moon lit up the undulating landscape.

Yelena tried to inspect Kiki for injuries, but she snorted and moved away to graze. He studied Kiki with amazement. No sweat darkened her coat and it appeared she didn't need to be hobbled to stay nearby.

"That was close." Yelena shivered and pulled her cloak tighter.

"Not really," Valek said. He pulled her into a glorious hug. "We distracted his people so when Wannabe King gave the order, they didn't have time to aim."

The cold night air nipped on his exposed ears. Yelena glanced at his clothing, probably noting he didn't have a cloak. She raised an eyebrow. "I'll share yours." He grinned. "But first you need a fire, food, and some sleep."

She shook her head. "I need you." Grabbing his shirt, she pulled it up.

He tried to protest—she really needed to rest—but she was determined. And a determined Yelena was a formidable force. Plus, if he was being honest, he needed her just as much. Together, they celebrated surviving, being alive, and safe. At this moment there was no past or future. They existed solely for each other.

* * *

The morning sunlight woke Valek. Careful not to wake Yelena, he extricated his arms and legs. Although, it didn't matter, because she didn't stir with the motion nor when the cold air briefly touched her bare skin. The fight with Ferde must have exhausted her. He tucked the cloak tight around her, dressed, and scanned their surroundings. Nothing but grassland, rolling hills, and a sandy soil. Kiki grazed nearby.

Valek searched for firewood. No luck. Guess it would be cold tea and jerky for breakfast. Kiki nudged his shoulder. He spun around in surprise. How did she sneak up on him?

She snorted then glanced at her back before meeting his gaze. Did she just…? Another snort and she repeated the gesture. She did.

"You want me to get on?"

Clearly impatient with his stupidity, she pawed the ground. Okay then. He grabbed her mane and mounted. She took off at a canter, and within two strides switched to flying. Not long after, she stopped right next to a dead tree. It hadn't been big or thick, but it had fallen and broken into pieces that were perfectly sized for a campfire.

He met her intelligent gaze. "Janco called you a magic horse. I'm beginning to suspect he didn't exaggerate—a rarity. I'm glad you're with Yelena. Thank you."

She snuffled at his pockets.

"Ah, when we get back, I'll see what Yelena brought for you."

He gathered the wood in his arms, but mounting would be an issue. Kiki knelt and he marveled again. They returned in no time. Yelena hadn't moved. He found a couple peppermints in her pack and Kiki sucked them up.

Deciding to wait until later to build a fire, Valek organized their supplies. The sunshine warmed the air, driving off the morning chill. At one point, he may or may not have dozed. His breakfast of jerky hadn't really satisfied his grumbling stomach and he would have liked to offer Yelena something more nutritious. However, all he had was his knife. And he hadn't seen any game all day, but that didn't mean there wasn't any.

When in doubt, ask a local. Valek walked over to Kiki. She had ranged further from their campsite. She lifted her head when he approached.

Feeling a bit silly, he asked, "Are there any edible critters around?"

She signaled for him to hop on.

"All I have is my knife."

A snort.

"Okay, you're the boss." He mounted.

This time she took him to a dip in the landscape. It resembled a bowl made of clay. Except, small shrubs grew in it and on its walls. Dropping him off at the center of the bowl, Kiki gave him a significant look before leaving. Valek pulled his knife and waited. Not sure for what, as he couldn't see over the top of the bowl.

Squeals and grunts sounded just before a carpet of small creatures crested the lip and ran straight at him. About the size of a rabbit, they scurried on four legs like a ground hog. Panicked, they streamed passed his boots. Assuming they were edible, he stabbed one in what he hoped was its heart. Then skewered another.

Soon, the little herd disappeared, and Kiki returned. Magic horse, indeed. They returned to the campsite and Valek butchered the mystery creatures. Then he built a fire and cooked the meat. Yelena slept through it all, and he wouldn't wake her. She needed her strength for the coming fight.

Valek ate his portion and considered how they would find Alea. The Daviian Plateau was directly south of the Avibian Plains. A rather lifeless place, if he remembered from his history lessons. It was a quarter of the size of the plains, but still big enough that it would take weeks to search it all. Perhaps Kiki the Magic Horse would know where to go.

"Breakfast?" Yelena asked in a hopeful tone.

He turned. "Dinner. You've slept all day."

She sat up in alarm. "You should have woken me. What if Cahil finds us?"

"Doubtful with all this magic in the air." Valek peered into the sky, sensing the protective power. "Does it bother you?"

"No. I'm a distant cousin to the Sandseed Clan. If I came close to their village with the intent to harm them, I think the protection would attack me." She paused. "Either that or one of their Story Weavers would."

Valek considered the last time he was in the plains with Ziva Moon. They'd been confronted by several impressive Sandseed warriors. He'd like to avoid another encounter with them. "How long will it take us to reach the Daviian Plateau?"

"It depends on Kiki. If she decides to use her gust-of-wind gait, we could be there in a few hours."

"Gust-of-wind? Is that what you call it? I've never seen a horse run that fast before."

"She only does it when we're in the plains. Perhaps it's connected to the Sandseed's magic."

Valek shrugged. "Faster is better. The faster we can take care of Alea, the better." He purposely didn't tell her about his previous encounters with the magician. If Yelena knew that Alea had threatened the Commander, she would also know that Valek planned to assassinate Alea. Yelena had been living in Sitia long enough to know that Sitians preferred to capture their criminals even if they were dangerous renegades. And Yelena would probably get into trouble if she killed Alea. Valek was already the Scourge of Sitia. They should thank him for taking care of their problem.

He pulled the meat from the fire and handed the spit to Yelena. "Eat. You need your strength."

She sniffed it. "What is it?"

He laughed. "You're better off not knowing."

"Poisons?"

"You tell me," he teased.

She performed the five S-steps of food tasting. He loved that she hadn't forgotten. In essence, it was a survival skill. When she finished every last bite, they packed.

"Valek, after we deal with Alea, you must promise to return to Ixia."

He grinned. "Why would I do that? I'm beginning to enjoy the climate. I might build a summer home here."

"It's that cocky attitude that got you into trouble in the first place."

"No, love. It was you. If you hadn't gotten yourself captured by Goel, I wouldn't have tipped my hand to the Wannabe King."

"You didn't tip your hand. I'm afraid I did that when I was fighting with Cahil."

"Defending my honor again?" he asked, although he'd already suspected.

"Yes."

His heart warmed. "I know you love me, so you can stop proving it. I really don't care what the Wannabe King thinks of me."

"Valek, I'm sorry for believing you killed Goel."

He waved away her apology. "You would have been right. I went back to take care of him for you, but he had beaten me to it." Valek sobered. "The Wannabe King remains a problem."

Her gaze hardened and she nodded. "One that I'll deal with."

"Now who's cocky?"

She opened her mouth to retort, but he couldn't resist a kiss. He pulled back with a sigh. They needed—the sound of drumming hooves shattered the quiet.

Had the Wannabe King found them after all?