Chapter 2

Valek yanked out a handful of darts filled with sleeping potion, but he had to widen the crack in the doors to get a good shot. As soon as he moved it, the puppy bounded off the bed with an excited yip.

Dothan sprang out of bed with a dagger in his big hand. "Ruby, get behind me," he ordered his daughter.

The girl scampered behind her father. So much for a quick snatch and dash. Valek had hoped to avoid any additional trauma for the little girl.

He flicked his hands out to show Dothan he was unarmed. The gesture was an attempt to distract the man as Valek launched two darts. The one aimed at Dothan's throat stopped in mid-air as the man's magic swelled. The dart dropped to the floor. Now the power pressed against Valek's skin. Good thing Valek remained immune to magic's effect. He wondered what defensive countermeasures the magician was attempting.

Reluctant to draw his knife, Valek waited for Dothan to make the next move. The puppy who had been sniffing Valek's boots staggered and flopped to the floor.

"He killed Pawl!" Ruby cried, darting to the dog.

"Ruby, don't." Her father tried to grab her arm, but she slipped past.

Ruby sat down inches from Valek. She scooped Pawl into her lap. Hugging him tight, she bawled.

"No. Please." Dothan's voice shook with anguish. He carefully placed his weapon on the bed. "Please don't hurt her."

The raw grief on Dothan's square face was not the reaction Valek expected. Or rather, not the response Ziva had warned him about. Valek crouched down to the girl's eye level. "Pawl's not dead, Ruby. He's sleeping."

She glared at him. "He's not waking up."

"He won't for a while, but he will."

"Why did you sleep my dog?" she demanded.

"I planned to sleep you all and take you to your mother," Valek said.

Ruby squeaked in protest and scooted back toward her father with Pawl still clutched to her chest.

Interesting. The thud of heavy boots sounded behind him. Valek stood and whirled in time to see Ziva charging down the hallway. So much for her staying with the horses.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded. "Grab her and let's go!"

"There's been a…complication," Valek said tilting his head toward Dothan.

Ziva looked at her ex-husband, whose expression hardened into a scowl. "Ziva, you know the courts have awarded me custody for a good reason. Your rules?—"

"Shut up." She turned to Valek. "It's not complicated. You're an assassin. Assassinate him."

Ah. He wondered if she'd hoped this exact scenario would play out tonight and Valek would be forced to kill the man.

When he didn't move, she added, "You owe me a favor."

"I do." Valek considered.

Ruby had returned to hiding behind her father. The girl was clearly not happy to see her mother, but it could be due to bad stories told to her by Dothan. The man remained quiet. He hadn't threatened or bargained or begged for his life. Only that one plea for his daughter.

Losing patience, Ziva charged toward Ruby. Magic swelled and she slowed, then struggled to advance as if fighting through a fierce gale. The power pushed her back until she was pinned to the wall.

"Valek," Ziva puffed. "I saved…your life. You owe…me…my daughter."

A strangled cry came from Dothan at the mention of Valek's name.

"Except, it appears she doesn't want to go with you," Valek said.

"She's four. That bastard's…been lying to her?—"

"Then why is Ruby pushing you away?" Valek asked.

"She…can't. She's four."

"Apparently, she can." Valek remembered Yelena's comment about using magic without knowing she'd pulled power. She had called it her survival instinct. Perhaps this situation was similar. Although, if the girl was that scared…he shuddered. Promise or not, Ruby's welfare came first.

"Can you ask Ruby to release Ziva?" Valek asked Dothan.

"Ruby, honey. Let your mother go."

"I don't wanna."

But then the girl huffed, and Ziva sagged as the magic disappeared.

"Since this is a case of one's word against another…" Valek placed two darts on the palm of his hand, showing them to Ruby's parents. "These are loaded with a truth serum. One prick each and we can settle this matter."

"There's nothing to settle," Ziva said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You owe me."

"And I will still owe you a favor, but I'm not putting a child at risk."

"At risk! I'm her mother."

"Then act like one, Ziva," Dothan said. He pushed up his sleeve, exposing his forearm. "Go ahead."

There was his answer. Instead of pricking Dothan, he sent the dart into Ziva's neck. She cried out in shocked betrayal as she plucked it from her skin.

"I'm reporting you to the…" She wobbled. "The…" Ziva slumped to the ground.

"Did you sleep her, too?" Ruby asked.

"Yes."

"Truth serum?" Dothan raised an eyebrow.

"I wish. It would make my life so much easier." Well, he had his goo-goo juice, but that could be unreliable.

"Did Ziva really save your life?"

"Yes."

"That's an act of treason in Sitia. She could be hung."

"Which is why I'm taking her with me." Valek pulled Ziva over his shoulder. "I'm sorry to disturb your sleep." As he carried her through the house, he braced for Dothan to raise the alarm and call for his farm hands to give chase. Only silence followed him outside.

The horses were tied to a nearby tree. Valek secured Ziva to her saddle, then mounted his horse. He clucked his tongue and headed north to Lapeer. It was a mid-sized town close to the Ixian border.

What a mess the night turned out to be. Valek had fallen for what Janco had called the "damsel-in-distress" trick. He'd believed her about her ex-husband without investigating further, while it deserved to be taken seriously, he should have confirmed the facts.

Why hadn't he asked more questions? It could have been due to being grateful for Ziva's help and for saving his life. Or due to the emotional whirlwind of saving Yelena from an assassin. Or because he'd fallen in love for the first time in his life.

What had Tam said about him? You've lost your edge. Gone soft.

Perhaps he had.

He'd promised Fourth Magician Irys Jewelrose that he would give Yelena a year to learn how to control and use her magic without him as a distraction. Plus, she needed to become acclimated with her new home. With Yelena safe in Sitia, Valek should be focusing his full attention on his work for Commander Ambrose in Ixia. He tucked all the messy emotions that had sprung from his heart over the last three seasons back into their dark little corner.

* * *

They arrived in Lapeer an hour before dawn, and he brought Ziva to his safe house. The town wasn't technically big enough to warrant a safe house, but with its proximity to Ixia, it was a prime location to spot refugees crossing the border.

After dumping her on the couch, Valek groomed the horses and told his agents they could either sell the animals or keep them. Then he dozed on an armchair while waiting for Ziva to wake.

She stirred a few hours later. Sitting up in alarm, she scanned the room. "Where's Ruby?"

"With her father. Why did you lie to me about Dothan?" he asked with his coldest tone; the one that had criminals confessing.

But her alarm turned to anger. "I saved you. You owe me."

He gestured around the room. "This is me repaying the favor. If I'd left you, you would have been arrested. Now answer my question."

"He took her away from me! Said I was a bad mother."

"Apparently, the courts agreed."

"He's powerful. Of course, they agreed."

"Apparently, Ruby agrees."

"She's four. And apparently too attached to her father. If she stays with him, she's going to grow up to be just. Like. Him. The child needs discipline. Order. A strict schedule. Rules. Because Dothan and I both have magic, Ruby's going to be a master magician, and she will need my guidance on the use of her powers. Dothan is too soft. He bought her a puppy! How can she be a ruthless leader with his guidance?"

Valek would be impressed that she managed to keep her beliefs hidden from him for so long, but instead a heavy weight settled deep in his chest. The Commander always said power corrupted, and here was yet another variation on its effects.

"Now you know why Ruby needs me," Ziva said. "We can try again. Maybe next season? By then, Dothan?—"

"No. Our relationship ends now. You have two choices, Ziva. One, you disappear. My agents will help you relocate to another city in exchange for your promise to stay away from your daughter. Two, you stay. In that case, my agents will deliver you to Dothan's door all wrapped up with a pretty bow, so he can decide what crime you'll be arrested for."

"How about you let me go, and I won't say a word to the authorities about you or your agents?" Ziva countered.

Since she had no idea of her current location, it was an empty threat. "You want a third choice? All right. How about I deal with you right now and my agents will bury your body?"

Ziva's face drained of color. Finally, the woman was afraid of him.

"Consider this, Ziva. It's clear you've lost Ruby's affection. She will continue pushing you away and no one, except me, can stop her. What's your choice?"

"I'll disappear." Her tone was borderline begrudging.

"And?"

"I promise to stay away from Ruby."

Valek suppressed a sigh. Ziva's words didn't match the calculation in her gaze. "Good choice. I'm going to hold you to that promise." He made eye contact with her, driving his point home. "And good luck. Perhaps you'll use your obvious determination to find a purpose for your own life."

He left the room and explained to his agents what he needed them to do. "Once she arrives in her new town, have our local spies keep an eye on her. If she leaves, send me a message."

"Yes, sir."

Not the best solution. Her fear of him would fade, and she might try to go after her daughter again. However, he truly hoped Ziva would find her own way. If not… Well, Valek would deal with her.

He left the house—and Ziva—behind and hurried to reach the Snake Forest before full daylight. Not that he was worried about the Ixian patrols in the forest, but he didn't want any Sitians to recognize him and give chase.

On a map, the Snake Forest resembled its name. It was a narrow strip of green, undulating from east to west. The forest was part of the Territory of Ixia, and a hundred feet past the edge of the forest was the official Sitian border. The Commander had the trees and bushes cleared so no one could sneak in. Which didn't work. At all.

The cold air flowing through the trees held a crisp pine scent with an earthy hint of moisture. It was the first day of the warming season and the dark clouds to the west promised rain. Valek avoided the patrols by pure habit, so he surprised the soldier on duty at Military District 5's station. The poor woman jumped about a foot in the air, then she peered at Valek as if not quite sure she believed his identity. Too tired to care, he checked on Onyx. The station didn't have a stable—no need as all the patrols were done on foot—but the black stallion grazed nearby. A long lead line was tied to his harness.

The station's captain came around the building. He was broad-chested and muscular. "We've been exercising him for you, sir."

"Thank you."

"We didn't have any grain for him, so we took turns riding him to town to buy him feed and some supplies." The man pulled an apple from his pocket. Using his knife, he cut slices. Onyx raised his head at the sound and trotted over. The captain fed the horse. "He's really quiet in the forest, sir. Knows where to put his hooves. Too bad we don't have more horses like him. We could cover more ground and chase down fugitives faster."

Only the Commander, his advisers, generals, and high-ranking officers, rode horses to travel. Mostly because horses were expensive to keep and train, and the Commander believed that the money would be better spent on the people. However, using horses for border patrols wouldn't require too many extra resources.

"That's a good point, Captain. I'll look into it."

The man brightened in surprise. Valek didn't think it was that much of a compliment, but then he remembered this station had been under General Brazell's jurisdiction. And the general had been ignoring his soldiers and diverting funds from the army to build his illegal Criollo factory.

If Valek hadn't been so tired, he would have noticed the run-down station and worn uniforms on the patrol.

Calculating the cost of feed—he'd been away for fourteen days—Valek handed the captain a couple gold coins. "For the supplies."

"Oh, no, sir. You don't?—"

"I do. Now, what's the gossip?" Valek led the man inside as he listened to the rumors. The border patrols were always the last to get the latest news and, by the time it reached them, the information tended to be either exaggerated, garbled, or outright incorrect. Valek helped clear a few things up but couldn't answer the question of who the Commander planned to appoint as the new general of MD-5. No surprise that was the captain's biggest concern.

Exhausted, Valek eventually collapsed onto a cot in the back room to sleep for a few hours.

* * *

Onyx was saddled and waiting for Valek when he woke. He thanked the captain and headed to MD-5's manor house. The man was right about the horse. Even at a fast pace through a carpet of dead leaves, Onyx's hooves failed to make any crunching sounds. Valek hadn't noticed it on the trip down to the station house; he'd been too worried about Yelena to pay attention.

Not long after he'd left the station, sheets of rain swept in with a cold blast of wind. Valek pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders. Good thing he didn't need to camp overnight in the storm as he arrived at the manor right before nightfall.

When Valek and Onyx reached the stable, Adviser Dema waited for him. He'd been spotted on the road, and, of course, Commander Ambrose demanded to see him right away.

"Now?" he asked her.

Her long black hair had been pulled into a bun. She wore the standard adviser's uniform—black shirt with two red diamonds stitched onto the collar, black pants, and boots. "Now."

By that point, the rain had soaked through to his skin and there were puddles of water in his boots. At least Onyx was in good hands. Back in his home, the stable boys descended with warm towels, combs, and fresh hay. Lucky bugger.

As Valek trudged after his colleague through the large U-shaped manor house, he longed for a hot bath and dry clothes. They arrived and Dema waited until Valek entered the room before dashing off to…well, he'd no idea. The lanterns had been lit in the Commander's office, which had been Brazell's before the general was arrested and incarcerated. The yellow glow did not give off any warmth, neither did the Commander's cold gaze as it swept over Valek's bedraggled appearance.

Valek shivered.

"Sit down," he ordered.

He perched on the edge of the plush chair facing the massive wooden desk. The Commander stood and went to a sideboard. He poured a couple drinks and handed one to Valek before resettling behind the desk. Valek took a grateful sip. The whiskey burned down his throat and warmed his stomach.

The Commander had regained a bit of the weight that he'd lost, but that hard edge he'd acquired since his ordeal lurked in his gold almond-shaped eyes. More gray streaked his bristle short black hair, even though the man was only forty-one-years-old.

"Report," the Commander ordered.

Valek recounted his pursuit of Tam, also known as Tamequintin, the assassin that had taken Yelena's order of execution with the intent of carrying it out. The order the Commander had signed because magicians were illegal in Ixia; any mage caught in Ixia was hanged. Valek also included in his report the details of his capture.

"A magician named Ziva Moon helped me escape from prison in exchange for a favor. She also accompanied me to Delip, a city in the Cloud Mist Clan, where we caught up to Tam. With her aid, I was able to trap and kill Tam," Valek said.

"And the favor?" the Commander asked.

Reluctant to detail the family drama, Valek said, "Taken care of."

The Commander quirked an eyebrow but said nothing as he sipped his drink. After an uncomfortable silence, he asked, "What happened to Yelena's order of execution?"

Ah. "Ziva Moon put it into my saddlebags. I'm assuming it's still there."

"Still won't touch it?"

"Not unless it's to burn it, sir."

The Commander huffed in either amusement or annoyance, it was hard to tell. "You didn't miss much while you were gone, Valek. I've uncovered a few more people involved in Brazell and Mogkan's plot to overthrow me and have arrested them. I also decided to promote Colonel Ute from MD-3 to general of MD-5. Her service record is stellar, and she's impressed me over the years."

"Are Generals Tesso and Hazal still here?" Valek asked.

"No. I sent them home. Both are rather opinionated, and I want Ute to run her Military District as she sees fit." Ambrose smiled wryly. "Plus, I don't want her turning into… What did you call the other generals?"

The Commander knew exactly what Valek had called them. He never forgot anything. Even though he was being teased, Valek was happy to see Ambrose relax a bit.

"Old windbags," Valek supplied.

He snapped his fingers. "That's it! Does she provide enough fresh blood for you?"

Another jab. "Yes, sir."

"Good. You are to take a couple soldiers and deliver the promotion to her. Then escort her here."

That was unusual. Normally, the Commander sent the papers to the district's general to notify the person of a promotion. "Are you expecting trouble?"

"Possibly. This is the first time since the takeover that I've promoted someone to general. The other seven have been together a long time, and they are probably expecting me to have a meeting and consult them on the new general. It would be a courtesy and generate good will toward the newest member. Except, I'm in no mood to play nice. Not when one of my generals tried to usurp me. Plus, the old windbags would want to promote another old windbag."

Ah yes. The good-old-boy network.

The Commander took a drink as he gazed into the distance for a moment. Then he returned his attention to Valek. "By sending you to officially present the paperwork, I'm letting all the generals know I'm serious. If I send the orders to General Franis, he might hang on to it in order to delay things and perhaps demand that a meeting is called. Either way, he'll have all the generals in an uproar in no time. He might still try to slow you down."

Valek smiled without humor. "He can try. We'll also be traveling through MD-4. Do I need to worry about General Tesso?"

"You will leave in the morning, and, by the time the rumors circulate, you'll be in MD-3." The Commander paused. "Take an extra horse for Ute just in case Franis refuses to give her one. He'll probably send a message to Tesso. Be careful on the way back. Even though you outrank the generals, they're unhappy with you at the moment."

"They've never been happy with me."

"That's on me. Since you tried to assassinate me before the takeover, they've never fully trusted you. They campaigned long and hard for you to be ranked below them. I refused."

"That's a long time to hold a grudge."

"It is. And they all have an army of loyal soldiers, so you should prepare for some trouble."

"I always do."

"Good. Stop by to collect the paperwork before you leave."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Valek downed the rest of his drink and left. Since he was already soaked and it was still raining, he headed to the barracks to recruit a couple soldiers. The Commander considered, in the morning to be dawn. And Valek desperately needed a good night's sleep.

* * *

The rain drummed on the roof of the wooden barracks. The flames flickered inside the lanterns as the cold wind blew through the gaps in the walls. The soldiers not on duty either huddled around burn barrels or were wrapped in heavy cloaks and playing cards. A few slept on the bunks.

Valek hoped Captain Ari wasn't on duty. While the Commander's elite unit was filled with top-notched individuals, Valek preferred to travel with a familiar person. Plus, Ari had proven to be intelligent, dependable, and more than qualified, and Ari would know who else would be right for the mission.

He found Ari playing cards in the farthest building. Valek was surprised to see his partner, Janco, sitting next to him. Janco had been skewered by a sword about a month ago while fighting to save the Commander. Valek thought the man would still be off the duty roster. However, Janco was wrapped up in a blanket and looked pale. Perhaps he remained on bed rest.

Ari jumped to attention when he spotted Valek. He scowled at the others until they surged to their feet.

"At ease," Valek said. "Captains, a word?"

The three of them found a quiet corner.

"Yelena?" Ari asked immediately. A worried crinkle rose between his pale-blue eyes. Ari had been the one to discover Tam wasn't a member of Brazell's army and had figured out when the assassin left, giving Valek enough time to catch up.

"Safe," Valek said.

Both men relaxed. They were beyond friends with Yelena. Probably in the realm of family.

"Phew," Janco said. "That was an agonizing two weeks."

"And Tam?" Ari asked.

"Dead."

"Good."

"Ari, I've been assigned another mission and need some backup. Do you know how to ride a horse?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know anyone who is qualified to go with us?"

"Me!" Janco raised his hand.

"Aren't you still recovering?"

"No. I'm healed. One hundred percent good to go. And I was practically raised on a horse."

Valek looked at Ari.

"The medic released him for duty," Ari said.

That didn't help. "Riding long hours is hard on the body, Janco. Are you sure your stomach and back muscles can handle the motion?"

"Yep!"

Valek jabbed Janco directly on his injury.

Janco jumped back in surprise. "What was that for?"

"Any pain?" He studied Janco's expression.

"No."

"We might run into trouble, and you might need to fight multiple opponents."

Janco's dark eyes lit up. "Promise?"

Suppressing a sigh, Valek turned to Ari. "I'm asking you, not the medic, if he's cleared for duty."

"Janco on a bad day is still better than these other soldiers on their good days."

Janco puffed out his chest and beamed.

"You know a yes would have sufficed," Valek grumbled.

"I know."

"All right. Meet me at the stables at dawn."

"Dawn," Janco cried. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and hunched over in mock pain. "I'm not feeling so good."

Shaking his head, Valek left the men to prepare for the trip. After a quick stop to talk to the Stable Master, he hurried to the baths for that long awaited hot soak.

* * *

Thirty minutes before dawn, the Commander handed Valek the official promotion papers for Colonel Ute. The scroll was sealed and wrapped in wax paper to keep it dry. Valek looked forward to handing it to Ute. Much of his job dealt with criminals, liars, murderers, death, and blood; it was a nice change of pace to bring someone joy.

"I've removed Yelena's execution order from your saddlebags," the Commander said. "It's in a secure location. You don't need to worry about anyone else finding the order and targeting her. As long as she remains in Sitia, she's safe."

The apprehension that had settled in his chest like a bad cold dissipated. "Thank you, sir."

"Make this a quick trip, Valek. I'm ready to go home."

"Yes, sir."

As Valek strode to the stables, he considered his home. He'd lived in the castle for the last sixteen years, but the thought of returning to his suite of rooms without Yelena held no appeal. While she had lived in his quarters, they'd been colleagues simply sharing a space. They discussed cases, talked about fighting techniques, and other odd topics that had come up during their days. Nothing exciting nor romantic, but he treasured their time together, and had rushed back every night to work in his apartment instead of his office just because Yelena would be curled up on the couch reading.

Keeping busy would be the key to surviving these next eleven months without Yelena. Perhaps he should request the time off well in advance, so the Commander had ample time to prepare for when Valek was away. He had never asked for a day off since they'd met. He hadn't a reason.

A sudden sobering thought occurred to him. What if, after a year, Yelena no longer wished to be with him? What if she met someone else? They had a mere week together as a couple, it wouldn't be a surprise if her feelings changed. Just the thought of her rejection caused a painful contraction right where he'd stuffed his emotions. Best not to dwell on what ifs. Especially ones he had no control over.

The black sky lightened slowly, as if being scrubbed away layer by layer. Happy that the rain had stopped, Valek avoided the puddles at the entrance to the stables.

Onyx and three horses stood in the center aisle. They were saddled and ready to go as requested.

"…truly think I'm allergic to dawn," Janco said to his partner as they arrived. He sneezed. Probably to prove his point. Or perhaps due to the dust-laced air. An unavoidable aspect of a building full of horses, straw, and grain.

Janco's sleepy expression dropped when he spotted the horses. "Ooohhh, she's a beaut!" He went over to the liver-colored chestnut horse with big brown eyes and a glossy black mane. She cocked a long ear as he ran his hand down her neck, withers, and legs, checking for hot spots. "What's her name?"

"Lovey," the Stable Master said, joining them. "And this one is Hugh."

Hugh was a big and sturdy dappled gray. His mane and long tail were charcoal colored. Even his eyes were a dark gray.

"The other is Clover the Clever, she's the smartest in the stable and has the smoothest gait. We call her Clover for short. Are they dark enough for you?"

Clover the Clever was a bay with a reddish-brown coat. Her mane and tail had been braided.

"Yes, thanks," Valek said.

"Why does their color matter?" Janco asked.

Ari answered. "We're riding north where everything is still in the grips of the cold weather. A light-colored horse will not blend in as well. And I'm guessing we want to blend in."

"We do. Well, as much as we can riding horses in Ixia," Valek said.

"Clover will be best for our new general to ride. She'll demonstrate the quality of MD-5's breeding and training program," the Stable Master said with a smirk.

Ari and Janco glanced at Valek. "New general?"

It never ceased to amaze Valek how quickly gossip traveled through the staff. If only his spy network was as efficient. Hopefully the rumors only mentioned the reason for his trip and not their destination. "I'll brief you on the way. Secure your gear. We don't have time to waste."

The captains filled the saddlebags with their supplies and strapped their swords onto the saddles for quick and easy access. Each also had a backpack with a bedroll attached. The spartan travel shelters along the route were uncomfortable, and the thin mats would be welcome after a full day of riding.

Ari mounted Hugh, while Janco hopped onto Lovey's back. Clover's reins were tied to Onyx's saddle. With Valek in the lead, they headed north. General Franis's manor house was in the south-eastern section of MD-3, and close to the border with MD-4. It was near the foothills of the Soul Mountains, close to the various entrances of the diamond mines that crisscrossed the long mountain chain. Mines that Franis oversaw, ensuring the onsite supervisors followed the Commander's safety protocols. Mine collapses, gas explosions, and workers getting lost and dying in the tunnels were a thing of the past. The chain still produced diamonds, although not as many as in the past, and they were all shipped to the Commander who either gifted them to hard workers or sold them.

The trip would take approximately five and a half days on horseback. The route Valek decided to take would, thankfully, be far to the east of General Tesso's manor house and near the rolling foothills.

Valek briefed Ari and Janco about the mission during their first stop to rest and feed the horses around noon. A blanket of clouds sealed the sky, transforming the landscape into a stark world filled with hues of gray. Water rushed from a nearby spring and snaked through the still frozen ground. Ice crunched on the stream's banks, but the horses didn't seem to mind the brisk temperature as they ducked their heads to drink.

"Why would the generals expect to be consulted?" Ari asked. He chewed on a stick, claiming it was beef jerky. "We're never asked about our colleagues before they're promoted."

"Many of the generals have been with the Commander since he made the decision to takeover Ixia. They worked with him and his family in the diamond mines and trained him how to fight and strategize. They didn't work their way up through the ranks like you and Janco, so they have a different relationship."

"I'm not sure you can say Janco worked," Ari teased.

"Hey!" Janco glowered at his partner. "Every one of my promotions was earned with blood, sweat, and tears." He smirked. "The tears of my opponents, that is!"

Ari groaned. Before they could start bickering, Valek told them to mount up.

They were still within the borders of MD-5 when the light began to fade and they reached the first travel shelter. The small rectangular shaped building's roof extended over the stalls for the horses. The ad-hoc stable had some bales of straw and buckets.

After they rubbed down the horses and filled the buckets with water and grain, they trod inside as darkness settled. The horses had excellent night vision, but Valek didn't want to exhaust them by riding more than eight hours each day. Better for them to save their energy for the trip back. The one-room shelter contained two rows of four wooden bunk beds and a hearth. The place was empty.

Ari piled firewood on the stones and set it alight. They boiled some water for tea.

Janco gnawed on a stick of jerky. "Pah," he spat. "I'm already sick of travel rations. Will we have time for a hot meal at the general's house?"

"I expect that we'll be there for a few days to give the Colonel time to pack and say goodbye. The general will probably have a congratulatory dinner for her," Valek said. "Unless he's not happy about the promotion."

"And then?"

"We won't linger over the goodbyes."

Janco laughed. "In that case, there won't be a good in goodbye."

He certainly had a unique way of looking at life. And it struck Valek that he didn't know much about either man's past. "How did you and Ari meet?"

"I'm surprised you haven't read our files," Ari said.

He had. They were filled with dry facts and dates. "You were both assigned to the same unit when you were promoted to the Commander's garrison, but that doesn't tell me how your friendship formed."

"Ho, boy," Janco said. "That story will take all night."

"No, it won't," Ari countered.

"Yes, it will. Because it's more than us meeting at the castle complex. It goes back to before. To why we joined the army and what happened along the way."

"Valek doesn't want to hear all that."

"What else is there to do?" Janco looked at Valek.

While he suspected the story would be a rambling account with lots of tangents and details he didn't need to hear, Janco had a point. There was nothing else to do.

"Go ahead," he said.

Janco rubbed his hands together as glee shone in his eyes. Valek already regretted encouraging him and the man hadn't said a word yet.

"When I was eleven, two major things happened that shaped my life," Janco said. "My father was lost at sea, and the Commander took over Ixia."