Chapter 6

Valek bit back a curse. General Tesso's presence just transformed the situation with the Criollo from bad to worse. At least he shouldn't know about the incident in MD-3 with Ute.

"Ah, there you are," Tesso said in a clipped tone as Valek drew closer. "We were just discussing you."

Valek noted Laban's stiff posture, indicating their irritation. Tesso's dour expression also didn't bode well for this meeting.

When Valek remained quiet, Tesso added, "We wondered why you didn't feel it necessary to alert the garrison's commander of your presence and your claims against a trade caravan."

There were several concerning words in that sentence. "Because it wasn't necessary to wake the colonel for a situation that I'm quite capable of handling," Valek said.

"You can't just come in here and order my people about," Laban said.

"I can. They're my people, too."

"Look, Valek," Tesso said. "After the debacle with Brazell and the Commander, your reputation isn't exactly stellar right now. And to add to it, you're accusing a trade caravan of transporting illegal goods. Since when is a dessert considered illegal?"

"Regardless of my reputation, I'm under no obligation to explain my actions to you or anyone else besides the Commander."

Tesso laughed without humor. "The Commander who you are sworn to protect? The one you allowed to be captured and almost killed? The one you abandoned soon after to pursue some assassin in Sitia? That Commander?"

The general must have learned of Valek's mission to save Yelena before he left MD-5. He wondered how he found out so fast. Had the Commander shared the information? Regardless, Valek failed to rise to the bait. Instead, he gave the general his flat killer stare. He'd love to assassinate the man and put Laban in charge.

Tesso was unimpressed. "Well, that Commander is not yet recovered from his ordeal. He's making hasty, emotional, and illogical decisions and you're not considered reliable anymore. In fact, what are you even doing here? You should be by the Commander's side, ensuring no one else can harm him, and not going on foolish errands for him. Let alone this side jaunt, chasing after nothing."

Ah. So, Tesso did know about Ute. Again, the news had traveled much faster than it normally would, which was concerning. However, the general was not all wrong. Valek should be with the Commander.

"Your opinions have been noted, General," Valek said. "If you're finished expressing them, I've work to do." Valek stepped to leave.

"Where's Colonel Ute?" Tesso demanded.

"General Ute should be at her manor house in MD-5 by now." Valek hoped.

"Not for long. The generals are discussing this hasty promotion along with your failure in keeping the Commander safe. We plan to present a number of actionable items to the Commander."

"Good luck with that," Valek said and headed for the door.

"I wouldn't be so flippant if I were you," Tesso called after him. "You could lose your job or be arrested and hung for treason."

Or I could move to Sitia and be with Yelena and not have to deal with any of you anymore.Tempting. Very tempting.

* * *

Well aware that the general would countermand all Valek's orders, he hurried through the garrison. Valek had the rank to override the General, but that would put the soldiers like Captain Silas in a difficult position.

One of Valek's undercover agents worked in the kitchen. Pale pink light crept over the black sky, so he hoped to find Nowles prepping for breakfast. The slight man stood at a counter chopping green peppers with a precision and speed that either spoke of years of practice or hinted at Nowles's extra training with knives. Valek would have to remind him to tone it down or it might blow his cover.

Catching Nowles's gaze, Valek signaled.

Soon after, Nowles joined Valek in the hallway behind the vast kitchen.

"Better make it quick, boss," Nowles said. "Busy time, and my absence will be noticed."

Valek explained about the boxes that had been delivered the night before.

"Oh yeah, the head chef is ecstatic about the contents. She's been told to serve it only to the higher ranked officers and no one else. Must be expensive."

Interesting and completely opposite of the Commander's orders regarding his army. He required that everyone be treated equally and to have access to the same services and benefits no matter their rank. "It's a drug called Criollo. You can't let anyone ingest it. I want you to steal every box, every bit of it, and burn it."

Nowles gaped at him. "I'd have more success if you ordered me to fly."

"I'm serious."

"So am I! Chef Rae is already guarding it like a dog with a new bone."

"Have Tila help you."

"Still not enough. Can you send me a few more agents?"

"No time."

Nowles wiped his hands on his apron. "How bad is it if they eat it?"

"It's not lethal, but it can be addictive. And…" And it took time to work. Valek drew in a deep, calming breath. Although his instincts screamed at him to destroy it immediately, it wasn't dire. Plus, there needed to be a magician in the garrison to take advantage of the drug's effects.

That possibility stopped Valek. Had Mogkan created his own network of undercover magicians in all the Ixian garrisons and manor houses? A frightening thought.

"And?" Nowles prompted, pulling Valek out of his spiral.

"If the officers eat some, it'll be fine. Just take care of it tonight."

"The op might blow our covers."

"That's fine. Return to the castle, I'll assign two new agents."

"And if we're caught?"

"I'll send a rescue team."

"I'd say it's been a pleasure to see you, but I know you can spot a liar."

Valek smiled. "Get back to work."

"Yes, sir." Muttering under his breath, Nowles dashed away.

While Valek would have loved to find the guest quarters and a soft bed to spend the day in, he needed to leave the garrison before Tesso sent soldiers to arrest him. He had left Onyx at the gate, but he doubted his horse was still there.

On his way to the stables, Captain Silas intercepted him. "The drivers have been given permission to leave with their wagons and cargo."

Not a surprise. "And the explanation?" This ought to be good.

"It seems there has been a misunderstanding. A certain…" He cleared his throat. "High level adviser has panicked and is causing problems over nothing. Overcompensating for his incompetence, this adviser is jumping at shadows and no longer fit for the job."

Valek laughed, giving extra points to the general for his creativity. Then he sobered. "In my experience, shadows can be quite deadly."

Silas gave him a sly smile. "They're also good at hiding secret activities."

Valek stilled. "For example?"

"Let's say there are three wagons carrying a dangerous and illegal substance that also happens to be heavy. Deep in the shadows, one can empty the containers holding this material and fill them with…oh, let's say rocks, just in case the drivers are allowed to continue on their journey."

"And the boxes in the pantry?"

"Alas, not enough time, but the substance that was collected will be properly disposed of. In the shadows of course."

"Of course. Captain Silas, I think you're due for a promotion and reassignment. I don't think the people at this garrison appreciate your talents as much as I do."

"Thank you, Adviser Valek."

"It might take a few months for the paperwork to go through, since I'm overcompensating for my incompetence."

"Now, now. I never said you were the high level adviser."

Smooth. Perhaps he should recruit Silas for his corps.

* * *

Valek found Onyx in the stables. His saddle, pack, and the tack had been removed and hung on the wall in his stall. The big black horse's coat gleamed as if he'd been recently groomed. All good, except the stall's door was secured with a large padlock.

While glad Onyx had been taken care of, Valek worried about the delay that would be caused by picking the lock and then saddling his horse. Nothing to do about it, except to get a move on.

As the sky lightened, Valek worked at a fast pace. Unfortunately, it wasn't fast enough.

"Hey," a booming voice called. "You're not allowed in here."

Valek finished tightening Onyx's girth straps, then faced the Stable Master. "I don't need permission."

"General Tesso?—"

"Has no authority over me."

"But he has authority over me."

"So do I," Valek said in a cold tone. "And authority over the General."

"Yeah." The man drew the word out. "But once you leave with your horse, I'll be in trouble regardless."

Good point. "How are you planning on stopping me?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd just leave the stables. That way I followed my orders to keep you from getting your horse. See? I'm sure you can work out another way to depart the garrison."

Valek crossed his arms as if thinking about it, drumming his fingers on his right sleeve. "Okay, sounds fair." He held out his hand. "Deal?"

Relieved, the Stable Master grasped it. "Ouch." He jerked it away. "What was that?"

"The answer to both our problems," Valek said, tucking the used dart into his left sleeve. It only took that one awful time, when he mixed up the empty darts with the full ones, for him to develop a system of keeping track.

The man wobbled and then slumped to the ground as the sleeping potion took effect.

* * *

By the time Valek finished getting Onyx ready, the day shift was awake, and the garrison hummed with activity. Did General Tesso really expect the Stable Master to stop Valek, or was the man a diversion? Interesting that none of the stable boys had reported to work yet. Was there a unit of soldiers lying in wait for him? And did Valek really have a choice? It was hard enough to sneak out on his own. Almost impossible with a horse. Unless…

Valek stared at the sleeping Stable Master as an idea formed. Pulling clothes off an unconscious person was awkward, difficult, and time consuming. However, Valek managed to change into the Stable Master's uniform. It stank like sour milk and Valek had to tighten the belt.

He gathered Onyx's reins and walked beside the horse as they left the stables. Striding with purpose and confidence, Valek headed toward the gate. He tried to keep Onyx between him and everyone else in case someone actually looked at him and not at the uniform. The requirement that everyone who lived in Ixia wear a uniform indicating their job was both a bane and a boon to Valek.

This time, it appeared to be working. No one stopped him or called a halt. Valek strode up to the gate and reached his first obstacle.

The lieutenant from last night stood in front of the gate with his arms crossed. "Nice disguise, but I've orders not to let you leave, sir."

Valek sighed for many reasons. First, the man didn't have his weapon drawn. Big mistake. Second, the ring of soldiers behind him also did not have their weapons out. Third, there was no one behind Valek. Fourth, no archers. Who trained these people? Did they just expect him to give up?

Since sneaking out was no longer an option, Valek mounted Onyx, turned him around and took off. Shouts followed. Valek waited a few seconds, then spun Onyx back toward the gate.

The shocked expressions of the guards, who had spread out in their pursuit with the faster ones in front, was comical. Valek charged them. Not many people were willing to block a two-thousand-pound animal running straight at them at full speed. Instead, they scattered, diving out of the way. Fun.

Onyx reached the gate and Valek held his breath. Would the horse balk at jumping over it? Heck of a time to find out. Without breaking his stride, Onyx launched, sailed over the barrier, and landed with a slight stumble. Valek grabbed his mane to keep his balance as Onyx righted and galloped away from the garrison.

Valek imagined General Tesso telling the other generals that a man without guilt wouldn't have run. More evidence for his campaign to get Valek fired. He didn't care what the generals thought. If Valek didn't destroy the remaining Criollo, the Commander would kill him.

Which meant he needed to go to Tesso's manor and confiscate the Criollo. Had the general warned his people at the house about Valek? Normally, he'd march right in and take what he needed. No questions asked. However, if the general said Valek wasn't to be trusted or should be arrested, then the direct approach wouldn't work. Valek would have to sneak in and contact his agents. Together, they'd have to steal and then dispose of the Criollo. Time consuming and difficult, but not as hard as swiping it from a garrison.

At least, Valek wouldn't have a general countermanding his orders when he confiscated the Criollo from MD-5's garrison. By then, he hoped to know who had sent those wagons and where else the cargo had been delivered.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Valek didn't notice the three other riders heading for him until Onyx slowed. He groaned when he recognized Ari, Janco, and General Ute. If they truly wanted to be a part of his team, they needed to follow his orders. Both men looked properly terrified of Valek's reaction. Good.

When he reached the group, Ute held her hand up. "I take full responsibility."

Valek bit back a growl. "What happened?"

"When we reached the border of MD-4, it was guarded by soldiers. Captain Ari's idea to scout ahead saved us from an ambush. We headed west to test a few more roads leading south, but all have been blocked. The new plan was to travel into MD-6 and then turn south, but Captain Janco found Onyx's tracks and I decided we should attempt to rendezvous with you."

"How did he know they were Onyx's?" Valek asked her.

"It seems that horses' hooves are not all identical."

Valek glanced at Janco. The captain fought to keep his serious expression as a smirk twitched his lips.

"The border guards indicated that General Franis was able to get a message about us to General Tesso," Ari said. "We didn't think we had the…clout to get through their barriers."

And Valek learned another lesson in not jumping to conclusions. They had avoided trouble and found him. Their skills as scouts certainly proved to be an asset to the mission. "You did the right thing," he said to the trio. "And now you can help me run an errand before we head to MD-5."

"Uh, what about the border patrols?" Janco asked.

"Don't worry, I've plenty of clout," Valek said, patting the side of Onyx's neck.

Janco leaned close to Ari and whispered, "I think his definition of clout is different than yours."

Valek raised an eyebrow.

Janco straightened. "What is the errand, sir?"

"Did you find out where that caravan went?" Ari asked.

A team effort to distract him. Nice. "I did, I'll fill you in on the way."

"To where?" Ute asked.

"General Tesso's manor house."

Janco made a strangled sound. Everyone looked at him. "Of course, we're going to the manor house," he said. "I'd forgotten we were invited to high tea with the General." He patted his pockets. "Hmm, I must have misplaced my invitation."

* * *

"Please don't tell me this is a typical mission for you," Janco whispered to Valek as they crouched in a dark shadow. "If so, I really have to consider if I want to continue hero worshipping you or not."

"Consider it a test of your patience," Valek replied.

"You assume too much," Ari said. "Janco doesn't have any patience."

"Are they always this chatty during a mission?" Ute asked.

He had no idea. "Let's stay focused." Valek detailed the plan to everyone again.

They waited until late into the night. When the occupants of the manor house were deep asleep, Valek signaled, and they broke into pairs to head in different directions. Ari and Valek toward the manor's pantry, and Janco accompanied Ute to the stables.

Sneaking into the house reminded Valek of when he and Yelena had broken in to Brazell's. They'd hunted for the source of Mogkan's extra power, hoping it would free the Commander from his magical control. The horrors they'd discovered still haunted him. Mogkan had siphoned the souls from the children he'd kidnapped from Sitia to amplify his power.

Yelena had impressed Valek by not running away screaming when she entered the place where she'd been tortured and raped as Brazell's son, Reyad, and Mogkan tried to steal her soul. Her inner strength and courage amazed him. A sharp pang squeezed his heart over the reminder of her absence.

Ari followed him on silent feet. They reached the kitchen without encountering anyone. Warmth embraced them as they entered. The fires in the ovens had been banked, but the sweet aroma of apple pie still scented the air. They had a four-hour window of opportunity between when the cleaning crew finished for the day and the pastry chef woke to start baking.

Jars had already been filled with Criollo and set on the shelves within reach of the dessert chef. Ari collected them while Valek swiped a bottle of whiskey and shoved it into his pocket. Then he unlocked the door to the pantry. The locks popped easily. Too bad the hinges squeaked as he pulled it open. He and Ari froze.

If he had the time to do this properly, he would have spent a few days learning all the quirks of the kitchen and staff so there would be no surprises.

When no candlelight shone under the door of the chef's quarters, Valek and Ari entered. The shelves in the main room were loaded with sacks of flour, grain, rice, and other staples. In the far corner were the stairs that led down to the cold storage. Valek took the lantern that hung nearby and lit it. Ari mimed shutting the pantry door and pointed to his ear.

Should they risk another squeak or leave it open? If the door was discovered ajar in the morning, it would cause an immediate investigation. Valek motioned to close it and braced for the noise.

Ari examined the hinges for a moment then set the jars on a shelf. He lifted the door slightly before pulling it closed without a sound. Impressive.

He picked up the jars and joined Valek at the top of the stairs. He whispered, "I learned that trick from Janco."

Figured. Valek shook his head and continued into the cellar. The boxes of Criollo had been stacked along the left side. Smoked meat hung from hooks along the right side and wheels of cheese had been piled underneath. At the far end was a set of stone stairs that led up to the outside. While Ari counted boxes, Valek hurried up them. At the top of the steps was a set of metal doors that could only be opened from the inside. A large padlock kept them clamped together.

The lock proved to be more complicated to open than Valek expected. Was Tesso worried about people stealing food? Once he removed it, he pushed opened the doors. On the other side, Janco grabbed them and pulled them wide.

In the weak moonlight, Valek spotted Lovey hitched to a wagon. "Any trouble?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Good. Let's hurry."

The three of them loaded the boxes and jars of Criollo into the wagon. When they'd taken every bit, Janco jumped into the driver's seat, while Valek and Ari sat in the back.

This was the most dangerous part of the mission. An exposed target, the three of them scanned the area for guards. They glanced at the windows, seeking people peering out who might raise an alarm. They hoped no one would spot the wooden wagon or hear it creaking over the cobblestones.

No one breathed until they reached the woods east of the manor house. Ute waited for them with the rest of the horses.

"Is it just me or did that seem too easy?" Janco asked.

"It was too easy," Valek said. "It's been a number of years since the Commander and I have visited the manors and garrisons in Ixia. When I'm there, I test their defenses."

"How does that help?" Ari asked.

"They're informed that there will be a test. Even knowing to be extra vigilant, I usually get through. After I bypass their defenses, they pay more attention when I hold extra training sessions. It appears that they're long overdue for a refresher course."

"Yeah, but, you're Valek. The best of the best couldn't stop you." Janco said.

"I'm cocky, but not that cocky. Everyone gets caught eventually." Valek still made mistakes. His capture in Sitia was one recent example.

"It's a good thing they're out of practice or we'd have been chased tonight, and you might have gotten stuck in the garrison," Janco said.

"Well, I don't teach them all my tricks."

"Nice."

Valek, Ute, and Ari mounted their horses and Janco followed them south. They stopped before a bend in the road would expose them to the border guards. Ari melted into the forest around them to scout ahead.

When Ari returned, he reported, "There are six soldiers waiting in ambush at the border, three on each side of the road. You're right, they need a refresher."

"What would you do differently?" Valek asked.

"I would have them lying in wait right about a hundred yards before this bend and not at the border."

"It doesn't matter where they are," Janco said. "We're not getting this wagon past them." He fingered the hilt of his sword. "I could do with a little exercise after all this sneaking around."

"We're not smuggling the wagon passed them," Valek said. "Unhitch Lovey."

"Oh." Janco hurried to unhook all the straps, and then he saddled her.

Once he finished, he and Ari mounted and walked their horses into the forest on the left side of the road. Ute mounted Clever and took Onyx into the right side. When they were in position, Valek took a swig of the whiskey he'd swiped from Tesso's kitchen before pouring it over the boxes. Then he set the wagon on fire, signaling the others to move away.

Valek ran to catch up to Ute. He joined her just as the flames reached the whiskey. A loud whoomph sounded, rattling the trees. The invisible energy wave that followed pushed on Valek's shoulders. They waited. Seconds after the explosion, six figures raced up the road toward the burning wagon.

They urged their horses onto the path, joined Ari and Janco, and trotted into MD-5.

"Now, that's clout," Janco said.

* * *

Valek and Ute reported to the Commander right after they settled the horses in the stables. It was late, but the Commander was still in what would soon be General Ute's office. They stood in front of the desk and took turns recounting all their adventures. The Commander listened without interrupting or reacting, which Valek had learned was a sign of anger. The Commander hadn't so much as twitched—another dangerous indicator. And his knuckles slowly turned white during the report.

When they were finished, the Commander dismissed Ute, telling her to get some rest and that they would start working on the transition in the morning. His pleasant, welcoming tone, gave her no indication of his fury. After all, it wasn't her fault the generals had behaved so badly. Not Valek's either, but he braced for the fire to reach the proverbial whiskey.

"I don't care how many people you need, find all of that damn Criollo and destroy it." His tone was ice cold. "Then find whoever is responsible for shipping it and kill them. All of them."

Whoomph.

"I've also changed my mind regarding Brazell," the Commander said. "Let's drag him to the castle and hang him. We'll invite all the generals to watch. They can see what a real hasty, emotional, and illogical decision looks like. And let's see if they still consider me not in my right mind to make big decisions."

Valek went to the sideboard and poured them both a drink. He set the Commander's glass on the desk before settling in a chair. "I've a better idea."

"Do tell."

"While it's very tempting, instead of hanging Brazell, we visit all the generals and garrisons. We haven't done it in years, and they need to see you being you."

"I want to go home, Valek. Not go on a parade. I'm in no mood to play nice."

"It's going to take me a while to find out who sent the Criollo and if there are more caravans. Once Ute is settled, which shouldn't take long, you can go home, and we'll start our tour in the beginning of the warm season."

The Commander sipped his brandy. "She's a good choice, isn't she?"

"An excellent choice."

"I'll consider a tour. In the meantime, I need to demonstrate my displeasure with Tesso and Franis."

"I'm sure you can think of something devious."

After a moment, he said, "I'm going to hit them where it hurts."

"Oh?" Valek raised an eyebrow. "Below the belt?"

"No. It'll be right on the money."

Ah, the money belt. "General Ute will appreciate the extra funds to get MD-5 back in shape."

"Precisely." The Commander relaxed back in his chair.

They discussed a few more things until Valek could no longer stifle his yawns.

"Go get a bath and go to bed, you look exhausted." The Commander sniffed. "You stink of smoke."

Valek laughed, downed his whiskey, and headed for the door where he turned and said, "I missed you, too."

Ambrose's chuckle followed him into the corridor. Before heading to the baths, Valek sent messages to all his agents working in the garrisons and manor houses, instructing them to hunt down every last bit of Criollo and destroy it. Remembering how the Commander had kept some in his suite to eat at night, Valek listed a number of places they should check.

* * *

After a glorious soak and a decadently long sleep, Valek went to Mogkan's office to continue sorting through his mess and to search for information on the Criollo shipping. Except, if Mogkan had been hiding some of his activities from Brazell, the information Valek needed wouldn't be here. It'd be hidden somewhere Brazell wouldn't accidentally find it. Like the room Mogkan had chained his victims. A person had needed a strength beyond the physical to go inside there when it had been occupied. Even with the place cleaned up, he was reluctant to go back.

He gazed around the room. Sometimes the best hiding places were in plain sight. And there were plenty of potential spots right here. He'd start with the office and go from there. A part of him recognized that he was procrastinating, but another part didn't care.

Ari and Janco arrived in the afternoon to report.

"We found the warehouse that trader described," Ari said. "No one was there, and it was empty."

"Did they see you coming?" Valek asked.

Offended, Janco huffed. "No. We went in stealth mode. We even surprised the fat mice that had been living on the Criollo crumbs."

"We checked for hidden caches, paperwork, and for a door to a lower level. Nothing," Ari said. "The structure is basically a barn."

"Thoughts?" Valek asked.

"They might have been tipped off by a co-conspirator about our interest," Ari said. "The foothills of the Soul Mountains are also quite close, and they're filled with caves and abandoned mines. Easy to find a place big enough to store a bunch of boxes."

"And almost impossible to find," Janco said. "Yet…" He rubbed the scar bisecting his right ear.

When he didn't say anything else, Valek prompted, "Yet?"

"If they're inside a cave, we can't track them unless there's dirt. And even then, the dirt eventually dwindles. However, if we find the entrance, we can wait and see if anyone comes out or goes in."

"But we didn't see any wagon tracks going east. They headed north, northwest and west. The perpetrators may have finished with their deliveries and left to carry out the next step in their plan," Ari said. "In that case, we should check all the manor houses and garrisons."

"What about MD-5's base?" Janco asked. "We can do another midnight raid. Maybe this one will actually be a challenge." His eyes gleamed as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

"General Ute sent a squad up there to take care of it. Her first order."

Janco deflated. "Oh well. Good for her. If the other generals don't eat her for breakfast, she'll make a good general."

"What do you need us to do now?" Ari asked.

Valek gestured to the piles and cabinets. "Pick a spot and start searching. I'm looking for any mention of the Criollo factory, warehouse, and magic. Names, dates, deeds. Anything."

Janco eyed the overflowing conference table. "I'd rather search the caves."

"If you find any evidence they were using them, then you can go back to check them."

"This is not what I imagined you spent your time doing," Janco grumbled as he pulled a chair up to the table.

"You thought all I did was midnight raids, smash and grabs, and stopping assassination attempts?"

"Yeah."

"That's about ten percent of my job. The other ninety percent is sitting, reading, watching, collecting information, anticipating, guarding, and waiting. Lots of waiting."

Janco shuffled through a few folders. "I'm already bored, and I haven't even started."

Ari picked one of the corner cabinets and sorted through the contents. They worked in companionable silence—something Valek thought would be impossible with Janco in a room. Although… Valek considered. The captain might just be talented enough to appear as if he was working when, in fact, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Adviser Dema arrived close to dinner time. "I checked through all the information we've collected, but I didn't find any mention of an Adviser Alea."

Too bad, but Valek hadn't thought it'd be that easy.

"However," Dema continued. "I did find payments to Mogkan's team."

"Team?"

"Don't get too excited. I couldn't find any names or even how many people were part of this team. Perhaps Mogkan had a record of them?" She looked around at the messy piles. "Do you want some help with the search?"

"Doesn't the Commander need you?" Valek asked.

"Not tonight. He's working with General Ute."

Janco jumped to his feet. "You can tackle the table and I'll get us some grub."

Valek clamped down on a protest. Dema's attention to details would be useful and his stomach agreed with Janco. They needed food.

They worked late into the night and all the next day. Dema assisted in their search when she had free time. After each pile was assessed, it was moved to the hallway.

In the middle of the third day, a loud bang sounded followed by a string of curses. Janco crawled from underneath the table clutching a stack of folders. "I found something!"

"Is it about Alea? Or Mogkan's team?" Valek asked.

"No." Janco set the folder on the table. "It's a delivery list for the Criollo factory."

Valek scanned the pages, noting the mention of the deliveries of Criollo to the Commander's castle. They matched his recollections. Then he spotted a schedule of transports to the other Military Districts. Except, the first two shipments had been sent to only the manor houses. While the third had included stops at all the garrisons with a resupply dropped off at the manors. Valek stilled. That meant?—

"What's wrong?" Ari asked.

"Mogkan's been sending Criollo to the generals."

"We already know that," Janco said.

"The caravan we encountered wasn't the first one. The generals have been receiving shipments since the middle of the cold season. Which means?—"

"They've been eating it all along," Ari said.

"And if Alea is a magician…" Frustration choked off his words. Why did he think burning down the Criollo factory would neutralize the threat? It was like a weed and had spread as weeds do.

"If Alea is a magician, the generals are vulnerable to her influence," Ari finished. "Do you think that's why General Tesso was so…resistant to your efforts? And why General Franis behaved so badly over General Ute's promotion?"

"The generals never liked me, but, normally, they are more…subtle," Valek said. He considered. "It's possible, but that would mean there's a magician for each general. There's no way one person could control them all from a distance."

"Unless Alea has her very own magical ring of horror to boost her range," Janco said, spinning his finger in the air.

"That's a terrible thought," Ari said.

"What's worse?" Janco asked. "Seven magicians in Ixia, targeting each of the generals, or a single really powerful one?"