Chapter 9

"Don't move," Millicent ordered.

Valek spread his hands out, showing he was unarmed. "Lieutenant Millicent, it's me."

"How do we know? You could be the magician in disguise."

He had purposely not released Alea's name. He wanted everyone to view her as the magician, the enemy. "I know your name along with Dagon's, Sora's, and Boaz's."

"You could have read Adviser Valek's memories."

While that was a good point in general, it didn't apply in his case. "A magician can't read my mind, I'm immune to magic."

They all relaxed. Now their weapons were aimed at the floor, he took his first full breath. But she raised a legitimate concern. How could the guards trust anyone? "Did you vet the Commander as well?"

Millicent ducked her head. "No, sir."

"The Commander had his key," Dagon said in their defense. "I've seen him fight, and while I can believe a magician might be disguised as him, I seriously doubt they could take his key away."

"In normal circumstances that makes sense, but this magician is clever. From now on, I'm going to accompany the Commander when he returns to his suite at night. This way, you can be sure it's him."

"But what if the magician is disguised as you?" Sora asked. "And she learns the answer to our questions by reading our minds?"

Impressed, he studied the woman. She had an oval face, and a faded scar marked her chin. "An excellent question. Too bad, I don't have a good answer for you. If we pick a password or use an object like the key to the door, the magician will discover that information from your minds. This is why they are so dangerous. You just need to trust your judgement. And please be careful who you aim at."

"Perhaps you should announce your presence to the guards before rounding the corner, sir," Dagon said. "We're on high alert and tend to get twitchy."

"Noted. Thank you."

The Commander was waiting for Valek in his living room. A glass of whiskey had already been poured. Valek sat down and sipped the liquid. Fire raced down his throat and burned in his stomach. A pleasant sensation to counteract his aching muscles. The cushions on the couch were soft, but not as comfortable as his bed.

"The guards made a number of interesting observations." Valek explained about the conundrum. "They really can't trust anyone but me. From now on, I'll escort you back to your suite at night."

"I think you're her primary target for now. Otherwise, she would have suggested I commit suicide or meet her in an unsecured location."

"Let's hope she stays focused on me."

"I see that tree branch hasn't rattled your confidence."

"No. It reminded me that just because I'm immune to magic, doesn't mean I'm invincible."

"You? Not invincible?" Ambrose pressed a hand to his chest in mock horror. "Say it isn't so."

* * *

Despite the danger, or rather, because of it, Valek established a routine as the days stretched without the Commander or anyone—that they knew of—being targeted by Alea. Valek guessed she was keeping a low profile while she waited for her team to arrive. And probably learning everything she could about the castle's security. That was what he'd be doing in her place.

Valek kept up his rounds, seeking magic three times a day. His daily soaks in the baths helped with his muscle aches. His headaches continued, though. While they weren't as severe as they were in the beginning, they were a daily occurrence, signaling that Valek needed to take a break, preferably a nap. At those times, Valek felt every one of his thirty-four years. When Medic Channa had removed his stitches, she warned that full recovery might take months or even a year.

Valek was in his office, massaging his temples to keep the throbbing in his head from escalating. It was day twenty of the warm season, and he still had no idea where Alea was hiding. Also, no epiphanies on how to trap eight magicians who were well aware they were walking into a trap. The solution eluded him even after two weeks of working on the problem.

Needing a change in scenery and some fresh air, he took a walk around the oddly shaped castle, designed by a young king overly fond of his toy blocks. The Commander hated it and would have destroyed it to build a functional, utilitarian, and spartan building, if it hadn't been a frivolous expense. The castle was perfectly usable, and the Commander was loathed to spend money on anything other than necessary infrastructure, the citizens of Ixia, and their needs. The walls of the castle would have to be crumbling in order for him to build a new headquarters.

Valek rather liked the castle's unorthodox shape. The strange angles and roof configurations made for excellent climbing. He rolled his shoulders, testing his muscles. Some exercise might help clear his mind. Tweaks of pain shot across his back. Maybe not today.

The sun shone in the clear blue sky and the chilly air smelled of fresh earth. Valek ended up at the training yard in the northeast corner of the complex. Groups of soldiers sparred, practiced self-defense moves, or worked on their aim. Clangs of steel, curses, thuds of clashing bodies, and barks of laughter were music to his ears. Valek watched for a while. Ari and Janco worked with a lieutenant, teaching her how to fight with a bo staff.

They spotted him and eventually joined him at the fence.

"It's good to see you out and about, sir," Ari said.

"Yeah, you look better. No question mark," Janco said.

"Thank you."

"And it's good for them to see you, too." Ari inclined his head, indicating the other soldiers in the yard. "Rumors about you have not been kind."

"Let me guess. ‘He's too old. We need fresh blood in the high ranks. He's too scared to come out and fight.' Sound about right?" Valek asked.

"Just about. Are you in any condition to fight?" Ari asked.

No. "It depends on who's asking."

"We're teaching Lieutenant Odell how to use a bo staff, and I thought a demonstration of its versatility would help her. And you."

Ah. More of a show that their leader doesn't have one foot in the grave. "All right. Who wants to spar me?"

"Your choice, sir." Ari said with a smile.

Ari's strength versus Janco's speed. At this point, he thought Odell would be enough of a challenge. "Janco."

"Woo hoo!" Janco bounced on the balls of his feet.

"This is a demonstration, Janco," Ari said. "Half speed or Odell won't learn anything."

"Pah."

"Next time, Janco," Valek said.

"Oh goody." He rubbed his hands together.

Valek peeled off his shirt without groaning or wincing—no need to show any weaknesses to the growing crowd. He climbed over the fence and Janco threw him a bo. Valek grabbed it, placing one hand approximately one foot and seven inches from the top and the other the same distance from the bottom of the staff. Basically, splitting it into thirds. Carved from cherry wood, the bo was an inch in diameter and the ends tapered to half an inch with a flat top and bottom. Swinging it around, he warmed up. Fire raced down his back as his muscles protested the motion.

"Whoa. That's?—"

"Janco," Ari warned.

"Quite the bruise, sir."

"Shall we start?" Valek asked.

"I'm ready." Janco slid his feet into a fighting stance. He held his bo straight out and parallel to the ground. A defensive position.

With his bo underneath his right arm, and his left arm across his chest, Valek moved into an offensive position. Ari explained the significance of the stances to Odell. The young woman stared at Valek with large blue eyes.

"Begin," Ari said.

Valek performed a series of basic offensive strikes. Chin, temple, temple, ribs, head. Each move lacked his usual grace. His bruises limited his motion. Janco countered them all with ease.

Ari pointed out the various steps to Odell. "This is mostly a non-lethal weapon. The point is to knock your opponent unconscious so you can?—"

"Hit and git!" Janco said, then he launched into a counteroffensive volley that was quicker than the first series. Valek managed to match it.

"There are only four killing moves," Ari said. "A direct smash to a person's windpipe, which will crush it and suffocate the person. An upward blow to the nose. It would break the cartilage and shove the pieces into the brain. A strike to the base of the skull and a head strike. But they only work if your bo is made from hard wood, and you have enough strength."

Janco increased the speed of his attack. "Hit hard and fast and your opponent won't last," he sang.

Valek blocked. Each impact with Janco's bo sent spikes of pain shooting through his arms and right into his temples. At least, his muscles had warmed, improving his flexibility enough to keep Janco from getting through his defenses.

Then Janco's ever present smile dropped, the glee in his gaze died and he focused on Valek with a grim determination. The fight went from friendly bout to a full out attack.

"Janco, slow down. That's not the point of this fight," Ari scolded.

If Janco heard him, he showed no signs. Now deadly serious, Janco mixed up his strikes, tested for weaknesses, and aimed for the neck. Valek barely blocked him, and he suspected he was fighting for his life. They circled as Valek tried to keep his distance, but it was only a matter of time before Janco beat him.

Valek sidestepped a lunge and magic brushed his back. Directly in front of him, Janco paused in confusion and Valek took advantage. He knocked the bo from Janco's hands, swept his feet out, and, when Janco landed, Valek pressed the end of his bo to his neck.

"Concede?" Valek asked.

"Yes! I don't?—"

Valek spun and searched the faces of the crowd. Where was Alea? He spotted a flash of black hair and took off. By the time he pushed through the soldiers, she was gone.

When he returned, Janco sat on the ground. He rubbed his fingers along the scar on his right ear. "Was she trying to kill you or me?" he asked Valek.

"Both of us. You would have killed me, and the Commander would have killed you."

Ari lowered his voice. "Did you feel twitchy?"

"No. I was jacked on adrenaline. Even at half speed, I was fighting Valek. That gets into your head."

"I should have intervened, but I thought it would look bad," Ari said.

"You didn't know." Valek pulled Janco to his feet. "You've gotten better with the bo."

"Thanks. I'm sor?—"

"Not your fault. We gave Alea an opportunity and she took it."

"She's going to be impossible to capture," Janco said.

Now that the fight was over, Valek's muscles trembled. He tightened them to stop the visible vibrations as he put his shirt on. "Come with me to the castle."

They said goodbye to the overwhelmed Lieutenant. All she could do was nod in response. Valek hoped Maren would take Odell under her wing.

As they walked toward the north entrance, Valek asked them, "What's the gossip?"

Janco signaled. Everyone is mouth about the marriage.

"You got a few words wrong, but that's impressive. This is talking." He demonstrated, touching his thumb to his index finger. "And this is magician." This time he raised his middle finger. "But let's not continue doing that here, someone might be watching. Anything else?"

Ari said, "The three main topics of conversation are the magician, your injury, and what happened to the Commander in MD-5."

"And don't forget the speculation that Valek killed Yelena." Janco added.

Ari frowned and signaled, Be quiet!

He was glad they were learning the signals so quickly. But he hadn't even thought about what the castle denizens would think when Yelena failed to return with the Commander.

Valek considered. "That's a good rumor to encourage. That way she'll be safer in Sitia, and we won't have to answer the question about why we let her leave." Huh. If he hadn't lost his mind and had arrested Yelena instead of thinking the Commander had wanted him to assassinate her right then, the Commander's order for her execution and her escape would have aided in the ruse.

When they entered the castle, Janco asked, "You want me to walk around the barracks and see if I feel twitchy? Maybe find Alea."

"No. In fact, stay in the castle and continue your lessons."

"But nothing is stopping her from being inside. What if I attack Ari in the middle of the night? Or attack someone else?"

"Then I will stop you," Ari said. "Partners remember?"

With a wave goodbye, they headed toward their suite. As soon as they were out of sight, Valek leaned against the wall and relaxed. The muscle tremors returned with a vengeance. He sank to the floor and endured waves of weakness as pain ringed his body.

When he could stand, he soaked in the hot water of the baths for a long time, before going to his suite. Even though it was the middle of the day, he collapsed into his bed.

* * *

Expecting to be stiff, sore, and barely able to move when he woke up, Valek was surprised his muscles didn't scream when he sat up. For the first time since the accident, he felt good. Perhaps the fight had loosened and stretched his muscles.

The sun hovered over the western horizon. Energized, Valek fetched a plate of food and returned to his suite. After he ate, he lit two lanterns and entered his carving studio for the first time in seasons. Dust coated everything, but, then again, it was perpetually dusty. Grit crunched under his boots as he set the lanterns on the table.

He sorted through his piles of gray rocks, collected from the sea cliffs along the northern coast of MD-1. It was the location of the School of Night and Shadows, where he had learned the fine and dangerous art of assassination. And learned that carving helped focus his mind and soothed his soul. Thinking about his soul, he remembered the butterfly he had carved and how it had reminded him of Yelena. She'd admired it and he had turned it into a pendent and gifted it to her. He wondered if she still wore it or if she'd hidden it away so her new friends in Sitia didn't ask her about it. About him. A pang squeezed his chest. Had he lost her to the south?

One of the larger gray rocks called to him. It was long and narrow. He carried it to his table full of chisels and sat down.

Turning it around in his fingers, he let his mind drift. Thoughts of Yelena swirled as the emotions he tried so hard to suppress unfurled their wings and stretched, filling him with wonder, awe, and gratitude that the most amazing woman in the entire world loved him. He'd been worried the feelings would weaken him and had been the reason for his series of missteps. But he'd been wrong. They strengthened him. By acknowledging them and embracing them, he could do anything.

Yelena and Valek might have taken different paths, but they would be together again. And if her feelings had changed, Valek didn't know if he'd ever recover. Life would hold no appeal. But there was no sense wasting energy worrying about something he couldn't change. Best to focus on the next challenge.

Valek picked up his medium sized chisel and chipped away the rock that didn't belong, freeing the true shape that lurked within. Hours later and covered with a sheen of sweat and a coating of dust, he held a snake in his hands. Its body coiled as if around a small tree limb. Carefully, he polished it on the grinding wheel. The dull gray color disappeared in a cloud of dust as black streaked with silver emerged. A transformation that never failed to astound him.

For the snake's eyes, he scraped two small divots. Then he rummaged around in one of his drawers. He hardly ever added color to his statues, preferring the black and silver, but this one needed a pop. He found his pouch of small precious and semi-precious stones. Pouring them out onto his palm, he picked two tiny sapphires and glued them in for the snake's eyes. Perfect. Just like Yelena. He hand-polished the inside of the coils, and when it was finished, he thought she could wear it on her arm as a bracelet. If she desired. Yes, he knew he shouldn't worry, but knowing and doing were two different things.

Over the next several days, Valek spent all of his time in his studio. He carved several rocks of all sizes and shapes. During that time, he allowed his thoughts to drift. By the end of the third day, he had a plan on how to capture eight magicians. And a dozen statues littered his table.

"Don't worry," he said to them. "I'll find good homes for all of you."

* * *

A knock sounded, pulling Valek from his work. Annoyed at the intrusion—he only had five more days before the generals arrived and there were no signs of Alea—he wanted to ignore it. But another knock, this one more insistent, rattled the wood. Valek unlocked the door, revealing a grinning Trevar on the other side.

"Hey, you look so much better," Trevar said.

"Thanks. Come in." His annoyance forgotten, Valek invited Trevar to sit opposite his desk. "Do you have anything to report?"

"I do. I found your girl."

"My girl?"

"Yeah. The one that doesn't fit. That doesn't belong. You said I'd know when it happens. Well, it happened."

Valek suppressed his excitement. "Please, continue."

"Okay. Well, I've been chatting and been friendly to everyone, working double shifts. Doing the dishes, running errands, cleaning chamber pots—I should get a bonus for that—and commiserating with my colleagues over said chamber pots. They accepted me rather easily. Either they are used to a lot of turnovers in their ranks, or I'm just that good." He grinned.

"The Commander insists his managers reward good work with promotions and transfers. That's why the menial jobs are usually staffed with new hires, who tend to be young."

That deflated some of Trevar's ego. "Oh. Well, during the last couple weeks, I met this one girl. She wore a housekeeping uniform, but no one can say if she's actually cleaned a room. I know not everyone in the castle is a hard worker and that people shirk their duties all the time, but there's something…off about her. It's more than just laziness."

"What's her name? Can you describe her?"

"Her name's Ada, I think. And she's…hard to describe. I didn't have much interaction with her. All I can think is black hair, usually in a bun. It's her…bearing that's most noticeable. As if she's important. Bristling whenever she's assigned a task." He shrugged.

"Have you attended the class on the art of observation?"

"Yes. I earned full marks! But her physical details just don't stick. Just like her name, I think it's Ada, but no one can say for sure. And we forget about her. She'll show up for a shift and we're all like, ‘who are you?' and then it'll click. Weird."

It could be Alea. Her magic might keep people from remembering her. "Do you know where I can find her?"

"Yes. When I'm on kitchen duty and help serve dinner, she sits at the same table. Every time, I'm like, ‘she looks familiar,' but I don't try too hard to figure out why. Well, I was finally able to figure out why."

"What was different?"

"She was distracted. Those two goons came into the dining room, and she was focused on them."

"Goons?"

"Yeah, the two newbies in our corps. They attract so much attention, there's no way they'll graduate and become spies."

Ah. Ari and Janco. Valek didn't bother to correct him. Trevar would discover their abilities all on his own. "Did she notice you?"

"No. No one, and I mean, no one looks at us. No eye contact, nothing. We set the plates in front of them and if they mutter a ‘thank you,' it makes our day."

Someone rapped on the door, but before Valek could respond, Maren strolled into his office.

She carried her bo staff in her right hand.

"You have information?" he asked.

Maren glanced at Trevar. "Not in front of the snitch."

"Snitch?" Trevar's voice squeaked with outrage.

"Yeah, you're the kid that gave us the black market dealers' locations before the raids. Right?"

Valek was impressed by her memory. It had been dark and there were dozens of people there.

Trevar huffed in indignation. "I wasn't snitching, I was spying. It was my first mission for Valek."

"One of your corps?" She turned to him.

"In training. What did you find out?" Valek asked Maren.

"I found your girl."

Valek and Trevar exchanged a glance.

"I found her first," Trevar said, smirking.

Maren moved closer to Trevar as if she'd planned to rap Trevar on the head with her bo staff.

"Ignore him," Valek said before she could remove the smirk from his face. "Please report."

"You asked to keep an eye on the new recruits and the women from the visiting platoon. At first, no one really stood out. They were friendly, but distant. I get it. I'm not everyone's cup of sunshine."

Trevar covered a cough.

After a heartbeat, she continued. "But over time, I picked up on one lady. She didn't seem to belong to anyone. I'd see the diamonds on her uniform but couldn't remember if they were red or white. She didn't talk to anyone and just today, I saw her wearing a housekeeping uniform. Yet as soon as I thought it, she seemed to change into her soldier uniform just like a chameleon. Weird."

"What does she look like?"

"No clue. I might need glasses. Every time I looked at her face, it was blurry."

"Do you know where to find her?"

"Yeah, I figured out she's sleeping in the lieutenants' barracks on the first floor. The first cubby near the door. I was returning from a late shift and almost ran into her as she was leaving. I think I startled her, 'cause she hurried away."

All good news.

"Did we both find the magician?" Trevar asked.

"You did. And it's a game changer. However, you both need to stay as far away from her as possible. Maren, I want you to move into one of the bedrooms in the hexagon; and Trevar, you're to return to your lessons. Tell no one what you know, or you'll endanger them."

"And miss all the fun." Trevar pouted. "What if she gets close despite our efforts?"

"Recite kata moves in your head," Maren answered.

"In your case, go over all the hand signals you've learned. Both of you, move away if you can. Magicians have limits on their abilities."

"Thank fate for that," Trevar muttered.

"Distance is one of those limits," Valek continued. "The stronger ones can send an object hurling all the way across the room, while weaker ones can only push it a few feet."

"What about my duties?" Maren asked.

"I'll send temporary transfer papers to Major Shaw."

"Temporary?"

"I can always make it permanent," Valek said.

"I'll let you know."

* * *

Valek tucked his black hair into the hair net. Smoothing out the white tunic the kitchen staffers wore, he checked his reflection in the mirror. The bruises on his right cheek had faded into a grayish-green smudge, but he covered them with a bit of makeup just in case. He had also added a fake nose and thicker eyebrows.

The kitchen bustled with activity as the staff prepped for dinner. Valek helped where needed, stirring a creamy potato soup that smelled divine, and chopping carrots for a stew. When Rand, the head chef, had been transferred to MD-5, an interim chef had been appointed. The man hadn't been able to handle the pressure and quit. Sammy, Rand's fetch boy stepped into the chaos, fully expecting to be replaced when the Commander returned. It seemed Rand had taught the thirteen-year-old how to cook and prepare meals. The Commander had given Sammy a week to prove his skills. He rose to the challenge and was officially appointed head chef a few days ago.

When the dining room opened, Valek helped serve meals. A buffet or a serving line would be more efficient and less costly, but the Commander insisted the castle's staff and soldiers be served.

During the busiest time of the night, when almost every table was full, Alea entered the dining room. She wore a soldier's uniform with the Commander's colors. Her black hair had been pulled into a knot at the back of her head. With her darker skin and strong features, she did resemble Adviser Dema. But her gray eyes scanned the room with a cold appraisal, nothing like the warmth and kindness that emanated from Dema's brown eyes.

No one paid attention to her as Alea wove through the tables and sat at an empty one far in the back and close to the windows. The room was on the ground floor, so Valek guessed the window was her escape route should things go south.

He didn't bring her a plate, but he watched as another server set it in front of her. Alea didn't thank the woman, she merely ate in a quick and efficient manner. In the dining room, she was surrounded by her enemies and outnumbered. This was probably the most dangerous part of her day.

Valek fingered the blowpipe in his pocket. Darts filled with sleeping potion were tucked into his sleeve. She couldn't read his mind and, as long as he stayed out of sight, he'd be able to get a dart into her neck. Tempting, but he needed to mark the other seven magicians.

Instead, Valek followed Alea for the next three days and learned a number of things. She was a creature of habit, sticking to the same routine each day, which meant she was smart. Showing up at different places at different times, she would have been more noticeable. One of her daily stops was the armory; she'd swipe a couple daggers and head for the castle's storerooms.

Valek couldn't follow her down there. The rooms were all but abandoned and in an isolated section. He couldn't risk being discovered. But after she went to sleep for the night, he searched all the rooms and found her cache of weapons. Fourteen knives in total. He wondered if Alea used magic to keep the Arms Master from reporting the thefts.

It didn't take him long to figure out why she needed the knives. Many of her accomplices could move objects. Using magic to throw a knife was more accurate than aiming. Valek could easily guess who they planned to target. Not the generals nor the Commander, as they would control them with magic. Guards would be killed along with any of the generals' advisers not in league with them. No doubt, Valek would be their first victim.