Night Study (Soulfinders #2) - Maria V. Snyder Page 0,146

thrown in jail,” Zohav said. “Have you forgotten that they have magicians, Curare, Theobroma, weapons and garrisons full of soldiers?”

“Fisk and his people would help,” Zethan said.

“And Loris is dead,” Janco added. “I’m feeling pretty happy about that.”

“Ben, too,” I said, but unlike Janco, I didn’t relish the fact that I’d been forced to kill him.

“Are you sure? ’Cause these guys have a tendency to fake their deaths, and I don’t want any more nasty surprises.”

“Yes.”

“We could try to warn the Commander about Owen,” Ari suggested.

“If you can get near him, and if you can block Owen’s magic,” Leif said. “And then what? The Commander still wants Sitia.”

“The Commander doesn’t want Sitia,” Valek said from the doorway.

Relief poured through me, cleansing the worry away. I jumped up and rushed to him, wrapping him in my arms. “How do you feel?”

“Like I wrestled a snow cat and lost.”

Leif took charge. He made Valek sit down and eat. When Leif was satisfied, he allowed Valek to explain.

“I don’t think the Commander has any desire to rule Sitia,” Valek said. “But he’s probably afraid a rogue magician or magicians will take control of Sitia and invade Ixia. And with all the Sitian resources—magicians, Curare, Theobroma and the glass messengers—he knows he can’t win a war with Sitia. Which is probably why he agreed to the Cartel’s plan.”

“Why does it matter if he wants to or is forced to invade Sitia?” Leif asked. “He’s still going to invade.”

“It matters because if we give him a good reason not to invade, he won’t,” Valek said.

“And how can we possibly do that? There’s only ten of us,” Zohav said.

“For now,” Valek said.

Janco straightened. “You thinking of recruiting, boss?”

“Thinking about it, along with a few other...nasty surprises for the Cartel.”

“Sweet.”

Valek scanned their faces and then met my gaze. “It’ll be dangerous.”

“Suicidal,” Zohav muttered.

Valek addressed the group. “It’s your choice. Fisk can find you a safe place to stay until it’s over.”

“I’m in,” Janco said.

Ari nodded. “Me, too.”

“And me,” Zethan said.

Zohav glared at her brother. “I’ll help,” she said in a resigned tone.

Leif met Mara’s gaze. “We need to discuss it.”

She huffed in amusement. “Where you go, I go. It’s that simple.”

I suppressed a smile.

“No way I’m hiding,” Heli said.

“I’m already signed up,” Teegan said.

Everyone looked at me.

“You need to think of the baby,” Leif said.

“I am. And I don’t want to raise our child in a world controlled by two power-hungry megalomaniacs. So I will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening.”

“And that would be a yes.” Janco grinned.

“What’s our first move, boss?” Ari asked.

“You and Janco go scout for a more permanent hideout. I’m going to need time to plan.”

Janco jumped to his feet. “We’re on it.”

* * *

Valek recovered his strength a few days later, but we still didn’t get a chance to talk about all that had happened while we were separated. Ari and Janco found an abandoned farmhouse inside the Stormdance Clan’s lands. We traveled to the site in small groups, each going a different way. Reuniting with Kiki soothed my soul.

We planned to renovate the inside to suit our needs, but keep the outside in its dilapidated state. The horses would stay in a camouflaged structure in the forest nearby.

On the first night, Valek and I arranged our bedrolls and blankets in the largest bedroom on the second floor. We added coal to the small brazier, coaxing a little more heat. Most of the others stretched out by the fire around the central hearth downstairs, but we hadn’t had any privacy in forever. Or so it seemed.

Even with so much to discuss, we spent the first couple hours getting reacquainted.

Finally, with our hearts beating in sync and our bodies pressed together skin on skin, we shared the events that had changed both our lives so drastically.

Valek explained about the Storm Thieves and discovering his new siblings. The epiphany by Vincent’s grave.

“I had no idea letting go would have such..nsequences,” he said. “A huge weight lifted off my shoulders, but it took my immunity with it.”

“I was right. You attached a null shield to your soul when you witnessed your older brothers’ murders. Once you didn’t need that protection, it returned to the sky.”

“Rotten timing,” he murmured.

“I wouldn’t say that. Nor would Leif or Mara.”

“I lost control and almost killed us.”

“But you didn’t. Next time—”

“There’s not going to be a next time.” He sounded like a sullen child.

“Yes, there will be. We need every advantage we can get. Leif and Zethan