found me in no time. “And look how well that turned out.” Thank fate I still had a few tricks up my sleeves.
“Sorry. Won’t happen again,” Leif promised.
“Good.” I changed the subject. “Are you staying here until Father comes?”
“Yes. I expect he’ll arrive in about fifteen days.”
That was a long time to wait. Leif’s wife, Mara—a real sweetheart—wouldn’t ever complain, but she couldn’t be happy. “What will you do all that time?”
“We plan to search the surrounding towns and villages, looking for more of those hothouses.”
“We?”
“Devlen believes it’s a good idea. And he’s got a way with the locals. They talk to him.”
With Owen at large, Devlen’s daughter, Reema, would have to remain with Ari in the Commander’s castle until it was safe. Owen had threatened to kill her.
“Have you found any records here? That would make it easier.” And so would interrogating Ben. I wondered if Valek had “talked” to him before the authorities swooped in.
“It appears Owen didn’t keep any records at this location. Which is why I’m hoping to find another place where he may have left information behind.”
“Or you might find him.” The thought of the two of them hunting Owen alone caused a queasiness to roll in my stomach. Leif had been kidnapped by Owen before. And while Devlen was skilled with a sword, Owen’s magic outmatched Leif’s.
“Even better,” he said in a low, dangerous tone.
Not good. “At least make sure you take Hale with you.” I was glad Hale had been assigned to travel with us for added protection.
“Hale’s gone. He was ordered back to the Citadel.”
Interesting. “And you weren’t?”
“Oh, I was.”
“Leif—”
“Don’t ‘Leif’ me.” His green eyes sparked in annoyance. “You know as well as I do the Council will debate what to do for months. Meanwhile, Owen’s out there—”
“Along with Rika Bloodgood and Tyen Cowan. Two powerful magicians, which brings the total to three against you and Devlen.”
He squared his shoulders with that stubborn Zaltana determination.
I tried another tactic. “Owen’s smart. He knows both the Commander and the Council will be searching for him, so he’s going to lay low for the next few months while he figures out his next move.”
“That’s why we need to stop him before he can act.”
Leif had a point. I considered the situation. “Then the best use of your time would be to convince the Sitian Council to let you use your magic to interrogate Ben and the others.”
He grunted, but I wasn’t sure I’d convinced him.
We ate the rest of our soup in silence. After a few minutes, Devlen entered the kitchen. A deep scowl etched his dark face, and tension radiated from his powerful build.
“Still no luck?” Leif asked him, referring to Devlen’s repeated attempt to speak to Ben.
“Yelena, where is Valek?” Devlen asked, ignoring Leif.
“He said he had to take care of a few things. Why?”
Devlen cursed.
“What’s going on?” Leif asked.
“Ben, Loris and Cilly have all been assassinated.”
2
VALEK
As he prepared for the trip, Valek’s mind whirled with the implications of becoming a father, even though he knew Yelena might not be pregnant. Just the thought of a baby sent a giddy, wild happiness mixed with fear pulsing through his veins. No surprise his immediate instinct was the intense desire to protect both his heart mate and the baby. He imagined locking them both in a tower so no one could harm them. Pure fantasy at best.
His second reaction was to plan the logistics. Yelena would stay with him, of course, and they’d raise the baby together. Where would they live? In the Commander’s castle? No. In their cabin in the Featherstone Clan lands? No. That location was too well-known. And what if he was on assignment for the Commander?
Valek banished all his crazy thoughts with effort. Yelena needed to be a part of this discussion. And he needed to confirm a suspicion.
When he’d finished gathering supplies, he searched for Onora. She had offered to get the horses ready. Leaning on the side of the stable, Valek studied Onora as she groomed Onyx. The black horse allowed her to inspect the underside of his hooves, lifting each in turn. Kiki and The Madam grazed nearby in the farm’s pasture. Their coats gleamed. In order for each member of their traveling party to have a mount, Onora had picked a chestnut-colored Thoroughbred from those Owen had left behind. The gelding displayed a gentle manner and appeared to be strong and healthy. Valek approved of her choice.
Just about everything was ready for their trip east. They would