Night Study (Soulfinders #2) - Maria V. Snyder Page 0,7
for tonight. I’ll take the last shift,” he said.
“Should he include Yelena?”
“No. She needs her rest.”
Onora bit her lip, clamping down on the question dancing behind her eyes—was Yelena with child? Valek walked away without answering. It was too soon to tell, and, as far as he was concerned, Onora would be the last to know. Though a part of him was impressed by the twenty-year-old’s ambition and cunning, he also wished to throttle her. But the Commander had chosen her as Valek’s successor. And now it was up to Valek to decide if he agreed.
* * *
Valek rattled the doorknob so he wouldn’t scare Yelena. She lay in bed reading, but she glanced up from her book when he entered. He recognized it as the plant guide her father had given her.
“What took you so long?” she asked, setting the book on the night table with a thump. The low flame in the lantern jumped.
He’d been checking the perimeter, confirming the gates had all been locked and the buildings secured while Janco did a sweep of the surrounding forest. “Ensuring Captain Fleming isn’t at the gate with an arrest warrant.”
“Good.” She peeled back the covers, exposing her naked body. “Join me.”
His heart thudded so hard he feared his sternum would crack in two. Breathing became difficult, and the desire to rip the rest of the blanket off and press her to him trembled through his body. Yet he remained rooted in place. She needed to know about the starlight and Onora.
He kicked off his boots and lay down next to her. She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. Valek informed her of Onora’s nasty little trick.
“I’m going to wring her neck,” Yelena muttered after he’d finished.
“You can try. I doubt you’d get close to her.”
“Is that why you had the knife at Onora’s throat?”
“Yes. She needed to understand that will be the last time she lies to me. And I needed to remind her who is in charge.”
“Until the Commander says otherwise.”
“True.”
“And will you take orders from her?”
“No. By that time, I suspect I’ll be taking orders from another woman.”
Yelena lifted her head from his chest and met his gaze. “Is that so? What type of orders?”
“You have a dirty mind, love. I’m thinking of orders to change a diaper or rock a baby to sleep. Things like that.”
“Not near as exciting as assassinating a criminal.”
“Not as dangerous, either. Besides, I think the teen years could be quite exciting. No one is going to mess with my son or daughter.”
She laughed. “You can’t assassinate bullies or boys who kiss your daughter.”
“Pity.”
A brief smile flashed, then she grew contemplative. “Since I was hit with starlight, that increases the possibility I’m pregnant. What will we do?”
“I expect we’ll do what most people do in that situation—become a family.”
“Easier said than done.”
“We’ll figure this out—I promise.” He pulled her tight against him.
She snuggled in and fell asleep. Valek took comfort in the steady rise and fall of her chest, but far too soon, it was his turn on watch. He slipped from her embrace, pulled his boots on and searched for Janco.
A half-moon cast enough light to avoid tripping and walking into tree trunks. Valek found Janco near the glass house. Condensation misted the outside panels of the structure. Inside, coals burned to keep it warm, and the pans of water added moisture to the air. Leif had been maintaining the equipment in order to keep the plants alive until his father arrived. The whole idea of the house and growing Curare far from the jungle was genius. He wondered if Owen had the original notion, or if the Commander had speculated about the possibility and sent Owen to put it all together.
“Any trouble?” Valek asked.
Janco rubbed the scar where the bottom half of his right ear should be. “Just thinking.”
“That could be dangerous.”
“Ha, ha. Not funny. What I’m wondering is, if all those plants inside came from the Illiais Jungle, then who brought them here?”
“Owen has been working on this for over three years.”
“Yeah, I get that. But wouldn’t the Zaltana Clan know strangers were digging around their jungle? Doesn’t the Curare vine only grow in a certain section? And isn’t Yelena’s father the only producer of the stuff?” Janco tapped on the glass. “These are far from seedlings. And then I’m thinking, how