The Ranger of Marzanna (The Goddess War #1) - Jon Skovron Page 0,32

crumbled to rust. Instantly the block of ice dissipated in a puff of steam, and the river resumed its usual course.

Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief as he shook the rusty powder from his hand. Then he realized that Rykov had been watching him the whole time.

Sebastian straightened up, needlessly adjusted his jacket sleeves, and looked over his shoulder at the large redheaded man. “Well?”

Rykov nodded. “Pretty neat.”

Sebastian couldn’t decide if Rykov was generously overlooking his blunder, or merely indifferent to it. Perhaps it didn’t matter.

“Yes.” Sebastian picked up another piece of metal. “It’s not a bad trick, is it? There were a few variables I hadn’t considered, but I just need more practice.”

So Sebastian continued to practice through most of the afternoon, with Rykov standing patiently by his side. Once he got used to the hulking, silent man’s presence, he decided he rather liked it. He found it improved his concentration when he described what he intended to do out loud before he did it. And it was better to have someone else there, lest a passerby think he was merely a madman talking to himself.

“Good afternoon, Lieutenant.” Commander Vittorio’s deep baritone rang behind him. “I’m pleased to find you hard at work.”

Sebastian turned to see the commander smiling fondly at him from beneath his tall officer’s hat. Sebastian dropped the piece of metal he’d been holding into the crate and saluted sharply.

“Good afternoon, Commander.”

“At ease,” said Vittorio.

Sebastian dropped his salute. “Sergeant Costa was kind enough to provide some old scrap metal so I could get in some practice.”

“It appears he also lent you Private Rykov as well.” Vittorio looked speculatively at the large man. “Now that I see the two of you together, it occurs to me that your skill sets complement each other rather well. I could speak to Costa and see if he’d be willing to let Rykov become your official aide-de-camp. What do you say to that?”

“I would be overjoyed, sir. Private Rykov has already proved immensely useful.”

“Wonderful.” Vittorio glanced at Rykov, who did not seem to care either way, then back to Sebastian. “Now I’m afraid I must ask you a rather delicate, family-related question, Lieutenant. Do you wish to dismiss the private for a few minutes?”

Sebastian gave him a puzzled look. “Sir? I have nothing to hide, I can assure you.”

Vittorio smiled. “Of course not. And I suppose one of Private Rykov’s most valuable traits is his habitual silence. Very well. I have received a troubling report that a young woman was spotted fleeing the garrison this morning.”

Sebastian nodded glumly. “My sister.”

“I thought as much.”

“She was under the mistaken impression that I was being held against my will and came to rescue me. I corrected her misapprehension, of course, and assured her that both my mother and I were well and free to do as we chose. One might have hoped this would please her, but she was… quite vexed.”

“Indeed,” Vittorio said gravely. “So much so that she killed one of the guards on duty as she fled.”

“Sonya did? My sister?” Sebastian tried to imagine such a thing.

“She shot him in the throat with an arrow, no doubt to stop him from shouting out an alarm,” said Vittorio. “You seem surprised that she would take such an action.”

“Well, I know she’s a hunter, and I’m sure she’s killed more wild animals than she can count. But murder? I had no idea she was capable of such violence.”

“I don’t need to tell you, Lieutenant, that this is a serious crime. Do you know where she might have gone?”

“She would have gone to verify that our mother was indeed free, but after that…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir, I have no idea. We haven’t been close in years. I suppose she’d go back to the wilderness to hunt tigers or whatever it is she does out there.”

“I see. How disappointing.” Vittorio frowned so that the carefully groomed tips of his mustache sank. Then his expression suddenly brightened. “Oh my. With all this tumult, I nearly forgot to issue you your new weapon.”

“A weapon, sir?” asked Sebastian. “Sergeant Costa made it clear that you did not think it fit for me to have a saber.”

“Quite right. We have plenty of men who can wield such weapons. For you, I have something truly special.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a diamond the size of a walnut dangling from a leather thong.

Sebastian could only stare at this unearthly treasure as the faint winter sunlight