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“I want to try it one last time,” Ansley decided.
Tandor groaned. He felt drained, his legs beginning to shake. “If I don’t eat something soon, I’m going to pass out.”
“I know what I’m going to eat.” Jobek licked his lips as he looked at Ansley with a ravenous expression.
She grinned, sauntering closer and placing one of her hands on each of their chests. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise. We are so close. I just want to lock this into my mind.”
So they resumed the standard fighting position for power triads. Ansley stood between them tucked loosely against their sides. Tandor wrapped his arms around her waist, Jobek around her shoulders. This reinforced the soul bond with physical connection while giving her freedom of movement for her arms.
Tandor took a deep breath and fed energy into the conduit. Jobek supported and stabilized the connection, also helping Ansley focus and keeping her calm. Using the visualization Raina had taught her, Ansley pictured a simple dam. Water flowed into the power house, spinning turbines and creating raw energy. She ignited the energy and shaped it into whatever she wanted. Blasting the entire wall with a hail of small fireballs was her favorite manifestation, but she could create a wide, sustained stream, as well as a laser-perfect line of fire capable of cutting through metal. What they had accomplished in the past two weeks was astonishing, but all the mentors agreed that their triad’s abilities were in their infancy. It would take years for them to reach their full potential.
Ansley blanketed the wall at the far end of the training room with small fireballs, then let out a happy cry. “That’s our twelfth successful transformation today.”
“Impressive.” Zevon’s deep voice snapped all of their attention toward the doorway on their left.
“Thank you,” Ansley said, looking pleased then uncomfortable. She’d only spoken with Zevon once and that was the day after she arrived at the Citadel. Females reacted in one of two ways to the president. They were either strongly attracted to him, or they were intimidated by his rugged features and aggressive demeanor. Ansley was convinced Zevon was dangerous and all of Tandor’s and Jobek’s assurances hadn’t changed her mind. “We’ve been working really hard.”
“It shows.” Zevon smiled at her, but his gaze did not linger. “The entire training department has assured me that this triad is ready for its first mission and I have something that fits well with your abilities.”
“What do you need us to do?” Tandor asked as he slipped his arm around Ansley’s shoulders.
“One of my contacts is in need of immediate extraction. She has vital information for me, but she won’t risk transmitting it. I need you to go get her and bring her here.”
“Where is she?” Jobek wanted to know. He positioned himself on the other side of Ansley, trying to make her feel safe.
“On Pyron. She’ll meet you in the Tarbatos market midmorning tomorrow. If you leave right now, that should give you just enough time to reach Pyron.”
“If this is a simple extraction, why send a triad?” Challenge hardened Jobek’s tone.
“I told Langlis to confide in Mistress Air. I assured her that Mistress Air would arrange transportation. Langlis said that wasn’t an option, but refused to explain why until we were speaking in person.”
Tandor’s gaze narrowed. He didn’t know Mistress Air well, but her reputation was impeccable. Many disagreed with her insistence on political neutrality, but she was not a danger to anyone. “You think Mistress Air has turned against us? She’s a pacifist. She has no reason to betray you.”
“I don’t know what to think. But Langlis is one of my best. If she’s scared, there’s a damn good reason. Now, are you willing to go get her or should I dispatch another team?”
“We’ll go,” Jobek said then looked at Tandor and Ansley. “Unless either of you have objections.”
“It sounds pretty straightforward,” Ansley said. “I’m game.”
Everyone looked at Tandor. He paused to assess the situation with his gift. The future wouldn’t always show him what he needed to see. The past was much more willing to reveal its secrets. Hesawnothing, sensed no hint of danger. “I don’t sense anything of concern, but we are still very far away.” The closer he moved to a situation both chronologically and proximally, the more accurate his ability to read became. “I’ll know more once we arrive on Pyron.”
“We’re well acquainted with the market,” Jobek said. “When and where are we supposed to meet Langlis?”
“Be in the market at ten. I’ll send your images to her and she will find you.”
“Can we at least know what she looks like?” Ansley asked; suspicion was creeping up through her calm.
“She’s a spy,” Zevon reminded. “Her appearance changes from assignment to assignment. I don’t honestly know what she looks like right now.”
“All right,” she relented, but her uncertainty remained. “We’ll wait for her to find us.”
“I’ll also instruct her to use a specific phrase.” Zevon thought for a moment then said, “She’ll tell you she’s been waiting for a friend and she’ll ask if you’d be willing to give her a ride. Is that specific enough to alleviate your concern?”
“I was just being cautious,” Ansley defended, her gaze narrowed.
After acknowledging her statement with a nod, Zevon turned back toward her mates. “Take a pilot with you. Landing a ship, any ship, will attract too much attention.”
“Understood,” Jobek responded.
