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“The Vermin will know we’re here,” Ari said. “We need to leave now. There’s a caravan camping about two miles north of here. We can stay with them.”
“Which way is the caravan going?” I asked Ari.
“They have a delivery in the Citadel tomorrow, and then they’re going south to the Greenblade lands. Why?”
“Oh no!” Leif said. “She’s got that look in her eyes. What are you scheming, little sister?”
“We have to get inside the Keep.”
“Impossible. There’s a bubble of protective magic around it. We couldn’t find the entrance to the tunnel. A few Warpers have gained master-level power. You’re powerful, but nowhere near their level. You’ll be caught in an instant.” Leif crossed his arms as if his statement ended the discussion.
“That’s a great idea,” I said.
“What?
I ignored Leif’s confusion. “Ari, how ready are the people in the Citadel to revolt?”
“They’re organized, have some weapons and a few magicians. What I would really like to do is run a few training sessions, but that’s not going to happen. They’re as ready as they’re going to get.”
“Would the caravan be willing to lend us one of their wagons?” I asked.
“Something could be arranged.”
Comprehension dawned in Janco’s face. “If we get you inside, can we keep the five golds?”
“Only if you get us back out again,” I said.
“I don’t like the odds,” Janco said. He brightened. “Gotta love the underdog, though.”
“There are no odds. It’s suicide,” Leif said.
“Look at it this way, Leif. It’ll put an end to our arguing,” I said.
“How?”
“We die, you’re right. You don’t die, I’m right.”
“I feel so much better now.”
Janco tsked. “Sarcasm is detrimental to the team spirit.”
Ari frowned at me. “Don’t you mean, we don’t die, Yelena?”
I didn’t answer. Valek waited on the other side. My reward.
We packed our supplies and headed out. The merchants of the caravan agreed to include us in their group and we spent most of the night preparing our wagon. When we finished with the cart’s alterations, we stood around it, discussing the plan for the next day.
“Marrok, you’ll ride Garnet. Janco can take Kiki, and Ari, you’ll drive the wagon. No matter what happens, Ari, make sure we get to the Keep’s gate,” I ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
“What about me and you?” Leif asked.
I grimaced. “We’re the cargo.” The last thing I wanted to do was get inside one of those crates again, but there was no other way. “Ari is going to use me to get us inside. He’ll demand his five golds for bringing me to the Vermin.”
“I never thought I’d miss my days as necklace snake bait,” Leif said.
“What happens once we’re inside?” Ari asked.
“That will be the signal for the Citadel’s citizens to riot, which should keep a bunch of the Vermin and Warpers busy.”
“But what about all those powerful Warpers?” Leif asked.
“Can you make a null shield?”
He hesitated. “Yes.”
“When the riot starts, all the magicians will come to the Keep’s gate and help you build and maintain a null shield,” I said.
“But it won’t last long.”
“I just need a little time.”
“Time for what?”
“To get to the Fire Warper.”
Leif stared at me. “You can fight him?”
“No.”
“Tell me again why this isn’t a suicide mission.”
“I think I can stop him and keep him in the fire world. And in doing so, I think I might be able to pull some of the Warpers’ powers from them. If Bain and Irys are still alive, and if you round up as many magicians as you can, then you should be able to counter the Warpers.”
“That’s a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘thinks,’” Janco said.
“And there’s no ‘when,’” Ari said.
“When?” Leif asked.
“When she returns. There’s a when, isn’t there, Yelena?” Ari asked.
“The only way to keep him in the fire world is if I stay, too.” The words tasted like ash in my mouth. Thinking about an event was completely different than stating it aloud. Once said, it was final. But Valek would be there and I would find him. No “if,” “think” or “when” about it.
“There has to be another way,” Leif said. “You always manage to produce ingenious plots.”
“Not this time.”
Everyone remained quiet.
I was about to suggest we all get a little sleep when Leif asked, “What if we can’t counter the Warpers?”
“Then you’d better have a person who’s unaffected by magic on your side,” a vo
ice said from beyond the wagon.
We all looked at one another. The same question perched on everyone’s lips. A ghost voice?
“Although this time I would appreciate it if you didn’t leave me behind.” Valek stepped into view. He appeared to be solid. His angular face held annoyed amusement. The faint moonlight glinted off his bald head. He wore the brown tunic and pants of a Bloodgood clansman.
Disbelief followed surprise; I reached out to touch him. He pulled me close and my world filled with the sight, smell and feel of Valek.
Seconds, minutes, days, seasons could have passed and I wouldn’t have noticed or cared. I clung to him as if my feet dangled over a precipice. His heart beat in my ear. His blood flowed in my veins. I molded my body to his solid flesh, wanting to fuse with him and let nothing—not even air—come between us.
Relief and joy frolicked in my heart, extinguishing the smoldering grief until I remembered my promise to the Fire Warper.
Blazing sadness ignited, flooding my senses. My reward for babysitting the Fire Warper would have to wait. Better to have him here.
I gathered my resolve and calmed myself. The others moved away, leaving Valek and me alone. His lips found mine. Our souls twined. The gaping emptiness inside me filled.
He pulled away, breathless. “Easy, love.” His panting turned into a coughing fit.
“How did you survive the fire?” I asked. “The roof collapsed and you didn’t…”
“Two things happened at once. At least, I think they did.” He gave me an ironic smile. “I was carrying Gale when the roof fell. The force of it sent us through the floor and into a small root cellar.” Valek rubbed his ribs and grimaced.
“You’re hurt and I can’t heal you!” A nasty gash snaked along the side of his skull.
“Just bruised.” He ran a hand gently over his head. “A beam knocked me out and I would have probably died from the smoke and heat, but Gale kept us in a pocket of cool air. She had been hit by a piece of the barn’s wall when it shattered. But she came to and used her magic. She conjured a cushion of air around us to keep the burning debris from filling our hole.”
