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Janco kept to the main roads. So far, all the patrols he’d encountered hadn’t seen any sign of Valek or Yelena’s group. After three days on the road, he passed a solider. It took him a couple seconds to realize the man must be a messenger. Janco turned Whiskey around to question him.
“The message is for Captain Penter,” the private said, giving Janco a snide look. “Not you.”
Janco slid from the saddle. “I outrank your captain. Now hand it over, puppy dog.”
“You’re just an adviser.”
“I’m Valek’s second-in-command.”
The private laughed. “Good one.”
Annoyed, Janco lamented the lack of…proof of his position. It wouldn’t be that difficult to have badges made, or get tattoos, or make special uniforms. However, no one else thought it was needed.
Bah. Anonymity was useful—until it wasn’t.
“Do you really think the Commander would let just an adviser ride his favorite horse? Look at the diamond on his forehead. Ya think that happens in nature?” His tone indicated that only an idiot would believe that. A little improvisation never hurt anyone. Right?
“Uh…”
“Besides, I already know the gist of the message, anyway.”
The man straightened as if he realized he’d been duped. “Sorry, sir, but I have my orders.”
“It’s about a strange group of citizens traveling north.” He hoped.
A nose twitch gave the private away. Ah ha! “Just tell me where you encountered them and where they’re headed, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
He glanced at the horse, then said, “You need to talk to Lieutenant Darren. He’s at the station house. He’s the one who saw them. This…” The messenger waved the parchment. “Is just asking if the captain knows anything about a diamond delivery for General Ute.”
“Which station house? Two or three?”
“Three, sir.”
Too bad, two was closer. Janco mounted. “Thanks.” He spurred Whiskey into a gallop, heading east.
Two days later he arrived at the station house. Spotting Onyx tied up outside, Janco relaxed. If the black horse was here, then Valek had to be nearby. Onyx snorted a greeting to them. No surprise since both horses spent time together in the Commander’s stables.
Janco entered the station.
A sergeant scrambled to his feet to intercept him. “Are you the messenger from the Commander?”
No, but he doubted they’d believe him. These guys tended to be a bit isolated out here in the boondocks. “Yes.” Janco debated about mentioning Valek’s name. Sometimes his boss preferred to remain incognito. Instead he asked, “Is Lieutenant Darren here?”
“He’s interrogating a prisoner, but I’m sure he’ll want to see you right away. Wait here.” The solider hustled off.
Prisoner? Janco followed and when the sergeant entered a room, Janco moved to the side, staying out of sight, but able to hear the conversation.
“LT, a messenger from the Commander has arrived. He wishes to speak with you.” A pause. “Oh!”
“Escort the messenger in here, or I’ll skewer your lieutenant,” Valek said.
Janco muffled a chuckle as he back-tracked to where he was supposed to wait.
With his face bright red, the sergeant ran to Janco. “The prisoner has the lieutenant at sword-point! He wants you, but I have to alert the—”
“Don’t alert anyone just yet. I’ll handle this.”
“But he’s armed, and—”
“I’m the Commander’s messenger. Did you think we only deliver messages?”
“Uh…yes?”
Janco tsked. “We are trained to handle any contingency.” Wow, he was on a roll today. He strolled into the room and took in the situation. The frightened lieutenant sat in a chair. Valek stood nearby with a sword at the ready. His boss appeared happy to see Janco.
“Can you please tell this lieutenant who he has arrested?” Valek asked.
“Can do,” Janco said with a smile and then he couldn’t resist adding, “Lieutenant Darren, let me be the first to congratulate you on capturing the elusive and legendary Kelav. He’s been wanted in Ixia for years on multiple counts of espionage.”
Valek’s expression darkened into a murderous glower. “Janco.”
Oops. One lie too many. Although Darren’s open-mouth gape was quite amusing.
“Sorry, boss. Just having a bit of fun,” Janco said. “I can’t believe these guys didn’t recognize you. You wouldn’t have had this problem if we had badges.”
No response, only a hard gaze that promised pain if Janco continued. He hurried to explain to Darren who he’d “captured.” After stammering out an apology, Darren filled them in on the group of six miners he’d encountered.
“They said they worked at Mine 3-19 in MD-3 and were headed north. That was five days ago,” Darren said.
Valek shot to his feet. “Let’s go.”
“Now?” Janco was hoping to sleep in a bed and eat warm food tonight.
“Yes. Now. Although I doubt we’ll make it in time.”
“In time for what?”
“To help Yelena fight Owen once he gets his hands on the Ice Moon.”
PART 9 – YELENA
We reached the border between MD-5 and MD-4 on the twelfth day of our trip and four days after the encounter with the Lieutenant. The cold air blowing from the west sent shivers down my spine, despite my heavy cloak. My unease could also be attributed to the daily images Owen showed me of Leif and Valek, who were still incarcerated in Sitia.
With nothing but worry to occupy my mind, I replayed over and over the first time Owen had shown me Valek. He had signaled a message to me then, but hadn’t since. He warned of Owen lying to me, which wasn’t earth-shattering news. So what had he meant? I cursed myself daily for not memorizing all of Valek’s hand signals. Two motions still eluded me--they had to be critical to deciphering his whole message.
An MD-4 border patrol stopped us at midday. They scanned our party and papers with bored expressions. I searched their faces, looking for a recognizable feature or a hint of intelligence, but was disappointed.
That night, as the wind wailed through the many cracks in the travel shelter and we all huddled close to the campfire, I asked Owen about the Ice Moon.
I chose my words with care. “How did you know the Commander…stole it? Not many do.”
“My great-g
reat-grandfather created it,” Owen said. “Perhaps you’ve heard about Master Magician Ellis Moon?”
“Bain Bloodgood was my history teacher at the Keep.”
A rare smile flashed on his face. “Bain is a stickler for history, but I’m sure he didn’t tell you the truth about the Ice Moon.”
“He said it was a desperate measure when Master Magician Sefton Cowan had gathered the power blanket. A measure that was never used.”
“True. But did he tell you why they never used it?”
“They didn’t need to. The other six Masters found Sefton’s hiding place and attacked, along with every magician in Sitia not working for Sefton.”
“And almost all of them died. Of the Masters, only Ellis and Rivana survived. Had they deployed the Ice Moon, not a single soul would have been lost.”
“Bain indicated that there had been a great risk in using the Ice Moon. It could have backfired.”
“There was no danger.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I found Ellis’s notes and read through them. He was a genius. The other Masters were cowards. And now the Commander has the Ice Moon, believing he is keeping Ixia safe by preventing us from using it against Ixia. He has no idea that he possesses the single most powerful weapon he could possibly have against magicians.”
“Since he doesn’t know, it’s safe with him,” I said.
Owen scoffed. “Would you give a knife to a small child who doesn’t know it can kill? No. The Commander could accidently trigger the Ice Moon. Or he could learn its true nature and do what he most desires—rid the world of magic.”
I blinked at Owen, sure I had heard wrong. His superior demeanor remained in place. Owen had no idea what the blanket of power was—the souls of all those who have reached the sky, also known as the world’s soul. Not many did. I had told the Master Magicians, but we had agreed to keep the knowledge to ourselves for now.
I studied the arrogant man sitting next to me. The icy wind keened through the travel shelter’s cracks, causing the flames in the hearth to pulse.
“I don’t believe you,” I said to him. “Nothing can destroy the power blanket. Magicians can mangle it, rip holes in it and move it, but not erase it.”
