AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Onora didn’t blink, or even breathe, for that matter.
Gotcha. Valek drove his point home. “Gerik must have recognized you, since you both grew up in Silver Falls and you joined the army at the same time. Too bad he was assigned to another unit.”
“Why didn’t you...”
“Arrest him?”
She nodded.
“And split up a highly effective team? No. You’ll need loyal people working with you if you’re going to take over my job.”
The prospect of being promoted failed to crack her serious demeanor. Perhaps she’d learned enough about his position to realize the danger and constant headaches.
Valek and Onora rejoined the others. The Stable Master had brought The Madam and a thick-chested dark brown horse with a white diamond on its forehead.
“Is it okay to send The Madam along with Kiki?” he asked Onora.
“Yes. She’ll help Janco get through his lonely nights without his beloved Beach Bunny.”
Janco made a rude gesture at her. As Ari and Janco saddled their horses, Valek warned Maren and Onora to keep away from Owen. He also reminded them of the various operations in progress. “And select an agent for the undercover job. Ari and Janco will be sending you more information.”
“Don’t worry, Dad,” Maren said. ?
??We won’t burn the house down or invite our friends over for a brew party while you’re gone.”
“We’ll probably be at the rendezvous point before you, so message us if you need backup,” Ari said to Valek.
“Yeah, feel free to share the fun,” Janco added.
“I’ll be on the coast,” Valek replied.
“Ugh. Forget it. That’s not fun.”
“I’ll bring you back a souvenir. A bag of sand, perhaps?” he teased.
“That would be fabulous. Then I can dump it into Ari’s bed so he can experience the joy of coastal living—the unique sensation of sand in your sheets.”
“Would it help me understand why you named your horse Beach Bunny?” Ari asked.
“Shut up.”
While they finished packing their saddlebags, Valek drew Yelena away from the others. He put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her with the full depth of his love, wishing to communicate the vast extent of his passion and his desire. He’d have gladly given her his magical immunity if it were possible to keep her and their baby safe.
When they broke apart, Yelena gasped for breath. Her green eyes shone. “A few more kisses like that and I might agree to be locked in a tower.”
“Then expect many more when you return.” He traced her bottom lip with his thumb. “Hurry back, love.”
“I will.”
* * *
Mounting Onyx, Valek exchanged one last smile with Yelena, then spurred his horse forward. He’d already lost more than half the day, and he planned to be at the first travel shelter by sunset. As the distance from the castle grew, the warmth from his kiss with Yelena drained away. Dread, worry and an emptiness rushed in its place.
Instead of brooding, he concentrated on making up time. Traveling in Ixia was different than in Sitia. In the south, even small towns had inns, and the population sprawled from one city to the next. In Ixia, the farmers lived in town and walked to their fields every morning. The town borders were more defined to make it easier for security to patrol the perimeter and ensure everyone remained where they should.
Instead of inns, travel shelters had been built in Ixia when the distance between cities required travelers to stop for the night. Security patrols frequently checked them for unauthorized people. As an adviser to the Commander on horseback, he shouldn’t be questioned as much.
Valek headed northwest. As soon as he’d passed the outer wall of the castle, he was officially in MD-6. The Commander governed all of Ixia, but he directly controlled the complex and Castletown. Both were located in the southern point of MD-6, which was ruled by General Hazal.
It would take Valek approximately nine days to reach the coast of MD-1. He’d have to cross the northeastern section of MD-8 to get there. The reports about where the Storm Thieves had hit listed many of the towns along the northern section—a place Valek knew well. He’d learned the assassin arts at the School of Night and Shadows. The complex had been built on top of a cliff facing the Sunset Ocean and near the most northwestern point in MD-1. The terrain to the south smoothed into gentle dunes, allowing fishermen to trap crabs and hook sea cod. A few miles inland, farmers raised herds of bison that thrived in the colder climate.
Valek urged Onyx into a gallop as the irrational part of him tried to outrun his memories. But the vision of his father’s leather tannery rose despite his efforts to quell it. His parents’ house was near the area being targeted by the thieves. Valek had left twenty-eight years ago. The sound of his father’s voice still remained clear despite the years. He’d never forget when his parents told him never to return. They hadn’t approved of his desire to seek revenge on the men who murdered Valek’s three brothers. And Valek had honored their request and stayed away.
Of course, he’d assigned agents to watch over them and protect them if needed. But he didn’t want a detailed report. All he wished to know was that they were alive and safe. Nothing else was relevant. Details would be a painful reminder of a time he’d rather forget. And soon he’d have his own family—or rather, another addition to his eclectic family, if he agreed with Janco’s assessment.
Valek reached the shelter before the sun fully set. The bloated half disk colored the sky with orange and red streaks. A couple horse stalls with a few bales of straw and buckets for water leaned against the structure. He removed Onyx’s saddle. It weighed a ton. With only four hours of sleep in the past three days, Valek felt every pound. And when he considered everything that had happened with Yelena, the Commander and Owen, he was rattled, exhausted and overwhelmed.
While Onyx ate, Valek groomed him and filled a water bucket. When he finished, he patted his horse. “If you smell or hear anything, can you please alert me?”
Onyx bobbed his head.
“Thanks.” He fed him a peppermint.
No one else was in the shelter. Valek doubted he’d have company, since he’d only seen a few security patrols on the road. The one-room building resembled all the other rest stops in Ixia. Valek tossed his pack onto a lower bunk far from the door. The distance would give him time to react if anyone entered with ill intentions.
After a meal of sliced cheese, nuts, meat jerky and bread—typical travel rations—Valek collapsed on the narrow bed. Already he wished the mission was over. He planned to stop the thieves as quickly as possible and return to the rendezvous location just as fast. If Yelena didn’t arrive in a reasonable time, he’d go to Sitia and find her.
Not even committing treason could stop him.
* * *
After eight days of hard riding with only brief stops to rest and feed Onyx, Valek arrived at the garrison near the northern coast of MD-1 by late afternoon. He needed to check in with the local patrols in order for them to leave him alone as he conducted his investigation. Besides, a hot meal, a bathtub and a real bed sounded too good to pass up.
The guards at the gate snapped to attention and just about wet themselves when Valek told them his name. High-ranking officers were fetched and a private arrived to take charge of Onyx. Despite the private’s assurance to take good care of his horse, Valek followed the young man to the stables to ensure Onyx received the proper attention.
Pausing at the entrance, Valek remembered the first time he’d arrived at this stable twenty-six years ago. He had reported to work minutes late, and the Stable Master had boxed his ear. It had been his first undercover operation, and he learned so much working as a stable boy. Back then, the King ruled Ixia, and all the officers had horses, so he’d not only been busy, but had a perfect spot to keep track of the comings and goings of the soldiers. Best of all, he’d assassinated the three men who had murdered his brothers, and their captain. No one had suspected the stable boy, and it was many years later before the garrison learned who had killed the men.
Satisfied Onyx would be taken care of, Valek allowed the garrison’s commander, a Colonel Ransley, to escort him to his private dining room for supper. Four older officers and two younger lieutenants joined them for the meal. Most of the King’s soldiers had switched their loyalties to the Commander during the takeover. It hadn’t been hard to convince them once they learned they’d earn higher wages and receive better benefits and respect, as long as they followed the Commander’s Code of Behavior.
From the occasional scowl directed his way, Valek figured a few of the older men had been stationed here when Valek had caused such panic over the mysterious deaths.
Once they were seated around an oval-shaped table, servers poured them glasses of wine and placed plates filled with steamed cod and salted seaweed. Colonel Ransley swallowed a large mouthful of wine before asking, “What brings you to this remote corner of Ixia, Adviser Valek?”
Conversation ceased as the others waited for Valek’s answer.
“I’ve been getting reports about a gang of thieves that strike when it storms,” he said.
Ransley scoffed, “It’s just a bunch of kids, stealing for kicks.”
“Yet you haven’t stopped them.” Valek studie
d their expressions.
“The local security forces can handle it,” an older major said. “Besides, they’ve only stolen petty stuff. When the fleet goes out, the incidents will stop.”
“Petty?” Valek asked. “I don’t think the weapons taken from the security office in Gandrel are insignificant.”
The major glanced at Ransley, who covered his surprise. Ransley cleared his throat. “Are you sure this information is accurate?”
Valek’s tone turned icy. “Do you think I’d journey all this way for a mere rumor?”
“No, sir,” Ransley was quick to reply. “It’s just we hadn’t heard about the hit on Gandrel.”
“The thieves might be intercepting messages to the garrison,” Valek said.
“Wouldn’t they block information traveling to you, as well?” the old major asked.
Turning to the idiot, Valek bit down on his temper. “My corps are well trained, Major. They wouldn’t make the rookie mistake of trusting the wrong messenger.”
“But they couldn’t find the Storm Thieves, either,” one of the young lieutenants piped up.
The others froze in horror, but Valek pointed his fork at him. “You’re right, Lieutenant. My corps couldn’t catch them. Every time they set a trap, the thieves avoided it.” His gaze met each man at the table. “Someone is providing them with insider information. It could be one of my agents, or one of the local guards. There is also the possibility that the thieves have discovered a way to spy on the authorities. Since my men were unable to determine the source of this leak, I decided to aid their efforts.” Valek resumed eating.
“Why do you believe you will have more success?” the major asked, his tone skeptical.
Valek stared at the man with what Yelena called his killer look.
The major dabbed at his mouth with his napkin in an attempt to hide the red splotches spreading on his face. “Er...yes...no doubt you will... My apologies, sir.”
Ransley changed the subject. “We have a promising young man that you might wish to recruit into your corps, Adviser Valek. He’s a skilled swordsman and smart, too.”
Letting the major off the hook for now, Valek made the appropriate inquiries about the swordsman. He wondered if any women had been promoted in this garrison and decided to check into that, as well. The King had frowned on female soldiers, claiming they were too weak to fight. The Commander held the opposite opinion and recruited many loyal and fierce women into his army when he took control of Ixia.
