To avoid being the next victim, Valek combat crawled toward where the entrance had been. He encountered Yelena’s pack on the way and dragged it along with him. Arguments sounded outside. The Daviians cursed and accused the minions for not protecting them. No one noticed Valek as he slipped through the opening. Not yet.
He scanned the area. Yelena and Kiki were gone. Valek backed away from the camp until he was out of sight. Now if he could reach the safe house without hitting another booby trap, he’d be happy. He slung Yelena’s pack over his shoulder.
It was a long, cold slog to the safe house. He kept an eye out for his horse, but no luck. When he arrived, Valek stopped in the stable to check if Kiki was there or if Yelena had decided to leave him behind. Smoke curling from the door was his first warning something was wrong. He ran into the barn. Yelena slept on a stack of hay bales outside Kiki’s stall. She writhed as if trapped in a nightmare.
“Yelena!” he yelled, rushing to her side. More smoke poured from the hay. Grabbing her shoulder, he yelped as heat seared his skin.
“Yelena!” No response. He dumped her pack on the ground, picked up a bucket, and poured water on top of her.
Steam hissed. She woke up, choking on the water.
“What?” She sat up. Her clothes and hair were soaking wet. “What was that for?”
“You were having a nightmare,” he said.
“And shaking me awake seemed too tame?” She snapped, still angry with him.
Valek didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled her to her feet and pointed to the Yelena-shaped scorch mark on the topmost hay bale. The place where she had slept.
“You were too hot to touch,” he said in a deadpan.
She shivered.
“I take it your rescue attempt last night has angered some powerful people. I saw you and Kiki create chaos in the camp, ruining my plans yet again. What else did you do?” He kept his expression neutral.
“The Kirakawa ritual traps the victim’s soul inside their heart. I was unable to stop the ritual once it started, but I did take the girls’ souls before they could be used, stealing the power the warpers hoped to harvest. I carried the girls to the edge of the plains and released them to the sky, where they’ll find peace.” Sadness and remorse shone in her eyes.
Valek’s own guilt churned in his stomach. If he’d been quicker, if he hadn’t let them be captured, they would have lived. More proof for Yelena that he was the magician killer.
“I should have let you kill Cahil,” Yelena said.
“Why?”
“It would have prevented all this.”
“I think not. Cahil’s involvement is recent. These Daviians are prepared. They’ve been planning this move for a while. Cahil wants you dead and wants his throne. I believe the whole Kirakawa ritual sickens him.”
“He helped with the kidnapping.”
“Because he wanted you. He wasn’t at the camp last night. He’s probably heading to the Citadel.”
“How do you know?”
Valek gave her a tight, joyless smile. “When you stormed the camp, I stole into the tent, intending to put the Wannabe King out of my misery. I had a few seconds to determine he was gone before the tent collapsed on me.”
She suppressed a smile.
“But I found that.” He gestured to Yelena’s backpack.
A happy cry escaped her lips, and she knelt down to check the contents. At least, her pack had given her some comfort. Exhausted, Valek left. The cold empty house matched his cold empty heart. He lit a small fire. Yelena was soaking wet; she’d need the warmth.
There was a bedroom on the second floor loft. Valek changed into clean clothes and wondered if Yelena would join him. After a while, the sound of an opening door reached him. He walked to the railing and peeked over. Yelena stood in the threshold, hesitating. Not wanting to witness her leaving, he walked over to the bed and laid down. He’d find out what she decided eventually.
* * *
The rattle of sleet on the windows woke Valek. Wind keened through the rafters. He rolled over. On the other side of the bed, the unrumpled sheets and undented pillow were a heart-breaking sight. He’d committed an unforgivable mistake. Too focused on solving the puzzle, he’d lost Yelena’s love.
Pain sliced right through him, and he allowed it to burn and ache for a few minutes. Then he gathered it and stuffed it deep down inside a box, cutting off all emotions. The Daviians needed to be stopped or more people would die. If Yelena was still here, they would need to work together.
