Just like the Ixian Military Districts, each Sitian clan had a specialty. The Jewelrose Clan cut and polished gems and stones of all types. They designed and produced almost all the jewelry in Sitia.
Bright sunshine warmed the air and Valek was glad for many reasons. He was tired of the sleet and cold rain. “Let’s hope the good weather draws people onto the roads.”
“Why?” Tauno asked.
“Then we will be one of many instead of the only ones,” Valek explained. He rode next to the Sandseed, and they discussed the best way to find the barn that held the hostages.
In front of them, Yelena and Marrok rode side by side. Kiki occasionally bumped into Topaz when they slowed their pace or stopped for a rest. Valek wondered if the horses were friends or siblings. Yelena’s new bat friend hung upside down from her hood. It bumped against the small of her back but didn’t appear to be bothered by the motion. It seemed content to sleep. It would be interesting to see what the bat did that evening. Would he leave them?
In the late afternoon, Yelena asked Marrok about his confession.
“Cahil tricked me,” Marrok said. “I fell for his lies about remaining with Ferde to discover the extent of the Daviians’ operations. Applauded his plan to lure Ferde back to the Citadel. Commiserated over your ill-timed interference. He convinced me to confess, and name you and Leif as accomplices. It would help him persuade the Council to attack Ixia. He promised…” Marrok paused, rubbing a hand along his right cheek. “After I confessed, he turned on me. A mistake I paid for…” He shuddered. “Am still paying for.”
Valek thought Roze had used her magic on him to force a confession, but it had been his conscience that caused his reluctance.
“Betrayals are brutal,” Yelena agreed.
Marrok looked at her in surprise. “Don’t you think leaving us in Ixia was a betrayal?”
“No. That wasn’t my intention. I wanted to protect you and was honest with all of you from the start. I just wasn’t honest with myself. A mistake.”
“You’re still paying for?” Marrok smiled. The gesture erased years from his face.
“Yes. It’s the problem with mistakes, they tend to linger. But once we’re done with the Daviians and Cahil, I will have paid for all my mistakes. In full.”
What did that mean?Unease simmered in Valek’s chest. Did she plan to sacrifice herself?
“Do you remember your rescue from the Citadel?” she asked Marrok.
He grinned ruefully. “Sorry, no. At the time, I was in no condition to think. Moon Man is a wonder. I owe him my life.” Marrok glanced around then lowered his voice.
Valek leaned forward to hear better.
“Being here without him, I feel…fragile. And that’s hard for an old soldier to admit.”
Conversation dwindled with the daylight. They stopped at midnight. Without any discussion, Yelena fed, watered, and groomed the horses, Marrok prepared a meal, Tauno hunted for rabbits, and Valek collected firewood.
“I’m used to soldiers’ rations on the road, so don’t expect this to taste like Leif’s,” Marrok said as he dished out rabbit stew.
It was a gourmet meal compared to the jerky Valek had been consuming since… Forever. Or so it seemed.
As he ate, he watched Yelena’s bat flit over the campfire, feasting on bugs. After dinner, they arranged their sleeping mats and set a watch schedule. Valek set his right next to Yelena’s and they shared a blanket. She wrapped him in a tight hug.
“What’s the matter, love,” he whispered in her ear. “You’re rarely this quiet.”
“Just worried about the councilors’ families.”
“I think we have things well in hand. Between my sleeping potion for the guards, your Curare for the warpers, and the element of surprise, we should rescue them in no time.”
“But what if one of the captives is sick? Or dying? If I use my magic, I risk letting the warpers know where I am and what I’ve been doing.”
“Then you’ll have to decide what is more important—one person’s life or the success of the mission for Sitia’s future. It’s pointless to worry. Instead, use your energy to decide how you would react to each contingency you can imagine. It’s more prudent to prepare for all possibilities than fret.” Good advice. Valek wished he followed it more often, especially when it came to Yelena. Logic and reason fled when she was in danger. For her, he’d fret all night.
* * *
Valek looped around their campsite. He stayed far enough away to avoid waking everyone with his footsteps, and to keep his night vision. They hadn’t encountered any trouble the past three nights, and tonight remained quiet. He enjoyed the solitude. With no clouds in the sky, the air had cooled considerably. But it was worth it as the stars shone and twinkled like a field of fireflies.
When his shift was over, he crouched next to Yelena and gently shook her shoulder. “Ellion… Ellion…” He whispered. She didn’t move. “Yelena! Wake up.”
