ONLY ONE OPTION REMAINED. We spurred our horses toward the border, hoping the Ixian guards would listen to our story before killing us. The unwelcome riders drew up beside us as we entered Ixia’s Snake Forest. They kept pace as we penetrated deep within the forest before stopping.
As expected, the Sitian soldiers hadn’t followed us into Ixia.
“Stay where you are,” a voice ordered from the woods. “You are surrounded.”
I knew the Ixians would be quick to find us. Just not this quick. I had chosen midmorning to cross into Ixia to avoid the changing of the guards. At this time, there was only one team of soldiers on duty.
“Drop your weapons and dismount,” the unseen guard said.
Topaz. Garnet, Kiki said. She whinnied a greeting.
Cahil’s horse? I pulled my bow and rounded on the riders, ignoring the orders from the guards. Two men sat on Topaz and Moon Man rode Garnet. “What? How?”
With shaking hands, one of the riders on Topaz pulled back his hood, revealing his pale face before collapsing. Tauno held him tight.
“Marrok! What—” An arrow struck a tree next to me.
“Drop your weapons and dismount. Or the next arrow goes into her heart!” the Ixian shouted.
I tossed my bow to the ground and gestured to the others to follow. Tauno slid off Topaz, lowered Marrok down, then removed his bow and arrows. Moon Man frowned but released his scimitar before getting off Garnet. Leif tossed his machete next to my staff.
“Step away from the weapons and raise your hands.”
We did as instructed. I made sure to step closer to Marrok. An arrow had pierced his side.
The ring of Ixian soldiers closed in. I counted four men and two women. Armed with crossbows and swords, they advanced on us.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t send you back to the squad of southerners?” asked an Ixian captain.
His uniform was mostly black except for a row of yellow diamond shapes down his sleeves and pant legs. We had crossed into Ixia’s MD-7.
“Because it wouldn’t be diplomatic to turn away a Sitian delegation,” I said.
The captain laughed. “Delegations come with honor guards not fleeing guards. Want to tell me another one?”
“I’m Liaison Yelena Zaltana. I’m here to speak with the Commander even though my visit is not sanctioned by the Sitian Council.”
“Yelena? The ex-food taster who saved the Commander?” the captain asked.
“Yes.”
“But you have magic. Why would you want to come back to Ixia? I could kill you now and be considered a hero.”
“I see your reputation has preceded you,” Leif said, grinning. I hoped his good humor was relief over seeing Moon Man alive and well and not over the death threat to me.
I frowned at him. Leif didn’t understand just how precarious a situation we were in. The captain’s boast had merit. I was quite sure the rumors about the order for my execution had traveled throughout Ixia, while the fact that the Commander had ripped up those orders when I agreed to be a Liaison probably had not.
Especially since everyone in Sitia and Ixia believed the Commander had stayed behind in Ixia when the Ixian delegation visited Sitia a couple months ago. The Commander had been disguised as Ambassador Signe, and she had no authority to cancel an execution order.
Because of the edict that magicians were not allowed in Ixia unless invited, and any Ixians discovered with magical powers were put to death, I had one volatile situation on my hands.
While killing us wouldn’t be easy, the captain had what amounted to standing orders to execute us on the spot. If he succeeded, though, he would have to face Valek. I shied away from that line of thought.
Instead, I said, “The Commander has appointed me as a Liaison with the Council. I am a neutral third party so I would not come with an honor guard of Sitians. I come with friends. Those guards had been chasing him.” I gestured to Marrok’s prone form. “I need to discuss something important with the Commander right away.”
The captain’s crossbow wavered. He appeared to be considering my answer. I pulled a thread of magic and skimmed his mind, touching only on his surface thoughts and emotions.
His ambition warred with his intelligence. Tired of guarding the border, the captain wanted a promotion and reassignment. Killing these southern magicians would give him enough recognition to become a major. But what if Yelena told the truth? The Commander wouldn’t be happy to have his Liaison killed. Still, bringing a magician close to the Commander would be dangerous. What if Yelena lied and planned to assassinate him?
I nudged his thoughts to trust us and to believe that if he led us to his commanding officer, he would be doing a commendable deed.
“You will accompany me and my squad,” the captain said. “We will confiscate your weapons and horses, and you will obey all orders. Any trouble or signs of revolt and you will be incapacitated.” He signaled for a few of his soldiers to approach us. “Search them. What about him?”
I looked at Marrok. “Let me attend to his wounds, Captain…”
“Nytik.” Again the captain signaled to one of his soldiers. “Lieutenant, search him for weapons.”
After the lieutenant secured Marrok’s sword, he gave me permission to examine him. The arrow had pierced Marrok’s right side, missing his ribs. There wasn’t much blood and the arrow hadn’t gone deep. Why was Marrok unconscious?
Accessing my magic, I scanned the rest of his body. He had been beaten. Two ribs and his collarbone were broken. A mass of bruises covered his body and his jawbone was cracked.
“Leif, I’m going to need some help.” Healing the extensive damage in Marrok’s body would exhaust me and I needed to reserve some energy in case Captain Nytik changed his mind.
“A poultice?” Leif knelt next to me.
“No. His story threads are frayed.” Moon Man placed his large hand on Marrok’s forehead.
I glared at Moon Man. “Stay away from him. Leif, let’s deal with the physical injuries first.”
Moon Man retreated. Leif and I drew power from the source. With my brother’s help, I assumed his injuries and repaired them. When Marrok woke, Leif gave him water and a sustaining tonic to revive him.
I questioned him on what had happened and why he was here, but Marrok just stared at me with a wild, unconnected look in his eyes. Worried about his mental state, I projected my awareness into his thoughts.
A cacophony of images flooded his mind. Memories and emotions and secret thoughts were exposed, unlocked and left to run amok, as if someone had taken a library full of books and torn and scattered them all around the room. The sheer amount of disarray overwhelmed Marrok. He could no longer bring two thoughts together to form a coherent sentence.
And there in the middle of the mess, gleefully shredding what remained of Marrok’s mind, was Roze Featherstone, First Magician.
She turned to me. There you are. I knew I’d find you in here if I looked hard enough. Now I can discover where you’ve been hiding.
She advanced, but I held my position. I’m not a memory, Roze. You won’t be able to extract anything from me.
I wouldn’t be so sure. Too much confidence can be a weakness.
You tried twice before and failed. I’m feeling pretty certain about my prediction. Why did you destroy Marrok’s mind?
She glanced around at the chaos. He’s a criminal. And you shouldn’t be so shocked. It’s no different than when you destroyed the Soulstealer’s mind.
I ignored the jab. Marrok isn’t a criminal and you know it. Did you force him to make a false confession?
He was honest, unlike you. You’ve been lying to us and to yourself, thinking you can be a benefit to Sitia. Now the Council knows the danger and I have permission to eliminate the threat you pose.
Again I failed to be impressed with her boast. How did Marrok and the others find us?
Roze smiled. You’ll have to figure that out on your own.
Are you trying to tell me I have a spy in my midst?
Dishonest people tend to find each other, Yelena. It’s the price you pay for associating with the criminal element. Frankly, I was surprised the Council hadn’t given me permission to neutralize you before. After all, how can they trust the heart mate of the most feared man in Sitia? Think about it. How could you be a Liaison when it’s obvious where your loyalties lie? First sign of trouble and you’re running for home. I will tell you one thing. You won’t be safe in Ixia.
I didn’t say anything, but she laughed. I have found what I needed. Good luck trying to put the pieces of Marrok’s mind back together.
She faded from his consciousness. Standing in the middle of the destruction she had left behind, I knew restoring order would be an impossible task. I returned to my body. There was nothing I could do.
Roze had the Council’s support against me. If I hadn’t known any better, the web of lies Cahil spun made complete sense. Roze even made sense. If she was as dedicated to Sitia as she claimed, then her efforts to discredit me were valid. Why trust me? I’m a Soulfinder, the one type of magician with an evil history. It would take a major effort and physical evidence to counter Cahil now.
“Moon Man, how did you find us?” I asked.
“Logic. I knew you would go to Ixia and I knew you would not cross the Avibian Plains in order to go around Featherstone lands. So that left west. Tauno found your trail in the Krystal lands.”
It was too much of a coincidence. “But Leif saw you disappear into the fire. And what about Marrok and the horses? How did you get them?” He had help and must have been sent by Cahil or Roze. Moon Man worked for them now.
“Gede pulled me from the fire. Marrok had been dumped in the infirmary and left unguarded. The horses came when we needed them.”
It still sounded too easy. “Why did Gede insist I go into the fire?”
“You will have to ask him. He is your Story Weaver now. I can not guide you.” His tone held sadness.
“Why did you go into the fire, Moon Man?” Leif asked.
“Gede is the only surviving leader of my clan. I follow his orders.”
“Even when your life’s at stake?”
“Yes. Loyalty to one’s clan comes before personal safety.”
“Like being bait for a necklace snake?” Leif gazed at me.
“Exactly,” Moon Man said.
“Can your man walk?” Captain Nytik asked. He had been standing nearby, watching us with distaste creasing his forehead. “We need to get moving.”
Marrok couldn’t walk, but he could ride. Kiki and Topaz’s heads were together. I connected to Topaz, and asked, Go home? Miss Peppermint Man?
No. Stay.
Why? Topaz had been with Cahil for a long time.
Bad smell. Blood.
I turned to the captain. “He’ll sit on his horse.”
With the lieutenant in the lead, Moon Man, Leif, Tauno and I followed. The captain and his remaining soldiers formed a rear guard. We traveled north through the Snake Forest. On a map, the forest resembled a thin rope of green that undulated along the entire east-west border from the Jade Sea to the Emerald Mountains. After a half day of travel, we arrived at a guard station and barracks.
Another round of explanations had to be endured before we could care for the horses and eat lunch. We sat in the middle of the guard house’s dining area surrounded by fifty suspicious soldiers who shot us hard glances between bites of food. Moon Man guided Marrok with a gentle patience. Basic skills like eating and caring for himself would all have to be relearned.
During our cold meal of venison jerky and bread, I explained to my companions about Ixia’s uniform system. “Everyone who lives in Ixia must wear a uniform. The standard colors for the shirts, pants and skirts are black and white, but each Military District has its own color. We’re in MD-7, which is governed by General Rasmussen, who reports to the Commander. Rasmussen’s color is yellow and you’ll see a line of yellow diamond shapes somewhere on the uniforms.” I gestured to the guards around us. Their uniforms matched the captain’s, but the rank insignia on their collars were different. “A cook’s uniform is all white with diamonds printed side by side across the shirt. The color of the diamonds tells you which district the cook works in. Red is the Commander’s color.”
“Who’s that?” Leif pointed to woman heading our way. She wore all black, but had two red diamonds stitched onto her collar. Her blond hair was pulled into a tidy bun. She held two bows in her hands.
“She’s an adviser to the Commander.” I stood and grinned.
She tossed me my bow. I caught it. The noise in the room ceased the instant it hit my hand.
“Okay, Puker, let’s see if you’ve been practicing,” she said with an exultant yet predatory glint in her eyes.
“Adviser Maren, didn’t your mother teach you it’s not nice to call people names?” I hefted my bow. “Especially not armed people.”
She waved away my comment. “We’ll deal with the niceties later. Stuck in this backwoods, I haven’t had a decent bow fight in a long time. Come on!” She beckoned me to follow as she threaded her way through the dining room.
“Should we be worried?” Leif asked.
“She taught me all her tricks, but I’ve learned a few new ones since our last fight. This should be…interesting.”
“Play nice,” Leif said.
I navigated through the quiet room. It erupted with sound as soon as I left. A mass of soldiers followed me outside.
Maren stretched her muscles before picking up her bow. Tall and lean, she made a formidable opponent. She swung her six-foot staff with deft hands. At a slight disadvantage, my bow measured only five feet. I removed my cloak and rubbed my hands along the smooth wood of my weapon, setting my mind into the zone of concentration I used when fighting. Not quite magical in origin, this mental state kept my mind open to my opponent’s intentions.
As soon as I was ready she attacked with two quick strikes toward my ribs. I blocked both, countering with a strike to her arms. The fight began in earnest.
The rhythmic crack of our weapons filled the air. I ducked a temple strike and thrust the end of my bow staff toward her stomach. She stepped back and attempted to trip me with her bow. I jumped and did a front kick in midair, hitting her shoulder. Maren retreated a few steps before coming at me with a series of jabs.
“Did you get tired of losing to Janco all the time and request a transfer?” I asked, knocking her bow aside and executing a flurry of temple strikes. Maren had been a captain in the Commander’s Special Forces, along with my friends Ari and Janco.
“I was promoted,” she said. She met my assault and feinted to the right.
Sensing her intentions, I ignored the feint and stopped the blow to my head just in time. “Promoted to adviser? Sounds shady. Bribe anyone I know?”
“Once I beat Valek, I could choose any job in Ixia.”
I froze for a moment in surprise and she hit my upper arm, knocking me over. I rolled, avoiding her jabs, but she pressed her advantage. Two moves later, she sat on my chest and pressed her bow to my neck. The crowd of soldiers cheered.
“Concede?”
“Yes.”
She grinned and pulled me to my feet. “Rematch?”
“Give me a minute.” I brushed the dirt from my clothes.
“What’s with the skirt?”
“It’s not a skirt. See?” Pulling the fabric apart, I revealed the pants.
She snorted with amusement. “We need to get you back into uniform, Yelena.”
Her use of my proper name meant that I had at least impressed her with my fighting skills. Which reminded me of her comment that had thrown me off guard. “What’s all this about you beating Valek? You’re adequate with a bow, but, come on, Valek?”
Valek had issued a challenge to everyone in Ixia. Beat him in a fight with the weapon of your choice and win the right to become his second in command. Many soldiers had tried and failed to win the right.
“Adequate?” She laughed. “I guess when I beat you again, you’ll up it to decent.”
“That’s if you beat me, and you haven’t answered my question.”
“I had help. Happy now? Valek never said we had to beat him one on one. Three of us got together and we won the right to pick any position in Ixia. I chose to become an adviser for the Commander. I’m in MD-7 on a temporary assignment to deal with some—” she glanced at the soldiers “—issues.”
Three against one was still good odds for Valek. I wondered who the other two were, and the answer came to me. “Please don’t tell me Ari and Janco were your partners.”
Her chagrined expression confirmed my guess.
“Janco was insufferably smug before. There’ll be no living with him,” I said.
“Valek’s challenge has been modified. Since Janco and Ari have been promoted to Valek’s seconds, if other soldiers want to claim the second positions they must beat Ari and Janco, but no more than six can attack at one time. Valek’s seconds should be able to handle three each. If a soldier wishes to fight Valek alone, he must beat one of us to have the chance.”
“Having Janco in charge when Valek’s away is a scary state of affairs.”
“Not as scary as when you’re begging for mercy.” Maren swung her bow.
I blocked and countered. Soon we were engaged in another brisk fight. But this time I stayed focused. I swept her feet out from under her and stepped on her bow before she could roll away. I won the match and received a few cheers from my brother, who had joined the audience. Moon Man and the others stood apart. He watched me with no expression on his face.
“Tie breaker?” Maren didn’t wait for an answer. Round three began.
We fought until we reached an impasse.
Leif’s voice interrupted us before we started another match. “As much as I enjoy watching my sister get beaten, we really need to talk to the Commander. You’re wasting time.”
Maren studied Leif with a dubious expression. “I don’t see a family resemblance.”
I introduced my brother to Maren. “Although I hate to admit it, Leif’s right. We need to go.”
Maren shook her head. “General Rasmussen wants to talk with you first. These soldiers have orders to keep you here until he gives you permission to leave.”
“But I’ve explained—”
“Everything but exactly what you need to discuss with the Commander.”
“That’s classified.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Maren leaned on her bow. “The general has become…cautious in his advancing years. He won’t let you leave unless you tell him the reason you came to Ixia.”
From her choice of words, I could tell there was more to the story. She worked for the Commander but was helping the general, and probably reporting every bit of information to Valek.
“We’ll talk to the general then,” I agreed.
“Great. I’ll schedule an audience with him tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? We have pressing business.”
“I’m sorry. The general retires early. He’ll see no one tonight.”
Leif opened his mouth to protest. I touched his arm, stopping him. Maren and I had dueled the afternoon away, and I suspected she had a good reason for it.
“All right. We’ll wait until tomorrow. How long will it take us to get to the manor? Perhaps it would be best to leave tonight?”
“No. It would be best to leave in the morning. It’s a half-day’s ride.” Maren led us to a brick cottage with a stable nearby. “You can stay in our guest quarters. This location is a popular spot for travelers from MD-6 to stop.”
The castle complex was located in the southern end of MD-6. Two-and-a-half days’ ride directly north of Sitia’s Citadel. I found it interesting the two centers of political power remained physically close while their governing styles were worlds apart.
We entered the cottage. Although the furnishings in the main room were sparse, it looked comfortable enough. Guards stationed themselves outside, but one lieutenant followed us in.
“Beds! They have beds with feather mattresses,” Leif called from a bedroom.
“There is wood in the back, and you can dine with the soldiers for your evening meal. I’ll let the general know when you’re arriving.” Maren left with the Lieutenant close on her heels, but two guards remained positioned by the front door.
A quick peek out the side and back windows revealed the presence of more guards. We were surrounded. I thought about Maren’s comments. A few of the things she said didn’t add up. I wondered what she planned to do. All I knew were my plans, and they didn’t include visiting the general.
I joined my traveling companions in the bedroom. Moon Man sat next to Marrok, who lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. Tauno perched on the edge of a chair.
Leif had stretched out across one of the beds. A sigh of contentment escaped his lips. “I haven’t slept in a bed since…since…I can’t even remember!”
“Don’t get too comfortable,” I said.
He groaned. “Now what?”
I put a finger over my lips then pointed to my forehead. Too many ears around, I said in his mind.
What’s going on? he asked.
We are not going to waste time with the general, Moon Man said.
I scowled at him in surprise, forgetting that he could link his mind to ours.
Since you have chosen Gede as your guide, I had to channel through Leif.
I ignored Leif’s confusion. Unchannel then. This is a private conversation.
Moon Man remained quiet for a while. I will withdraw.
Care to tell me what that was about? Leif asked.
I filled him in on my conversation with Roze. Moon Man’s a spy.
No way. You can’t believe that.
Are you saying Roze is lying?
No. I’m saying maybe you’re overreacting. Moon Man admitted Gede is his boss. Their clan was decimated by the Vermin so Gede and Roze want the same thing. Gede probably sent Moon Man to keep an eye on you.
And that’s different than spying how?
He’s probably here to protect you. To keep you safe until your name can be cleared.
It would be nice just to ask him, but I’m sure he has a vague non-answer already prepared.
That’s harsh, Yelena. He has witnessed the massacre of his clan. Although, I do wish for the old Moon Man back, Leif said. I’ll take his teasing, cryptic advice and mysterious arrivals over his somber demeanor any day.
My brother put another pillow under his head. Looks like we’ll be in Ixia for a while. Leif Liana Ixia has a nice ring to it. If they don’t execute me for being a magician, perhaps I can find a job at an Ixian apothecary. Do they have uniforms for an apothecarist?
We’re going back to Sitia.
To certain death? No thank you. Perhaps the Commander will need one of my tisanes?
We need to talk to the Commander and rendezvous with Valek. I hoped.
Surrounded by guards. Remember?
That’s right. We’re outnumbered. It’s a shame we don’t have magic to help us. A mage could put the guards to sleep. Or better yet we could use Curare. Too bad I don’t have any blowpipes in my backpack.
Sarcasm is an ugly trait, little sister. You should avoid it.
And you give up too easy. And trust too easy, but I wouldn’t say it to him.
I blame the feather mattress. It has sucked all my motivation. If there is a comfortable bed in my apartment above my apothecary shop, I will be quite content living in Ixia.
Leif. I warned.
All right. All right. I’ll make you a few blowpipes just in case we can’t put everyone to sleep. He grumbled to himself as he rolled out of bed and went over to his pack.
I debated what I should tell Tauno and Moon Man. As long as we didn’t have a fire, I could warn them about my plans. And I wanted them with me so I could keep an eye on them.
“We should go to bed early tonight,” I said to them. “To rest for tomorrow.” They appeared to understand my hint. Once the Ixian soldiers had gone to bed,
we would make our escape.
I planned to be at the Commander’s castle before the MD-7 guards realized we had gone. Approaching the main gate of the castle complex without an Ixian guide would create instant suspicion, but that was a problem I would deal with when it arose.
After having dinner with the soldiers, I eyed our new set of guards with care, trying to size them up. I knew Tauno and Moon Man wouldn’t pass for Ixian, so either Leif or I would have to wear a uniform and pose as a soldier until we reached the Commander. Ideally, I should disguise myself, but at five feet four inches tall, I doubted I would find a uniform that fit.
Not bothering to build a fire, we retired early. I slept for a few hours. The luxury of being in an actual bed made it difficult to rouse. But I forced myself to get up and woke the others, gesturing for quiet.
Leif didn’t have the skills to put our guards to sleep, but he could complement my energy. I held his hand and projected my awareness to the circle of soldiers. Three men and one woman stood watch. Reaching farther, I connected to the horses in the stable.
Ready? I asked Kiki.
Yes.
The two stable lads slept on bales of hay, content to have horses in their stables. To them the musky smell of horse, manure and straw equaled a feather bed.
I swept the barracks with my mind, seeking trouble. At two hours past midnight, the garrison was calm. Since I couldn’t put the entire garrison into a deep sleep, I hoped we were far enough away not to wake them. I returned to the sleeping lads and sent them into a heavy slumber.
The guards who ringed our quarters proved resistant to my mental suggestion. Their Ixian training fought my magic and I feared I would have to resort to using the Curare. Before I broke the connection, one of the guards jerked in surprise as a sharp point jabbed his neck. His vision spun as the drug entered his blood. I pulled away before the man passed out.
Leif released my hand.
“Time to go,” I said, moving fast. We had help and my heart soared. One person always knew when I needed him. I threw open the door, expecting Valek, but found Maren instead. She dragged one of the guards into the guest quarters, and was soon followed by three others who each carried in a prone form, dumping them onto the floor.
Her companions wore MD-7 uniforms.
“Guess we had the same idea. My men will pose as your guards while we head toward the castle,” she explained.
“Will they be out long?” I poked one of the men on the floor with the toe of my boot.
“A good six hours. I used Valek’s sleeping potion on them.” She smiled with a mischievous glint in her gray eyes.
“Adviser Maren, you aren’t doing a little moonlighting with Valek’s corps now, are you?” I tsked with mock concern. “How did you know when to strike?”
Maren gave me an odd look. “When the horses left the stable, I thought you might be ready to go.”
“Are you coming with us? Can you ride?”
“Yes. I have a horse nearby. I need to return to the general’s manor house before you’re discovered missing. I’ll take you to MD-6’s border and introduce you to the soldiers at the way station there. They will take you to the Commander’s castle. Your weapons are outside. Let’s go.”
Leif, Moon Man, Tauno and I carried our saddles until we were far enough away to risk the noise. Moon Man and Marrok rode on Topaz. Marrok still couldn’t speak, but he mounted when Moon Man asked him to.
Maren proved to be an adept rider and we covered the distance to MD-6 in record time. Before she alerted the way-station guards, I asked her, “What will happen when General Rasmussen finds out we escaped?”
“Once you’re with the Commander, he can’t admit to trying to delay you, because he’ll have to answer why. He’ll probably have his people keep the whole incident quiet. Valek will most likely let him believe he got away with it. Until Valek needs something from him.” Another predatory grin spread on her face.
Our transfer to MD-6 and into the hands of General Hazel’s soldiers proceeded with quick efficiency. The new guide wore a captain’s uniform with blue diamonds instead of Captain Nytik’s yellow.
In fact, the whole trip to the Commander’s castle went smoothly. Admitted into his complex without any trouble, I should have savored those few quiet hours. Because after we met with Commander Ambrose, nothing went right.