Dawn Study (Soulfinders #3)(124)

Bruns was on his feet in a heartbeat. “Who?”

I answered for her. “The Sitian army.” I savored his confusion. Getting caught wasn’t part of the plan, but at least I had a front-row seat to his downfall.

He rounded on me. Pressing his knife to my throat, he asked, “What did you do?”

“Me? Other than tonight, not much. But my friends attacked the garrisons a few days ago. The Master Magicians were never under your control, Bruns. They’ve convinced your magicians to report the attacks tonight, instead of when they really happened.”

“How? My people are loyal!”

“It’s amazing how quickly the magicians switched sides once they learned about the Harman sap.”

Bruns growled. “Die.”

The blade burned through my skin. Pain ringed my neck. Guilt and grief over the baby dominated my thoughts.

Then a figure slammed into Bruns, knocking him away from me. He recovered and spun, aiming his knife at his attacker, but Onora blocked it with ease. She held a dagger in each hand. Bruns lunged and, while he had a bit of skill with the blade, it wasn’t near enough to counter a well-trained assassin. In one smooth move, she sidestepped the attack and stabbed her knife right into his chest.

Cilly screamed and dove for Onora. The magician should have used her magic. Onora disarmed her in two moves and knocked her unconscious with the hilt of her weapon.

Everything had happened so fast that my heart was slow to catch up, but now it banged in my chest and made it difficult to breathe.

Onora stared at Bruns’s corpse. An angry flush painted her cheeks. “He was going to kill you.”

“Yes, he was.” My throat throbbed, and the top of my tunic was wet with blood. My muscles trembled with shock.

Onora met my gaze. “Not on my watch.”





29





VALEK


Valek’s strength returned in bits and pieces. He’d have a good day, only to relapse the next. They moved his bed into a windowless room with one door. Medic Mommy cared for him, and she informed him he’d been her patient for ten days. The attack on the Citadel would happen in two days’ time, and the Commander would invade in twelve days—unless Valek stopped him.

The next time Medic Mommy checked on him, he asked, “Why bother?”

“Excuse me?” She tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m going to die. Why bother to nurse me back to health?”

“Orders.” Meeting his gaze, she asked, “Would you rather be tossed into a cell to fend for yourself?”

“Actually, yes.” He grinned. “Better chance to escape.”

She snorted. “Which is why I also have orders not to release you.”

Pity. He tried another tactic. “At least you know the orders are coming from the Commander and not Owen Moon.”

“It’s better, that’s for sure. No one is going to mourn that bastard.”

“I’d hoped the Commander would be more grateful.”

“You know his stance on magicians.”

“But I’m no longer one.” He considered. “Do you know if that’s what happened to Yelena’s magic?”

“I don’t know.” Medic Mommy glanced at the infirmary’s door with a worried frown. “Did Yelena come with you to Ixia?”

“No. She’s in Sitia.”

The woman visibly relaxed. Valek remembered they were close friends. Time to capitalize on that sentiment. “She’s not any safer there. Once the Commander takes over Sitia, she’ll be executed, as well.”

“He wouldn’t do that.” But the words lacked conviction.

“He has to. She’s trouble.” He gave her a wry grin. “Always has been. In order for the Commander to rule the Sitian clans without resistance, he needs to assassinate the Sitian Council, the Master Magicians, Yelena and a few other influential people.”

“He’d wait until the babe’s born,” she said, as if trying to reassure herself.

“He can’t risk the baby growing up and plotting revenge for the death of his or her parents. Plus, we both had magic at one point—the baby might turn out to be a powerful magician.”

Medic Mommy’s face creased in concern. She was all about saving lives. He played his final card. “Before I left, we picked names for the baby. Vincent for a boy and Liana for a girl. What do you think?”

“They’re...” She swallowed. “Nice names. I...better get back to work.” The medic bolted.

Valek hoped he’d planted a seed. At this point, he had no other options. But the next couple times she checked on him, she avoided all conversation, keeping focused on her duties.

Before she left the next day, he asked if she’d let him stand up. “Just for a few minutes? Otherwise, you’re going to have to carry me to the noose. I give my word not to do anything.”

But she shook her head and dashed from the room. When the door opened, he counted four guards outside. The Commander wasn’t taking any chances. Valek tensed and relaxed his muscles. Straining against his bonds also helped to keep his body limber. It passed the time. Once he’d flexed each muscle, he started over again. He feared the only chance he’d have to escape was the trip to the noose.