Dawn Study (Soulfinders #3)(51)

“Your disguise sucks, and you’re going to get caught,” whispered the girl.

Valek glanced at her. Relief warred with concern. “Reema—”

“Not here. Follow me.”

He trailed her through a warren of buildings. She entered one of the smaller buildings. Closing the door, she lit a lantern and scowled at him. “Don’t you know they’ve set a trap for you? You need to leave.”

He made a stopping motion. “Slow down. Tell me what’s going on. Why are—”

“All right. I guess you can’t leave until dark anyway. Sit down.” Reema gestured to a couple barrels next to a small table. She pulled her cap off, and her blond corkscrew curls sprang free. Drawing in a breath, she said, “My dad and I were arrested a few days after my mom left. He was locked in the stockade, but they didn’t think I—” she held up her hands and curled her fingers in mock quotes “—posed a threat. They put me with the other street rats they had ’scripted from Fulgor to run errands.”

“Conscripted?”

“Yeah, that. I made friends with Fisk’s people and was helping them, but they left right before they dragged Uncle Leif in here.”

“Where’s your father?”

“Still in the stockade with Uncle Leif. They’re bait for you and Aunt Yelena and my mom when she comes home.”

“That explains the extra guards.”

“Yeah, and there are a couple you don’t see.”

“But you have?”

“Of course. What do you think I’ve been doing all this time?” she asked in an annoyed tone, sounding much older than eleven.

“You know this place pretty well?”

“Inside and out.” Her blue eyes gleamed. “Do you have a plan for rescuing my dad and uncle?”

Did he? Possibilities raced through his mind. “Where did your mother go?”

“To Tsavorite, in the Jewelrose lands.”

An odd destination. “Why?”

“She received a letter from Master Magician Zitora Cowan, asking for help.”

Did he dare believe there might be some good news? That they might have another powerful magician on their side? “Is it legit?”

“She seemed to think so. Nic and Eve went with her.”

“How long ago did they leave?”

“About six weeks ago. She had to dodge the guards on the way out, and I’m sure they’ve set up an ambush for her when she returns.” Reema’s pretty face creased in concern, and she bit her lip.

“I trained your mother. She’ll spot that ambush without trouble.”

Reema relaxed for about an instant. “What about my dad and uncle?”

Valek considered. “Have you made friends with the street rats still here?”

“Yup.”

“Will they be willing to help us?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“That’s a step in the right direction. Do you have any null shield pendants?”

“Yes, Fisk’s people left a couple here for us, but we buried them because of the sweeps.”

“You know where they are?”

“Yup.”

“Good. Now tell me everything you’ve learned while living here.”

“Everything? Even the boring day-to-day stuff?”

“Especially the mundane stuff. That’s where we’ll find the golden opportunity.”

*

In the gray light before dawn, Valek stopped the wagon at the Moon garrison’s gate. The officer in charge peered at him in suspicion. He resisted the urge to scratch his fake nose or sweep his now dirty blond hair from his eyes. Would the man notice that Onyx and Devlen’s horse, Sunfire, weren’t the typical breeds used to pull wagons? It hadn’t been hard for Valek to convince the manager at Sunfire’s stables that Devlen had approved Valek’s request to borrow the horse.

“Where’s Phil?” the guard asked.

“Broke his ankle,” Valek said in a deep baritone. “I’m just filling in. He’ll be back next week.”

“And you are?”

“Orrick.”

“Got any proof?”

Valek grunted and handed him a paper. “The boss said you’d ask for this.” He kept his bored expression even when magic brushed him. Then he thought of Phil and his bloody broken ankle and the damn inconvenience to him. Valek kept up a running litany of gripes until the guard returned the parchment and waved him on. He avoided thinking about how he had arranged Phil’s “accident” in order to take over his delivery route. Phil’s boss had been thrilled to find a cheaper replacement so quickly.

Once Valek was far enough away from the magician at the gate, he raised his mental shields. He could have borrowed one of Reema’s pendants, but if he’d worn a null shield, he would have been spotted at the gate. Good thing he preferred knowing when magic was aimed at him. So far his mental barrier has been effective in keeping other magicians from getting too far into his thoughts.

Valek guided the horses to the kitchen. Not many soldiers stirred at this early hour of the morning. Of those, most headed to prepare breakfast for the garrison. He unloaded the crates of fresh meats and cheeses and carried them down into the cold cellar. Then he piled the burlap bags of garbage waiting to be hauled away onto his wagon. Valek kept a slow pace, despite the risk of discovery, taking as much time as possible. However, no one bothered him or looked at him twice. When he left the garrison, the guard at the gate poked a few of the garbage bags with his sword and checked under the wagon.