Night Study (Soulfinders #2)(18)

The mountain range earned its name from old legends. Folklore claimed the peaks snagged souls as they ascended toward the sky. These trapped souls haunted the frozen heights and sucked the life from anyone who dared climb past the tree line. Valek believed it to be just a story to explain why no one who tried to reach the summit ever returned. The lack of breathable air was the more likely explanation. Although some also asserted that mysterious people who supposedly lived on the other side of the mountains patrolled the upper regions to prevent anyone from crossing into their homeland, keeping their existence a secret.

Pure nonsense. Valek returned his attention to the task at hand. He hadn’t expected Owen’s tunnel to be this high in the foothills, but the isolated location was ideal.

Janco aimed for an ordinary group of trees and hissed in pain as he disappeared from sight. Increasing his pace, Valek hurried after him and encountered magic. The invisible force pressed against his skin. Pushing through felt like swimming in mud. He found Janco rubbing his temple on the other side. Valek scanned the area for possible threats. Nothing so far.

A mass of oversize boulders was piled next to a hill. At first glance, it resembled a natural rock slide from the mountains, but upon closer inspection the heap was too neatly stacked. It must be blocking the tunnel.

“Looks like someone beat us to it,” Valek said.

“No.” Janco’s voice strained with effort. “Move closer.”

He did. The air thickened. Another illusion. “Clever.” It would stop the smugglers from using it, but it kept the tunnel open in case Owen needed it again in the future.

“Could be a trap.”

“Indeed.” Valek tightened his grip on his sword and drew a knife with his free hand. “I’m just going to confirm there’s a tunnel behind it.”

Janco straightened. “Then I’ll come confirming with you, just in case.”

The pressure on his body increased with each step. Janco paled when they reached the authentic-looking rocks. Even knowing it wasn’t real, Valek braced for impact as he strode right into the pile. He muscled through the magic.

No one ambushed them. The tunnel’s entrance was empty. Valek crept inside a few feet and listened for any noises that would indicate people were farther inside. No sounds bubbled up from the solid darkness.

Wagon wheel ruts warped the ground just past the opening. Janco drew in a deep breath. Relief smoothed his features and he crouched down to inspect the marks, running his fingers along the smooth grooves.

“How old?” Valek asked.

“Eight to ten days.”

“Probably the last smugglers before Rika set the illusion.”

“Now what?”

“Return to camp and discuss the next step.”

“How about we inform the Sitian authorities and let them deal with it? After all, they have all those magicians,” Janco suggested.

“That’s one option.”

They mounted their horses and headed back to camp. It was late afternoon by the time they arrived. Valek slowed Onyx. A number of people milled about the camp. More than he’d expected. Concern for Yelena pulsed in his chest until he recognized Ivon.

“Report,” he ordered his lieutenant.

“We’ve been talking to the other mining camps, sir. Two of them had a significant amount of food stolen from their stores.”

“And why is this relevant?”

Ivon snapped his fingers and signaled one of his men, who dashed away. “A witness caught sight of the culprits.”

An uneasy sensation brushed his stomach. He met Janco’s gaze.

“Can’t be good,” Janco said.

Ivon’s sergeant approached with a grubby teen boy wearing a torn miner’s jumpsuit. The all-black material had a row of green diamond shapes down each sleeve, indicating the miner worked for MD-5.

“Tell Adviser Valek what you told me, Lewin,” Ivon ordered the teen.

Under the coating of dust, the young man’s face drained of color. Lewin stared at Valek as if he peered into the mouth of a dragon just about to eat him. “Um...uh...it was the...the middle of the night and I was on the...the way to the latrine,” Lewin stuttered. “I heard voices ar...arguing near the supply shed, so I crept up tr...trying not to make noise, but I couldn’t see nobody.” He rubbed his chin with his sleeve. “Yet the...the voices kept at it as if there were a couple of invisible ghosts.” Lewin glanced around as if expecting them to tell him he was crazy.

No one said a word. Valek’s unease turned sharp, jabbing his guts. “Go on,” he urged Lewin.

“There’s been lots of ac...activity around here and weird...stuff. So I followed the voices to the...the edge of the camp. And...” He shuddered. “Three people step...stepped from the air. Bulging sacks floated behind them. They con...continued into the woods, heading west. I found out later the stores had been raided.”

Valek and Janco exchanged another glance.

“I hate it when I’m right,” Janco said.

“Can you describe them?” Valek asked Lewin.

“Yes, sir. Two men and one lady.”

Valek tightened his grip on Onyx’s reins. “Did you see their faces?”

“Yes, sir.” Lewin described the thieves.

Janco cursed under his breath.

“Anything else?” Valek asked, almost hoping the answer was no.