Night Study (Soulfinders, #2)(25)

“What’s so funny?” Onora poured steaming water into my cup.

“Janco. He’s determined to annoy you.”

“He’s succeeded. Many times.” She handed me the tea.

“He’s looking for a reaction and for attention. You’re like The Madam, unflappable, and that irks him, so he tries hard to...er...flap you.”

Onora smiled. The first genuine one I’d seen. It reached her gray eyes and transformed her. The carefree expression was a glimpse of the young girl she used to be before her life soured and turned tragic.

“And ignoring him is the ultimate affront,” she said.

Ah. She’d figured him out. “Which is why you do it.”

“Exactly.” She sobered. “And I am an assassin. Being quiet and still for hours is all part of the job.”

“True.” I sensed there was more, so I took a risk. “Why did you decide to become an assassin?”

Onora met my gaze. All animation left her face, but uncertainty lurked behind her eyes. I guessed she contemplated what to tell me. The truth or some offhand comment.

She lowered her voice. “I didn’t want to be afraid anymore.”

That I understood. “And did it work?”

“No one can touch me.”

Not quite an answer. I remembered what Valek had said about her past and how she hadn’t killed her demons yet.

“Have you faced your fear?”

She scoffed, “Don’t you mean, have I assassinated the bastard I was afraid of?”

“No. I know murdering a tormentor doesn’t mean the problem is solved.”

“Sorry, but I don’t agree. Death is the final solution.”

“Then you are luckier than me.”

“Luckier?” Her voice rose in anger.

“Yes. When I killed Reyad, my problems didn’t disappear with his death. He continued to haunt me.”

“That’s because you’re the Soulfinder.”

“I wasn’t then. Then I was a terrified nineteen-year-old, fearing I’d lost my soul and would always be a victim. Those doubts clung to me until I faced it. And I’m still learning that running away from my fears is never a solution.”

“That’s you. Not me.” She stood up. “I better do a perimeter check.” Onora left the shelter.

I’d struck a nerve. Interesting.

Janco crept from a shadow. “She’s a tough clam to pry open. I’ve a feeling, though, once we do, we’ll find a pearl.”

“Pearls form in oysters.”

“Oysters, clams...” He waved dismissively. “It’s all seafood. You know what I meant.”

I did. Yet, I wasn’t as certain about the gem inside the hard exterior.

Valek and Kiki returned after breakfast. We joined him in the stable. “What’s the buzz?” Janco asked without preamble.

“No sign of Owen.” Valek swung a leg over and dismounted.

“Is that good or bad?” Janco asked.

“You tell me.”

Janco paused. “Bad. They could be anywhere. What about the local patrols?”

“They haven’t encountered anything unusual in the last couple of days.”

Nor had any of the other patrols we’d encountered the past three days. “Maybe Owen hasn’t traveled this far yet,” I said. “That’s a possibility,” Valek agreed. “Are you ready to go?”

We gathered our supplies and mounted. As we traveled, I considered another explanation for no signs of Owen. Perhaps he had used magic to erase the patrolmen’s memories. Could he erase memories without Loris and Cilly Cloud Mist’s help? I remembered that the three of them had each picked one of us to restructure our memories so we’d forget. Which meant he could. And then it hit me. He’d also mentioned inserting new ones.

Then why would he be careless enough to let that miner see him and the others? Why not erase the teen’s memories?

I snagged on an idea. “Holy snow cats!”

The others slowed their horses and turned to me, waiting.

I rushed to explain, “That boy, Lewin, said he saw Owen three nights before we talked to him. What if Owen planted that memory and it wasn’t really three nights, but longer? In that case, Owen, Rika and Tyen might have reached the Commander by now.”





8


VALEK


Alarmed, Valek stopped Onyx. The real possibility that Owen and the others had reached the Commander sent an icy pulse through his heart. “Holy snow cats, indeed.”

“It’s pure conjecture,” Onora said.

“Based on Yelena’s knowledge of Owen,” Valek said.

Kiki moved closer to Onyx, and Yelena put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t remember about his ability to plant new memories sooner.”

He covered her hand with his own and squeezed. “Trying to outguess your enemy is all part of the fun, love.”

“Oh, so that’s what we’ve been doing? Having fun? Who knew?” she teased.

“Gee, Valek, you ought to show your girl a better time if she doesn’t even know what fun is,” Janco said.

“All right,” he agreed, getting into the spirit. “Next time, love, I’ll take you along on a raid.”