But what could I do without my magic?
“It is a shame that people without access to the power blanket are so helpless. It is a wonder they do not die at an early age.” Midnight Son tsked.
“Don’t start that mind-reading stuff.”
“I am sorry. You wish to wallow in self-pity. I will leave you to your brooding. But I will say this... You should not feel disconnected from your family and friends nor should you fear for their lives. Their story threads are woven with yours. Even without the strand of magic twisted around your story, the rest of your threads remain strong.”
“In other words, I’m not going to unravel.”
“Exactly.” He grinned and bowed. “A pleasure to meet you, Soulfinder. If you need further assistance, you know how to find me. I will admit, chasing intruders away from a plant is not nearly as exciting as talking to you.”
“Glad I could provide some entertainment.”
Midnight Son flashed me another toothy smile and stepped into a shadow. He disappeared as he returned to the shadow world. I stared at his boot prints in the sand. His comments spun in my mind. Three main things snagged. Midnight Son had claimed I’d figure out how I lost my magic and he’d given me a fifty-percent chance of regaining my powers. Plus he’d called me Soulfinder, which could have been a slip of the tongue due to something he’d seen in my story threads.
I needed to keep trying to solve the puzzle. What options did I have left? Pazia Cloud Mist might have some answers. She lived in Ognap, which I guessed was northeast of here. Although I’d no real idea where in the Avibian Plains we were. My other choice was going south to the Illiais Jungle to visit my father. He might know about or have heard about a magic-blocking substance. I chewed on my lip, deciding.
Kiki nudged my arm, surprising me. Glancing at her saddle, she turned her blue-eyed gaze back to me.
“Ready to go?” I asked.
Another nudge.
“Okay.” Securing my cloak and shouldering my pack, I mounted Kiki. In that instant, I knew the right thing to do despite the terror clamping down on my guts. “Back to Fulgor please, Kiki.”
*
I wasn’t surprised by the extra security measures that had been installed around Opal’s glass factory. In fact, I approved despite the fact they wouldn’t be enough to protect Reema from a determined assassin. One of the many things I’d learned from Valek was that an assassin would sit and wait for days, weeks or even months to find the perfect time to kill.
Looping Kiki’s reins around a nearby post, I shouldered my pack and approached the entrance. I tried to ignore the certainty that watchers followed my every move, and the creepy crawly sensation of invisible gazes pressing on my back. The afternoon sunlight had done nothing to dispel the chill in the air, and now that the sun balanced on the horizon, the cold intensified. Or was it the icy glares the guards outside the factory turned on me?
While I waited outside, one man went to verify my claims. He returned with Devlen in tow.
“Have you found the plant?” he asked in a flat tone.
He was probably angry at me. I didn’t blame him. I tilted my head toward the guard hovering over me. “Can we talk inside?”
“Opal’s not here.”
“Opal’s not the one I’m worried about. How’s Reema?”
Ire flared in his gaze, but he gestured for me to follow him into the factory. Then he stopped. Workers buzzed around the kilns. The heat rolling off the four enveloped me. My numb fingers thawed.
“Reema is driving me crazy.” Devlen crossed his arms. He wore short sleeves and pants. “Being cooped up inside is not...ideal for her.”
Alarmed, I asked, “Is she upstairs alone?”
“No. Two more guards watch her. Are you going to tell me what happened that night?”
“Where’s Opal?”
“In the city, searching for Ben.”
“Have they found him?”
“No. You did not answer my question.”
“I’ve no idea what happened that night. They must have lured me away and changed my memories. All I know is if I remained in Fulgor, Reema would be assassinated and the rest of my friends and family would be killed, as well.” I held up a hand, stopping his questions. “Even though I think it’s just a planted threat, we have to send Reema away or I won’t be able to function. She’s not safe here.”
“She sleeps with us and we have four guards from Fulgor’s security forces here at all times.”
“Not enough. An assassin might be coming after her.”
Fear replaced his anger. “How do you know this?”
I met his gaze. “I don’t know, but we can’t take the chance that it’s one of my fake memories. If Ben thinks his...” I tapped a finger on my temple. “Plan didn’t work, he might go after her out of spite.”
He nodded. “All right. What do we do?”
“Get Reema. Tell her to pack a bag and don her warmest cloak. You’re going with her, so grab your travel kit.”
While he rushed off to collect Reema, I pulled my new purchases from my pack and set them aside. They had rested atop my cooking paraphernalia, flint, Esau’s field manual and other travel essentials that had all jumbled together. I also kept my valuables in my backpack and I’d tied my bedroll to the bottom.
The heat finally soaked into my bones. I removed my cloak and most of the hidden weapons inside the fabric.
Devlen returned with Reema. They both carried small rucksacks.
Reema raced over to me. “I knew you didn’t run away. I told them you were chasing the bad guys, but they didn’t believe me. Did you catch them?”
I smiled at her utter confidence in me. “Not yet. I need you to go on a secret mission with your dad. Do you think you can handle it?”
Her cheeks blushed with excitement. “Yes!”
“Good. Do you know how to ride a horse?”
“Yes.”
“She’s only been on Quartz with Opal,” Devlen said.
She shot her father a withering look. He ignored her.
“Can you mount without help?” I asked her.
“Of course.”
“That’s all you need. Just hold on and Kiki will do the rest.”
“Kiki!” she squealed.
“Reema, this is very serious,” Devlen admonished.
She settled down, but pure impish delight danced in her gaze. Oh boy, this was going to be...interesting.
“Let’s go into Opal’s office. Bring your packs.” I hefted mine along with the new package.
Once inside the somewhat private space, I showed them the two wigs—one with straight black hair and the other with blond corkscrew curls.
I held up the black one. “Reema, you’re going to pretend to be me. If you wear this wig, my cloak, and pull the hood down low, no one should suspect anything. Kiki will take you northeast.”
“That’s all?” Disappointment laced her tone.
“It is very important. You can’t show your face. You need to be serious and stay on Kiki until your dad meets up with you. Kiki will protect you. Okay?”
She nodded. “I won’t mess up.”
“Good.”
Reema exchanged her cloak for mine. The hem dragged on the ground, but not enough to be noticeable in the dark. I hoped. I wrapped her hair into a bun and set the wig on her head.
I showed her where the darts were hidden in the fabric. “These have Curare, and these have sleeping potion. Only use them in an emergency. Don’t try to throw them. Just jab into skin if you can.”
We walked her to the front door.
“Ready?” Devlen asked, drawing her into a brief hug.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“It’s a surprise. Your dad will tell you when he sees you later. Don’t worry. Kiki knows the way.”
Reema pulled the hood down low over her face and without looking back strode from the factory as if on an important mission. Which she was. I raced upstairs to a front-facing window and peeked out just in time to see her spur Kiki down the road. Two heartbeats later a couple of shadows detached from the building across the street and followed, proving that not all my memories were false.
Now for part two. I joined Devlen in Opal’s office.
He played with one of the blond curls. “I hope you are not endangering her.”
“Kiki is going to head straight northeast, pass the town limits, and that should make them happy. And Kiki will not let anyone harm her.”
“And this?”
I braided my hair and wound it around my head before taking the wig from him and securing it to my head. “This is to show the other two watchers that Reema is still here.” I tied her cloak around my shoulders. It fell to my knees, shorter than I liked, but with my black boots and dark pants no one should notice. Letting a couple of curls escape the hood, I drew the fabric low. “Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“Where would you take Reema?”
“There’s a taffy shop a few blocks away.”
“Perfect. Leave your bag. You can catch up with her and Kiki later.”
We left the factory. The two guards at the entrance accompanied us as we walked to the taffy shop. The other watchers followed us at a discreet distance. They were professionals. If I hadn’t been searching for them, I would have missed them. My heart skittered and urged me to run away. It pulsed a warning that death would befall all if I stayed in Fulgor.
“Where am I meeting Reema?” Devlen asked.
“Just head north. Kiki will find you.”
“And then where?”