*
Valek rushed around the next morning, organizing his teams for the mission, assembling supplies and explaining to Ari for the fourth time why Valek was leaving him behind.
“I know where the wagons disappeared in the foothills and where the factory is located,” Ari said. “You’ll need me.”
“I need you here. And you can debrief Janco and Onora when they return.”
“Then can we both catch up?” Ari asked in a hopeful tone.
“Not unless I send for you.” Valek put a hand on Ari’s shoulder when the big man’s expression creased. “Ari, the castle’s security has been lax, and I’m worried we still have gaps. Hedda trained Onora, but she could have trained more. I need you here.”
“Yes, sir.”
Valek watched his friend and hoped Janco returned soon. Ari wasn’t quite Ari without his partner.
On his way back from visiting the stable, one of the gate’s guards rushed up to Valek.
“Sir! There’s—”
“I don’t have time to deal with another messenger.” Valek kept walking.
“It’s not a messenger, sir.”
He paused. “What, then?”
“It’s...well...it’s Kiki, sir. She’s at the gate.”
Did he hear that right? “Yelena’s horse is at the gate?”
“Yes, sir. She is. And she brought...er...friends, sir.”
28
JANCO
Janco watched Maren as she talked and drank Ixian white brandy with the smugglers in the warehouse. His colleague and friend appeared to be at ease with the others. She wore Sitian clothes and her long blond hair had been pulled back into a braid.
Maren’s mystery mission for the Commander was no longer quite a mystery. Janco scratched at the scar below his ear. If Maren was working undercover in the smuggling operation, then why didn’t the Commander inform the rest of them? Finding and stopping this gang had been their priority, so why the secrecy about Maren? He wished Ari was here. His partner would have an answer.
Fingers touched his arm and Janco about jumped out of his skin. A black shadow detached from the wall right next to him. Onora frowned. She jerked her head, indicating they should move deeper into the factory.
He retraced his steps, skirting a couple of vats and water pumps to reach the door to the stairwell.
Onora pushed it open, gestured him inside, then closed it behind them, plunging them into darkness. “Did you even discover where the smaller containers were headed?” Her question was hissed in a low whisper.
“Yeah, into Ixia.” Before she could explode, he said, “We can learn that later. What if there was a magical illusion on this side, as well? You needed me.”
She sighed, sounding a lot like Ari. “Do you recognize any of this equipment? Or what they’re producing?”
“No. The smell is so familiar it’s been driving me crazy. It’s not cigars, that’s for sure.”
“Why not?”
“They’d be drying out the leaves, not soaking them or pulping them.”
“Parchment?”
“Maybe, but what’s illegal about that?”
“Nothing. But something’s not right here. It feels...off.”
Janco agreed. “Perhaps Maren can tell us what’s going on.”
“Maren, as in the Commander’s missing adviser? She’s here?”
“Yup. She’s drinking with them.”
Onora remained quiet for a few moments. “Do you think she switched sides? Who better to aid the smugglers than someone who is very familiar with Ixian security.”
That would make sense if the person had been anyone other than Maren. Or Ari, or Yelena, or Valek. “Nope. She’s loyal.”
“Then why didn’t the Commander tell us about her?”
“For a very good reason.”
“You have no idea.”
“It doesn’t matter. I trust the Commander. That’s all I need. And all you should need, too.”
“All right,” she said, but she chewed on her lower lip. “What do we do next?”
“I can see you!” he whispered.
“So?”
He glanced up. A faint light lit the upper level.
She pointed to the small pool of blackness underneath the stairs. They crouched close together. The light brightened as quiet footsteps sounded above. Janco concentrated. Only one person descended. The figure held a tiny metal lantern atop a post. Instead of the lantern hanging down, it resembled a torch, but without open flames.
When the cloaked figure reached the bottom, the person turned around and shone the dim light around the small space, revealing their hiding spot.
“Oh—”
Onora sprang forward. She rushed the intruder. The torch fell to the ground. Janco picked it up. He recognized it. The light was one of those small lanterns built with a long handle underneath to resemble a torch. It was called a lantorch—one of their gadgets. Onora scuffled with the person. They banged against the door and a knife clanged to the floor before Onora trapped the shorter figure in a double arm lock.
“Should I kill her before the others arrive?” Little Miss Assassin asked.
“No.” Janco tugged the captive’s hood back, revealing a familiar face with a very unfamiliar expression—fear. “Release her. It’s Yelena. What are you doing here?”
Onora let Yelena go, but the assassin didn’t look pleased.
Yelena smoothed her cloak. “Probably the same thing you are.” She glanced at Onora.
“New recruit,” Janco said.
Voices sounded on the other side of the door. “...heard something. I’m sure.”
Time to go. Janco pointed up and the three of them climbed the steps to the second story. He led them to the storeroom. A grapple had been hooked over the windowsill and a rope hung to the ground. Yelena must have taken advantage of the open window he’d left behind. He switched the light off as Onora climbed from the room.
They reached the ground and ran for cover. Voices yelled from above, calling out their location. Damn moon was too bright. The other smugglers poured from the warehouse and headed in their direction.
“This way.” Yelena took the lead. She raced down the main road and away from the town.
Janco stayed close to her.
“Still too exposed,” Onora said, glancing over her shoulder. “They’re about a hundred feet behind us.”
“There’s a sharp bend.” Yelena gestured. “Make a right into the woods as soon as we’re hidden from view.”
“Do you have a boat?” Onora asked.
Yelena didn’t bother to reply even though Janco thought it was a really good question. With no leaves on the trees and only about twenty feet of forest between the road and the river, there weren’t any hiding places.
Once around the bend, they plunged into the woods and, sure enough, a boat waited at the bank. It was one of those small skiffs with a canvas dome top. However, Yelena pointed to a huge ancient tree. It resembled one of those thousand-legged bugs.
“Climb up as high as you can,” she ordered.