Owen looked down. “Now you’ll get my full attention.” He crouched beside me. “My hunting expedition inside your mind was very educational. While I’m not happy the memories I planted in your head didn’t work, I discovered something very interesting about you.” His expression was downright gleeful.
I’d panic. But I’d been in a state of ever-increasing panic since I woke up tied to the wagon and saw Owen. I was beyond mere panic and into the realms of mind-numbing terror at this point.
Owen stroked my throat. I recoiled from his touch.
“Oh, please.” He pulled on the chain around my neck, tugging my octopus pendant free of my shirt.
Pain bit into my skin as he yanked the necklace, breaking the chain.
“Oops.” Owen dropped it over the side of the wagon. It shattered. He pressed his hand on my chest near the base of my throat.
An uncomfortable burning sensation spread throughout my body. The skin on my scalp crawled. Goose bumps rose despite the heat. A reaction to his magic? The strange conflicting feelings stopped as fast as they started.
Owen laughed. “Too bad I wasted perfectly good Theobroma on you when I didn’t have to. You’re just a regular girl now. How wonderful.” He untied my gag, removing it.
Relief flowed into my cheeks and I worked my mouth and tongue to produce moisture.
He sat back on his heels. “What is blocking your magic?”
“I’ve no idea.” My voice rasped. I told him about the attack in the woods. Why not? “At first, I thought it was one of Ben’s cohorts.”
“The plan was for everyone to lie low. Until my idiot brother lured you to our hideout in Fulgor. It wasn’t us. Seems you’re just a very unpopular girl,” Owen said. “You shouldn’t be surprised. And now someone has gone to considerable trouble to neutralize you with that attack in the woods. Your death will cause too much trouble. So that’s a perfect solution—spread the word that you’re powerless, and let another person target you. Or rather, dozens of others in your case. Too bad it won’t work for me.”
“Because I know too much.”
“Right. And unless you want to swear loyalty to me...?”
“No.”
“Thought so. But not to worry. This time when I erase your memories, I won’t make the same mistake.”
“Mistake?”
“I only erased a few hours of your life. This time, I’m going to erase everything. You won’t even remember your name.”
“That’s...” Fear closed my throat.
“Clever. I know. Loris and Cilly are very talented with mental communication and the three of us make a great team. How do you think I stayed dead all these years?”
“When?”
“As soon as we catch your colleague. It’ll be easier to do all three of you at once.”
A momentary reprieve.
“Go ahead, ask,” Owen said in his smug tone.
“Was it the Commander’s idea?”
“Not at first. He was ready to send me to the noose, but I pleaded for my life. And argued that I could help him by getting him Curare. Actually, I should thank you, Yelena. Your efforts to change the Commander’s mind about magicians in Ixia helped sway him.”
Lovely. “And he funded your research.”
“Yes.”
“And you had to screw it up by rescuing your brother.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “I couldn’t leave him in that hellhole.”
“But you could leave your wife, Selene, in Dawnwood Prison?”
“She’s a traitor.”
“According to the Commander, so are you.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I braced for his reaction.
He curled a fist, but didn’t swing. “The fervor over Ben would have eventually died down.”
“I was referring to you selling Curare to other customers. That’s why the Commander is going to shut you down. You can erase our memories, but eventually, he’ll send Valek and his corps after you.”
Owen grinned, but the humor failed to reach his eyes. “Oh, don’t you worry about me. I’ve discovered something big that will please the Commander, and all will be forgiven.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. “And that is?”
“Nice try, but I’m not stupid.”
True. Overconfidence and greed would trip him up. If it hadn’t already. “The Commander is not the forgiving type.”
“I’m touched you’re so concerned.” Owen straightened. He called to his men. “Take her down with Janco. Secure her in the same manner.” Hopping off the wagon, he disappeared from my view.
A couple of his goons untied me, but kept a firm hold. My stiff leg and arm muscles protested the movement as blood rushed to my hands and feet. I considered fighting the two men, but once I stood upright, I spotted a number of other guards in the building. And Ben leaned against the wall, watching with a satisfied smirk.
The musty smell of hay tickled my nose as they escorted me to a hatch in the wooden floor. The high-vaulted ceiling suggested that this building had once been a barn. I glanced out the window. Weak sunlight shone on the glass—early morning. If Owen’s men didn’t find Onora, we might be here awhile, which was a good thing. More time for... What? Not sure what I could do without my magic.
We walked down a ramp into the semidark dampness below. The root cellar had earthen walls and a hard-packed dirt floor. Two oversize musclemen sat in chairs near the base of the ramp. Daggers hung from their belts. Behind them was Janco.
“Can we gag this idiot?” one of the guards asked my companions. “He won’t shut up and is driving us crazy.”
Good news. If Janco had enough energy to harass his guards, it meant he wasn’t as hurt as I’d feared.
The guy on my left shrugged. “Sure. The Boss shouldn’t mind.” He handed me off to the guard. “This one can join her friend.”
“Yeah?” The guard’s expression brightened as a slow smile spread, exposing broken teeth. “Can we play?”
My breath hitched. Fear bit into my guts.
“No.”
I relaxed.
“Ah, too bad.”
My two escorts left. Broken Teeth tugged me deeper into the cellar. Janco watched us, craning his head up, but he didn’t say a word. His wrists and ankles had been tied with ropes. We stopped next to Janco. Four more metal stakes had been driven into the ground.
“Your room is ready,” Broken Teeth said.
His partner chuckled. Sections of rope hung from his meaty hands. “Lie down,” he ordered.
Broken Teeth pushed on my shoulder. “Come—”
I moved. Spinning and ducking under his arm, I snagged the man’s dagger then stepped back. They wouldn’t tie me down without a fight.
“Oh, she’s feisty. I like that.” Broken Teeth advanced. “Give me back my knife before you get hurt.”
Broken Teeth lunged. I sidestepped and slashed at his stomach. He blocked my swing late and the blade cut across his forearm.
“Hey! We need help here!” the other guard yelled toward the hatch before he dropped the ropes and drew his dagger. He moved to swing in behind me.
Sparring with Broken Teeth, I countered his attacks and tried to avoid being trapped between the two men.