“He won’t just grab her in front of witnesses. He’ll have to plan. Let’s just take a moment and think. Okay?” Ari guided him to the couch.
Valek just about collapsed onto the cushions. Concerned by his boss’s stunned expression, Janco rummaged for the good stuff in Valek’s corner cabinet. No one said a word as Janco poured healthy shots of whiskey into four glasses. He handed one to each. They clinked the glasses together and downed the alcohol in one gulp.
Fire burned his throat and warmed his stomach. Janco refilled the glasses.
Valek stared into his, swirling the amber liquid around. “That’s the closest I’ve come to...” He pulled in a deep breath, then raised his glass to them. “Thank you.”
“Thank Janco,” Maren said. “He’s the one who figured it out.”
“Yeah, but I couldn’t have done anything without you and Ari.”
“We’re a team. This is what we do,” Ari said.
They drank. This time Janco sipped his.
“Now we can concentrate on finding Yelena,” Ari said. “Has anyone seen her since she returned from her ride with Reema?”
No one had.
“We’ll divide the castle into sections and each take one,” Valek said.
“No can do,” Janco said. “If one of us runs into Owen or his goons, we’ll be in trouble.” He scratched his goatee. “We should stay together. Let’s list the places she’s most likely to be.” He glanced at the dark windows. “Supper’s over. How about the washroom?”
“Or she could have gone to say goodbye to Reema and found her alone,” Ari said.
Valek stood. The whiskey appeared to have steadied him. “Let’s go.”
They left the suite. As they headed down to the washrooms, Janco asked Valek, “Are you going to report the attack to the Commander?”
“No. Owen will spin a tale about how I tried to sneak into his rooms.”
“But we saw—”
“What, exactly?” Valek asked.
Janco recalled the scene in the guest suite. “He had his hands on your shoulders.”
“He’ll claim he was trying to help me. You didn’t witness my abduction. All you had to go on was a creepy feeling in a dark hallway. No. It would be pointless to report the incident to the Commander.”
“How did he manage to capture you?” Maren asked.
Valek exchanged a look with Ari. The big guy nodded and Valek explained to Maren about the null shields.
It didn’t take her long to understand the danger. “So that means he can trap you at any time?”
“Unfortunately. And he can also suffocate me with that blasted shield.” Valek increased his pace.
Janco wished he’d brought the bottle of whiskey along as they checked the washroom, then their apartment, where they found Reema curled up in a chair fast asleep. They searched the stables, the kennels and visited Yelena’s friend Dilana, the seamstress. With every stop, Janco’s alarm grew twofold.
They visited Valek’s office, just in case. Valek’s knife remained in the hallway. He picked it up and a murderous expression settled on his face. If Owen had been standing there, no doubt Valek would have rammed the blade into his black heart.
While there were plenty of places left to look, there was no logical reason Yelena would visit them.
“Owen must have her,” Valek said in a deadly tone. “I’ll kill him.”
13
YELENA
Blue. The liquid in Medic Mommy’s vial was blue. Blue for baby. I navigated the hallways of the castle without any thoughts on my destination. Lanterns glowed, painting blue shadows on gray stone walls. I clutched a list of foods and drinks that would aid in the baby’s healthy growth. The words had been written in blue ink.
Deep down, the news wasn’t a shock, but rather a confirmation. Yet the part of me that wanted to automatically dismiss the idea had been a loudmouth, shouting over the quiet knowledge.
Bad time or not, I wasn’t able to change the past. Based on my calculations and Medic Mommy’s experience, I was about six weeks along, which meant I had a few months before my body revealed the truth to others. The baby was due in seven and a half months and right in the middle of the cooling season. Hopefully by that time, Owen would be turned into a memory. A “remember when” that had a happy ending.
What a crazy day. I wondered if Valek would still consider my news a cause for celebration. So much had happened since I first suspected.
A baby.
I imagined a little boy with bright blue eyes and black hair. The scamp would be causing trouble at every turn. Janco would soon be the favorite uncle, and Junior would probably learn how to throw a knife before he learned how to dress himself. Or perhaps a little girl with curly black hair. She’d be in the midst of trouble and have Valek wrapped around her finger. Ari would spoil her rotten. And she’d learn how to pick a lock before she could read.