“Yes, sir.”
Valek found the jail. It was on the ground floor of the only building not set atop tall pylons. The pirates hadn’t cared if the occupants drowned during a storm. Inside, four grubby boys stood on the other side of a row of bars. The rest of the cell had been constructed with thick wooden planks.
Purple bruises marked the prisoners’ faces. Their shirts had been torn, and dried blood stained the fabric, as well.
“I take it you’re the troublemakers?”
“Who wants to know?” a tall boy with black hair and blue eyes demanded.
The boy resembled Zohav and must be her brother, Zethan.
“The person who is rescuing you,” Valek said. He pulled his various lock picks from hidden pockets and worked on the complicated mechanism. After a few minutes, it popped open and he swung the door wide, letting them free. “Give your names to the sergeant. We could also use crew for the ships, if you’d like to help all of us get home.”
Three of the boys grinned and took off, but Zethan remained.
“Where is my sister?” he demanded.
Magic swelled around him, pushing against Valek. He held his ground. “She’s safe.”
“I want to see her. Now.”
“You’re not in the position to be demanding anything, Zethan.”
Zethan jerked back. “How did—”
“Zohav told me. She was worried that I’d kill you.”
“Why?”
“Because of that magic you’re gathering around you right now.”
Recognition was followed by fear. The power disappeared. His control was impressive.
“Are you...?” Zethan asked. His voice barely a whisper.
“Going to kill you?”
He nodded.
“No, and don’t call me a liar. I’ve already been accused of that by your sister. Trust me or not, just keep it to yourself, along with your abilities. Understand?”
“Yes.”
Valek waited.
“Uh...yes, sir.”
He led Zethan to the Starfish. Jibben remained on the dock, but his throat gaped open and blood pooled around him. The pirate’s curved sword lay next to him, covered with the bright red liquid. Someone had slit Jibben’s throat with his own weapon while Valek was busy. He had wanted to interrogate the pirate, but other than that, he wouldn’t mourn the man’s death. Perhaps the girl with the bony arms had taken matters into her own hands, meting out justice for her sister.
They boarded, and Valek escorted Zethan below. When they reached the Captain’s quarters, the teen gasped and rushed to Zohav’s side.
“What did you do to her?” he asked Valek.
“Relax, she’s sleeping. Stay with her until I come for you. And if I feel any magic, no matter how small, you’ll be joining her. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Valek paused at the threshold. With the siblings side by side, he realized they must be very close in age. “Are you twins?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you have any other siblings?”
“An older brother.”
“Does he have magic?”
“No, nor do our parents. We’re the only ones.”
Unlikely, but he’d go along with it for now.
*
They arrived at the port in Gandrel by midafternoon. Anxious to get on the road, Valek put Endre in charge. “Interrogate everyone and have the pirates processed by the security office in Gandrel. Once all the goods are distributed to the rightful owners, you and Annika are to report to the Castle to be reassigned, since your covers here have been blown.”
“Yes, sir.” Endre gave Valek what Janco would describe as the sad-puppy-dog look.
He suppressed a sigh. “Because you and Annika work so well together, I’ll find a post that needs two agents.” He’d either gotten soft, or it was just the idea of seeing Yelena soon that made him...nice. Bah.
Endre grinned. “Are you leaving now?”
“Yes. I’m taking the magicians to the Castle.”
“Are you going to visit their parents first?”
Annoyed, Valek snapped, “Why would I do that?”
“They believe their children were lost at sea. I’d think it would be a kindness to stop by and let them see their kids for a couple hours.”
A refusal pushed up Valek’s throat, but he swallowed it down. Endre was right. Valek went to collect the twins, who had remained in the Starfish as ordered. Zohav had woken. She leaned against her brother, who had his arm around her shoulders. Good. They could leave right away. He questioned them on the location of their home.
“Our family knows nothing!” Zohav cried. “They have no magic. Leave them alone.”
Her fear of him was growing tedious. “Fine. We won’t visit them, then. Guess you don’t wish to say goodbye.”
“We live up near the northern ice sheet in MD-1,” Zethan said.
Zohav yanked away and glared at her brother.