Page 3 of The Study of Magic
“He won’t for a while, but he will.”
“Why did you sleep my dog?” she demanded.
“I planned to sleep you all and take you to your mother,” Valek said.
Ruby squeaked in protest and scooted back toward her father with Pawl still clutched to her chest.
Interesting. The thud of heavy boots sounded behind him. Valek stood and whirled in time to see Ziva charging down the hallway. So much for her staying with the horses.
“What are you waiting for?” she demanded. “Grab her and let’s go!”
“There’s been a…complication,” Valek said tilting his head toward Dothan.
Ziva looked at her ex-husband, whose expression hardened into a scowl. “Ziva, you know the courts have awarded me custody for a good reason. Your rules?—”
“Shut up.” She turned to Valek. “It’s not complicated. You’re an assassin. Assassinate him.”
Ah. He wondered if she’d hoped this exact scenario would play out tonight and Valek would be forced to kill the man.
When he didn’t move, she added, “You owe me a favor.”
“I do.” Valek considered.
Ruby had returned to hiding behind her father. The girl was clearly not happy to see her mother, but it could be due to bad stories told to her by Dothan. The man remained quiet. He hadn’t threatened or bargained or begged for his life. Only that one plea for his daughter.
Losing patience, Ziva charged toward Ruby. Magic swelled and she slowed, then struggled to advance as if fighting through a fierce gale. The power pushed her back until she was pinned to the wall.
“Valek,” Ziva puffed. “I saved…your life. You owe…me…my daughter.”
A strangled cry came from Dothan at the mention of Valek’s name.
“Except, it appears she doesn’t want to go with you,” Valek said.
“She’s four. That bastard’s…been lying to her?—”
“Then why isRubypushing you away?” Valek asked.
“She…can’t. She’sfour.”
“Apparently, she can.” Valek remembered Yelena’s comment about using magic without knowing she’d pulled power. She had called it her survival instinct. Perhaps this situation was similar. Although, if the girl was that scared…he shuddered. Promise or not, Ruby’s welfare came first.
“Can you ask Ruby to release Ziva?” Valek asked Dothan.
“Ruby, honey. Let your mother go.”
“I don’t wanna.”
But then the girl huffed, and Ziva sagged as the magic disappeared.
“Since this is a case of one’s word against another…” Valek placed two darts on the palm of his hand, showing them to Ruby’s parents. “These are loaded with a truth serum. One prick each and we can settle this matter.”
“There’s nothingtosettle,” Ziva said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You owe me.”
“And I will still owe you a favor, but I’m not putting a child at risk.”
“At risk! I’m her mother.”
“Then act like one, Ziva,” Dothan said. He pushed up his sleeve, exposing his forearm. “Go ahead.”
