Page 56 of The Study of Magic
CHAPTER9
“Don’t move,” Millicent ordered.
Valek spread his hands out, showing he was unarmed. “Lieutenant Millicent, it’s me.”
“How do we know? You could be the magician in disguise.”
He had purposely not released Alea’s name. He wanted everyone to view her asthe magician, the enemy. “I know your name along with Dagon’s, Sora’s, and Boaz’s.”
“You could have read Adviser Valek’s memories.”
While that was a good point in general, it didn’t apply in his case. “A magician can’t read my mind, I’m immune to magic.”
They all relaxed. Now their weapons were aimed at the floor, he took his first full breath. But she raised a legitimate concern. How could the guards trust anyone? “Did you vet the Commander as well?”
Millicent ducked her head. “No, sir.”
“The Commander had his key,” Dagon said in their defense. “I’ve seen him fight, and while I can believe a magician might be disguised as him, I seriously doubt they could take his key away.”
“In normal circumstances that makes sense, but this magician is clever. From now on, I’m going to accompany the Commander when he returns to his suite at night. This way, you can be sure it’s him.”
“But what if the magician is disguised as you?” Sora asked. “And she learns the answer to our questions by reading our minds?”
Impressed, he studied the woman. She had an oval face, and a faded scar marked her chin. “An excellent question. Too bad, I don’t have a good answer for you. If we pick a password or use an object like the key to the door, the magician will discover that information from your minds. This is why they are so dangerous. You just need to trust your judgement. And please be careful who you aim at.”
“Perhaps you should announce your presence to the guards before rounding the corner, sir,” Dagon said. “We’re on high alert and tend to get twitchy.”
“Noted. Thank you.”
The Commander was waiting for Valek in his living room. A glass of whiskey had already been poured. Valek sat down and sipped the liquid. Fire raced down his throat and burned in his stomach. A pleasant sensation to counteract his aching muscles. The cushions on the couch were soft, but not as comfortable as his bed.
“The guards made a number of interesting observations.” Valek explained about the conundrum. “They really can’t trust anyone but me. From now on, I’ll escort you back to your suite at night.”
“I think you’re her primary target for now. Otherwise, she would have suggested I commit suicide or meet her in an unsecured location.”
“Let’s hope she stays focused on me.”
“I see that tree branch hasn’t rattled your confidence.”
“No. It reminded me that just because I’m immune to magic, doesn’t mean I’m invincible.”
“You? Not invincible?” Ambrose pressed a hand to his chest in mock horror. “Say it isn’t so.”
* * *
Despite the danger, or rather, because of it, Valek established a routine as the days stretched without the Commander or anyone—that they knew of—being targeted by Alea. Valek guessed she was keeping a low profile while she waited for her team to arrive. And probably learning everything she could about the castle’s security. That was what he’d be doing in her place.
Valek kept up his rounds, seeking magic three times a day. His daily soaks in the baths helped with his muscle aches. His headaches continued, though. While they weren’t as severe as they were in the beginning, they were a daily occurrence, signaling that Valek needed to take a break, preferably a nap. At those times, Valek felt every one of his thirty-four years. When Medic Channa had removed his stitches, she warned that full recovery might take months or even a year.
Valek was in his office, massaging his temples to keep the throbbing in his head from escalating. It was day twenty of the warm season, and he still had no idea where Alea was hiding. Also, no epiphanies on how to trap eight magicians who were well aware they were walking into a trap. The solution eluded him even after two weeks of working on the problem.
Needing a change in scenery and some fresh air, he took a walk around the oddly shaped castle, designed by a young king overly fond of his toy blocks. The Commander hated it and would have destroyed it to build a functional, utilitarian, and spartan building, if it hadn’t been a frivolous expense. The castle was perfectly usable, and the Commander was loathed to spend money on anything other than necessary infrastructure, the citizens of Ixia, and their needs. The walls of the castle would have to be crumbling in order for him to build a new headquarters.
Valek rather liked the castle’s unorthodox shape. The strange angles and roof configurations made for excellent climbing. He rolled his shoulders, testing his muscles. Some exercise might help clear his mind. Tweaks of pain shot across his back. Maybe not today.
The sun shone in the clear blue sky and the chilly air smelled of fresh earth. Valek ended up at the training yard in the northeast corner of the complex. Groups of soldiers sparred, practiced self-defense moves, or worked on their aim. Clangs of steel, curses, thuds of clashing bodies, and barks of laughter were music to his ears. Valek watched for a while. Ari and Janco worked with a lieutenant, teaching her how to fight with a bo staff.
They spotted him and eventually joined him at the fence.
