Page 61 of The Study of Magic
“You did. And it’s a game changer. However, you both need to stay as far away from her as possible. Maren, I want you to move into one of the bedrooms in the hexagon; and Trevar, you’re to return to your lessons. Tell no one what you know, or you’ll endanger them.”
“And miss all the fun.” Trevar pouted. “What if she gets close despite our efforts?”
“Recite kata moves in your head,” Maren answered.
“In your case, go over all the hand signals you’ve learned. Both of you, move away if you can. Magicians have limits on their abilities.”
“Thank fate for that,” Trevar muttered.
“Distance is one of those limits,” Valek continued. “The stronger ones can send an object hurling all the way across the room, while weaker ones can only push it a few feet.”
“What about my duties?” Maren asked.
“I’ll send temporary transfer papers to Major Shaw.”
“Temporary?”
“I can always make it permanent,” Valek said.
“I’ll let you know.”
* * *
Valek tucked his black hair into the hair net. Smoothing out the white tunic the kitchen staffers wore, he checked his reflection in the mirror. The bruises on his right cheek had faded into a grayish-green smudge, but he covered them with a bit of makeup just in case. He had also added a fake nose and thicker eyebrows.
The kitchen bustled with activity as the staff prepped for dinner. Valek helped where needed, stirring a creamy potato soup that smelled divine, and chopping carrots for a stew. When Rand, the head chef, had been transferred to MD-5, an interim chef had been appointed. The man hadn’t been able to handle the pressure and quit. Sammy, Rand’s fetch boy stepped into the chaos, fully expecting to be replaced when the Commander returned. It seemed Rand had taught the thirteen-year-old how to cook and prepare meals. The Commander had given Sammy a week to prove his skills. He rose to the challenge and was officially appointed head chef a few days ago.
When the dining room opened, Valek helped serve meals. A buffet or a serving line would be more efficient and less costly, but the Commander insisted the castle’s staff and soldiers be served.
During the busiest time of the night, when almost every table was full, Alea entered the dining room. She wore a soldier’s uniform with the Commander’s colors. Her black hair had been pulled into a knot at the back of her head. With her darker skin and strong features, she did resemble Adviser Dema. But her gray eyes scanned the room with a cold appraisal, nothing like the warmth and kindness that emanated from Dema’s brown eyes.
No one paid attention to her as Alea wove through the tables and sat at an empty one far in the back and close to the windows. The room was on the ground floor, so Valek guessed the window was her escape route should things go south.
He didn’t bring her a plate, but he watched as another server set it in front of her. Alea didn’t thank the woman, she merely ate in a quick and efficient manner. In the dining room, she was surrounded by her enemies and outnumbered. This was probably the most dangerous part of her day.
Valek fingered the blowpipe in his pocket. Darts filled with sleeping potion were tucked into his sleeve. She couldn’t read his mind and, as long as he stayed out of sight, he’d be able to get a dart into her neck. Tempting, but he needed to mark the other seven magicians.
Instead, Valek followed Alea for the next three days and learned a number of things. She was a creature of habit, sticking to the same routine each day, which meant she was smart. Showing up at different places at different times, she would have been more noticeable. One of her daily stops was the armory; she’d swipe a couple daggers and head for the castle’s storerooms.
Valek couldn’t follow her down there. The rooms were all but abandoned and in an isolated section. He couldn’t risk being discovered. But after she went to sleep for the night, he searched all the rooms and found her cache of weapons. Fourteen knives in total. He wondered if Alea used magic to keep the Arms Master from reporting the thefts.
It didn’t take him long to figure out why she needed the knives. Many of her accomplices could move objects. Using magic to throw a knife was more accurate than aiming. Valek could easily guess who they planned to target. Not the generals nor the Commander, as they would control them with magic. Guards would be killed along with any of the generals’ advisers not in league with them. No doubt, Valek would be their first victim.
CHAPTER10
“The generals will be here in two days; do you have a plan to stop the magicians?” Ambrose asked during their nightly meeting.
“No comment.” Valek relaxed on the couch. Even though he knew Alea probably wasn’t a threat to the Commander, he still slept on it. Best to keep up appearances.
After a long pause, he asked, “Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes. The generals’ retinues are to be housed in the barracks.”
“Even the advisers?”
“Yes, everyone except family members.”
“The generals will squawk.”
