Page 65 of The Study of Magic
“Yes, sir,” Ari said.
Janco scratched his ear. “Why not kill them now? Why risk them waking up unexpectedly?”
“I don’t know if their deaths will automatically alert the others. I want their colleagues to wonder and worry about where they are.”
“You don’t think they’ll believe the stomach bug excuse?”
“No, that’s mostly for the generals.”
“But won’t the other magicians be alerted when they don’t show up in the morning?”
Valek smiled. “Yes. But that’ll be in the morning.”
“You’re hoping they won’t have time to alter their plans?” Ari asked.
“Right. And I want you both to remain here and guard them. They’re to stay locked up untilIreturn. Make sure it’s me. Don’t release them to anyone else.”
“Yes, sir,” they said.
Valek hurried to accomplish the next task on his list. He woke Medic Channa and asked her to write Major Granten about the poor health of the four advisers.
“They’re in my infirmary?” she asked.
“Oh, yes. They’re sleeping and arenotto be disturbed,” he said.
“Okay. Now?”
“First light.”
“All right, but you owe me.”
“Thanks.” Valek returned to his suite via the northeastern cornice and a few slippery roofs. He grabbed the scrim, his climbing ropes, his pack, and the wooden knives.
The only way into the war room was through the door, so Valek had to get there early enough so no one would see him enter. Once inside, he searched for another intruder in case Alea had the same idea. No one. Swapping the real daggers for the altered practice knives, he put the weapons into his pack. Then he climbed about two stories up the wall and slipped onto the rafters.
He unrolled the scrim and attached it to the brackets on the walls, just below the rafters. Brackets he had installed a few years ago when he’d first needed to use the scrim. However, that had been in the evening and the shadows and colors had been different than in the morning. He hoped his limited artistic talents matched the morning light.
The beauty of the scrim was it allowed only the people on the dark side to see through it. Because the sunlight would be coming from the stained-glass windows below Valek and the scrim, if anyone looked up during the meeting, they’d see nothing but the empty rafters he’d painted onto it. He hoped.
Valek put on his climbing harness and tied the rope to the main rafter just in case he had to drop into the meeting. In the meantime, he wrapped his cloak around him and found a comfortable spot to watch.
* * *
“…highly unusual. What is the Commander trying to pull?” General Franis’s strident voice woke Valek from a light doze. He glanced down. Franis and Tesso had entered the war room.
“He’s obviously unstable,” Tesso said. “At least your adviser didn’t get sick. I’ve three others, but I rely on Farren the most. And that medic wouldn’t let me see her. Pulled rank onme. A general! Said only the Commander has authority over her.”
Valek smiled at Tesso’s outraged tone. But then he sobered. He was going to owe Medic Channa big time.
Dinno and Kitvivan entered together.
Kitvivan rounded on Franis. “Did you know Colonel Ute is here? What the hell, Franis? I thought you took care of the situation.”
“I tried. She snuck out with Valek,” Franis said.
“Valek,” Tesso spat his name. “Stole all my Criollo. And destroyed the boxes that had just been delivered to my garrison! Thank fate Farren had some extra. She promised there would be more.”
Generals Hazal, Chenzo, and Rasmussen had entered during Tesso’s rant.
