Page 48 of The Study of Magic
He growled and she laughed. Actually laughed. Then she gave him a jaunty salute before leaving.
His to-do list was a mile long, but Kenda’s comment about Alea influencing the cook reminded him of the immediate danger. Except for him, anyone in the castle could be targeted and manipulated. Valek could sense when magic was in use, but he couldn’t be everywhere. However he could stay close to the Commander in case Alea targets him.
Valek returned to his suite to grab the file on Star before stopping in his office to pick up the execution list.
Dust coated every surface, reminding him that he had fired his housekeeper, Margg, before he’d left for MD-5 and hadn’t assigned another to take her place. A minor inconvenience that shouldn’t be too difficult to rectify. Then again… It took him forever to trust her and she’d eventually abused her position. Perhaps he could dust and mop? He glanced around at the piles of books on the floor and conference table, the mountains of reports leaning precariously; the collection of carving rocks and candles littered everywhere. Perhaps not. He'd just have to ensure he was in the room when the new housekeeper cleaned.
Grabbing what he needed, he returned to the Commander’s office.
The Commander was writing out the orders. His lunch tray remained on his desk. “Something wrong?”
“I realized I needed to be nearby in case Alea tries to influence you. If she does, I’ll be able to sense the magic and stop her.”
“You plan to stay with me all day?” His expression was neutral.
“Yes, and at night I’ll?—”
“No.”
“I brought work with me, and?—”
“No. The reason Brazell used the Criollo was to break down my will. I can assure you my will is quite strong, and I will not tolerate a babysitter.” His voice had gone ice cold.
Valek ignored the warning tone and the Commander’s use of the wordbabysitter. “Mogkan was in MD-5, trying to reach you from a distance. Alea could be inside the castle.”
“Then I expect you to find her and not sit here with me all day. Consider it an order. Dismissed.”
He hesitated, but then turned to leave.
“And don’t let me find you camped outside my door,” the Commander said.
“Yes, sir.”
The throne room bustled with activity and noise. Valek could commandeer a desk from one of the officers or advisers who worked here. Technically, he wouldn’t be right outside the Commander’s office, but he’d still be nearby. And when the Commander saw him there… Valek sighed. It wouldn’t be pretty.
The clammer of voices and his hunger finally drove Valek away. He hadn’t eaten since…no idea. After grabbing a meat pie and a carafe of water from the kitchen—another overly loud place—he trudged to his office and collapsed into his well-loved chair.
Eating still hurt, but the food helped revive him and he considered his immediate problem: How to find Alea before her friends arrived? Valek dug into his travel pack and pulled out Mogkan’s journal. He read through the list of magicians and their talents.
Like them all, Alea could mentally communicate and influence thoughts. Then there was her ability to break a tree branch. Was that considered moving an object? Possibility. However, she’d waited until he was underneath it. He had jumped over several logs on the ground as he had chased her. Why not raise one of them to trip him? Perhaps she didn’t have enough power to lift something that heavy. Far easier to break a branch and let it fall.
Then there was Janco. Had he sensed Alea’s magic? Or was she not strong enough to influence him and Ari at the same time? No. They both couldn’t see her until Valek blocked her magic for Ari.
His head throbbed. All this speculation wasn’t helping. Valek needed to talk it out like he used to do with Yelena. He missed her more than he’d expected. She had woven into the fabric of his life so innocuously that he hadn’t noticed it until she was gone, leaving him tattered and lonely.
Gah. He was being maudlin. Valek had others to help him brainstorm. Even though exhaustion pressed on his injuries, he roused his remaining energy and wrote a message. Then hunted down one of the pages who delivered messages within the castle complex. He handed the note to the boy and returned to his office. His extra bedroll was covered with dust, but he spread it out on the floor and promptly laid down.
A knock on his office door woke him two hours later. The nap had cleared his head and revived him somewhat. Still not at full strength, but at least the pity party was over. For now. He unlocked the door and let Ari and Janco inside.
Janco stared at him. “You look…uh…better?”
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
“Uh… Look, boss, I’m really sorry for freaking out in the woods. I should have known bees don’t fly at night and certainly not during the warm season.”
“Not your fault, Janco.”
“You wanted to see us?” Ari asked, stopping his partner from voicing a protest.
