Page 80 of The Study of Magic
“What did you learn?” Valek asked.
“Their ale is terrible. They put a lot of pops in their brews. Yuck.”
“It’s hops,” Ari said.
“Whatever. It’s terrible.”
“I meant about Star.”
“Oh yeah, Star has an operation here as well. Mostly just buying goods, although there are a few assassins hanging out, looking for jobs.”
Valek wondered if he would recognize any of them.
“And there’s speculation that Star’s sick,” Janco added. “How much of her antidote did she steal?"
"Enough that she shouldn’t be feeling any pain yet. Why do the locals think she’s sick?”
“I think she visited the healer in town. Sounds like he’s pretty powerful and busy. This place is filled with mostly criminals. I had a guy challenge me just because I looked at him. I think if you put a detailed tattoo of an owl in flight in the middle of your forehead, you should be used to people staring at it.”
“You didn’t?—”
“No. That would have attracted too much attention. I apologized and bought the guy one of their yucky ales.Pah.”
Ari and Valek exchanged a look. Progress.
“Sounds like Star’s trying to use magic to counteract the Butterfly’s Dust poison,” Maren said. “Will it work?”
No one knew about the Butterfly’s Dust ruse except Valek and Yelena. And he planned to keep it that way. “It shouldn’t.” Unless the healer figured out the cause of her symptoms.
“Not exactly a ringing endorsement,” Janco said.
“If the magic works, then Star will remain in Sitia because if she’s found alive in Ixia, she’ll be executed,” Valek said.
“She’s cocky,” Ari said. “Maybe she’s thinking we’ll assume she’s dead after the antidote runs out, and then she can return to Ixia without worry.”
“Good point. Let’s see what she does once her supply dwindles down to the point when she has to return to the castle for more.”
“Who wants to bet she’ll be too stubborn to return and dies here?” Janco asked.
“Not me,” Ari said. “She’s too smart. She’ll go back to the castle and wait for another opportunity to escape.”
And then there was a fourth scenario. That she survived the withdrawal symptoms of White Fright. Valek preferred that the magician heal her than for that fourth possibility to come to pass.
A day later, Star and her companion headed northeast. They traveled light and didn’t take many breaks.
“I think she’s in a panic,” Janco said.
Valek hoped so. As they drew closer and closer to the castle, his confidence grew. They all celebrated when she surrendered at the west gate of the castle complex.
“That was so much fun!” Janco said in delight. “Our escapee returns home without us having to do a thing. And now we know all her hidey holes. Valek, you are a genius.”
“Does it make up for being locked in a cell almost naked?” he asked.
“Yes! All is forgiven. You can stop angsting over it.”
“Thanks.”
“Now, now. No need to be sarcastic.”
