Page 59 of The Study of Fire
“White?” Valek returned his dagger to its sheath.
“I didn’t have time to change. I saw Cahil in the Keep’s infirmary.”
Alarmed, Valek asked, “Did he see you?”
“No. I stayed out of sight. Healer Hayes healed his wrists; they were raw from manacles. But he wasn’t under guard. He acted like a free man. I followed him to the bathhouse and then to his house in the Citadel. Then I came here. Do you know what’s going on?”
“Come into the kitchen, I was just about to update everyone. Do you need to be back soon?” Valek asked Ari.
“No. I told Healer Hayes I was going to visit my mother. He told me to check in with him when I got back.”
In the kitchen, Ari was greeted with a warm welcome. Janco teased him about working in the infirmary, but Ari just shrugged.
“I’m helping people heal, what’s not to like?” he countered.
After the tea was poured, Valek updated the team on what happened. The tale took many cups of tea and ran through their entire meal. The jovial mood drained with each revelation.
“That lying sack of potatoes,” Janco said. “If Yelena’s hurt, I’m gonna peel that beard from Cahil’s face and give him a brand-new red smile just under his chin.”
“She can handle herself,” Ari said. “No way she walks into an ambush. She’s too smart.”
Valek appreciated the words, but he wondered if Ari was trying to convince himself.
“What’s the plan?” Janco asked. “You want me to pick up Cahil and bring him here for a private chat?”
“Not yet,” Valek said. “Gabor, I need you to deliver a message to the Commander. You can take one of our horses. Janco and Ari, continue with your undercover surveillance. I’ll keep spying on the council meetings.”
“The public sessions have all been cancelled,” Brigi said. “But they aren’t calling for emergency meetings. From what you said, I think they’re trying not to scare the public.”
That made sense. “They’ll still have discussions that I can listen to.”
“Too bad you can’t get into Roze Featherstone’s office,” Ari said.
“I could, but it’d be very difficult. Why?”
“It’s obvious she’s working with Cahil. To go after both the Daviians and the Commander will be a tremendous effort. She has to know her army isn’t up to both tasks. I think there’s more going on there, but I don’t know what.”
Valek had similar suspicions. “If I get the opportunity to eavesdrop on Cahil and Roze, I’ll take it.”
Ari walked with Janco to the back exit. “How’s it going? You okay?”
“Yeah. It’s not fun, and I’m not getting any sleep on the Council Hall’s steps. The guards shoo everyone off them every couple hours, but we return like the tide. It’s pointless, but they do it every night. And then there’s the grind. You know? The uncertainty if there’s gonna be another meal. I know I’m not going to starve, but they don’t. The worry constantly gnaws at them. Even if they get food, the relief is only temporary. I want to bring them all to Ixia, tell them they’d be treated so much better there, but I can’t.”
Ari put his big hand on Janco’s shoulder and squeezed.
Janco smiled. “It’s not the worst assignment. Remember the mud? I’d take this over the mud any day.” He gave them a jaunty wave and left.
“Mud?” Valek asked.
Ari shook his head. “You don’t want to know. If you need to contact me, send a messenger. Say it’s from my mother. Apparently, we’re very close, so it won’t seem strange.” He donned his cloak and slipped out the door.
Valek spent the next hour writing a message to the Commander. It was proving harder than he’d expected. Too much information and the Commander would send his army to make a preemptive strike. A battle wasn’t his style, but if time was a factor, it was the quickest way to conquer. Valek had to convince him to wait, to trust him, but to still be ready just in case. Easier said than done.
* * *
With the message in hand, Gabor left for Ixia early in the morning. Valek hoped it would be well received. In the meantime, he donned a new disguise and went to the Council Hall. Since the morning meetings had been cancelled, the Council Hall was closed to the public.
He looped around the building, but there wasn’t an easy climbing route. Plus, it was daylight, and the beggars kept drifting his way. Valek would have to switch into a guard’s uniform and return during the shift change later that afternoon. He doubted anything new would be discussed at the council session, but he still hated to miss it.
