my cheek with her muzzle before heading out. I wiped horse slobber from my face. The shelter door creaked again. Two men, wearing cloaks marked with tan-colored diamond shapes, exited. They glanced at the horses with worried expressions before heading for the road at a fast pace. I wondered if they’d recognized Valek.
When I entered the shelter, Onora was crouched next to the hearth, poking the ashy remains for a sign of life. A small flame erupted and she added logs until flames danced brightly. Pouring water into a pot, she set it near the fire. A cup with a tea bag rested nearby.
“Have I turned you into a tea drinker?” I asked in a low voice as I joined her. Janco remained asleep.
“It’s for you.”
“Oh?”
“I noticed you drink that ginger tea every morning, so...”
“That’s nice. Thank you.” Or was it nice? Was she waiting for confirmation that her little stunt had worked? That I needed the tea to soothe my uneasy stomach? I vowed she’d be the last to know.
Onora sliced cheese and bread, assembling breakfast for us. I regretted my harsh thoughts a little. While Valek and Janco searched for the tunnel, she’d taken care of me, letting me sleep and recover my strength. Perhaps she felt guilty? With her it was hard to tell. She said little and we hardly talked, which seemed to suit her just fine. No wonder Janco bugged her so much. I grinned, just thinking about it.
“What’s so funny?” Onora poured steaming water into my cup.
“Janco. He’s determined to annoy you.”
“He’s succeeded. Many times.” She handed me the tea.
“He’s looking for a reaction and for attention. You’re like The Madam, unflappable, and that irks him, so he tries hard to...er...flap you.”
Onora smiled. The first genuine one I’d seen. It reached her gray eyes and transformed her. The carefree expression was a glimpse of the young girl she used to be before her life soured and turned tragic.
“And ignoring him is the ultimate affront,” she said.
Ah. She’d figured him out. “Which is why you do it.”
“Exactly.” She sobered. “And I am an assassin. Being quiet and still for hours is all part of the job.”
“True.” I sensed there was more, so I took a risk. “Why did you decide to become an assassin?”
Onora met my gaze. All animation left her face, but uncertainty lurked behind her eyes. I guessed she contemplated what to tell me. The truth or some offhand comment.
She lowered her voice. “I didn’t want to be afraid anymore.”
That I understood. “And did it work?”
“No one can touch me.”
Not quite an answer. I remembered what Valek had said about her past and how she hadn’t killed her demons yet.
“Have you faced your fear?”
She scoffed, “Don’t you mean, have I assassinated the bastard I was afraid of?”
“No. I know murdering a tormentor doesn’t mean the problem is solved.”
“Sorry, but I don’t agree. Death is the final solution.”
“Then you are luckier than me.”
“Luckier?” Her voice rose in anger.
“Yes. When I killed Reyad, my problems didn’t disappear with his death. He continued to haunt me.”
“That’s because you’re the Soulfinder.”
“I wasn’t then. Then I was a terrified nineteen-year-old, fearing I’d lost my soul and would always be a victim. Those doubts clung to me until I faced it. And I’m still learning that running away from my fears is never a solution.”
“That’s you. Not me.” She stood up. “I better do a perimeter check.” Onora left the shelter.
I’d struck a nerve. Interesting.
Janco crept from a shadow. “She’s a tough clam to pry open. I’ve a feeling, though, once we do, we’ll find a pearl.”
“Pearls form in oysters.”
“Oysters, clams...” He waved dismissively. “It’s all seafood. You know what I meant.”
I did. Yet, I wasn’t as certain about the gem inside the hard exterior.
Valek and Kiki returned after breakfast. We joined him in the stable. “What’s the buzz?” Janco asked without preamble.
“No sign of Owen.” Valek swung a leg over and dismounted.
“Is that good or bad?” Janco asked.
“You tell me.”
Janco paused. “Bad. They could be anywhere. What about the local patrols?”
“They haven’t encountered anything unusual in the last couple of days.”
Nor had any of the other patrols we’d encountered the past three days. “Maybe Owen hasn’t traveled this far yet,” I said. “That’s a possibility,” Valek agreed. “Are you ready to go?”
We gathered our supplies and mounted. As we traveled, I considered another explanation for no signs of Owen. Perhaps he had used magic to erase the patrolmen’s memories. Could he erase memories without Loris and Cilly Cloud Mist’s help? I remembered that the three of them had each picked one of us to restructure our memories so we’d forget. Which meant he could. And then it hit me. He’d also mentioned inserting new ones.
Then why would he be careless enough to let that miner see him and the others? Why not erase the teen’s memories?
I snagged on an idea. “Holy snow cats!”
The others slowed their horses and turned to me, waiting.
I rushed to explain, “That boy, Lewin, said he saw Owen three nights before we talked to him. What if Owen planted that memory and it wasn’t really three nights, but longer? In that case, Owen, Rika and Tyen might have reached the Commander by now.”
VALEK
Alarmed, Valek stopped Onyx. The real possibility that Owen and the others had reached the Commander sent an icy pulse through his heart. “Holy snow cats, indeed.”
“It’s pure conjecture,” Onora said.
“Based on Yelena’s knowledge of Owen,” Valek said.
Kiki moved closer to Onyx, and Yelena put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t remember about his ability
