had claimed to have discovered something big enough to make the Commander forgive him for his betrayal. It could have been a boast, but Valek doubted it.
“What about the dead body?” Janco jerked a thumb toward the barn.
“We’ll inform the local authorities in the morning and let them handle it.”
“Does anyone else think it...odd that Owen murdered the gardener?” Yelena asked.
“No,” Valek answered. “The gardener probably had information about the operation. It was smart to silence him.”
“Yes, but...” She played with the string on her tea bag.
“Owen murdered his brother and the others,” Janco said.
“We still don’t know for certain who killed them, but assuming it was him, he hired an assassin. Big difference.” Yelena gazed at the liquid in her cup. “And I’m still not convinced it was him. In all my dealings with Owen, he never acted like a killer. Think about it. He went out of his way to scare me off by pretending to kidnap Reema back in Fulgor. Even when he captured us, his solution was to erase our memories. Why not just slit our throats and bury us?”
“Because if he killed you, Valek would hunt him down and tear him apart,” Janco said.
True. Valek’s fingers itched to grasp a blade just thinking about anyone harming his heart mate. But what Yelena said also had merit. Did she suspect Onora had assassinated the trio? “If Owen didn’t do it, then who did?” he asked her.
“It’s just a theory, and you’re not going to like it.”
With that one comment, he knew. And she was right. He didn’t like it, but he had wondered the same thing. “The Commander.”
Yelena met his gaze. “Owen is proof that the Commander lied to the Sitian Council about executing the magician four years ago. He’d want to erase all the evidence that connects them, including all Owen’s coconspirators.”
Janco added another log to the fire. “But the Sitians know Owen’s alive and producing Curare for the Commander.”
“There’s no proof the Commander has Curare and, as long as Owen isn’t captured, it’s only our word that he’s still alive.”
“That should be good enough.” Janco puffed out his chest.
“The Commander can say we must have mistaken Ben for his brother. He can order you, Valek and Onora to keep quiet. In the political world and without any hard evidence, the Council can’t do anything.”
Interesting theory. “Are you saying the Commander hired another assassin to kill Ben and the others?” he asked Yelena, wondering if she suspected Onora of assassinating them. Not that she’d suggest it in front of the girl; nor did she glance in Onora’s direction.
“I’m not accusing him. I’m just speculating. But if he wishes to keep the relationship between Ixia and Sitia civil, he would need Owen to disappear forever.”
“He went to a lot of trouble to get all that Curare,” Janco said. “I don’t think he’s worried about being civil.”
* * *
The rest of the evening passed without incident. When Yelena woke him for his watch shift, lines of strain marked her face.
Concerned, he sat up. “What’s wrong? Do you need something for the pain?” He kept his voice low so he wouldn’t wake the others.
“I already dipped into Leif’s goody bag,” she whispered.
“That bad?”
She waved off his comment, which meant it had been bad and she didn’t want to worry him. Too late. He’d never not worry about her.
Yelena settled next to him. “I’ve been thinking about Owen. He’s too smart to hire a couple of locals to transport the Curare vine from the hothouse to the river. Locals get curious, ask questions, gossip in the taverns. All things he avoided. Otherwise we would have gotten wind of his operation before.”
“You think he paid the brothers to bring us out here? Pretend they didn’t remember everything?”
“Yes.”
It made sense. “We knew it was a risk coming here.”
She agreed, but something was off. He studied her. Her movements were stiff, and she held herself as if she’d break. His own cuts throbbed, so he could only imagine how much more pain she was in. Despite that, he sensed another problem.
“You liked them,” he said.
A brief, wan smile. “Yes. And, even though I didn’t completely trust them, I relaxed and wanted to believe they were genuine. Did you know they lied?”
“I suspected, but thought finding one of the glass houses was worth the risk.”
“I know I should trust no one, but...it’s exhausting.”
Ah. The real reason for the melancholy. “You’ve been relying on your magic to assess people you meet and now that’s blocked, so you’re at a loss and probably second-guessing yourself. Right?”
She nodded.
“Then I’ll teach you how to read body language. Most people give themselves away when they’re lying.”
“Most people?”
“I’ve only encountered a few who can lie to me.” Eventually, he would discover the ruse, but, at the time, they’d convinced him.
“Who?” she asked.
“The Commander. Onora. The others are...gone.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Gone?”
“I don’t like being fooled.”
“And the Commander?”
Valek glanced at Onora. Curled up on her side, she appeared to be asleep. “The Commander’s lying is a more...recent event.”
“But he didn’t tell you about Owen.”
“Oh, he’s kept things from me before, but he’s never looked me in the eye and lied.”
“What changed?” she asked.
What indeed? “I suspect a few things.”
“Such as?”
“Not here, love. Janco’s far more interested in our conversation than his dreams.”
“Am not,” Janco said, not in the least embarrassed he’d been caught eavesdropping. “Besides, I don’t have dreams, I have nightmares.”
Before Janco could launch into a detailed description, Valek said, “Then we’ll let you get back to them.” He stood to allow Yelena to take his place under the blankets.
