* * *

After Valek reached Onyx in the Snake Forest, the day-long trip to the cottage was easy in comparison. As he groomed and cared for Onyx, his mind whirled with the information he’d gained from Signe. Owen had an ace up his sleeve, and it was vital that the resistance discover what it was. Valek needed to check the Keep’s library for Ellis Moon’s notebooks. Ideally there would be a mention of something that was more powerful than Theobroma.

Valek had two days until his meeting with Onora near the Featherstone garrison. And then... Valek would either be a prisoner, or he and Yelena would be free to rejoin Fisk and the efforts to stop the Cartel. If the worst happened, he’d give the intel about Ellis Moon to Onora before surrendering.

Exhausted from two nights without sleep, Valek trudged up to bed. After a day of rest, he’d travel to the garrison and find out if Yelena’s gamble had worked or not.

* * *

The morning of the ninth day since Yelena made her deal with Cahil dawned clear and cool. Onyx trotted into the main district of Starling’s Egg a few hours after sunrise and headed for the market. Onora was probably hidden among the stalls, waiting for Valek. He slowed Onyx to a walk once they reached the busy heart of the small town. Sure enough, Onora appeared next to them within a few minutes.

“Report,” he said.

She scanned the shoppers. “Not here. Meet me at the Lucky Duck Inn on Cherry Street.” Onora disappeared.

Dressed in dark brown pants and a light tan tunic to blend in, Valek dismounted and asked a local where Cherry was located. The woman barely glanced at him as she pointed to the northeast. He led Onyx through the streets, letting the horse cool down. He wondered if Onora had been staying at the Lucky Duck while keeping an eye on Yelena. Had his wife spent the last seven days locked in the stockade? Valek hoped not but wouldn’t be surprised if she had.

He found the inn on Cherry and approved of its unremarkable appearance and out-of-the-way location. Onyx headed straight to the small stables behind the building. Valek left his horse with the stable boy but instructed him to leave the saddle on, just in case he needed to make a quick exit.

Onora waited for him at one of the tables in the back corner of the common room. It was a typical inn, with a tavern on the ground floor and rooms on the higher stories. He scanned the other occupants—two men and an older woman. The sweet scent of molasses lingered on the air. When he’d left the cottage yesterday, he hadn’t had much of an appetite. The prospect of turning himself over to Cahil had soured his stomach.

Valek joined Onora. A young server appeared and he ordered breakfast, despite still having no desire to eat. He’d need energy to deal with the next step. When the girl left, he asked, “Yelena?”

“She’s perfectly fine. She was staying here until yesterday,” Onora said.

He straightened. “Not what I expected.”

“Me, neither, but it was smart.” Onora filled him in on what had happened. “It took Cahil and his crew a week to wake up, but they all came around, just like Yelena predicted.”

Yelena had done it. The crushing pressure around his chest eased.

“You owe her an apology,” Onora said.

He owed her much more than a mere apology. While Fisk and Onora had faith in her, Valek had believed her agreement with Cahil had been yet another betrayal and bound to fail.

“While you’ve been off pouting, she’s been miserable. You should have seen the stricken look on her face when she found out I’ve been watching over her and not you.”

If Onora wished to make him feel worse, she’d succeeded. “You talked to her?”

“Yes. She stood in the small yard behind the inn where she’d been training and signaled that you should join her and all was well. I thought it might be a trick, but she was alone, and they hadn’t ever left her alone before. Still, I waited until Cahil left, then visited her room later that night.” Onora grinned. “Scared the hell out of her roommate.”

“Where is she now?”

“Setting up an ambush.”

Clamping down on his surprise, he said, “Explain.”

“Her father and sister-in-law were captured and are being escorted here. Yelena plans to rescue them before they reach the garrison.”

Not good. “By herself?”

“No. She has three of Cahil’s crew with her.”

“And Cahil?”

“Taking a hit for the team.”

He waited.

“Cahil remained in the garrison. Bruns arrived yesterday, and he’s playing host. He’s also unprotected. If Bruns’s magicians detect a null shield on him, the gig would be up. According to Yelena, Cahil’s pretty strong-willed and should be okay for a couple days.”

“So, Cahil has agreed to help us?”

“Yes, but he’s not happy about it.”

That wasn’t a surprise. Valek mulled over the information. “Where’s Leif?”

“He escaped when they grabbed Mara and Esau. No one’s seen him since.”

“He’s probably following the wagon.”

The server arrived with Valek’s order. She placed the steaming plate of eggs, bacon and toast in front of him. His stomach growled with hunger, and he realized he hadn’t had a decent hot meal since leaving Yelena with Cahil. Valek dug into the food. Between bites, he asked about the ambush.

“They picked a nice little spot about four hours east of the garrison,” Onora said. “They figured by that point, the soldiers will have relaxed, thinking they are almost home. Plus it’s better than guessing where the group will stop for the night.”