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We reached the border between MD-5 and MD-4 on the twelfth day of our trip and four days after the encounter with the Lieutenant. The cold air blowing from the west sent shivers down my spine despite my heavy cloak. Or my unease could be due to the daily images Owen showed me of Leif and Valek still incarcerated in Sitia.

With nothing else but worry to occupy my mind, I replayed over and over the first time Owen had shown me Valek. He had signaled a message to me then, but hadn’t since. He warned of Owen lying to me, which wasn’t earth-shattering news. So what had he meant? I cursed myself daily for not memorizing all of Valek’s hand signals. Two motions eluded me. They had to be critical.

The MD-4 border patrol stopped us at mid-day. They scanned our party and papers with bored expressions. I searched their faces, looking for a recognizable feature or a hint of intelligence and was disappointed.

That night as the wind wailed through the many cracks in the travel shelter and we all huddled close to the campfire, I asked Owen about the Ice Moon.

I chose my words with care. “How did you know the Commander…stole it? Not many do.”

“My great-great-grandfather created it,” Owen said. “Perhaps you’ve heard about Master Magician Ellis Moon?”

“Bain Bloodgood was my history teacher at the Keep.”

A rare smile flashed on his face. “Bain is a stickler for history, but I’m sure he didn’t tell you the truth about the Ice Moon.”

“He said it was a desperate measure when Master Magician Sefton Cowan had gathered the power blanket. A measure that was never used.”

“True. But did he tell you why they never used it?”

“They didn’t need to. The other six Masters found Sefton’s hiding place and attacked along with every magician in Sitia not working for Sefton.”

“And almost all died. Of the Masters, only Ellis and Rivana survived. Had they deployed the Ice Moon, not a single soul would have been lost.”

“Bain indicated that there had been a great risk in using the Ice Moon. It could have backfired.”

“There was no danger.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“I found Ellis’ notes and read through them. He was a genius. The other Masters were cowards.

And now the Commander has the Ice Moon, believing he is keeping Ixia safe by preventing us from using it against Ixia. He has no idea that he has the single most powerful weapon against magicians.”

“Since he doesn’t know, it’s safe with him,” I said.

Owen scoffed. “Would you give a knife to a small child who doesn’t know it can cut skin? No.

The Commander could accidently trigger the Ice Moon. Or he could learn its true nature and do what he most desires-rid the world of magic.”

Part 7

Locked in the prison cell, Valek couldn’t do anything to help Leif. He watched as the female magician lunged at him with her switchblade. But she stopped her knife’s thrust in mid-motion, then placed the blade on her own throat. By the quaver in her arms, Valek guessed Yelena had taken control of the female magician’s body and soul. Handy to have a Soulfinder as a heart mate.

Leif exhaled and shot Valek a pointed look. Valek knew his concern. Yelena wouldn’t be able to last long. When the guards slumped to the floor, appearing to be asleep, he knew they would have only seconds to act. The magician, or rather, Yelena threw the switchblade toward him. He snatched it as she collapsed.

“Move,” he ordered Leif.

Leif didn’t hesitate to bolt. The guards already stirred. Once Leif slammed the cell door, they surged to their feet, yelling.

“Here.” Through his bars, Valek handed Leif the switchblade. “Jam the tip in the lock and break it off. Quickly”

“Why?” Leif asked.

“They have keys.”

“Oh.” He grunted with the effort, but managed to wedge the steel tip inside the locking mechanism before the magician could use her key. A temporary measure.

Valek expected her to attack Leif with her magic, but remembered the null shield around Leif’s cell. About time one of those blasted things worked in his favor.

Leif looked at Valek’s cell. “How do we-”

“Go find my clothes,” Valek said. “I have a full set of lock picks in them.”

“Shirt or pants?”

He smiled. “Either one.”

Laughing, Leif went to search. He left the door to the small prison ajar. Valek breathed in the fresh air for a moment as he considered his new neighbors. A couple of the guards tried to unlock the cell door, but the magician sat on Leif’s mattress. During the ruckus, her hood had fallen back.