Spy Glass Read online

  “Is this the prisoner you seek?” the warden asked.

  “Yes, sir,” the guard on the left said.

  “You’re certainly a bold one,” the warden said to me.

  “I just did what you wanted, Grogan.”

  He glowered, and I suppressed the urge to sink under the

  desk.

  “Explain,” he ordered.

  “You issued me a challenge to find anything wrong with

  your officers or prison. I sneaked in disguised as a prisoner

  and escaped. I’d say that qualifies as something wrong.”

  “You didn’t fully escape,” he said.

  “Doesn’t matter. You said anything.” I leaned back in his

  chair, exaggerating the motion. “Besides, if I wanted to leave, I could have ambushed you when you entered your office and

  used you to escape.”

  He laughed. “Wouldn’t work. We all know our lives are

  forfeit if we’re taken hostage.”

  I shrugged. “I still managed to get into the SMU before

  coming up here. And I found other problems.”

  As I talked, color rushed into his face. “Get Finn. Now,”

  he ordered the COs.

  They

  bolted.

  Not good. I swallowed. “Finn isn’t reliable. He’s been tor-

  turing the SMU prisoners.”

  “He’s my right-hand man. I’m sure he can explain your

  allegations.”

  I stood. “They’re not allegations. They’re facts.”

  We glared at each other until one of the COs burst into the

  room, panting.

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  “He’s…gone, sir.” The guard motioned to me with his

  hand. “She was…in the wing…knocked every…one out.”

  Lamar and Carrl entered behind the guards. The gas in the

  glass ball didn’t last near as long as the sleeping juice.

  Grogan aimed his anger at them. Carrl blanched, but

  Lamar…Janco kept his face neutral. Although a spark of humor

  f lashed in his eyes when he met my gaze.

  “Where is Finn?” the warden asked them.

  “She must have done something to him,” Carrl said.

  “I’m impressed that you think I’m strong enough to move

  an unconscious man.”

  “When we woke, sir. Finn was not among us,” Janco said.

  “I believe he was working here under false pretenses.”

  And then it hit me. Finn had overheard Ulrick and knew

  where to find my blood. I caught Janco’s attention. He un-

  derstood my sudden need to leave.

  “Why wasn’t I informed?” Grogan bellowed.

  “Truthfully, sir. Finn is scarier than you,” Janco said.

  Carrl nodded in agreement, but he still appeared nervous.

  “Do you think he’s gone for good?”

  “If not, he will be,” Grogan promised.

  I edged toward the door.

  “Should I escort our…guest out?” Janco asked.

  “Not until you get details on how she managed this…” He

  swung his arm wide, indicating me and the room. “I want a

  full report on my desk in one hour.”

  “Yes, sir,” Janco snapped.

  He held my arm and we left. The warden’s loud orders to

  Carrl followed us until the door closed.

  Janco and I raced down the stairs.

  “Think you’ll have time for that report?” I asked.

  “Doubtful. Too bad, I live to write reports.”

  Unfortunately, we were stopped a few times by COs. Janco

  informed them the prisoner had been captured and to return

  to their regular duties. Even though I wore a CO uniform,

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  a few squinted at me with suspicion, but Janco was a hotshot

  and therefore outranked them. Handy.

  We reached the street and ran to the nearest stables.

  “How long?” I asked.

  “Finn has about an hour head start.”

  Damn. We arrived at the stables and roused the owner, rent-

  ing his two fastest horses. The man would have an interesting

  tale to tell.

  As the horses chewed up the miles to Hubal, the sun rose.

  We didn’t slow when we reached the downtown. People scat-

  tered and cursed at us. The trip to Ulrick’s glass factory located in the woods passed in a blur. We rushed around the back of

  the building and dismounted. The sandpile had been removed,

  but evidence of where it had been remained along with more

  recent activity.

  My world tilted and I sank to my knees. Dirt piled next to

  a fresh hole in the ground. My blood was gone.

  Janco crouched near the hole. He scooped a handful of

  dirt and sniffed it. Scenting the wind as if he were a dog, he

  scanned the area. He put a finger to his lips and drew a dagger from his boot.

  I jumped to my feet and followed him toward the aban-

  doned factory. The back door was locked. Janco pointed and

  I popped the lock in a few seconds with my picks. Impressed,

  he raised his eyebrows. My speed had improved while work-

  ing with Valek.

  Turning the knob, I eased open the door. Janco rushed

  in without making a sound. I stayed right behind him. We

  stopped in the main area. Finn stood in the middle of the

  empty room with a sword in his right hand and a large glass

  bottle filled with a bright red liquid in his left. They had

  drained more blood than I thought. From the color, I knew

  the blood had been preserved by magic.

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  “Lamar, how very unexpected,” Finn said with a disap-

  proving tone.

  Magic brushed us. Janco f linched, but held steady.

  “Even now I can’t sense your deception. No matter. We’ve

  already proven you’re no match for me.”

  Janco grinned. “It’s never wise to beat your boss. Good

  thing you’re not my boss anymore.”

  I stif led a laugh. Not only had he used the word wise, but Janco’s current position in Ixia had been gained by beating a

  succession of his superior officers.

  “Give Opal her bottle,” Janco said.

  “No. Someone is willing to pay an outrageous amount of

  gold for this.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Someone who hates you very much.”

  Janco glanced at me. “That narrows it down to half of

  Sitia.”

  “Not funny.” Because if I considered the people who were

  upset and inconvenienced due to the loss of my glass messen-

  gers, he might be right. “Hand it over, Finn.”

  “Seems we’re at an impasse,” Finn said. “If we fight, or if

  you use one of your darts or that nifty gas ball, I might drop

  the bottle, spilling your blood. You’ll have to decide if you

  want to risk it or not.”

  “All right. How much?” I asked.

  Finn jerked with surprise, but recovered. “You can’t afford

  it.”

  “Try

  me.”

  He peered at me as if assessing my net worth. “Did the

  Council let you keep the diamonds from here?” He pointed

  down.

  “Yep. I’m richer than Vasko Cloud Mist.”

  Finn f linched at the name. “Doubtful.”

  “How much?” I asked again. Would I be willing to give

  him all my money for that bottle? Yes.

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  He

  hesitated.

  “Despite his claims, Finn’s not doing this for the money,

  Opal,” Janco said.

  Janco was right. Better to spill my blood than for it to get

  into the wrong hands. “Janco, why don’t you entertain Finn

  with one of your rhymes?”

  “My pleas—” Janco froze.

  I reached and encountered a bubble of magic around

  him.

  “I’m not in the mood for a fight,” Finn said. He sheathed his

  sword and yanked out a blowgun. Loading the pipe without

  rushing, he was confident I wouldn’t be a problem.

  “Too bad,” I said as I snatched Janco’s dagger.

  Finn blocked my first attack with the blowgun. I parried

  and my blade hacked chunks from the wooden tube as he used

  it to protect himself. He backed up as I advanced, pressing my

  advantage.

  “Well done, Opal,” he said when the dagger sliced his

  blowgun into two.

  I stepped closer and he chopped my wrist. He used this

  move before to the same effect, stunning my hand with the

  edge of his palm and taking the weapon from me. At least this

  time, I saw it happening. Didn’t help, but it was progress.

  Finn touched the tip of the dagger to my neck. “I’m grow-

  ing quite fond of you. My patron paid for your blood, but

  I imagine you would bring a higher price. Or perhaps you

  would pay me to release you?”

  Oh no. Not this again. I leaned back away from the blade

  and kicked forward, hitting him in the ribs. Not hard, as I

  was unbalanced, but enough to distract him while I shuff led

  out of reach. He surrounded me with a thick bubble of magic.

  It weighed me down and slowed my movements. Holding a

  dart, Finn stalked me.

  Frantic, I splayed my hands and without piercing the bubble

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  of magic I pushed it away from me before Finn could aim. It

  moved. I did it again until I was free.

  “Unbelievable,” Finn said. The bubble dissolved. “You have

  an affinity with magic, but it can’t affect you…I wonder if

  your immunity is fueled by magic.”

  I rushed him to keep him from making that last logical

  connection and slammed into an invisible barrier. Too late. He

  figured it out and erected a null shield. Magic couldn’t pierce it. Stunned, I blinked at an ecstatic Finn. He held his hand

  out and the barrier forced me back until the shield trapped

  me in a corner.

  “A null shield,” Finn said in amazement. “I love the irony!

  This is going to make my life so much easier.” He threw the

  dart.

  I couldn’t move my arms to block it. Hitting my shoulder,

  the drug worked fast. The room spun into darkness.

  “Opal?”

  An ungentle nudge. I swatted at the disturbance.

  “Wake up, or I’m leaving you here,” Janco grumped.

  I groaned. My head ached and the f loor swayed.

  “Killer hangover, isn’t it? Finn used the hard stuff.” Janco

  pulled on my arm. “Come on. It’s getting dark.”

  He helped me to my feet. I glanced around the abandoned

  factory and I remembered. “Finn? My blood?” Relief spiked

  as I realized he hadn’t taken me.

  Janco grimaced. “Gone. After he knocked you out someone

  called from outside. He jabbed me and left. When I woke, I

  tracked him to the road, but once he reached it, I’ve no idea

  which way he went.” He gestured to the windows. “We were

  asleep for hours and he stole one of our horses. I had to chase down the other.”

  We trudged to the Dolomite Inn, leading the remaining

  horse. Even Mister Paul’s delighted welcome couldn’t dispel

  the gloom that had settled on us. The thought of oyster soup

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  turned my stomach, but Janco enjoyed it while I ate bread and

  a few mouthfuls of beef.

  My thoughts lingered on my failure. All those months of

  training, planning and sacrifice for naught. Nothing for me.

  Finn made out well. I scowled.

  “Something wrong with your dinner?” Janco asked. He

  had removed his disguise, revealing his thin face and scarred

  ear.

  “The food’s fine. My companion needs to start explaining

  why I had to endure the whole prisoner experience when he

  was already one of the hotshots?”

  “Think about it, Opal. You already know the answer,”

  Valek said from behind me. He and Ari joined us.

  “Wonderful,” I muttered. “The gang’s all here.” I eyed

  Ari’s white-blond hair. He’d also ditched his disguise. “Won’t

  Devlen miss his buddy, Pellow?”

  Ari shrugged. “He’s made friends with half the COs in the

  joint.”

  I wanted to savor my foul mood, to let it ferment and turn

  into an all-out temper tantrum. But these men didn’t act

  without a plan and I should focus on the positive.

  “Finn’s truth serum didn’t work, and Janco couldn’t get

  Ulrick to talk? So you needed me,” I said.

  Valek nodded in encouragement.

  “Why didn’t you tell me he was there?” I asked. No one

  answered, letting me puzzle it out on my own. I could have

  been captured and forced to expose Janco, ruining months of

  undercover work. Plus my actions in the prison might have

  been different if I knew Janco was there. Working under the

  impression I was on my own, I couldn’t relax or be lazy. I

  grudgingly agreed with his strategy.

  As Ari ordered enough food to feed the whole table, I

  reviewed all that I had learned. I should have spotted Janco

  when I read through the hotshots’ files. Who else would escape

  from Wirral in record time? He even beat a magician.

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  After the server left an array of steaming plates, I said, “You had Janco in place before talking to me about my blood back

  in Booruby. Why?”

  “They used blood magic,” Valek said. “And could again. I

  didn’t trust the Sitian Council to deal with them properly or

  in a timely manner.”

  “You were going to assassinate them?” I gaped at Valek.

  “Until you found out about my blood, then decided not to.”

  “It is always a good idea to wait and watch. Unless Yelena

  is around at the time of death, it’s hard to interrogate someone once he’s dead.”

  I looked at Janco. He didn’t strike me as the assassin type.

  “Could you…?”

  “No,” Valek answered for him. “That’s my job. He was

  there to gather information only.”

  Which reminded me. “How did he manage to fool Finn?

  He’s a powerful magician.”

  Janco pulled a necklace from under his shirt. A large round

  pendant hung from the chain. He took it off and handed it to

  me. The white circle was sticky with magic.

  “Ivory?” I asked.

  “No. Bone.” Janco looked queasy.

  “Animal?”

  His grimace answered my question. Not animal. Human.

  I set the pendant down carefully. “How?”

  “Yelena
found a…volunteer, willing to help disguise Janco’s

  real thoughts,” Valek said.

  “A soul.” I swallowed. Yelena had channeled a person’s soul

  into the bone pendant. It was amazing and creepy at the same

  time.

  “Lamar Krystal died in the line of duty,” Janco recited as

  if from memory. “A prisoner in Compton killed him with

  a shank. Yelena found him wandering in the shadow world

  unable to find peace.”

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  I studied my friend. Janco hated magic and yet he had lived

  with a soul near his heart for seasons.

  “And the poor guy hasn’t found much peace hanging out

  with Janco,” Ari said, breaking the sober mood.

  “If he’d been with you, he’d have been bored to death,”

  Janco countered.

  “That’s impossible. He’s already dead,” Ari said.

  “Souls can cease to exist, and therefore die,” Janco said.

  Ari laughed. “That’s ridiculous.”

  I tuned out their argument over dying souls. My thoughts

  returned to Valek’s earlier comment about assassination being

  his job. Even though the mission hadn’t gone as planned,

  Ulrick had revealed the location of my blood.

  Cold fingers of realization touched me. There was no reason

  for Valek to wait any longer to go through with his original

  strategy to assassinate them.

  I met Valek’s f lat gaze. He’d watched me while I had sorted

  through the information.

  “Wait. Please,” I said to him. My response surprised me.

  He didn’t react. “By the time the Council decides to do

  the right thing, more damage could be done.”

  “But—”

  “We’ve shown the prison is easily infiltrated.”

  “But—”

  “The officers can be compromised.”

  “But—”

  “We were lucky Finn only desired your blood and didn’t

  want to learn how to perform blood magic. We won’t be so

  lucky next time.”

  “It’s not your decision,” I shouted.

  Ari and Janco ceased their bickering.

  Unperturbed, Valek said, “I disagree.”

  “Besides,” I said into the ensuing silence, “they’ll need to

  be incarcerated in glass like the Warpers from before. You’ll

  need Yelena.”

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  “No they don’t. They have no magic. The Warpers still had

  the magic they were born with. If you had discovered your

  siphoning powers back then, we wouldn’t have needed those

  glass prisons at all.”

  I wilted. Valek’s argument made sense when viewed with