Maria Snyder - Spy Glass

I joined him at the table. He had lit all the lanterns and the room glowed with a cozy yellow light. Heat radiated from the meat, yet the coals in my hearth remained banked. He must have arrived only a short time before me. We finished the meal in silence.

When he leaned back, I asked him again, “How long have you been in Fulgor?”

“Long enough to confirm what you’re trying to do.”

I acted nonchalant. “Good, then I don’t have to explain anything.”

An eyebrow quirked. He had darkened his pale skin and was unshaven. His plain and stained clothing resembled those worn by the construction workers.

“Nice try. What I don’t know is why you called for help.”

“Then why did Yelena tell me you were already on the way?”

“Good timing. I heard you traveled to Fulgor after our chat and guessed the reason you came here. I figured you would encounter trouble.”

Annoyed, I asked, “Are you sure you guessed right?”

“Unless collecting blueprints of Wirral is a new hobby of yours?”

I slouched in my chair. “You’re right. I encountered trouble. Again.”

“It’s the nature of this business,” he said.

When I failed to perk up from his “pep” talk, he asked, “Remember when I told you I make mistakes?”

“Yes.”

“This—” he swept his hand out, indicating the room “—is all due to my mistake in underestimating you.”

“Go on.”

“I thought I was being subtle when I asked you about your blood. I must be losing my touch.” He gave me a wry smile.

“If it makes you feel any better, it took me several hours to put it together.”

“I’ll hold off on my retirement then.” He waited.

I sighed. “When exactly did you arrive in town?”

“First day of the warming season.”

I made a quick mental calculation. “A few days before then, I had a humbling encounter.” I detailed my experiences with Finn and his pack. “I have to assume he knows the reason for our immunity, about blood magic…everything. I’d like to know what game he’s playing, but I can’t touch him. You, on the other hand, won’t have any problems getting to him.” I grinned in anticipation. Finn was in for a nasty surprise.

Valek had remained silent as I talked, staring into the distance. He played with his spoon, spinning it around and around on the tabletop. “I agree. Finn must be dealt with, but not by me.” He met my gaze.

“You don’t need to worry. He’s not in your league,” I said.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ve no doubt he’s a classic overgrown bully. But he’s not mine to deal with.” His flat tone revealed no emotion. “He’s yours.”

“DID I HEAR YOU RIGHT?” I LEANED ON THE TABLE,propping my elbows near the edge. “Me? Weren’t you listening when I described Finn’s speed and his goons and that serum? I can’t fight him.”

“Then why are you in Fulgor?” Valek asked.

“I told you.”

“How committed are you?”

“I’m here. And I have blueprints of the prison, files on all the hotshots—”

“That isn’t what I asked.”

“Very committed.”

“Then why are you helping Councilor Moon? Why did you purchase this building? Why are you hanging out with your friends?”

I didn’t answer.

“Halfhearted spies tend to die, Opal. In fact, you’re lucky Finn decided you weren’t a danger to him or the prison. Otherwise, you’d be dead by now.”

“I’m making progress. Being Councilor Moon’s aide gives me access to data I wouldn’t normally have. It’s just spying, lying and deceiving others go against my nature.”

“Then I’ll ask again. Why are you here?” His matter-of-fact tone irritated me, but he continued as if having a pleasant conversation. “Why not ask someone to find the information for you?”

“I’m being smart. I can’t handle Finn—”

Valek raised his eyebrow. I hadn’t answered his question.

“It is too important to trust anyone else,” I said.

“Now we’re making progress.”

I groaned and rested my forehead in my hands, closing my eyes. Was it lecture Opal day? First Devlen, now Valek. Did I miss the announcement? All I needed was my mother to pop up and berate me for not delivering the wedding samples to Mara for the mess to be complete.

Valek said, “And you’re right.”

I was right? I glanced up.

“It is too vital to send another in your place, but you lack the skills for this type of occupation. Being able to work undercover and hide your intentions and emotions doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t just rush off and jump right in.” He snorted with amusement. “Well, you can and you did, but that’s the fastest way to blow your mission.”

“I recognized my inexperience and sent for help,” I said. Which brought us back to the beginning. “I wanted you to keep Finn occupied, while I talked to Ulrick.”

“A reasonable plan.”

“But?”

“Think about it in glassmaking terms. You’re given the task of producing a complicated sculpture for the Sitian Council Hall. It’s a difficult job and you’re going to need an assistant. Who would you rather have helping you? Your father or me?”

My father. Why? He had over thirty years of glassmaking experience, while Valek had spent one day playing with the glass. So who would Valek sneak around a maximum security prison with? One of his corp, like Janco, or me?

I mulled over his comments. His question about my commitment now made sense. I’d been pretending, playing dress up, and in the process sacrificed my magic and gotten Janco into trouble. In order to do it right, I needed to know things—things only Valek could teach me.

Valek watched me.

“Will you teach me?” I asked.

“You’re willing to give everything up?”

I swallowed, thinking of Kade. “Everything?”

“For now. The rest of your life is on hold.”

“How long?”

“Four months. Maybe less. You did pretty well so far, considering you’re a rookie.”

“Then, yes. I’m in one hundred percent.”

Valek smiled. “Good. First, send Kade a reply, asking him not to come.” He pointed at the unopened letter on the table.

I had forgotten about it. Sealed with wax, the message appeared to be secured.

Valek shrugged. “I was bored.”

“Second?”

“We’ll review your visit to Devlen, and decide what to ask him next.”

“And the rest of the time?”

“Spy training.” He grinned.

“You don’t really call it that, do you?”

“No.”

Kade’s sweet letter almost broke my resolve. He had planned to stop in Fulgor on his way back to his home in the Stormdance lands, spending the rest of the warming season with me. In my carefully worded reply, I asked him not to come. Instead, I told him I would meet up with him at the end of the warm season for Mara and Leif’s wedding in Booruby.

One half of me expected an angry reply, the other waited for him to show up on my doorstep.

Valek moved into my spare bedroom. We boarded up all the windows on the ground floor for security and privacy, and Valek converted a window on the ground floor into a hidden exit to the alley behind the building. He also rigged a way for us to descend from the second story.

“Always have alternate escape routes. The more, the merrier,” he had said.

He brought in various gadgets and weapons and equipment for training, filling the ground floor with them. He even ordered me to fire up a kiln and return to working with glass, insisting the effort of creating would enhance my training.

I asked Faith to begin interviewing new assistants for the Councilor. In the meantime, I continued to help Tama and I joined Nic and Eve every morning. Evenings I worked with Valek, sometimes late into the night.