Maria Snyder - Sea Glass

“My name is Opal. I was a prisoner here, as well. I just escaped. Who are you?”

“Faith Moon, First Adviser to Councilor Moon.”

First? Then I realized she was the former adviser, and one of the main people who’d conspired against Tama. A dilemma. She was supposed to be here.

“Hello? Are you still there? Please help us,” she pleaded.

“Us? Is someone with you?” I asked.

“Yes. Councilor Moon is locked in the room next to mine.”

The poor girl had lost her mind. Tama’s sister Akako must be in the second room. I thought fast. “I’m going to get help for you both. I’ll be back.”

“No! The authorities won’t help you. Come back! Are you there? Everyone believes Tama is safe at the Councilor’s Hall, but she isn’t there. Hello? She’s trapped in Akako’s body.” Sobs emanated.

I felt as if I’d been slammed flat by a heavy slab of marble. My lungs refused to work as shock gripped my entire being.

“Are you there? Please answer!”

Her harsh cry pierced my paralysis. “I’m here.”

“Thank fate!”

“Calm down, you’re getting loud.”

Faith sucked in a few gulps. In a low, intense voice, she continued, “I know it sounds insane, but you’ve got to believe me. Akako and a magician did…something to Tama’s blood and they switched…bodies.”

“I believe you.”

She gasped in surprise. I understood all too well. Before she could say more, I told her my plan to check the door at the top of the steps. If no one guarded the door, I would come back and free her and Tama. No way would I leave them behind.

“Can you unlock cuffs? They’ve chained her to the wall,” she said.

“Why?”

“To punish her. She tried to escape.” Pride filled her voice.

“Why didn’t Akako kill her?”

“She has information they need. They killed all her other supporters. I’m alive for only one reason. To ensure she cooperates.”

With that gruesome image in my mind, I crept up the stairs, feeling for the door. I counted fourteen steps before I touched the wood. The knob turned without a creak and I pushed. Unlocked, it swung open. No cry of alarm sounded.

I waited. Darkness pressed on the windows. When I was satisfied, I returned. The lock on Faith’s door resisted, but with more time than I could afford, I popped it, figuring out the trick to keep the pins aligned. Tama’s lock popped within seconds.

Faith quickly explained to Tama as I worked on the Councilor’s cuffs. The woman sagged in my arms when I finished. She whispered a thank-you in my ear before straightening.

“Let’s go,” Tama said.

We held hands, forming a line. I led the women to the steps. At the top, I instructed them to run as soon as we left the building. The presence of three people would no doubt alert Ulrick and Tricky, who, I hoped, slept on the second floor, since I hadn’t seen bedrooms on the first level.

“Faster is better,” I whispered. “If we get separated, meet up behind the Dolomite Inn’s stables.”

They nodded in determination.

It was a real shame we didn’t even make it to the door. Tricky and his men poured from the shadows, creating a barrier between us and freedom.

“I thought you were smart,” Tricky said to me. “Then again, you probably didn’t realize just how much power I’ve amassed since our last encounter. Your blood has given me a boost, and I’m well on my way to Master level.” He gestured to his men. Boar and Len grabbed Faith and Tama. They dragged the women back toward the stairs. Faith’s cries pierced me.

“You would have gotten farther without them,” Tricky said.

I shrugged, projecting nonchalance even though my heart crawled up my throat. Janco was being smart. If he tried to rescue me, Tricky would have him, too.

“Not much farther,” Tricky added. “As soon as you touched the basement door I knew. I’ll give you extra kudos for popping all those locks. I guess Ulrick didn’t do a proper search.” His gaze swept my body.

Oh no.

Boar and Len returned.

“You boys go to bed. I’ll see to our guest.” Tricky advanced.

The goons leered, made rude comments and left.

Not good.

“Time for a proper search. Take off your clothes.”

No way. I bumped into a gaffer’s bench. Scrambling around it, I kept backing up. He continued to advance until I hit a wall.

He stopped inches from me. “Last time. Strip.”

I fumbled with my shirt, yanking out the lock picks. “Here.” I thrust them at him. “They’re all I have. Honest!”

“Excuse me if I don’t trust you.” He reached for my collar.

I knocked his arm away. Big mistake. His magic wrapped around me, holding me immobile. He ripped my shirt open, then tore my undershirt off. His hot hands burned my skin as he pretended to search my upper body for weapons.

“Sir?” Aubin said from behind him.

He stopped. “It better be important.”

“You should wait for instructions from the Councilor before…harming her. Her cooperation is critical.”

He laughed. Tugging at my pants, he said, “This will ensure her cooperation. After I’m done, she’ll do anything I ask.”

“You just need to wait a day at most. The Councilor and Gressa may be upset.”

“I don’t care. Go away.”

Satisfied with the ensuing silence, he pulled my pants down to my knees. I strained, wanting to scream when he touched my leg, but I was unable to make any noise.

Then he lurched forward as a horrible thud sounded. Bouncing off me, he dropped to the floor. His magic released its hold on me.

Janco held a blowpipe. “Come on.”

I yanked my pants up and wrapped the remains of my shirt around my chest. “Are you insane? There are powerful magicians here.”

“Which is why we’re leaving.”

We ran from the building and headed toward the woods. And slammed into an invisible barrier. It knocked us backward.

“You Sitians with your magic,” Janco said in exasperation.

He helped me to my feet. We turned around. Ulrick, Len and Boar approached. Janco pulled a pipe from his pocket and loaded a dart. But before he could aim, the pipe flew from his grasp.

“Damn Sitians.” Janco drew his sword, but Ulrick raised his hand. The weapon sailed from his grip to Ulrick.

“Damn magicians,” Janco cursed.

Regret pushed out my fear. I shouldn’t have asked Janco to help me. Ulrick reached us. He pointed Janco’s sword at the Ixian. “Who are you?” When Janco refused to answer, Ulrick poked him in the chest with the sword’s point.

Janco cringed but remained silent. Ulrick turned to Len. “Did you know he was hanging around?”

“No,” Len said.

Ulrick cursed. “Who are you working for? Who knows you’re here?” He jabbed Janco twice.

Even though blood soaked his tunic, Janco kept quiet. I recognized his demeanor. He had shut down, displaying no emotion. He had done the same thing when Ox’s whip caught him.

“Check his pockets,” Ulrick ordered.

Len and Boar frisked him. They piled an impressive number of weapons on the ground.

“He’s an Ixian,” Boar said.

“We should kill him,” Len said.

“Not yet. Once Tricky is conscious, he can extract all the information we need from his mind. Take him down to the holding cells for now. Chain him up. I’m not taking any chances. You.” Ulrick pointed to me with the sword. “Come.”

No choice. I followed Ulrick back inside while Boar and Len escorted Janco to the basement. We entered an office on the ground floor.

Ulrick found a pair of gray coveralls and tossed them at me. “Change your clothes.”

“Here? Now?”

“Yes. I don’t want any more surprises.” He sat behind the desk. “You’ve been full of them, Opal. Picking locks, finding this place, escaping twice, and now your friend.” He ran his fingers through his hair. It had grown longer since our encounter in Ognap. “If you hadn’t been such a pain in the ass, I would be proud.”