Night Study

“And the reason is?”

“They’re ineffective idiots!”

“He probably doesn’t have any proof,” I said. “These are wealthy businesspeople who have a great deal of influence and power. Fisk has probably cobbled together bits of information from his sources and determined what’s going on.” At least I fervently hoped so. “We need to talk to him. Let’s go.” I stepped toward Kiki, who grazed nearby.

Ari grabbed my shoulder, halting me. “No.”

“But time—”

“We haven’t slept in over a day.”

“We’ve been resting for five days.”

“A few hours is all we need.”

“Leif—”

“Leif’s clever. He’ll play along, knowing we’ll come rescue him. But you won’t be able to help your brother if you’re exhausted.”

I peered at him. He’d gone from using we to you, meaning me. “Let me guess. Valek—”

“Doesn’t have to order us to protect you. You are family. That goes beyond orders.”

* * *

When we reached the Citadel two days later, we split up, just in case the guards at the gate had been ordered to look for groups of three. Janco circled around to the southern gate with Rusalka, while Ari and I headed for the eastern entrance. We merged with the early-morning traffic and sidled behind a large caravan of wagons. The guards didn’t even glance at us as we passed through.

While the benefit of having busy streets helped us enter unnoticed, the crowded roads slowed our pace. It’d been six days since Leif had been taken, and the desire to scream at all these obstructions clawed at my throat. Then the need to ensure no one followed us to Fisk’s headquarters delayed us further as we snaked through the streets.

Fisk’s building resided in one of the outer factory loops southwest of the market. By the time we rendezvoused with Janco near the narrow alley that led to the door, all of my pent-up frustration and worry pressed on my skin from the inside. If Fisk couldn’t help, I’d explode. His Helper’s Guild members would be cleaning Yelena bits off their ceiling, walls and floor for days.

“Any trouble?” Ari asked his partner.

“None.” Janco scrunched up his nose.

“Then what’s wrong?” I asked.

“Yet another stinkin’ alley. The smell is bad enough, but the place is also reeking with magic. I thought Fisk was a regular kid.”

“He is.” Although I wouldn’t call a seventeen-year-old a kid. “He probably hired a magician to hide the guild’s entrance with an illusion.”

“Why?” Ari asked.

“Problems with the criminal element. Their cheap labor force, also known as the homeless children and the desperate, have been too busy working and earning money by being a part of Fisk’s guild, so the crime bosses have been making it difficult for the helpers. Leif offered to help, but Fisk insisted he’d handle it on his own. The young man’s a bit stubborn.”

“Stub...born?” Janco sounded out each syllable as if saying the word for the first time. “Gee, I don’t know anyone who is stub...born.” He stared at me.

“Just for that, you get to go into the stinkin’ alley first,” I said.

“Yay for me.” He rubbed his right ear. “What about the horses?”

“Ari, can you stay with them until we find the door?” I asked.

“What if it’s a trap?”

“I’ll scream really loud and you run and get backup,” Janco said.

“It’s not a trap. It’s Fisk.” I dismounted.

“Yeah, well, Fisk is a businessman, and I’m sure he has other clients who will pay—”

“No. Not Fisk.” I kept my tone even despite my anger. “Before you remind me of my...inability to wield magic and how I have to be paranoid and trust no one, it’s Fisk. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.” The big man set his jaw.

“While I’ll agree that Fisk wouldn’t ever betray or harm you for money, Yelena—” Janco swung down from The Madam’s saddle “—I also think Ari has a point, even though he didn’t communicate it well. Everyone is vulnerable. If I was a ne’er-do-well, I’d find a person’s weakness and exploit it in my favor. Like when Owen found your weakness by kidnapping Leif and forcing you to steal the Ice Moon. Fisk is no exception.”

“You’re right.” Before Janco could gloat, I added, “Ari didn’t express it well. My apologies, Ari.”

“Just be extra careful,” he said. “Janco, if you sense any magic inside Fisk’s headquarters—”

“We’ll make a super-quick exit.” He handed The Madam’s and Rusalka’s reins to Ari.

Janco entered the alley and I stayed a step behind him. The rank smell of urine and rotted garbage stung the inside of my nostrils, causing nausea to roll in my stomach. Our boots crunched on broken glass. Fist-sized spiders skittered behind heaps of trash. All, I hoped, part of the magical illusion. I kept my hand close to my switchblade just in case.

“You always take me to the fanciest places, Yelena. You really spoil me.”

“Anyone who can use ne’er-do-well in a sentence deserves every comfort.”

Janco grunted, but I wasn’t sure if it was over the joke or because of the magic. He stopped, turned to his right, held up his hands and walked through a brick wall, disappearing. I followed, bracing for impact even though I knew it was illusion.