Night Study. Maria V. Snyder

She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. Valek informed her of Onora’s nasty little trick.

      “I’m going to wring her neck,” Yelena muttered after he’d finished.

      “You can try. I doubt you’d get close to her.”

      “Is that why you had the knife at Onora’s throat?”

      “Yes. She needed to understand that will be the last time she lies to me. And I needed to remind her who is in charge.”

      “Until the Commander says otherwise.”

      “True.”

      “And will you take orders from her?”

      “No. By that time, I suspect I’ll be taking orders from another woman.”

      Yelena lifted her head from his chest and met his gaze. “Is that so? What type of orders?”

      “You have a dirty mind, love. I’m thinking of orders to change a diaper or rock a baby to sleep. Things like that.”

      “Not near as exciting as assassinating a criminal.”

      “Not as dangerous, either. Besides, I think the teen years could be quite exciting. No one is going to mess with my son or daughter.”

      She laughed. “You can’t assassinate bullies or boys who kiss your daughter.”

      “Pity.”

      A brief smile flashed, then she grew contemplative. “Since I was hit with starlight, that increases the possibility I’m pregnant. What will we do?”

      “I expect we’ll do what most people do in that situation—become a family.”

      “Easier said than done.”

      “We’ll figure this out—I promise.” He pulled her tight against him.

      She snuggled in and fell asleep. Valek took comfort in the steady rise and fall of her chest, but far too soon, it was his turn on watch. He slipped from her embrace, pulled his boots on and searched for Janco.

      A half-moon cast enough light to avoid tripping and walking into tree trunks. Valek found Janco near the glass house. Condensation misted the outside panels of the structure. Inside, coals burned to keep it warm, and the pans of water added moisture to the air. Leif had been maintaining the equipment in order to keep the plants alive until his father arrived. The whole idea of the house and growing Curare far from the jungle was genius. He wondered if Owen had the original notion, or if the Commander had speculated about the possibility and sent Owen to put it all together.

      “Any trouble?” Valek asked.

      Janco rubbed the scar where the bottom half of his right ear should be. “Just thinking.”

      “That could be dangerous.”

      “Ha, ha. Not funny. What I’m wondering is, if all those plants inside came from the Illiais Jungle, then who brought them here?”

      “Owen has been working on this for over three years.”

      “Yeah, I get that. But wouldn’t the Zaltana Clan know strangers were digging around their jungle? Doesn’t the Curare vine only grow in a certain section? And isn’t Yelena’s father the only producer of the stuff?” Janco tapped on the glass. “These are far from seedlings. And then I’m thinking, how many people have enough knowledge of all these plants? Can’t be many outside the jungle.”

      All excellent points. Valek considered. “Tyen Cowan might have the knowledge, depending on where he grew up.” The jungle bordered the southeastern and southern sections of the Cowan Clan’s lands.

      “Or a Zaltana was working with Owen.”

      Deceit and betrayal were all part of his job; however, Valek had a difficult time believing that one of Yelena’s clan members would cooperate with Owen or be involved in illegal activities. Unless they’d been tricked. “Before we leave, we’ll ask Leif to look into it. If Leif finds the expert, he or she could lead him to where the other hothouses are located.”

      Janco flashed him a bright smile. “See? I have good ideas, too.”

      “I never said you didn’t.”

      “But you never said I did.”

      “I don’t have to. You’re very good at self-congratulation,” Valek said.

      “I am?”

      “Yes.”

      Janco preened.

      “Go get some sleep,” Valek said. “It’ll be dawn in a couple hours.”

      At the mention of dawn, Janco’s shoulders drooped. “You know, midafternoon is a perfectly respectable time to leave,” he grumbled as he headed back to the house.

      Valek looped around the complex, testing locks and seeking signs of a disturbance. Satisfied that all appeared secured, he stopped at the stables. Both Kiki and Rusalka, Leif’s horse, snoozed in their stalls unperturbed. He’d learned to trust the Sandseed horses. If a strange scent tainted the air, they’d be agitated.

      When the sky lightened, he returned to the house. The smell of sizzling bacon reached him. He followed the wonderful scent to the kitchen. Leif filled plates with sweet cakes, bacon, eggs and toast. Everyone was awake and sitting at the table.

      Happy to see Yelena tucking into a heaping portion in front of her, Valek joined them, letting the conversation flow over him.

      “I’d wake up every morning at dawn if I knew this was waiting for me,” Janco said, helping himself to another stack of sweet cakes. His salt-and-pepper-colored goatee was sticky with syrup.

      “You’re going to make yourself sick,” Yelena teased.

      “Not possible.”

      “Enjoy it,” Leif said. “Tomorrow you’re all going to be eating dried jerky, stale bread and hard cheese.”

      Janco groaned. “Nasty, Leif.”

      “I’m sure we’ll be stopping at a few inns. Right?” Yelena asked Valek.

      “We’ll see.”

      “That’s Valek speak for ‘no way in hell.’” Janco stole a slice of bacon from her plate.

      She stabbed him with her fork.

      “Owww.”

      Valek turned to Leif and asked him about other jungle experts.

      Leif chewed his food while he thought. “I’ll ask my father. Compared to the rest of Sitia, most of the Zaltanas are experts. However, in order to transport plants, you need a higher level of knowledge.” He tapped a fork on the table. “And, thinking about it...some of those unfamiliar plants might be crossbreeds.” Leif tossed the silverware in disgust. “Of course, that’s why I couldn’t identify them!”

      “Crossbreeds?”

      “When you graft one plant onto the other and create a new type of plant. And that’s an even rarer specialty.” Leif sobered.

      “How rare?”

      The mulish set to Leif’s jaw meant he wouldn’t answer without more prompting. “How many people can do it?” Valek asked.

      “A few,” Leif hedged.

      “Two,” Yelena said.

      Leif shot her a nasty look.

      “Do you know their names?” he asked.

      “Our cousin Nutty Palm Zaltana, and our Councilman, Bavol Cacao Zaltana.”

3

      LEIF

      Anger boiled.