When he arrived at the kitchen, a man the same shape and size as Valek and wearing the same clothes appeared with Reema. The doppelganger began pulling crates off the wagon.

“Take your time. Move like molasses,” Valek said to him before ducking into a shadow and following Reema. She led him to an equipment shed, where he pulled off the coverall.

“How many?” he asked her.

“Twelve guards, nine street rats and one cat.”

“I’m the cat?”

“Yup. We thought about calling you the big rat, but I thought you’d be offended.”

“I’m sure my ego would have survived.” Valek handed her the darts. “Be careful. They’re loaded with poison.”

Aghast, she held them away from her body. “You’re gonna kill them!”

“I hope not. It’s diluted My Love and should just render them unconscious. I can’t use either Curare or the sleeping potion, as they’re now immune to them. And I didn’t have enough time to find an alternative.” Finding the My Love had taken him much longer than he’d expected as it was. The criminal element in Fulgor was very skittish because the city was under martial law.

She nodded and disappeared. He waited for a few minutes. Then he strode through the buildings, heading toward the stockade. He trusted Reema and her young friends to neutralize the hidden guards. No need to waste energy worrying about something he couldn’t control.

When he spotted four rats crouched just out of sight of the stockade’s main entrance, he drew in a breath. “Hey!” he shouted.

They sprinted, with Valek a few steps behind them. He rounded the corner, and the four stockade guards stared in their direction.

“Stop them!” he yelled when the kids neared the guards.

They grabbed the rats’ arms and shoulders. There was a bit of a scuffle, and two of the soldiers yelped in pain while the other two grunted.

By the time Valek arrived, all four were down on the ground, unconscious. None of the hidden watchers sounded an alarm. Reema and her gang had done their part. Good.

Valek swiped the keys and unlocked the main door. The theory was that only the locks to the cells would be warded with magic. If not... Valek didn’t have time for doubts. The rats helped him carry the men inside, and the kids pulled off their outer clothes, exposing guard uniforms.

Valek scanned them. If anyone took a close look, their cover would be blown. “Stand tall and try to make yourselves appear bigger,” he said as they hurried outside.

He crossed the guard room to another set of doors. Opening those doors, Valek braced as four figures rushed him. He ducked the first swing and stabbed a dart into one of them. Keeping low, he jabbed another in the leg. In the semidarkness, he caught a glint of steel and blocked the strike, but the blade sliced his skin. Fire raced up his arm. He ignored it.

A thud sounded, followed by another as the two guards succumbed to the poison. The third thrust his knife at Valek’s throat. Not wanting to harm the man, Valek sidestepped the strike and sent a dart into the man’s neck. The fourth advanced with a sword already wet with Valek’s blood. Lovely. Valek backed up and tripped over one of the guys on the floor. As he hit the ground, he yanked another dart from his belt. His opponent leaned over, aiming the blade at his shoulder. Throwing the dart, he hoped it pierced skin as he rolled away from the weapon. The tip of the sword cut along his back. He kept rolling until he hit the wall. The attacker advanced, and Valek palmed his knife, but the man wobbled a bit and then toppled, landing with a loud thump.

Valek didn’t have time to celebrate or worry if the noise drew any unwanted attention. He hopped to his feet and checked the cells.

They were empty.

A sick dread coiled in his stomach. They had moved the prisoners. Smart. Valek needed to leave. Now.

Except... He paused. Reema said she’d seen them in here. Valek drew in a deep breath and extended his magic. Concentrating on focusing the power, he searched the cells. Power pulsed along the bars. Further in, he sensed the heat from two heartbeats. Leif and Devlen were hidden behind an illusion. Probably gagged.

Valek strode to the entrance.

Reema poked her head in. “What’s taking so long?”

“Four guards inside, not two.”

“Oops. Sorry.”

He gestured her closer. “I need your pendant.”

She removed the null shield and handed it to him. “Hurry up.”

Valek looped the chain around his neck and returned to the cells. The shield allowed him to see through the illusion. Leif and Devlen slept on metal beds in two different cells. Crouching next to the first one with his lock picks, he hoped the null shield would also keep the magical alarm from tripping, but had no idea if it would work. He popped the lock and swung the door wide.

No audible alarm sounded. Leif wouldn’t wake when Valek shook his shoulder. Valek felt his pulse—strong. Probably drugged to keep him quiet. He glanced at Devlen, who hadn’t moved despite the noise. This complicated things.

He raced to the entrance. “We need the wagon here. Now!”

One of the boys with Reema said, “That isn’t part—”

“New plan. Get the wagon.”

“All right.” He dashed away.

“What happened?” Reema asked as she followed Valek.

“They’re out cold.” He opened Devlen’s cell, and she raced inside to rouse her father, but the man didn’t move.

“Is he—”