“I know, but I’m still hoping to repair my relationship with the Commander.” He stepped close and cupped my cheek with his hand. “It’ll never be the same as before, but I don’t wish to destroy any chance I have to retire on a positive note.”

“Retire?” That was new.

“Someone has to change diapers while you’re saving the world, love.”

My heart melted over his willingness to retire for me and the baby. “Me? Save the world? So you’re a comedian and an expert diaper changer. Wow, did I hook a keeper or what?”

He bowed. “You have the total package.”

“I’d swoon, except I’m guessing I don’t have time.”

“No. The boys will be here soon to escort us to the stables.” Valek pointed to the clothes I held. “You’ll need to change into an Ixian adviser’s uniform in order to blend in once we’re away from the castle.” Valek retrieved his own pack and sorted through the contents.

As I added the solid black pants and shirt with two red diamonds stitched onto the collar to my pack, I mulled over our conversation. “What will I do then? I can’t return to the castle and I’m not going to sulk about Ixia, hiding.” And do nothing.

Valek didn’t answer. And I realized why he remained quiet.

“You don’t really need me at the coast. It makes more sense for me to travel to Sitia. Then I can experiment, consult with Leif and my father. It—”

“No. Too dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous to give Owen time to set his plans in motion.”

“We have time.”

“How do you know?”

Valek folded his black sneak suit. “We have until the fire festival.” Gathering an impressive number of knives, Valek slid them into various pockets in his uniform and into hidden places in his knapsack. “It’s not like the Commander to make an execution a public spectacle. Just hanging the man for abusing his power is enough of a deterrent. News would eventually spread to even the remotest post.”

A tendril of unease snaked around my heart. “You think the Commander has another reason for requiring all his soldiers to be at the fire festival?”

He met my gaze. “Yes.”

“And this reason includes Owen?”

“Yes.”

When I considered how close Castletown was to the Sitian Citadel, the tendril thickened and squeezed. “They’re going to invade Sitia!”

14

VALEK

“We need to warn Sitia,” Yelena said.

“Of what? Our gut feeling? We’ve no proof, love.”

“But the Commander’s army might invade.”

“And they might not. Besides, I’d hang for treason if I warned Sitia of an attack.”

“I won’t.”

“You wouldn’t hang for treason, but the Commander would consider you an enemy of Ixia and send an assassin after you. We’ll just have to ruin Owen’s plans well before the fire festival.”

“How? We need to consult with Leif and my father about those Harman saplings. And the null shields.”

Valek loved watching Yelena puzzle out a problem. Her brow crinkled and he suppressed the desire to smooth the ridge with a kiss. “I’ve a loyal and skilled agent who is going to deliver messages for us. Once Leif responds to your missive, she’ll bring it to us in MD-1.”

Yelena frowned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Where in MD-1?”

“The northern coast.”

“Too far. Once Leif learns Owen is in Ixia, he’ll return to the Citadel. Even if your agent had the fastest horse in Ixia, it would still take her twelve days to travel that distance. And messages aren’t effective. If Leif doesn’t understand something, it will be a twenty-four-day wait until he does. Plus, you can’t brainstorm ideas.”

“No.” The word sprang without thought from his primal core. The place deep down inside him that screamed, You will stay with me!

“You know it’s logical.”

To hell with logic. “We’re stronger together. You said so yourself.” Ha. She couldn’t logic her way out of that one.

“Yes, for when we go against Owen. Not against a gang of Storm Thieves. I’ll just be in the way.”

“Fine. I’m coming with you to Sitia.”

“You can’t.”

“I’ll wear a disguise.”

“And what happens when the reports keep coming in from MD-1 about those Storm Thieves?”

He crossed his arms, refusing to acknowledge her point.

She answered for him. “The Commander learns you committed treason.”

“I’ll stay in Sitia.”

“And let Owen win?”

Determined to remain stubborn, he kept silent.

“All right. We let Owen win, and he eventually convinces the Commander to invade Sitia, where we’ll be living. You, me and our child. How long do you think Sitia will last? I guess we could go into hiding, wear disguises and live in constant fear. That’s a healthy environment to raise a child.” Her tone indicated it would be anything but. “And we both know it’s a matter of time before the Commander hunts us down.”

Damn it all to hell! Valek growled every single curse he knew as impotent fury surged through him. At this moment, he hated logic. He wanted to take his knife and stab it through its cold calculating heart. Why couldn’t he be selfish and irrational for once? Damn it all to hell!