After picking up some packages of trail food and some bottles of wine and water, Kira headed once more for the north gate. If anyone saw her leaving, she wanted them to think she was heading for Alexdria, one of the few places in the world where her father was even more popular than her mother. "It's a long story," Kira explained. "He risked his life to save a lot of Alexdrians when Mages never did that."

"Is there anybody in your family who's not a hero?" Jason asked.

"Uh, yeah. Me. Duh."

"Kira—!"

"Don't even," she warned him. "I did a job. That doesn't make me a hero."

The gate loomed ahead, sunset near, the evening rush underway, crowds of people, wagons, and riders streaming through in both directions under the bored gaze of the city sentries.

But Kira pulled Jason aside, studying the crowd, wondering what didn't feel right. "Do you see anything odd?"

He looked toward the gate, shaking his head. "Not that I can tell. That doesn't mean much."

There were men and women lounging near the gate, watching those leaving. That wasn't unusual. The gates were common meeting places, well-known spots where people could arrange to see each other. But some of these men and women looked too hard, too alert.

Kira inhaled slowly. "I don't know if I'm spooked or if there really is a problem. Maybe it's just my nerves."

Jason shook his head. "Kira, you've been right pretty much all the time."

"There are two Mages there," Kira said, startled as she realized she could sense them. "I don't know which ones. They're not wearing robes."

"How can you tell they're Mages?"

"I just can. Jason, most Mages still wear robes. But Dark Mages don't."

"Dark Mages are bad guys, right? Like Dark Riders or Dark Clerics?"

She stared at him. "Yes. Whatever a dark cleric is. Dark Mages always used their powers for personal gain, whereas Mages like my father were supposed to pursue wisdom."

"Got it," Jason said. "They're bad guys. Let's leave."

Kira turned to go, hearing sudden shouts from the direction of the gate. She looked, seeing several of the men and women who had waiting there now pushing their way through the crowds toward her and Jason. "Let's run."

Chapter 13

But before she could move Jason jerked and fell against a nearby wall, just as if he had been struck. "Hey, what the—" Jason staggered against the wall again, covering his head.

Kira looked about for whoever was attacking Jason, seeing nothing. But suddenly a column of light was visible to her, moving toward Jason.

She ran forward and planted a kick in the center of the column, hoping that she wasn't jabbing at empty air.

Her boot contacted something that felt like a person.