Assassin challenges!

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Spy, Spy Again (Valdemar: Family Spies #3) by Mercedes Lackey    
Interesting connections with Herald Mags have us learning more about his relatives amongst the assasin Nation, the Sleepgivers. Mags' son Tory and Prince Kyril—Kee, (quite a way down the line to throne of Valdemar) are sent into Ruven to investigate the disappearance of a cousin.
Tory has been understudy to his father Mags who is in charge of the King’s intelligence network, working as an agent since he was small. His best friend Kee and he strove to improve their many skills. Mags had been the "heir to the Banner Bearer of the Nation" of the Sleepgivers. But that's a whole nother story, that impinges on this one.
Tory 's relation, Siratai, a talented sleepgiver finds herself captured by Karsite Demons and taken to the "demon-summoning priests of Vkandis, a minority of the priests of the Karsites." Sira is held in a fortified tower and is trying to seem harmless and nothing more than an innocent traveler. That changes!
In Valdemar Tory and Kee are "hit with something. Not a vision...it was all emotion and a little thought. Mostly anger." This far seeing / mind calling needs to be investigated and they are chosen to do just that. And why did Kee feel it too? When Sira's brother turns up in Valdemar they join him journeying to Rethwellan, near the Karsite Border, to begin the search.
Delving more deeply into these inahabitants of Ruven opens up new vistas, and some interesting and different elementals with varying powers coming into play. That's exciting! Coming face to face with the Karsite demons, meeting them, is something I really can't remember from previous novels. Some of their mystery is revealed.
This makes for compelling reading, especially about the inhabitants beyond Valdemar. After all these years of reading Lackey, I am still intrigued. Her voice remains unmistakable and strong.
An enjoyable addition to the many nations, clans and individuals populating Lackey's Baldemar universe.

 A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley

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