She’s fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he’s gone forever.

But there’s a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry’s healing powers are needed now more than ever.

Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision….

Praise for New York Times bestselling author

“The action in this book is non-stop, with many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing about what’s in store on the next page.”

—Examiner.com on Scent of Magic

“Filled with Snyder’s trademark sarcastic humor, fast-paced action and creepy villainy, Touch of Power is a spellbinding romantic adventure that will leave readers salivating for the next book in the series.”

—USA TODAY

“The descriptions are vivid and draw you

into the rugged journey across the mountains.

You’ll want to follow their voyage into the next book.”

—RT Book Reviews on Touch of Power

“This is one of those rare books

that will keep readers dreaming long after they’ve read it.”

—Publishers Weekly on Poison Study, starred review

“Snyder delivers another excellent adventure.”

—Publishers Weekly on Fire Study

“A compelling new fantasy series.”

—SFX magazine on Sea Glass

Also by New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder

from MIRA BOOKS

Avry of Kazan series

TOUCH OF POWER

SCENT OF MAGIC

TASTE OF DARKNESS

from MIRA INK

The Chronicles of IXIA

POISON STUDY

MAGIC STUDY

FIRE STUDY

STORM GLASS

SEA GLASS

SPY GLASS

Inside Series

INSIDE OUT

OUTSIDE IN

www.mirabooks.co.uk/mariavsnyder

Taste of

Darkness

Maria V. Snyder

www.mirabooks.co.uk

For my father—a perpetual tinkerer, who showed me the benefits

of hard work and persistence. It took me a while to catch on,

but I eventually “got” it. Thanks, Pop!

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Kerrick

Chapter 5

Kerrick

Chapter 6

Kerrick

Chapter 7

Kerrick

Chapter 8

Kerrick

Chapter 9

Kerrick

Chapter 10

Kerrick

Chapter 11

Kerrick

Chapter 12

Kerrick

Chapter 13

Kerrick

Chapter 14

Kerrick

Chapter 15

Kerrick

Chapter 16

Kerrick

Chapter 17

Kerrick

Chapter 18

Kerrick

Chapter 19

Kerrick

Chapter 20

Kerrick

Chapter 21

Kerrick

Chapter 22

Kerrick

Chapter 23

Kerrick

Chapter 24

Acknowledgments

CHAPTER 1

Cold air caressed my back. I rolled over, muttering at Kerrick for hogging the blanket, but stopped. Something felt...odd, wrong, missing. Opening my eyes, I confirmed the emptiness next to me. Kerrick was gone.

For a moment, I stared at the dent in the pillow. Had yesterday been a dream? Had I imagined Wynn’s betrayal, Tohon trapped in a magical stasis, Kerrick’s miraculous arrival, and the rest of the insanity?

No. The events replayed in my head with vivid details. The blood, the overpowering reek of dead ufas, and Wynn’s poisoned knife striking Kerrick’s arm. Poisoned with Death Lily toxin. I’d thought I’d sucked all the deadly poison from Kerrick’s wound...but what if I hadn’t?

Icy fingers of fear wrapped around my heart. I shot to my feet and dressed in record time. Kerrick’s shirt, boots, and sword lay in a heap by the dying fire. Not good.

Out in the large main cavern, the rest of the infirmary staff stirred. I scanned the patients’ cots on the off chance Kerrick had collapsed into one. He hadn’t.

Loren added wood to the cooking hearth, poking it into a bright blaze.

I rushed over to him. “Have you seen Kerrick?”

“Nope, and we figured we wouldn’t see either of you until...” His smirk faded. “Maybe he went outside for some fresh air.” This in a hopeful tone.

“Without his shirt?”

“Well, when nature calls...”

“Or his sword?”

Loren jumped up. “Let’s not panic, Avry.”

Too late.

“Have you searched the other caverns?” he asked.

“Not yet.”

“Okay, then you look for him inside, and I’ll go outside. If he’s not nearby, I’ll ask the guards if they saw him last night. All right?”

I nodded, but dread clawed up my throat. Kerrick wouldn’t be in another cavern unless he’d been too sick to find his way back to me. Gulping down the tight knot, I grabbed a lantern and checked all the other sleeping areas.

A few people grumbled after I swept the light over them, but I didn’t care.

Odd squinted in the brightness, but sat up as if he’d been awake. “What’s wrong?”

I explained.

He cursed. “Not only did Wynn stab us in the back, she’s twisted the blade, too.”

“While I’d love to plot revenge with you—”

“Yeah, go. I’ll be right out.”

The other caverns yielded the same results. Even the one reserved for the privy. A detached part of my mind noted the buckets needed to be dumped. However my heart kept its frantic rhythm. That was the last place inside. Perhaps...

Running back to the main cavern, I spotted Loren and Odd talking to a soldier.

“...sometime after midnight,” the man said. “Don’t recall if he came back or not.”

Loren rounded on him. “Don’t recall! You’re supposed to be guarding us. What if the enemy grabbed him? If someone goes into the woods and doesn’t come back, that’s a big red flag, you idiot!”

Odd touched Loren’s shoulder and tilted his head toward me. “Not helping right now.”

“He was outside?” I asked.

The guard had seen him leave. I dashed out into the cold morning air. The fresh scent of moist earth reminded me of Kerrick. Without hesitating, I embraced the closest bit of foliage, seeking the vibrations of Kerrick’s forest magic.

Nothing. I drew a shaky breath. Don’t jump to conclusions. He could be unconscious. Odd and Loren had followed me out. Six inches shorter than Odd, Loren ran a hand over his buzzed black hair. More silver sprinkled his hair despite only being thirty-five. Odd on the other hand had let his hair grow since Tohon’s surprise attack. Although saying it had grown was being generous. His dark brown locks remained close to his scalp in a fine fuzz.

“We need to search the area. Wake the others,” I ordered.

They hastened inside and soon Flea, Quain, and most of the soldiers had assembled by the cave’s entrance. Using one of Ryne’s military maps, Loren divided the surrounding area into quadrants. The infirmary cave was located in Pomyt Realm, northeast of Zabin and east of the ruins of the Healer’s Guild.

Quain growled at everyone, but he appeared healthy despite being frozen in Sepp’s magical stasis only yesterday. But Flea’s face remained pale and he seemed unsteady on his feet. The discovery of his ability to break Sepp’s stasis had taken a toll on him.

I moved closer to him. “Flea, stay here, you’re in no condition—”

“No. I’m going.” Despite being sixteen, he sounded much older. And his firm gaze meant I’d have an easier time convincing fire not to burn.

Before assigning quadrants to the teams, Loren pulled me aside. “Hate to bring this up, but if he’s... If we find...”

“A dead body?” Not like I hadn’t thought of it a million times since I’d woken up.

“Yeah.”

“Tell them to find me as fast as possible. I have the Lily map—we’ll head to the closest Peace Lily and hope for the best.” I glanced at Flea. A Peace Lily had saved his life and mine; it might save Kerrick’s.

The strain on Loren’s face eased just a bit. “Right.” He shouted orders and the teams of four headed into the woods, fanning out to their assigned areas.

No surprise that Loren, Quain, and Flea joined me. I trailed my fingers along the greenery, hoping to detect Kerrick’s magic. At this point, I’d pray to Estrid’s creator if I thought it would help.

As a group, we moved in silent mode. Despite Tohon’s current condition—frozen in stasis, because if he weren’t, he’d die from the deep stab wound in his chest, a little gift from me—his army still advanced from the south. Cellina had taken over command. Just as ruthless as he was, at least she couldn’t create more dead soldiers. And we’d discovered how to stop the ones in existence. So it was only a matter of time until we neutralized them all.

What if we didn’t find Kerrick in time? The Peace Lilys were picky. From the little I’d learned, the person in question either needed to be a magician or have the potential to be one, and the body had to be fresh. Flea’d been dead a few hours and I had died inside the Lily.

Well, actually, the Lily hadn’t brought us back to life. It’d preserved our bodies until another person touched us. I’d awoken Flea and Kerrick had saved me.

Kerrick, why didn’t you wake me? Why didn’t you tell me you felt sick?

What if the Peace Lily rejected him? Like it refused Ursan and Noelle? Although Ursan had been a magic sniffer, he’d been dead too long, and my sister, Noelle, hadn’t been gifted with magic. I was the only one in my family who’d developed powers. Healing powers, not that it helped with either of them. Or Kerrick. I couldn’t cure those poisoned by Death Lily toxin or infected with the plague.

The plague had killed two-thirds of the population of the Fifteen Realms. At least there hadn’t been a new case in almost three years. But during its prime, over six million people had died.

Gee, not like I wasn’t depressed enough. I focused my energies on the search. How far could one sick man go anyway?

The day dragged on. We made sweeping arcs through our area, but only managed to scare a few rabbits, which Loren shot with his bow. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the trees, heating the air to a comfortable level—summer’s last gasp. Fall started in eleven days.

Memories of last fall came unbidden. Around midseason Kerrick and the guys had rescued me from the guillotine. Because of his forest magic, his eyes had matched the color of the forest with warm browns, gold, and amber flecks. I huffed. His personality hadn’t coordinated at all. He’d been cold, mean, and only cared about healing Prince Ryne, which had been why he’d freed me from jail.

Loren raised his hand in a stopping motion. We froze, listening. Hope surged, but died just as quick. The noise of the other searchers’ passage had carried. They weren’t as skilled in moving through the forest. Instead of their movements blending in with the forest’s song, it stood out like an out-of-tune violin in a string quartet.

My emotions had been on an endless seesaw over the past month. First Tohon’s vast army had surrounded Estrid’s and he’d demanded unconditional surrender. Cellina had acted as his liaison and Kerrick’s sword had hung from her belt. She’d claimed Kerrick had been torn apart by her pack of dead ufas. He hadn’t. But then Ryne had sent Kerrick north to fight the invading tribes and a messenger had reported he’d died in the attempt. He hadn’t.

So this was just another false alarm. Right? Kerrick was like a cat with nine lives. Three down, five left. I clung to that thin thread of hope because... Well, if I didn’t, I’d shatter.

We searched all day.

When the sun hovered over the horizon, Loren called it off. “We can resume in the morning.”

“You can go back,” I said, “but I’m staying.”

“We need to regroup and see if anyone has seen anything.”

“I agree, but you don’t need me for that.”

Loren exchanged a glance with Quain. Close to my age of twenty-one, Quain had teamed up with Loren before joining Kerrick. Their antics had earned them the nickname the monkeys. I’d once quipped Quain was the bald monkey since no hair grew on his head.

“Avry, you haven’t eaten all day,” Quain said.

“Really, Quain? Is that all you got? Do you think I have an appetite right now?” I regretted my harsh sarcasm immediately. It wasn’t Quain’s fault.

He stepped closer to me. His voice dipped low. “You’re not the only one hurting here.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

Quain paused at that, blinking at me as if no one had ever apologized to him before. “Do you think you’ll be able to help Kerrick if you’re passed out from exhaustion?”

“I know my limits, Quain.”

“And how effective can one person be stumbling around in the dark?”

I drew breath to blast him again, but Flea said, “I’ll stay with Avry.”

Flea’s face had paled to bone white. The only color was the dark smudges underneath his eyes. He swayed on his feet. Talk about passing out... If I stayed, Flea would insist on staying, as well.

Sighing, I said, “You’re right. I’d be useless.”

Quain showed an amazing amount of restraint in not gloating over my comment. Loren raised his eyebrows, but kept quiet.

As we headed back, I walked next to Flea and took his hand. He squeezed my fingers in silent support. However, I had another purpose for linking hands. I sent him a subtle flow of magical energy. Since I’d awoken him, we had a bond. He sensed when I was in trouble, and we could share strength.

Once we found Kerrick, we’d have to figure out the extent of Flea’s new magic. Was he now a death magician or a hybrid magician who didn’t fit in one of the eleven categories of magic? The fact that he could break Sepp’s stasis made for another weapon in our growing arsenal against Cellina’s army. Funny to think of the thousands of soldiers as Cellina’s now.

I slowed as Flea grew stronger.

“Hey! Stop that.” He let go, shaking me off.

“Stop what?” I acted confused.

“Don’t pull that on me. I didn’t ask for help.”

“Yes, you did. You just didn’t know it.” And before Flea could protest, I added, “Healer. Remember? It’s what I do.”

“But what if we find Kerrick?”

What if? Those two words had haunted me all day. And just like with Flea, Kerrick and I shared a bond. I reached for the bushes, touching the leaves. Still no ripple of magic. Yet a tightness deep down inside me wouldn’t let me despair. It clung to the notion I’d been wrong about his death before. In fact, it reasoned that until I had proof to the contrary, I should assume he was alive.

“When we find Kerrick, I’ll have plenty of energy,” I said.

Back at the cave entrance, the other teams milled about, talking in low voices. From their universal serious expressions, I guessed they’d been unsuccessful.

“I’m sorry, Avry, but there’s been no sign of him,” Odd said, joining us. “A few of the teams covered their entire areas. Are you sure he’s sick? I hate to be gross...but we didn’t find any vomit. And it’s hard to imagine him traveling farther if he wasn’t feeling good.”

“Kerrick can be stubborn,” I said, hoping that annoying trait had saved him.

“He had to be sick. Why else would he be out without his shirt or sword?” Loren asked.

“All right. So he goes outside thinking he’s going to throw up...then what?” Odd asked.

We’d all assumed he collapsed, but... What if he’d realized he was dying? I imagined his thoughts and feelings at that moment, putting myself in his place. He’d promised me he wouldn’t die. But it was inevitable. Yet Kerrick didn’t give up easily.

I gasped. “He headed to a Peace Lily!”

CHAPTER 2

“Of course,” Flea said. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

And I wished I’d figured it out sooner. Sick and dying, Kerrick must have done the only thing he could—head to a Peace Lily. He’d been there when the Lily had saved my life and he’d recently learned about Flea’s survival. A surge of energy coursed through me.

“Could he find a Lily at night?” Odd asked.

“Yeah, he’s a forest mage,” Flea said.

“Loren, where’s the map you used for the search areas?” I pulled out my Lily map, but the sunlight was all but gone.

“I left it with the captain of the watch in case anyone returned and needed to find us,” Loren said.

“Go get it and ask the search teams how much of their areas were covered today. Oh, and see if they encountered any Lilys and where.”

“Got it.” Loren dashed off.

Quain, Flea, and Odd followed me inside the infirmary cave. I knelt next to the fire and spread my map out. The locations of the clusters of Lilys had been marked on it.

Handy, except the markings didn’t indicate if they were Death or Peace Lilys. For once it didn’t matter, because Kerrick also couldn’t tell the difference. He’d head for the closest cluster since the odds were in his favor. A hundred Peace Lilys grew for every Death Lily. However, I still needed to know if the teams had found any Lilys. Since I’d been using the map, I’d discovered it wasn’t 100 percent accurate.

I paused, letting the irony sink in. Death Lily toxin killed my sister and might take Kerrick, but it stopped Tohon’s dead soldiers, and had given me my healing magic. Ironic or warped? Or twisted? How about plain old sad?

Loren arrived with the information I’d requested. We consulted and pinpointed the closest Lily cluster. Half a day southwest. I remembered that group of six Lilys. One had been a Death Lily, and I’d harvested its toxin sacks. More important, five were Peace Lilys.

Standing, I said, “Let’s go.”

Quain exchanged a look with Loren, doing their silent monkey communication that Belen liked to tease them about. Belen. I bit my lip. No. I wasn’t going to think about him right now. If I did, I’d dissolve into a little puddle of goo. And time was too critical right now.

Pushing past Quain, I fetched my knapsack from my sleeping cavern. Kerrick’s clothes remained where I’d tossed them last night. I shoved them into my pack along with his boots. He’d need them; the air turned cold at nights. I wrapped my cloak around my shoulders.

When I returned, Loren and Quain waited for me with their packs. Flea sat by the fire. Two bright red patches spread on his cheeks, and his lips were pressed into a hard line. Odd stood behind him with his arms crossed. Their body language said it all.

“Here.” Loren handed me a few sticks of beef jerky. “You can eat it on the way.”

“Thanks.” I bit into one as we left the cave. A half-moon lit the sky, giving off just enough light for us to see the trail, but not enough to see well. We traveled slower than normal to avoid tripping. Plus we kept searching for Kerrick. He might have collapsed on his way to the Lilys. I touched the greenery from time to time, seeking his magic. My heart, though, wanted action and it raced regardless of our pace.

“I’d rather you had a hot meal before we left, but I rarely get my way,” Loren said.

“You stopped Flea from coming along.”

“Only because Odd threatened to sit on him. Flea said he wasn’t going to speak to me ever again.” Loren shook his head. “I’ve been waiting for Quain to say that for years.”

“Hey!”

I cut in before they could launch into a verbal battle. “You did the right thing, Loren. He needs to rest after yesterday.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t like to miss out. And I’m with him on this one. I wouldn’t want to be left behind, either.”

“Why is he so tired?” Quain asked in concern. “Is it because of...me?”

“I don’t remember him saving anyone else’s life yesterday,” Loren said.

“I know I owe him one. But what did he do to break the spell? I wasn’t dead. I was just...” Quain glanced at me. “What was I? I didn’t feel anything.”

“You were paused. Neither living nor dead, just suspended. Sepp once explained it as a fake death.”

“And now Tohon’s trapped in this fake death?” Quain asked.

“Yes. And according to Sepp, Belen is, as well. He used that information to try to stop Kerrick from killing him,” I said. Tohon had told me he’d turned Belen into one of his dead soldiers. I didn’t know who to believe, but I knew who I desperately wanted to believe. Either way, Belen had been missing for over a month.

“Estrid and her top staff are also frozen,” Loren added.

“Yeah, but it didn’t matter. No offense, Quain, but Tohon had to be stopped,” I said. “By taking out Sepp, no one would have been able to awaken him, or so we thought at the time. Cellina can’t create more dead soldiers. In the end, by killing Sepp we’d have saved thousands of lives.”

Except Wynn had hit Kerrick with her knife before he could finish Sepp off. Eventually Sepp, Wynn, and Cellina had escaped and Flea had awoken Quain.

“If it makes you feel any better, it was a very painful decision,” I said.

Loren put his hand on his stomach. “Like a bad bout of indigestion.”

“Thanks, I feel all warm inside.” He bumped Loren with his shoulder. “So now that Sepp’s still alive, what does that mean?”

Loren met my gaze. What indeed?

“It depends on Cellina,” I said. “If she likes being in charge, she’ll leave Tohon frozen. If she truly loves him...”

“She’ll come after Avry,” Loren said. “She’s the only one who can heal Tohon.”

Not exactly. Danny’s healing magic had awoken during his adventure with Kerrick in the north. But not many people knew about him. Yet another worry flared. Had Tohon told Cellina about his experiments with the Death Lily toxin? The people who survived being poisoned with the toxin all developed healing powers. Tohon had been injecting it into children, hoping to make healers. Danny and Zila had lived through it, but I’d rescued them. If Tohon had kept it secret, all should be well.

If not... I considered. Danny remained with the northern tribes and Zila stayed with Kerrick’s brother, Izak. Both were in Alga Realm, safe on the other side of the Nine Mountains for now.

“But Avry won’t heal Tohon,” Quain said. “Right? You agreed with Kerrick’s decision to kill Sepp.”

“Right. I won’t.”

“And we all know you can’t be threatened, bullied, coerced, or bribed to heal someone you don’t want to.” Loren smiled.

Quain rubbed his neck. “Yeah, we learned that lesson the hard way.”

“I’d say Kerrick had the most learning to do. Fun times.”

I wouldn’t go so far as to call them fun. However, those days when we’d been all together had been...nice, despite the danger. And now... Grief and sadness filled me. Would I lose everyone I loved before this war ended?

We lapsed into silence. The farther we moved away from the infirmary cave, the greater the chance of encountering an enemy patrol. The night insects buzzed and chirped.

When the sun rose, we stopped for a quick breakfast and continued. In the daylight, the monkeys searched for any signs that Kerrick had passed this way.

“Would he even leave a trail?” I asked.

“If he was too sick to do his tree mojo, he might have broken some branches,” Quain said.

And I still hadn’t felt a ripple of his magic. Which meant he was either unconscious, already inside a Lily, or dead. I leaned against a tree’s trunk for a moment as a wave of misery swept through me. No. Not until I had proof.

Pushing away those dire thoughts, I straightened. “I’ll meet you guys there. You’re slowing me down.” I sprinted down the trail.

They picked up their pace and we reached the Lily cluster a few hours after dawn.

“There’s no sign Kerrick came this way,” Quain said, examining the ground.

I shot him a nasty look.

Loren punched him in the arm. Hard.

“What?”

Ignoring them, I pulled off my cloak and knapsack, setting them down. I moved closer and studied the six Lilys. The cluster grew among the trees. Giant white man-size flowers topped thick green stalks. Thorny vines jumbled below and the scent of honey and lemons filled the air. Get too close to a Death Lily and either the petals snatched you or the vines ensnared you and pulled you in. Once trapped, you couldn’t escape even if armed with a sharp knife. The thick and fibrous petals and leaves resisted punctures and tears.

Death Lilys moved fast for a plant, hissing a warning a second before they grabbed their victims. Once you were caught, it pricked you with two barbs and injected its toxin. One of three things happened next. You die, and it feeds off your flesh, spitting your bones out when it’s finished. Or you don’t die, it spits you out, and you suffer horribly, dying later. Then there are the very few who don’t die at all and become healers. Like me.

On the opposite side, Peace Lilys wouldn’t capture a person or bother anyone. As far as I know, Flea and I were the only people they’d taken. And here was another irony—Tohon used Peace Lily serum to create his dead soldiers. The serum preserved the dead body in a fake life so they didn’t decompose. His magic did the rest, but I still hadn’t figured out how.

“Stay away from that one.” I pointed to the Lily farthest southwest. “That’s the Death Lily.”

“How can you tell?” Quain asked. “They all look the same.”

“Death Lilys have a faint odor of anise when you get closer, and Peace Lilys smell like vanilla. If you smell anise, then you’re within range of its vines.”

“Oh, so anise will be the last thing you smell before you’re plant food. Good to know.” Quain backed up a step.

“Now what?” Loren asked.

“I’ll see if any will open for me.” When I had returned to the Peace Lily that held Flea’s body, it had bent down and deposited him onto the ground. Perhaps one of these would drop Kerrick. Every fiber of my being hoped so.

Please be here.

I approached the closest and waited. Please be here.

Nothing happened. Not a twitch of a vine nor a rustle of a petal.

After a few minutes, I moved to the next. Please be here.

And the next. Please.

And the next. Be.

And the last. Here!

The Peace Lilys ignored me. “Please?” I said to it, hoping it would take me and explain as one had after it had refused my sister. I’d gotten the impression that the Peace Lilys were all one being with each flower an extension of it, like fingers. Same with the Death Lilys, but with another being at its core.

Still nothing.

Loren gestured to the flowers. “What’s going on?”

Crushing disappointment and grief, but no need to state the obvious. “I’ll see if I can find out.” I walked over to the Death Lily.

“Uh, Avry,” Quain said. “Are you sure that’s a good—”

A loud hissing drowned out the rest of his words. In a flash, white petals surrounded me, blocking all light and noise. In the darkness, two barbs pricked my upper arms and the toxin flowed into me like a soothing elixir. Escaping my pain-filled body, my consciousness floated free and I connected with the thoughts and contented feelings of the Lily.

Welcome back. A surge of pride. More? Thinking I wanted its toxin sacks, it showed me a mental picture of another cluster of Lilys nearby.

No, thank you. I formed a picture of Kerrick in my mind. Seen him?

A flood of images hit me. Kerrick running through the woods, hunting, walking with Belen, Flea, and the monkeys, holding me in his lap, blending into the woods, using his magic. They tumbled one right after the other, threatening to drown me.

Stop, please! I concentrated on how he’d looked that night without his shirt, feeling sick. Did he come here?

He stopped. Sorrow flowed.

Stopped where? If I could just find his body, I might—

Gone into the green.

Where?

A vision of the entire forest filled my mind. It was empty. However, I refused to believe it. The barbs pulled away and the Death Lily set me on the ground. I huddled there in utter misery for a moment, then gathered every bit of strength I had left.

I still had no proof. Gone in Death Lily speak could mean he left the forest or was in a cave. It didn’t have to mean he... No. Not going to go there. Not yet.

Quain and Loren hovered as close as they dared, their expressions hopeful.

“He didn’t come here,” I said, standing.

I glanced away. Bad enough to feel the grief burning inside me, I didn’t need to witness that same pain reflected in my friends’ eyes.

“What now?” Quain asked in a quiet voice.

“We go back to the infirmary cave. I’ve patients to check on.”

“And Kerrick?” Loren touched my shoulder.

“We keep searching.”

Taking another route back, we reached the cave after sunset. Ryne had arrived. He sat by the fire intently listening to Flea and Odd. I exchanged a glance with the monkeys.

“Did you send a messenger?” I asked Loren.

“Kerrick did when we returned from our...uh, encounter with Tohon and the others. Thought Ryne should know what happened, especially about Cellina’s takeover.”

It made sense. Prince Ryne led our ragtag army. He had the military savvy and strategic acumen to counter Tohon. However, he was the last person I wanted to see right now. His genius tactics had caused me quite a bit of pain and suffering over the past few months.

Before Ryne noticed me, I sent the monkeys over to the fire. “Talk to him.”

“What about you?” Quain asked.

“I need to check on my patients. It’s been—” my sluggish thoughts refused to add the hours “—too long.”

Concentrating on the injured soldiers, I moved from cot to cot, talking to the men and women. No new casualties had arrived since yesterday. The caregivers had done a fine job of keeping everyone comfortable and the bandages had all been changed. I consulted with the head caregiver, Ginger. Her capable and no-nonsense attitude was perfect for this type of work.

The floor wobbled under my feet, and I stumbled. I stared at the ground, trying and failing to understand how it had moved. Then the room spun. Ah. Exhaustion had finally caught up to me. “Wake me if you need me,” I said to Ginger.

Keeping to the shadows, I slipped into my cavern. Still empty. The guys had moved out the night before last to give Kerrick and me privacy. It was just as well. I didn’t want company. Before lying down, I pulled Kerrick’s shirt from my knapsack. I pressed it to my face and breathed in his unmistakable scent—spring sunshine and living green.

Tears pushed and my nose filled, but I wouldn’t cry. Not yet. Not until I had proof. I fell asleep clutching his shirt tight.

* * *

“Avry.” A voice shattered my dream.

With effort, I opened one eye. Ryne knelt next to me.

“Go away,” I mumbled, rolling over.

“Avry, we need to talk.”

“I don’t want to talk to you. Go away.”

“You can’t avoid me.”

True. I sighed. “We’ll chat in the morning, before the search parties go out. Okay?”

“I’ve called off the search.”

I sat up, turning. “What? Why?” Fury blew away the sleep fog.

He reached for my hand, but I jerked back. Ryne settled back on his heels. “He’s gone, Avry.”

“No. You’re wrong.”

“I wish I was, really I do.” Ryne pushed a lock of his brown hair from his tired hazel eyes. Worry lines creased his face and he appeared much older than twenty-seven—the same age as Kerrick. “Remember that book on magicians I have?”

“Couldn’t forget that.” I didn’t bother softening my sarcasm. His school textbook on magicians and their powers had led to Ryne leaving me behind to be caught in Tohon’s nasty trap. I shuddered at the memory.

He ignored my tone. “It reports that forest mages go into the woods when they die. And their bodies disappear.”

“No. Not buying it. What if they’re in a city?”

“Avry, it fits. You know it. Death Lily toxin is lethal. He died in the woods and the living green reclaimed its gift to him.”

“No.”

“Then why can’t we find his body? And if he didn’t die, why isn’t he here? You know Kerrick, he would never just leave you.”

“No. No. No. No!” I screamed the last one. And with that one word, all the emotions I’d been suppressing burst from my core. I collapsed as great gasping sobs pounded my body.

CHAPTER 3

I woke in Ryne’s arms. He was curled next to me. It took me a moment to remember what had led to this. Ah, yes. Ryne insisting Kerrick was gone. The suffocating pain returned, pressing my chest as if I lay under the Nine Mountains. Groaning, I rolled away.

Ryne pushed up to one elbow. “Avry, are you—”

“Don’t ask. Ever.” I grabbed my boots and left.

After checking on my patients, I searched for Loren. He sat with the group around Ryne. They’d probably been discussing military tactics, but I didn’t care. I caught Loren’s attention and gestured for him to join me. He nodded and slipped away.

His face tight with concern, Loren approached me as if I’d attack him. I would have laughed if the circumstances had been different.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Do you still have the map with the search areas marked on it?”

“Yes. Why?” He shifted, wary again.

“I need it.”

“But Ryne—”

“I don’t care what he said. I’m not giving up until I have proof. Can you get it for me, please?”

His shoulders drooped, but he shuffled off to fetch it. I consulted the Lily map and located the cluster the Death Lily had pointed out last night.

Loren returned with the map and Ryne.

I glared at Loren before snatching the map. Ignoring Ryne, I scanned the search grids.

“Avry, you’re needed here,” Ryne said.

“No, I’m not. My patients are doing fine.”

“What if more casualties arrive?”

“I’ll be back by nightfall.” I folded the maps and tucked them under my arm.

Ryne trailed me to my cavern and watched as I organized my pack, removing Kerrick’s boots. Debating about my cloak, I left it behind and strode for the cave’s exit.

“I can order you to stay here,” Ryne said, hurrying to catch up.

“You can.” I kept moving.

He huffed. “I can order the guards to stop you.”

“You can.”

By this time Loren, Quain, and Flea had joined Ryne.

“Avry, you’re not going to find Kerrick. He’s gone,” Ryne said.

I stopped and turned. Suppressing the desire to punch Ryne in the mouth, I asked, “Who said I was going to search for Kerrick?”

They all blinked at me in surprise.

“You need more toxin sacks, right?” I asked. “Or did Wynn lie about that, too?”

“We do need more, but—”

“So what’s the problem? I’m going out to collect them. Unless you know someone else who can harvest them from the Death Lilys?” I waited.

“Uh...” Ryne rubbed a hand over the stubble on his cheeks. “All right, you can go, as long as you take the monkeys with you.”

“I’m going, too,” Flea said, shooting us all a stern look that dared us to argue with him. At least he had more color in his face today.

“Fine. But hurry up, we’re burning daylight.”

They scrambled to get their weapons and packs.

Ryne stared at me. “Don’t go too far. There are still enemy patrols to the south and west.”

“And we can easily avoid them. They all sound like a herd of drunken deer.”

“But for how long? Wynn is working for Cellina now. She learned how to be quiet in the woods and it won’t be long before she’s teaching Cellina’s soldiers.”

Good point. And she’d learned that skill from me. Another ramification of her betrayal. However... “It’s only been a couple days.”

“Still worth considering. In fact, now that Cellina’s in charge, it’s even more dangerous to be out there. We’ve no idea what she’s planning.”

“And you knew Tohon’s plans?”

“Yes. He wanted to conquer all the realms and be king. Not hard to figure out his next move. Cellina, on the other hand, is more of a mystery. Plus she has Wynn’s information. We’ll have to relocate the infirmary and my headquarters as soon as possible. And until I get intelligence on her movements, it’s best for everyone to lie low.”

If he was trying to scare me, it wouldn’t work. “We’ll be extra careful.”

Ryne frowned.

The guys returned and we left the cave.

“Which way?” Loren asked me.

I touched the greenery, seeking Kerrick’s magic. Disappointment jabbed. “East. And keep a sharp eye out.”

“For what?” Flea scanned the forest.

“Lilys. Right, Avry?” Quain asked with a sad smile.

“Yes. We’re searching for Lilys.”

“Oh.” Flea hefted his pack. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

* * *

Although we found nothing that first day, we continued to seek Lilys after my morning rounds each day. I harvested a few toxin sacks, but not near enough to neutralize the thousands of dead soldiers or to stop our daily excursions. Wounded arrived sporadically as Ryne’s soldiers encountered Cellina’s. Odd returned to patrolling with the odd squad, and Ryne relocated his headquarters. The prince’s men continued to scout for an alternate infirmary site.

The burning knot of misery that had lodged in my chest consumed a little more of me each day.

After a week of Lily hunting, Loren spread the map on his lap and said, “We’ve covered all of the area around the infirmary. We’d have to camp overnight to reach new territory.”

Quain and Flea glanced up from their bowls. They’d been shoveling food since we’d returned from our latest sweep. We sat around the hearth.

I ignored Loren’s implication. “Okay. We’ll bring our bedrolls tomorrow.”

He paused for a moment. “But the odds of finding...er...a Lily that far away are high.”

“You can stay here, Loren. I’m not giving up.”

“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”

“Then why did you bring it up?” I demanded.

“Because it needed to be said. And while you don’t want hear it, it’s true. But if this is what you need to do...then we’ll go with you. However, I plan to be the voice of reason whether you like it or not.”

Flea and Quain ducked their heads. Cowards.

“I’m not giving up,” I said again. Jabbing my spoon into my soup, I swirled the contents around. My appetite was nonexistent since Kerrick had disappeared.

“Okay. Do you want to go farther east or check along that stream to the north?” Loren asked, pointing to the map.

Neither place had any Lilys nearby. “Stream to the north.”

“We’ll need a full day to get there. How soon can you leave tomorrow?”

We spent the remainder of the evening discussing our plans.

Before I turned in for the night, I checked my patients. Most were already asleep, but one of the new arrivals remained awake. He had fallen into a ditch and broken his left leg below the knee. Ginger had immobilized it in a splint. Although he claimed he felt fine, there was no mistaking his stiff movements and tight expression.

I consulted with the caregiver on duty. “Has anyone given Private Davin medicine for the pain?”

“Yes, he drank a cup of bittwait.”

“How long ago?”

“Right after supper.”

He shouldn’t be in pain. I returned to his bedside. Davin had been carried in this morning. I’d done a quick visual exam, spotted the broken leg and let Ginger do the rest. Perhaps I’d been too quick. Healing magic gathered in my core. When I placed my hand on his forehead, I let my magic flow into Davin.

His leg was broken in two places, not one, and he had a couple cracked ribs and a sprained ankle. No wonder a single cup of bittwait hadn’t worked. I fetched the caregiver and, after he drank another cup, we wrapped his ribs and ankle and also immobilized his entire leg. I stayed with him until the crinkles on his forehead relaxed and he fell asleep.

Guilt throbbed along with the ever-present grief inside me. If I hadn’t been so anxious to leave this morning, I’d have used my magic and known the extent of the young man’s injuries. He wouldn’t have suffered all day.

Wide awake, I lay next to the small fire in my cavern, staring at the flames. Our plans for tomorrow meant I’d be gone for two days at least. And for what? To keep my hope alive? To do something, anything, just so I could say I wasn’t giving up. Stopping the search didn’t have to mean I’d given up hope. Or accepted his death.

We were at war, and my patients needed me here. And I couldn’t forget about my promise to Mom, the innkeeper of the Lamp Post Inn. She had done so much for me, creating my disguise so I could go undercover in Estrid’s army. I’d promised her I’d keep her daughter, Melina, safe. Melina had been conscripted into Estrid’s army and then sent to the monastery in Chinska Mare for not being a virgin. While Melina was safe from the war, there was no way I’d let her stay incarcerated.

I’d tell the guys my decision in the morning. At least now I’d have time to figure out a way to rescue Melina while Flea and I experimented to learn the extent of his magic.

Even after making the difficult decision, sleep still eluded me. I considered other hard decisions and wondered what Cellina would do about Tohon. She had to know I’d refused to heal him. Unless... I sat up. Unless she had Kerrick!

We’d assumed she’d retreated to safety after our encounter. But what if she’d doubled back? What if she’d seen Kerrick leave the cave and captured him? What if Sepp put him into a magical stasis so Cellina could negotiate with me? Kerrick’s life for Tohon’s.

I wilted. She would have sent a messenger by now. And I wouldn’t heal Tohon. Not even for Kerrick. Or Belen. If he was her prisoner, which we hadn’t confirmed. Plopping back on my bedroll, I endured another bout of sorrow and wished my healing power could heal a broken heart.

* * *

In the morning, I gathered my determination. Moping wouldn’t change a thing. However, actions would. I focused on the positive. For example, Flea’s magic. If Belen had been touched by Sepp, we had a way to free him.

The monkeys and Flea weren’t surprised by the change in plans. A sad acceptance emanated from their hunched postures. Flea bent his head so his long bangs covered his eyes.

“Don’t give up,” I said. “I’m not. Kerrick’s the most stubborn person we know. He’ll show up one way or another. But for now, we need to concentrate on Flea.”

Flea glanced up. “Me?”

“Yes.” I sat next to him. “We need to determine the extent of your new ability and figure out if you’re a true death magician. We know you can break a stasis, but can you put someone in one?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Then we’ll need a volunteer.”

The three of us looked at Quain.

Quain put his hands up. “Hold on. I’ve already gone through it.”

“Which makes you the expert,” Loren said. “You can tell us if Flea did it right or not.”

“It’s the ‘or not’ that I’m worried about,” Quain said.

“Sepp said he can’t take a life like Tohon could, but he can freeze life in a fake death,” I explained.

“But how do I do that? When Quain was frozen, I had this weird compulsion to touch him. And when I did—” he grimaced at the memory “—it felt like my stomach turned inside out. It was the same when you were in trouble. I got this...sour feeling. But right now, I’ve got nothing.”

“Maybe you need to concentrate on it,” I suggested. “Think about pausing his life.”

“Uh, I don’t like the sound of that.” Quain scooted away from Flea.

“It doesn’t hurt, you big baby,” Loren said.

“Then why don’t you volunteer?”

“That’s enough,” I said to the monkeys. “This is important. If he’s able to do it, it’ll save lives.”

“I’ll try.” Flea closed his eyes. He twisted his shirt in his hands. After a minute, he opened them. “Nothing. Sorry.”

“Try again, but this time, put your hand on Quain’s arm,” I said. “Quain, push your sleeve up.”

Frowning, Quain exposed a muscular forearm. His loose shirt hid his powerful build, but the muscles on his neck bulged with tension. Flea rested his fingers on Quain’s arm, closed his eyes again and pressed his lips together.

We waited.

Flea gasped and jerked his hand away. He stared at Quain in horror.

Quain looked confused. “Did he pause me?”

“No,” Loren said.

“What’s wrong?” I asked Flea.

“I—I think...I’m going to be sick.” Flea dashed out of the cave.

I chased after him. He bent over a bush, vomiting. When he finished, he sank to the ground. Kneeling next to him, I put my hand on his sweaty forehead. My magic didn’t stir. At least he wasn’t truly sick.

The monkeys hovered by the cave’s entrance. When Flea spotted Quain, he squeaked in alarm. I gestured to them, waving them back inside. Sitting back on my heels, I dropped my hand.

“What happened, Flea? Talk to me, please.”

He drew in a deep breath, then met my gaze. I almost glanced away. His light green eyes shone with pain and grief. His haunted expression looked straight through me for a moment. “You can’t tell Quain. Promise me.”

Uh-oh. “I promise.”

“I saw his death. When, where, how. All the gory details.”

“Oh, no. I’m so sorry, Flea.”

He shook his head. “Not your fault. I need to learn... But I’m not going to tell him or anyone else. Not now. Okay?”

“Yes. We’ll stop experimenting. Ryne has that book—”

“No. I need to know what else I can do. It’s too important.” He took my hand and relaxed a bit. “Touch is still okay.” He gave me a half smile. “Guess I need to concentrate in order to see. And, truthfully, I never want to do it again.”

“You don’t have to.” And at the moment, I couldn’t think of a reason he’d need to. Except... “Uh, Flea. Can you at least tell me...”

“Not soon. He’ll be annoying us for a while.”

I sagged against Flea. “Good. I don’t think I’d survive if I lost another friend.”

“Me, either.”

We sat together for a while. When we returned to the cave, the monkeys hustled over. Flea took a step back, but then recovered.

“What happened?” Loren asked.

“Flea threw up, but he’s okay,” I said.

“Why did you get sick?” Quain asked.

Flea shrugged, but wouldn’t meet Quain’s gaze. “I guess when I try to use my magic, it makes me sick.”

A lame excuse and Loren was too smart to fall for it. But I gave him a pointed look and he dropped the subject.

Flea accompanied me during my afternoon rounds.

“Another aspect of Sepp’s magic is he could tell if an injured or sick man would die from his injuries,” I said.

“Isn’t that what I just did with Quain?” Flea hugged his arms to his chest.

“Not quite. Quain’s healthy. Sepp called death a threshold. He said he could see what caused a person to cross over the threshold and also sense if they’re close to crossing. He never mentioned being able to see into a person’s future. And knowing Sepp, he would have bragged about it and used it to his advantage.”

“Oh.”

I checked on Private Davin. Color had returned to his face. In fact, a little too much color and his breathing was ragged. Probably a fever.

“Flea, touch his hand, but don’t concentrate on anything. Just see if you get a...feeling.”

He hesitated then placed his fingertips on Davin’s knuckles. Flea snatched his hand away as if burned. “Something...” He tapped his chest. “In here. A clot? It’s not good.”

Surprised, I took Davin’s hand. My magic flowed into him. This time, I waited, letting it seep in, ignoring the obvious injuries. I detected a small blockage in his lungs. If left untreated, it would grow and be fatal.

“What’s wrong?” Flea asked.

“It’s a pulmonary embolism. You just saved his life.”

“Me? No, you. You’re the healer. You would have figured it out.”

“I was going to give him fever powder. If you hadn’t spotted it, he would have died tonight.”

Flea stared at me a moment as if he couldn’t quite believe what he’d heard. “You mean, this...magic might be a good thing?”

“I know he can be annoying, but don’t you think waking Quain was a good thing?”

“Yeah, I did, but...that was more a onetime deal. And after seeing Quain’s...” He spread his hands. “Just seemed more like a curse.”

“It’s a gift from the Peace Lily. But I understand what you’re saying. Having magic is a mixed blessing. Yes, we have power and can do things others can’t, but we also have a duty to use them to help others and a responsibility not to abuse the gift.”

Flea groaned. “Why does everything have to be so complicated?”

“I wish I knew. And if I could, I’d change it in heartbeat, trust me.”

Before I healed Davin, I continued checking the rest of my patients. Growing bolder, Flea touched each one, reporting what he felt. Glad there hadn’t been any other medical surprises, I returned to Davin.

This time after my magic flooded him, I pulled it back into me, assuming the clot and his cracked ribs to make him more comfortable. Wheezing with the effort to draw breath, I walked gingerly to my cavern. Pain ringed my chest with every step. I almost passed out from taking off my boots.

“Avry, wait.” Flea carried a cot. He set it down next to the fire. “You shouldn’t be lying on the cold stone ground tonight.” He helped me lie on it, put my pillow under my head, and covered me with a blanket. Flea paused when he spotted Kerrick’s shirt on the floor. Then he scooped it up and tucked it next to me.

“Thanks, Flea.”

“You’d do it for me.”

“Yeah, but you’d complain I was fussing over you too much.”

He shot me his lopsided grin. “You are overprotective, but I’d be...sad if you weren’t. Good night, Avry.”

“Night.”

When he reached the exit, I called his name. He turned.

“I’d like you and the guys to bring your bedrolls back. It’s way too quiet in here.”

“Will do.” He saluted and left.

I drifted into a deep healing sleep. Dreams mixed with memories.

I stood in the garden in Sogra with Kerrick behind me. He traced the scars on my back as Tohon called my name. Instead of running away this time, I turned to embrace him. But he’d disappeared. A thorny bush grew in his place.

Tohon laughed. “You can’t escape me, my dear. I’m always with you. Unlike Kerrick, who has a nasty tendency to leave you when you most need him. Who’s going to save you now?”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You’re sick and injured.”

“I’m safe inside the cave.”

“Are you sure about that, my dear?”

A shuffling noise woke me. I peeked through slitted eyelids. Messy bedrolls surrounded the fire pit. The guys had been here, but by the tossed blankets and scattered pillows, I guessed they’d left in a hurry. Unease swelled. Drawing in a deep breath, I tested my ribs and lungs. Still very sore, limiting any extended physical activity.

More shuffling sounded nearby. I murmured and rolled over as if still asleep, managing to free my hands from the blanket. If I touched skin, I could defend myself. Too bad I’d left my stiletto in my pack.

After several minutes the slide step of boots resumed. Fear churned in my stomach, but I resisted the urge to tense my muscles. Two, maybe three people approached. Risking another peek, I spotted a black figure nearby.

I counted the steps. One. Two. Three. I surged to my feet and lunged for the closest figure, wrapping my hands around my attacker’s thick neck. A good idea, except he wore a hood that also protected his throat. In fact, the man was completely covered. Other than a thin slit for his eyes, no skin showed.

Not that it mattered now that I’d lost the element of surprise. His companions pulled me off him. I struggled and shouted for help until one of them pressed a sweet-smelling cloth over my face.

The cave spun as the sticky odor invaded my nose. My muscles turned to liquid and I giggled.

“Take her out,” the man said. “I’ll make sure no one follows.”

Scary words, but I didn’t care. Instead, I marveled as I floated over the floor. If only they’d release me, I’d fly to the ceiling. We left the cavern and snaked through the cave. Lanterns hung along the walls, casting a sickly yellow glow.

“Wow, good thinking,” I said to my captors. “Using the back entrance. Did Wynn tell you to do that?”

They ignored me.

I tsked. “Didn’t your mothers teach you any manners?”

We kept moving.

“Phew! What stinks?”

They shushed me, which just made me shout louder. Finally a gloved hand clamped over my mouth. My head cleared by the time we neared the back exit. Fear returned full force. Even though I dragged my feet and fought, our pace never slowed.

Panicked, I increased my efforts despite the pain in my ribs.

Nothing worked. They had me in a firm grip and weren’t letting go.

CHAPTER 4

Fresh air brushed my sweaty forehead and cleared the stink of the privy from my nostrils. Normally welcomed, fresh air in this case meant my chances of rescue decreased. Still held tight, I’d stopped struggling as the two men dragged me out the back entrance of the cave. My efforts to escape hadn’t made any difference, so I’d decided to save my strength for later. If there was a later. Fear pulsed through me.

They halted to let their eyes adjust in the predawn light. Four others waited for us. All wearing black clothing and hoods that exposed no skin, like my captors. The three soldiers who had been stationed to guard the cave lay on the ground. Knocked unconscious and not dead, I hoped.

“This way,” one said, gesturing. “Quickly.”

We followed. After a few steps, the trees rustled. Thuds followed curses and yells. The two holding me fell forward, pushing me down as something heavy landed on top of us. Pain ringed my chest and all my breath whooshed out.

More cries sounded before the weight lifted off my back. I curled into a ball, gasping for air. Once my noisy inhalations eased, other noises of a scuffle reached me.

“Area secured,” a voice said.

“Send a team to sweep the cave,” another ordered.

“What’s the status on the frontal assault?” a familiar voice asked.

Odd? I sat up, wiping dirt from my face. Odd stood amid a group of soldiers.

“The remaining ambushers have retreated. Should we give chase, Sergeant?”

Odd glanced at me. “No. Join the others and help with the evacuation.”

Evacuation? I struggled to my feet.

Odd helped me stand. He pulled a leaf from my hair. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Thanks. What’s—”

“I’ll explain later. Come on.” He sheathed his sword and strode away.

I didn’t follow.

Odd stopped. “You’re a target, Avry. We need to get you to a more secured location.”

“And I need my boots and pack.” The rising sun wouldn’t dispel the cold air until much later.

“Prince Ryne ordered—”

“I don’t care.”

“You should. If it wasn’t for him, my squad wouldn’t have been here to rescue you.”

Interesting. “How long have you been here?” I asked.

“A couple days. He suspected Cellina would send a unit after you.”

“So you allowed them inside the cave?” Had I been used for another one of Ryne’s tactics?

“Uh...” He rubbed a hand over his face.

And that would be a yes. I waited.

“Prince Ryne wanted us to make sure they—”

Refusing to listen to the rest, I checked on the three soldiers who’d been guarding the cave. All alive, but with nasty bumps on their heads. Relieved, I called over a handful of soldiers and asked them to carry the men inside. They looked at Odd for permission. He fisted his hands, but then nodded.

I headed into the cave and almost ran into the monkeys and Flea.

“Told you,” Flea said. “I knew she wouldn’t leave.”

“Why would I leave?” I asked.

“For your safety.” Loren glanced at Odd looming behind me.

I rounded on Loren. “So you knew about this, too?”

“Only since one of his men informed us of their plans.”

“When was this?” I demanded.

“About five minutes ago.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“You should still go.” Quain held my pack and boots out.

“Not until I make sure my patients are in good shape to travel.”

“They are. You know that, Avry,” Flea said.

And he knew it, too. Shoot. No one else had their packs. “What about you guys?”

“We’ll help with the evacuation and meet you at the new site,” Loren said.

“Fine.” I snatched my stuff from Quain. Sitting down, I yanked on my boots then stood. I gave each of them a stern look. “You be extra careful. Okay?”

They nodded.

“And keep Flea close.”

“Hey,” Flea protested.

But the monkeys promised.

Before I left, I pulled Flea aside. “After everyone’s packed up, can you leave a note behind?”

“For...Kerrick?”

I nodded. “Just in case.”

“Yeah. I’ll use our old signals from back when we were searching for you.” Flea gave me a wry smile. “Never thought I’d miss those days.”

I hugged him then followed Odd. His odd squad fanned out around us. As soon as we entered the trees, we all matched our gaits to the sounds of the forest, going silent.

As I recalled the attack, a hundred questions bubbled up my throat, but I only asked one when we stopped for a break. “Did you jackknife the ambushers?”

Odd grinned. “Yes. Seemed the best strategy. We had a few men on the ground as well because there was no guarantee they would have crossed under our trees.”

“Ursan would be proud.” That had been his squad’s signature move, jumping down on the unsuspecting enemy from a tree limb high above. They had earned the nickname the jumping jacks.

“I don’t know. I think he’d be mad we stole his idea. Although...” He gazed at me. “He’d be glad our mission was a success.”

“And how exactly did you determine that?” I kept my tone neutral.

“Since they went after you, we now know Cellina plans to heal Tohon. According to Prince Ryne, that knowledge is important and will help him.”

“Lovely.”

“I don’t know why you’re being so pissy about this. You weren’t in any real danger. We were there the entire time. Plus Cellina needs you alive. That should make you feel better.”

It didn’t. But Odd had been acting under orders. No need to vent my annoyance with Ryne on him. Instead, I asked about our destination.

“HQ.”

A surprise. “Not the new infirmary site?”

“Not yet.” Odd kept his gaze on the ground.

Not the best liar, Odd was hiding something. I considered. Pulling out my Lily map, I unfolded it. “Where is HQ?”

He pointed to a spot a couple days northeast of our location. We’d pass close enough to a Lily cluster to check for Death Lilys and possibly harvest its toxin. It was also outside the area we’d searched for Kerrick, so there’d be new ground to cover. And once we reached HQ, I would get to be pissy to Ryne in person.

A bright side after all.

* * *

Clouds covered the sky on the first day of autumn. A damp breeze rustled the leaves, sending a few spiraling to the ground. Most of the surrounding forest remained green, but a brush of yellows, orange, and reds tipped the trees.

Before leaving our camp, I touched the ground, pressing my palm to the cool soil.

Come on, Kerrick. Where are you?

No response. Not even a faint tingle. I closed my eyes as grief escaped the tight knot inside me, expanding like a bubble, threatening to overwhelm all my senses.

“Avry, you okay?” Odd asked.

“Give me a moment.” My voice cracked.

Instead of moving away, Odd sat next to me. “Ursan used to tell us not to get romantically involved with anyone who fought beside you. It caused too many problems.”

Opening my eyes, I glanced at Odd. Was he trying to upset me more? Or was he referring to his relationship with Wynn?

His distant gaze peered into the past. “If you look at it logically, Ursan was right. It’s dangerous to be a soldier—the chances of being killed are high. Plus you fight differently because you care more about another than yourself. And you take more risks to be together.”

I waited.

“I don’t think Ursan ever found that...person.”

“Person?” The word sounded unemotional.

“Yeah. That person you’ll break the rules for. That person who is worth dealing with all those problems for. That person who’s worth fighting for.”

Oh. “That’s a shame. Everyone should find their...person.” And was he implying I should be happy that I’d found mine? That at least I hadn’t died without ever meeting him?

Odd looked at me. “Do you think there is more than one person for everyone?”

“Right now, I’d say no. But in five or ten years...I might feel different. You?”

“I’m going to remain hopeful. Otherwise the future looks pretty bleak.”

I mulled over his comments. “Was that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Did it?”

“I guess a little.”

“I think it helped me, too.” He ran his hands over the ground. “Something about being in the forest reminds me of Ursan. Don’t know why.” Odd stood and brushed his fingers on his pants. The dirt blended with his fatigues. “We’d better get moving. The detour to the Lily patch is going to add a few hours to our trip.”

Stopping by the cluster of Lilys ended up being a good idea. Two Death Lilys grew among eight Peace Lilys—the largest cluster I’d seen in this part of Pomyt Realm. I harvested four toxin sacks and placed them in my pack.

Odd watched me from a safe distance.

When I joined him, he said, “The corn fields in Ryazan Realm had been abandoned during the plague years. The last time I saw them, the Lilys had taken over. Hundreds of acres full of Lilys. If we run out of toxin, we could travel south. We shouldn’t run into any problems cutting through Tobory Realm.”

“It would depend on how far east Cellina’s army is. With Estrid...neutralized and most of her soldiers fighting for Ryne, Cellina could push all the way through Pomyt and into Ozero and Tobory with little to no resistance.”

“True, but it’s only been a couple weeks since they invaded Zabin.”

Just a couple weeks? It felt like years. “And don’t forget Jael. The last time I saw her, she was heading south.” The air magician had tried to either kill me or use me a number of times. I’d be happy never to see Jael again.

“General Jael’s scared and on the run,” Odd said. “She bugged out before Tohon was neutralized. Unless she finds out what happened, she’ll stay far away.”

Not the way I’d describe her. Cunning, smart, and power hungry would be closer to the Jael I’d encountered. When she’d realized Estrid couldn’t stop Tohon, she’d made a tactical decision to escape his trap, abandoning the army that she’d led. I suspected Jael had big plans and would return. Oh, joy.

“We can suggest a trip south to Ryne and see what the master strategist thinks,” I said with just a trace of sarcasm.

“Can’t wait.” Odd’s tone matched mine.

We arrived at HQ the next day. Bracing for another dank cave, I paused when we reached the outskirts of a tiny town. Amazed it hadn’t burned down during the plague years, I scanned the area. At the town’s heart stood a sprawling two-story-high factory, surrounded by a handful of houses and stables. The place appeared abandoned, but I spotted a few guards tucked among the buildings. As we walked toward the center, we passed a single bathhouse and inn. At least I wouldn’t be sleeping on the ground tonight.

“Place is called Victibus,” Odd said. “Named after the family who owned the only business in town.” He gestured to the factory.

Faded letters on the side of the building spelled out Victibus Mining Company.

The door opened before we reached it. Two soldiers stepped out with swords in hand and questioned us.

Odd answered. “Sergeant Oddvar and the odd squad returning from a retrieval mission.”

Annoyed, I glanced at Odd. “I’m the retrieved?”

“Was your mission a success, Sergeant?” one guard asked.

“That’s debatable, Private.”

“Hey.” I swatted Odd’s arm.

“I see,” the private said, ushering us inside. “I’ll let Prince Ryne know you’ve returned. Wait here.”

We stood in a typical reception area complete with an area rug, desk, and chairs. Surprising, since the towns that hadn’t burned down had been looted by the plague survivors.

I perched on the edge of one of the wooden chairs. “I hope this isn’t the only entrance.”

“Don’t worry, there are other ways out,” Odd said with a gleam in his eyes.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“You’ll see.”

I muttered under my breath, but Odd ignored me. Soon enough, the private returned and escorted us inside. Tall machinery occupied the main area, with screens and conveyor belts connecting them. Piles of rocks littered the floor. Some reached as high as the metal roof. I put the clues together and guessed Victibus had mined some type of stone and used this equipment to break it into smaller pieces.

After we passed the machinery, we headed to an open area where tables had been assembled and maps spread out over them. A number of soldiers surrounded the conference tables and Ryne bent over a map. So this was HQ. Not very impressive.

When Ryne noticed us, he gestured us closer. Wearing gray pants, a black tunic, and black boots, Ryne looked nothing like a prince of Ivdel Realm. Or rather like the king of Ivdel. Even with his parents gone, he hadn’t assumed the title. Neither had Kerrick. Which had changed my preconceptions of all royalty being backstabbing and power hungry. Now it was almost all, since Tohon and Jael matched the stereotype.

“Any problems?” Ryne asked.

“No,” Odd said.

“Yes,” I said at the same time.

Odd continued in a formal tone, “Cellina sent a team after her, like you expected. We intercepted them as ordered.”

“It was a little sloppy,” I chimed in. “A few of our guards were hurt. Perhaps next time you can just stab the fish hook right through my stomach and dangle me from the trees. It’d be more effective.”

Ryne’s gaze focused on me. “I see. Avry, I’d like a word in private.”

“Okeydokey.”

He stared at me as if gauging my mood before turning away.

I followed him. Expecting him to lead me to an empty corner, he surprised me by pulling open one of the oversize loading doors. In this section of the building, large mounds of earth had been piled. And right in the middle was a huge hole in the ground.

Ryne headed straight for it and descended steps that led down to an underground room.

I paused at the edge.

He glanced up. “We’ll be more comfortable in my office.”

Oh, no. “Your office is down there?”

“Yes, along with a number of caverns and tunnels. We could house our entire army down there if we had to.”

I groaned. “The mines.”

“Exactly. And the best part is, they extend for miles in all directions. Once we figure out where they go, we can use them to move troops unseen. Isn’t it wonderful?”

From a military standpoint, yes, but I’d rather be outside under the stars than under the ground. My visions of spending a night in a normal bed vanished. I joined him at the bottom.

Ryne led me along a well-lit corridor. Lanterns hung every few feet and the air remained warm.

“Up here in the living levels, there’s plenty of light,” Ryne explained, noticing my interest. “As you go deeper, the spacing of the lanterns is wider, and the ones we haven’t explored are dark.”

“Living levels?”

“Yes, the miners stayed here while on duty. There’s an entire cavern filled with bunk beds. It would make a good infirmary, except...”

“Except what?”

“I don’t want injured to be brought to HQ, they’re too easy to follow. And I don’t think navigating dark tunnels with casualties is a good idea.”

“So where do you want to locate the infirmary?”

“Closer to Zabin.”

Not what I expected. “Why?”

“I’ve just received some intelligence on Cellina’s troop movements.” He rested his hand on his sword’s hilt. “It appears the bulk of her army is retreating back into Vyg Realm.”

“Why? Doesn’t she have the upper hand?”

“She does. We’ve been harrying her northern flank, but it’s caused more of a nuisance, like mosquito bites on an ufa, than any real harm.”

I considered. “Is she trying to lure you down to Zabin?”

“Perhaps. She’s leaving a couple companies behind to guard the town.”

“Maybe she set a trap.” Unbidden, memories of another trap played in my mind. Tohon had surrounded Zabin with his dead soldiers, encircling us. Ulany, his earth mage, had hidden them underneath the ground until it had been time to strike. A shudder of horror ripped through me. “Can she command the dead like Tohon?”

“I don’t know. But I do know she can’t surprise us with them like Tohon did at Zabin.”

“Why not?”

“Ulany’s dead.”

“Oh.” I didn’t know that. Glancing at Ryne, I wondered what else he kept from me.

“We took her out when we rescued Estrid’s soldiers from the trap.”

The time he left me behind, again. With good reason, but still... No, I wouldn’t go into that now. Instead, I asked, “Why do you think she’s retreating?”

“I think she’s regrouping and taking stock of her resources. Pulling back into the safety of Vyg, Cellina can coordinate her forces and plan her next move.” He stopped in front of a wooden door. “That’s what I’d do if I was in her position.”

“All right. But that doesn’t explain why you want the infirmary closer to Zabin.”

Ryne grabbed a lantern from the wall, opened the door and gestured me inside. I scanned the room. Desk, armchairs, a worn couch, a single bed, and chest of drawers filled the space. This was more than just his office. The single bed snagged my attention. I wondered if Ryne had ever found that person.

He set the lantern on the desk and sat behind it. He probably didn’t have time for anything other than waging war. Perhaps when this was all over.

I plopped into one of the armchairs on the opposite side. Sinking into the thick cushions, I relaxed. Nice until I remembered he hadn’t answered my question. I repeated it.

He propped his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his hands as if debating how much to tell me.

Sick of the song and dance, I leaned forward. “Enough with all this mystery, Ryne. How about a little trust?”

“I told you about Cellina.”

“Not that. I’m talking about Odd’s timely rescue. You could have sent me a message, informing me of your plans.”

“Would it have made a difference?”

“Hell, yes!” I slammed my hand on his desk. “I wouldn’t have taken on two broken ribs, weakening me. I’d have kept my stiletto handy.”

He creased his brow. “But you knew there was a chance she’d send a team to kidnap you.”

“I did. But I didn’t know you told our guards to let them in. If you’re going to use me as bait, at least warn me.”

“Ah.” He dropped his hands and pushed a few papers, lost in thought. “But what if you objected?”

“There’s that trust issue again, Ryne. Let me give you an example. I really didn’t enjoy dying for you, but I trusted Kerrick and his reasons that you needed to live. If you’d explained that confirming Cellina’s desire to awaken Tohon was important, then I’d be fine. I might not like it, but I trust your reasons. Now you need to trust me to follow your logic.”

Ryne shook his head. “Kerrick warned me you wouldn’t follow orders, so I figured if I worked...around you, it’d be better.”

“That was different. I didn’t trust him then.”

“I see.” He leaned back. “What if I can’t tell you for a very good reason? Will you still trust me?”

Good question. “Yes, as long as you keep me in the loop with all the other stuff.”

“Agreed.” He reached over and shook my hand.

“Now that’s settled. What’s going on?”

He laughed. “I’m planning to attack Cellina’s troops in Zabin.”

That explained why he’d want the infirmary closer. “Why?”

“It’s a good strategic position. If I can clear them out, we’d have a stronger defense against her army.”

“What if you can’t?”

“Then we retreat and the offensive becomes a rescue operation.”

Rescue? Ah. “You think Cellina left Estrid and her high-ranking officers behind?” Sepp had frozen them all in a magical stasis.

“It doesn’t make sense for her to drag them back to Vyg. Besides, she believes only Sepp can awaken them.”

Oh. Now I understood his earlier reluctance. “You need Flea to go in with the initial attack and awaken them if they’re still there.” It was easier to rescue people who could walk.

“Yes. And I know how...protective you are of him.”

“I am. Which just means I’m going, too.”

“No, you’re not,” Ryne said, as if that ended the discussion.

It didn’t. “Yes, I am.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Then keep Flea with me at the infirmary until you’ve secured Zabin.”

“And if we can’t, there will be no second chance. He has to go.” Ryne held up a hand, stopping my protest. “He’s a good fighter, Avry. Very capable.”

“I don’t care.”

He fingered the light brown stubble growing on his cheeks. Dark smudges of exhaustion marked his eyes. “How about if I assign a squad with the sole purpose of protecting him during the attack?”

“That’s acceptable, but I’m still going.”

His demeanor changed. “I can ensure you stay behind.”

KERRICK

He resisted the pull. Fought the fever.

I’m not.

Going to.

Relax.

I promised.

Avry.

At times, he was everywhere. Every blade of grass, every tree, and each bush was him. Stretched across the forest, he felt every intruder, every animal, and each breeze. Pain from broken limbs and trampled grass pulsed inside him.

At times, he was nowhere. He existed in a void of light and sound. But he struggled against the nothingness and returned to the living green.

At times, he was everywhere and nowhere, teetering on the edge.

The voice of the living green spoke to him. Told him to rest. Told him to stop fighting.

Kerrick never liked being told what to do.

I’m not.

Going to.

Rest.

I promised.

Avry.

He resisted the pull. Fought the fever.

CHAPTER 5

Ryne’s hard expression and threat to prevent me from joining Flea failed to affect me. “Uh-huh. And who’s going to help Flea when he pukes up his guts after awaking Estrid and still needs to awaken her staff of about twenty people? He won’t have the strength to do them all.”

His shoulders drooped. “Why didn’t you tell me about that?”

“You were too busy being all ‘no, you’re not going and I’ve spoken’ about it.”

“And you were too busy being all defiant. You could have explained.”

“I could have.”

He studied me for a moment. “Except I was too busy putting my foot down instead of asking you why.”

“That’s what I just said.”

“Yes, but without the sarcasm.” He rubbed both hands over his face. “Now I understand what Kerrick had to deal with all those months. You’re exasperating.”

“Thank you.” Kerrick’s name sent a jab of pain deep into my chest, but I kept it from showing on my face.

Dropping his arms, Ryne just shook his head. “Okay, you can accompany the offensive. I’ll make it work.”

“Good. And just so you know, if Flea and I go, then—”

“The monkeys will insist on going, too. Got it.”

Another thought occurred to me. “What happens if word gets back to Cellina that Estrid and her staff have been reanimated? Do we want to tip our hand now or wait?”

“Excellent question. I debated the very same thing. In the end, I need Estrid. Her acolytes have been effective in recruiting soldiers for her army, and there are a number of her companies that have refused to join my forces. Hundreds of fighters have fled back to Ozero Realm and we need them.”

Unpleasant memories of my encounter with High Priest Chane in Mengels played in my mind. His men had tried to ambush me. “The acolytes use strong-arm methods and outright kidnapping to recruit people. Do you really want to resort to that?”

“Of course not. Which is why we need the High Priestess. Only an order from Estrid will change their methods. Plus she amassed a rather large army and could again. If Tohon hadn’t used his dead soldiers to trap them, he would have had a hard time defeating them.”

“But they fight in the name of the creator.”

“I don’t care if they fight in the name of broccoli. The goal remains the same.”

True. I considered. “What happens if our combined forces conquer Cellina and High Priestess Estrid decides she wants to be in charge?”

“You mean you don’t want to become an acolyte?” Ryne faked horror.

“It’s those garish red robes. The color clashes with my hair.” I flicked an auburn strand from my face.

“Now, now. The creator frowns on vanity.”

“And on laughter, joy, music, dancing... Basically all forms of fun. Oh, and on sex, too. The creator’s a dour deity. However, you’re evading the question.”

“I am?”

“Ryne, talk or I’ll zap you.”

All humor dropped as he gaped at me for a moment. “Will you?”

“Are you crazy? I was just kidding.”

“I know, but I’ve been curious about your healing powers. There’s no record of that defensive move you’ve used in my book on magic. I’d like to feel it for myself.”

Remembering the attack at the infirmary, I hugged my chest. “Unfortunately, it’s not a secret any longer.” I explained about the head-to-toe covering they wore. My magic only worked if I touched skin.

“Still it would be useful to know the extent of the pain.”

“You are crazy.”

“Please.”

Low blow. “All right, but answer my question first or I won’t zap you.” Did I really just say that? The situation had turned unreal.

Ryne smiled, acknowledging the twisted logic. “If Estrid desires power beyond her Realm of Ozero, then I will stop her. I promised Kerrick that I would return our world to its preplague state—with all Fifteen Realms thriving and prospering. Once that’s accomplished, I’ll retreat to Ivdel and assume my place as its king.”

A heck of a to-do list. And it explained why he hadn’t assumed the title. Impressed, I studied Ryne. Intensity burned from his hazel eyes. Kerrick had utter faith in this man, which meant I did, too.

Ryne stuck out his arm. “Okay, now zap me.”

I gestured toward his bed. “It would be better if you lie down. Some people have a low pain tolerance and collapse right away.”

He huffed in amusement, but followed my advice. Before I took his hand he said, “Low pain tolerance? Do you judge people based on their pain thresholds?”

“Don’t worry—your manhood isn’t at stake. Well...unless you break down and bawl like a baby,” I teased. “Then I have no choice but to tell the monkeys and Flea.”

“I’d expect nothing less. Uh...have people bawled?”

“Yes. It can be very overwhelming. Just squeeze my hand twice if it gets too severe.”

“You once told me you zapped Kerrick so you could escape. How long did he last?”

Bittersweet memories surged. I’d blasted him with every ounce of strength, depleting all my energy. “I didn’t escape.” The stubborn, infuriating man wouldn’t let go. And I hoped that exasperating quality helped him now.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, I would have been impressed except I hated his guts at the time.” I patted Ryne on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I don’t hate you. Well, not at the moment. But if we keep reminiscing...”

“All right.” He laced his fingers in mine.

Magic flowed from my core, but instead of healing, I channeled it to cause pain. Starting out with a tiny spark, I gradually increased the power. Ryne’s expression tightened and he fisted his other hand. Color leaked from his face as sweat beaded on his forehead. All his muscles tensed.

He pumped my hand a few minutes after I’d reached the level most people collapse at. I stopped. Ryne lay there panting. He wiped his sleeve over his face, mopping up the sweat before it reached his eyes.

Pushing up to his elbow, he said, “Wow. That’s a significant weapon you have. And as soon as you stopped, all the pain disappeared.”

“That’s because the magic affects your nerves, but doesn’t damage them.”

“Handy.”

“As long as there’s exposed skin for me to touch. Otherwise it’s useless.”

“What about that neck thing?” Ryne pointed to the base of his skull.

“That’s harder to do in a fight. I need to touch the exact spot and send a burst of power. That move doesn’t hurt, it just renders the person unconscious for a couple hours. Do you want a demonstration?”

“No.” Ryne hopped to his feet. “I’ve too much to do.”

“Uh-huh.” I followed him from his office. ‘What’s next?”

“I’d like you to stay here for a few days while the patients are moved into the new infirmary site.”

“Why can’t I go now? And don’t tell me it’s not safe. No place is ever completely safe.”

“I agree. But that’s not the reason. During our explorations of the tunnels, we’ve encountered a number of exits that are blocked by Lilys. We need you to determine if they’re Death or Peace Lilys.” He paused. “Funny that I’ve mixed feelings about the results. On one hand, I hope they’re Peace Lilys so my men can get in and out, but on the other, we’re in serious need of more Death Lily toxin.”

That reminded me. Rummaging in my pack, I pulled out the four sacks I’d collected on our way to HQ and handed them to Ryne.

“You’re amazing,” he said.

“I know.” I smirked. “And if any of those Lilys in your way are Death Lilys, I’ll talk to them, see if we can work out a truce.”

“You can do that?” He sounded incredulous.

“Of course. I’m amazing after all.”

He groaned. “I’ve created a monster.”

* * *

“Why am I here?” Odd asked from behind me. His words echoed slightly.

“For protection.” I peered beyond the bubble of lantern light, searching for a sign that we’d reached the end. Nothing but a solid wall of darkness.

“Protection from what? Rats?” Odd’s voice held a slight hitch.

I glanced over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of rats.”

“Not rats.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t know.... It’s creepy down here. Are you certain you know where you’re going?” he asked Hogan.

Sergeant Hogan carried the lantern in one hand and a map in the other as he led us through the labyrinth of tunnels. “For the fourth time, yes. My squad has been mapping these shafts for days and this one is pretty straightforward.”

“Days? Gee, I feel much better now,” Odd grumbled.

Hogan ignored him. Smart. The quiet young sergeant was one of Ryne’s soldiers from Ivdel and he had a rather no-nonsense demeanor. Unlike Odd.

Puddles dotted the uneven floor of the mine. Our footsteps sounded too loud and a heavy mineral scent laced the damp air. Having spent many days and nights in caves, I wasn’t as bothered by the tight space or the tingly feeling of pressure on my shoulders. Just because thousands of pounds of dirt and rocks hung above our heads was no reason to be... Oh, who was I kidding? It was creepy. Odd had a point.

“This is payback, isn’t it?” Odd asked me.

“Payback for what?”

“For letting Cellina’s men ambush you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You were following orders.”

“Somehow I don’t feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”

“Sounds like a personal problem.”

“Cute. What was I supposed to do? Warn you?”

“Did Ryne tell you not to?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Again, you were following orders.”

“Swell. And the reason I’m here...”

“Ryne wanted us to take along another person just in case we ran into trouble. And I chose you.” Which I was starting to regret big-time.

“Why?”

“’Cause of your sunny disposition.”

Hogan huffed in amusement. “Good one.”

“Avry—”

“It’s because I trust you. We’ve worked together, did the whole silent training together. You know, friendship-type stuff. Gee, think much?”

“Oh.” Odd remained silent the rest of the way.

After some time passed—it was hard to keep track without the sun—Hogan slowed. A faint blob of light flickered ahead.

When the blob sharpened into sunlight filtered through large leaves, Hogan stopped. “Lily vines are wrapped all around the opening. We’re safe here.”

“Good. Stay,” I ordered, striding past Hogan.

The sergeant gasped when I reached the edge of the vines.

“You get used to it,” Odd said.

I stepped between the vines, trying not to harm the Lily. Exiting the tunnel, I paused, breathing in the fresh air. The sun hung low—late afternoon. We had left in the morning, not that it mattered below the earth, but Ryne had wanted my ribs to heal and for me to get a good night’s sleep. As if that was possible. Dreams of Kerrick and Tohon had sabotaged my rest. At least my ribs no longer caused me pain. Just a dull ache that should disappear soon.

A handful of Lilys grew nearby. As soon as I approached, the scent of vanilla dominated. Peace Lilys. They didn’t even twitch when I rested a hand on their petals.

“It’s okay,” I called to the men. “They won’t hurt you.” I searched the area, seeking Death Lilys. None.

When I returned, Hogan sat cross-legged on the ground. He sketched on a piece of parchment stretched across his lap. Working fast, he drew the landscape with a piece of charcoal.

“What are you doing?” Odd asked.

“Drawing landmarks,” Hogan said.

Confused, Odd glanced at me.

“Do you know where we are?” I asked him.

“No.”

“Neither does Hogan or Ryne. That sketch will help them figure out where this tunnel leads to.”

Odd nodded.

“We did find a rudimentary map of the mines,” Hogan said. “But it was old and doesn’t show half the shafts we’ve discovered.”

If only Kerrick was here. He’d know our location the instant he touched the forest. While Hogan worked, I wandered among the greenery, trailing my fingers over the leaves and along the rough tree bark.

Most of the Pomyt, Casis, Vyg, Sogra, Lyady, and the northern half of Ozero Realms were wooded. On a color map of the Fifteen Realms they appeared like a green belt south of the Nine Mountains. No surprise that lumber and mining were the top two resources for them. Farming dominated the realms of Zainsk, Sectven, Tobory, Ryazan, Kazan, and the southern half of Ozero. Bavly Realm extended into the Southern Desert and they sold the high-quality sand used in making glass wares.

Of course, all the trade and sharing of resources died when two-thirds of our population died. Not enough workers to plow the fields, mine the sand, or cut trees. Not enough manpower to stop the marauders and outlaws from running amok. Not enough craftsmen to provide goods and services. It had been utter chaos. A dark time when the people executed healers because they blamed us for unleashing the killer among them.

I’d believed we had nothing to do with the disease, but I’d since learned the healers did indeed cause over six million deaths. They’d been experimenting with mixing Death Lily toxin with Olaine pollen as a way to heal those pricked by the lethal Lilys. Instead, it had triggered the plague.

Did all my colleagues and friends deserve to die? Or just those few who lost control of their experiment? Tough questions.

And now Ryne hoped to return us to peace and prosperity. Or rather a semi-peace. The leaders of the Fifteen Realms squabbled like siblings over things like mine rights and border issues. Minor compared to Tohon’s army of the dead.

“Avry...hello?” Odd waved a hand in front of my face.

I focused on him. His brows were pinched together.

“Something wrong?”

“Hogan’s finished his sketch and wants to get moving to the next blocked exit.”

We headed back, joining Hogan at the threshold.

“How many more of these—” Odd gestured to the Lilys “—do we have to check?”

Ah, the reason for his scowl.

Hogan consulted the map. “Four more.”

Odd gave me a sour look. “Gee, Avry, if this how you treat your friends, I’d hate to see what you do to your enemies.”

* * *

We spent the next couple days trekking through the Victibus mines. I made and discarded a dozen plans to rescue Melina as we moved through the forest. Peace Lilys blocked the next exit, but at the third one a small Death Lily grew. Not big enough to snatch a man yet, its petals reached as high as my hip.

“Is that...” Hogan backed up a step.

Odd laughed. “It’s just a baby. Can’t hurt a full-grown man.”

“Should we pull it?” Hogan asked.

“No. It has a flower and is still dangerous.” I stepped between him and the Lily. Before the plague, teams of people would cull the young Lily plants before they flowered to save lives.

“But we might need this exit.”

True, but these plants had a sentient core. “Let me talk to it.”

“Uh—”

“Don’t ask,” Odd cut in.

I knelt next to the Death Lily and extended my hand. With a high-pitched hiss, it parted its petals and grabbed my arm. Two barbs pricked my wrist. Toxin flowed in me, but it wasn’t strong enough. Semi-detached from my body, I connected with the Lily’s consciousness. However, the connection remained weak. I caught a glimpse of another Lily, one fully grown a few miles away.

“How do you know where it is?” Hogan asked after I’d recovered. “We don’t even know where we are.”

How to explain? “The Lily showed me a map of the area. Like your sketch, but in my mind.”

“And you trust this?”

“Yes. And we need more toxin. It’ll only be a short detour.”

“But Prince Ryne—”

“Will be very happy to be able to eliminate more dead soldiers with the toxin we collect.”

Hogan glanced at Odd.

Odd shrugged. “Just so you know, she’s going whether you agree or not.”

“You can wait here if you want. We’ll be back by sunset.” I hefted my pack.

Hogan tried again. “Prince Ryne ordered us to stay together.”

“Then come on—you’re wasting time.” I strode north. “Besides, what can happen? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“Now you’ve done it,” Odd said, catching up to me. “Never invite danger.”

“How’s that inviting danger?”

“Asking ‘what can happen’ is a challenge to fate. It’s like asking fate to throw something our way.”

“That’s a silly superstition.”

“To you.”

Uh-oh. Had I hurt his feelings? I glanced at him. Instead of wounded puppy dog, his expression remained serious. I remembered Odd was from Ryazan Realm. “Is this a Ryazan belief?”

“No. Soldiers don’t tempt fate. We don’t brag or boast, which is different than being bold and aggressive. We aren’t cocky, just confident. Well, the good ones are.”

“But you brag all the time at camp.”

“About stupid stuff, not the important things. You’ve never heard me come back from a patrol and brag about how many enemy soldiers my squad killed. Or how we ambushed them while they slept.”

True. He’d bragged about stealing the last cookie from the mess tent or about dumping Ursan in the mud during a training session. Actually he’d never seemed to tire of teasing Ursan over that one.

“I understand and I’ll be more careful in my...word choices from now on,” I said.

“Thank you,” Odd said.

We walked in silence for a while. While Odd and I moved with the sounds of the forest, Hogan didn’t. He needed the silent training. The afternoon sun warmed the air and drove off the damp chill. Tipping my head back, I enjoyed the heat of the sunlight on my cheeks. We’d been overnighting in the tunnels for the past two nights. I hoped Ryne’s new infirmary location wasn’t inside a cave.

After an hour, we reached the Death Lily. It grew among a dozen Peace Lilys, the largest cluster I’d seen since I’d been harvesting the toxin.

I dropped my pack and approached. It snatched me in one quick gulp. Impressive. Pain jabbed my upper arms. Then I broke free from my body, flowing into the roots of the plant and joining with its soul.

Joy and contentment pulsed over my arrival. I smiled. Death Lilys didn’t get many willing visitors. It wished to help me and it showed me its entire network of Death Lily plants, offering the toxin sacks from them all. A generous gift. Committing as many to memory as I could, I concentrated on the locations.

Then I asked it about not taking Ryne’s soldiers.

Show me, it said. It desired a mental picture of every person in Ryne’s entire army.

I can’t. Another way?

No response. Perhaps I could mark the Death Lilys with paint to warn Ryne’s men. But then Cellina’s army would figure it out, too. And I didn’t mind if the Lilys ate them.

Another memory occurred to me. It wasn’t nice. When I’d been a prisoner in Tohon’s castle, I’d learned how to kill a full-size Death Lily. With its toxin. If I sprinkle it on the ground below the flower, the toxin would be absorbed by the Lily’s roots. It would die. But just the idea... I hated it. However, it might be the only way to make those exits safe for Ryne’s army.

Seeds, the Death Lily said.

What kind of seeds?

Mine. It showed me an image of a deer grazing under a Lily. A breeze shook the leaves and a handful of oval seeds showered on the animal’s back. Eventually a noise startled the deer and it ran off, carrying the seeds. Protect seeds. Make new.

Understanding dawned. If Ryne’s soldiers wore those seeds, would they be protected?

Yes.

Will you—

Yours.

But nothing happened. What’s wrong?

Others. Another image rose in my mind. A squad of a dozen soldiers wearing Tohon’s uniforms crept up on Odd and Hogan.

Alarmed, I fought to be released. I need to warn them!

Too late.

Odd spun, pulling his sword. Hogan leaped to his feet and yanked his weapon—a long thin blade. Both had daggers in their other hands. Outnumbered six to one, the fight lasted mere moments. Disarmed and forced to their knees, Odd and Hogan surrendered to the squad’s leader.

Their situation was all my fault. Guilt and fear pumped in my heart.

The leader—an older man with wide shoulders and a powerful build, pointed to my pack on the ground and asked Odd, “Where is your other member?”

Odd glanced at the Death Lily. “Eaten. Damn fool got too close.”

“What are you doing out here?” the leader asked.

Odd refused to answer.

More. The Lily showed me a large number of other squads moving east through the forest.

Not good. Did Ryne know they were here? Why were they so far from their main forces in Vyg? What was Cellina planning? The answer clicked. She dangled Zabin’s strategic military position to lure Ryne south. Meanwhile she sent her forces north in the hope of sneaking up behind him.

The leader motioned to his men. They manacled Odd’s and Hogan’s hands behind their backs and pulled them to their feet.

“Bring them to camp. If they don’t talk, we’ll feed them to the ufas,” the leader said.

Bad. Very bad. I had to rescue them. Right now.

KERRICK

At first, Kerrick fought to remain inside his body and not spread throughout the forest. He concentrated on the vines growing on him. On the moist earth cushioning his body. On the dirt wedged under his fingernails.

Then he struggled to hear the wind shake the tree’s limbs. The call of the birds. The rasp of air filling his lungs.

He inhaled the scent of wood smoke. The mist of pine. The faint aroma of vanilla.

Jolted by that smell, he clung to it. Memories flowed. Promises remembered. He pulled the scent toward his core, anchoring his consciousness to his body. Now he perceived touch, sounds, and smells all at the same time. Progress.

Other sensations intruded. Hunger. Thirst. Cold. Aches.

He awoke. Heart-shaped leaves obscured part of his vision. Sunlight flashed between them as they danced in the breeze. Kerrick tried to brush them away, but he couldn’t move. After a bit of wiggling, he discovered the vines not only blanketed him but held him tight.

Stretching his senses, he reached for his connection with the living green. Except it wasn’t there. Well, not the way he remembered it. Before, it required effort for him to draw magic from the forest. It was a conscious decision to form a link. Now there was no need to tap into the power. It already resided within him.

With a mere thought, he commanded the vines to release him. A ripping sound accompanied multiple stings of pain along his skin. As the vines retreated, cold air caressed his body, sending ripples of goose bumps.

Kerrick sat up. His stiff muscles protested. His pants had been destroyed by the roots. Blood welled from a number of throbbing cuts along his torso, arms, and legs. The vines’ roots had left creases on his brown-and-green skin. He held his hands out. They, too, matched the colors of the forest. His survival instinct had probably kicked in when he passed out, camouflaging him from danger. He’d worry about it later.

He rubbed the ache at the back of his neck. Had he collapsed or had someone knocked him out? Memories swirled through a thick fog.

Slowly the events that had led to his current situation assembled. Seeing Flea. The fight with Tohon’s dead ufas. Cellina and Sepp. The attack on Quain. Avry!

With a surge of energy, Kerrick stood, but he leaned against a tree as dizziness threatened to topple him. He needed food and water. How long had he been out?

He sniffed the cool air. Crisp and sharp, it no longer held the humid earthy scent of summer. A few red, yellow, and orange leaves littered the ground. Early fall. Panicked, he pushed through his jumbled thoughts, searching for answers.

Avry had stabbed Tohon. He smiled. That’s my girl. Flea had awoken Quain. And some sergeant had nicked him with a blade treated with...Death Lily toxin. Memories of being sick made him queasy anew. Kerrick sank to a sitting position.

Had he died? Was he dead? A ghost of the forest? He dismissed that silly notion. He hurt too much to be deceased. But how did he survive? Avry? No, she’d be with him. Plus she couldn’t heal those infected with Death Lily toxin.

And then he remembered the voice of the living green. Had it saved him?

No, the living green said in his mind.

Then who? he asked.

You did.

How?

Your magic.

But my magic doesn’t work that way. And the living green had never spoken to him before he’d gotten sick.

Mirth. No voice that you’d understand.

But now I can.

Yes.

Why?

You are of the forest.

But I’m alive.

Yes. Alive like trees and plants.

Kerrick’s temples pounded. Definitely alive. But how much time had passed? The living green showed him a tree’s small growth—its measure of time, but not helpful.

Concentrating on his immediate needs, Kerrick pushed all his other concerns aside for now. First he found edible berries, roots, and nuts with ease. A stream nearby quenched his thirst. As for clothing, Kerrick decided to stay camouflaged until he could slip back into the infirmary cave. He’d left his pack and the rest of his clothing with Avry.

Avry. He remembered her emotional reaction to their reunion. She had thought he’d died fighting the northern tribesmen, and then when he’d been poisoned she’d kept him at arm’s length most of the night.

Did she believe he’d died again? He hoped not. Hurrying northeast, Kerrick noted the location of the various patrols and avoided them. He had awoken much farther from the cave than he recalled. As he drew closer, he slowed. No one guarded the front entrance. Not good.

He looped around to the back. Deserted, as well. Waiting proved difficult, but he didn’t want to walk into an ambush. Well, not naked and unarmed.

After an hour with no signs of activity, he stepped from the forest. Or rather, he tried. A force dragged him to a stop. Pouring every ounce of strength into his legs, he managed a couple more steps. But his feet acted as if they’d grown roots and he stumbled to another halt.

The pull to remain in the forest was like no other he’d encountered. It felt as if an invisible net had been thrown over him and tied to a tree’s trunk. Perhaps it was the living green’s way of warning him. He drew power and the force eased. Odd. He stepped closer to the cave, but the force increased. More magic meant more distance.

Not stopping to analyze it, Kerrick gathered as much power as he could and sprinted. He had enough energy to confirm the cave had been abandoned and to find the message from Flea.

Weak and drained, he crawled from the cave toward the forest. Each inch a relief until he collapsed just past the border.

As he lay panting and spent, he’d realized he hadn’t needed to use his magic to find food or to locate the soldiers. That had required no effort. Unlike leaving the forest, which required a feat of strength and considerable endurance.

The living green’s comment repeated in his mind.

You are of the forest.

CHAPTER 6

I had mere moments to act. Once Odd and Hogan were taken to the enemy camp, I’d have no chance to rescue them. I considered my options. One—wait until they were out of sight, drop down from the Death Lily, and chase after them. Then what? It was twelve against one.

Two—drop down before they left, surprising them. Then what? It was still twelve against one.

Three—I had nothing. What did I have? A Death Lily and a dozen Peace Lilys. But they didn’t know the others were Peace Lilys.

Vines? I asked the Lily. Grab the men? Will the Peace Lilys help?

Yes. They go.

Drop me down, I’ll distract them while you and your friends ensnare them. Okay?

Yes. Taste them?

Despite what I’d contemplated earlier, the thought of the Death Lily snatching each soldier and essentially killing him or her didn’t sit well with me. No. Please let them go after we disappear into the mines.

Agreement pulsed.

Thank you. Okay, drop me...now.

The Death Lily yanked its barbs from my arms and spat me onto the ground. I yelped as I hit hard, rolling. Disoriented for a moment, I lay there. But the voices of the soldiers returning to investigate reminded me of the danger.

I staggered to my feet as the nine men and three women stopped to gape at me. The soldiers needed to be closer to me for the vines to reach them. Hogan and Odd stood in the center of a loose circle. Odd kept his expression neutral, but an amused amazement sparked in his eyes. Hogan frowned, but kept quiet.

Swaying, I gestured wildly to the Lily. “Whoa. Did you see that?” I asked. “So fast. I just dropped my pack and...swoosh!” I hugged my arms and faked a shiver.

They moved in a few feet. The Lily’s vines crept toward their boots.

My shirt had been ripped by the Lily’s barbs. Blood welled. I coated my fingers with it and then thrust them out, showing them the bright red tips. “Look! It attacked me!”

“Calm down, miss,” the leader said. He stepped in, but kept out of the reach of the Lily’s petals. “You survived. You might live—”

“I’m going to die,” I screeched. “No one lives. No one. Ohh...” I put my hands on my face and stumbled as if about to faint.

Instinctively, the soldiers shuffled a couple more feet before they halted. Good enough. Vines from the Peace Lilys snaked along the ground behind them.

“Miss, you need to move away from the Death Lily so we can help you.” The leader held out his hand.

I stared at him. “Help me? There’s nothing you can do.”

“She’s right, Vonn. Leave her,” a woman said.

Vonn turned to her. “She’s with them.” He pointed to Odd and Hogan. “Since they won’t talk, maybe she will. And we can’t have her running back to her commanding officer as soon as we leave.”

Blinking as if really seeing the group for the first time, I said, “You... Oh, no.” I backed away.

The Death Lily hissed. Everyone’s gazes jerked to the huge white petals parting above my head and not to the vines circling their ankles.

“Maybe this time it will kill her,” the woman said.

I squealed in alarm and rushed Vonn. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I knocked him over. On the way down I touched the base of his skull and zapped him into unconsciousness. Other cries and yells followed mine as the eleven remaining soldiers were yanked off their feet by the vines.

They struggled and some grabbed their knives to cut the tendrils. But regular steel wasn’t sharp enough to do the job. It didn’t take long for them to be wrapped tight. Not able to move, they begged me to help.

His face white, Hogan stared at them.

Odd grimaced. “The Lily has enough food for a season.”

I searched Vonn’s pockets until I found the key to the manacles. Unlocking the cuffs, I freed Hogan and Odd.

Hogan rubbed his wrists. “What—”

“Not now. I’ll explain later.”

“Did you get what you need?” Odd asked.

“Not yet.” I picked up my knapsack and returned to the base of the Death Lily. It bent over and deposited two toxin sacks and two seed pods into my open pack. “Thanks.” I secured the flap. “Let’s go before another squad finds us.”

“But what about them?” Hogan asked. “We can’t just leave them.”

Odd agreed. “I know they’re the enemy, but that’s cruel.”

I studied the panicked faces of the patrol. Odd had a point. And what difference did it make to tell them now versus them realizing it later? That was if they even believed me, which I doubted they would.

“Listen up,” I said to the soldiers. “You’re not going to become the Death Lily’s next victims. Once we’re well away, it will release you.” I turned to Odd. “Now can we go?”

“Are you lying to them?” Hogan asked.

“No.”

“How can you...” He caught my expression. “You’ll explain later. Got it.”

We hustled back to the tunnels. Once deep inside, I told them about the squads heading east and the seeds.

“And you learned all this from a Death Lily?” Hogan asked in disbelief.

“Yes.”

“Death Lilys can communicate?” Again he didn’t mask his incredulous tone.

“Only with healers. We’re immune to the toxin.”

Hogan glanced at Odd with a “do you believe this?” look.

“I’ve ceased being surprised when it comes to Avry,” Odd said.

Now it was my turn to gaze at him. Did Odd mean that in a good or bad way?

“Oh, come on. You can’t deny that you’ve been full of surprises since we’ve met, Sergeant Irina.”

He had me there. I’d worn a disguise and joined Estrid’s holy army using the name Irina from Gubkin Realm to gather information. “But I had good reasons.” And they benefited the most by learning how to go silent in the forest.

“I didn’t say you didn’t. You just keep things...interesting. Like today, for example.”

Uh-oh. Time for the lecture.

“I’m torn over how to feel. If you hadn’t insisted on going to that Death Lily, we wouldn’t know about Cellina’s plans. But when we were captured, my thoughts about your impulsiveness weren’t all warm and fuzzy.”

I’d bet.

Odd spread his hands out. “I figured we were done for. The only bit of hope was that you might escape and tell Prince Ryne what we encountered. But then you dropped out of that Lily, and I thought you were insane.”

“I couldn’t let them take you,” I said. “They were going to feed you to the ufas. Talk about cruel.”

“Yeah, that would have been horrifying.”

“I agree. Those poor ufas.”

“Hey.” Odd bumped me with his shoulder.

I shoved him back. He pushed again.

Hogan cleared his throat and gazed at us. We stopped as if scolded.

After a few minutes of silence, Hogan asked, “Who’s Sergeant Irina?”

Odd’s laughter echoed off the hard stone walls. “Oh, man, it’ll take too long to explain. Trust me.”

* * *

“Clever. She’s being smart. Damn it,” Ryne said, throwing his stylus down.

Odd, Hogan, and I stood on the opposite side of the conference table in the factory. We had reported in and now faced a very angry prince.

“Did you check all the exits?” Ryne asked.

“No,” Hogan said. “There is still one left.”

We’d headed straight back after the encounter with Cellina’s squad. It had taken us a full day.

“All right. Get out of here and wait for your orders. I need to think,” Ryne said.

I turned.

“Not you, Avry. Stay.”

Odd shot me a smirk before he hurried away. I smoothed my expression and returned to the table. Ryne studied me as if he debated between strangling me or stabbing me. I braced for his reprimand.

He shook his head. “I don’t... I can’t... Here.” He handed me a piece of charcoal. “There’s a map of Pomyt Realm over on that desk.” He gestured to the left. “Mark where you saw the Death Lilys and Cellina’s troops on it.”

“I’m not sure if I can remember them all,” I said.

“Just mark what you can.” His lips moved, but his teeth remained firmly clamped.

“Okay.” Even though a question about his plans for the attack on Zabin pushed up my throat, I retreated.

I spent the night drawing squiggles for Lilys and Xs for the squads. When the sunlight shone from under the metal doors, I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. My head pounded with fatigue and I rested it on my arms for just a moment. At least, that was the plan.

Standing in the middle of King Zavier’s throne room, I turned in a slow circle, marveling at all his expensive treasures. Tohon lounged on his father’s jewel-encrusted throne, watching me with a predatory glint.

“So nice to see you aggravating Ryne, my dear,” Tohon said with a soft chuckle. “The poor guy doesn’t quite know what to do with you. You have rendered all his diplomatic training useless. You’re unexpected and don’t follow Ryne’s notion of logic at all.” He tsked. “Not that I have any good advice for him. I completely underestimated you. A mistake I won’t make again.”

“Because you can’t. You’re out of commission, Tohon,” I said.

“Are you sure? I am having this lovely conversation with you, my dear.”

“You’re a result of my worries and nothing more than a nightmare.”

“And again I ask, are you certain? Did you not consider the possibility that one of the children I experimented on has developed healing powers?”

“They’re too young.”

“The ones you saw are. But I’ve been working with Death Lily toxin for a number of years. There could be other older survivors that you aren’t even aware of.”

Alarmed, I stepped closer to the dais. “Are there?”

He shrugged. “How should I know? I’m a nightmare born from your fears and desires.” Tohon leered and stood. His royal robes disappeared and all he wore were his black silk pajama pants. The hip-hugging material accented his flat muscular stomach and chest. “Still like what you see, my dear?”

“Go away. You shouldn’t be able to invade my dreams. And if you do have a healer, it’s too soon for you to reach your castle. So you’re still frozen.” I concentrated on banishing him.

He laughed. “Yet I remain. Perhaps there is another reason?”

“You didn’t claim me, Tohon. I fought you and won.”

“True. I couldn’t possess you. But I am a part of you, my dear. I’ve...branded you with my magic, and as long as you live, I do, too.”

“Ridiculous.”

“Is it? Remember the first time we met? When my dead retrieved you? I kissed your hand and since then we’ve been linked.”

I denied it. No way. If I was linked with anyone, it would be Kerrick.

“Yet Kerrick’s not here. I am.”

A hand gently shook my shoulder. “Avry, wake up.” Ryne knelt next to me, peering at my face in concern. “Bad dream?”

Straightening, I knocked the charcoal to the floor. I’d fallen asleep on the map I’d marked with the Lily and troop locations.

“Is there any other kind of dream?” I asked.

“Not for me.”

Then we shared something in common. “Does Tohon haunt your dreams, as well?”

“No. My father does.”

Surprised, I glanced at him. “But King Micah’s—”

“Dead. But that doesn’t seem to stop him from telling me what I’ve done wrong every night. He delights in pointing out my mistakes and telling me I’m incompetent.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“I’ve accepted it as a manifestation of my insecurities. I suspect your dreams of Tohon are similar. Perhaps a way for you to express your fears.”

His explanation made sense. Yet I couldn’t shake the truth in Tohon’s words. “Sounds very logical, Ryne. But have you really accepted it?”

He huffed. “No. I wish he’d shut up and get the hell out of my dreams.”

“I could give you a sleeping draft.”

“No, thank you. I have to be able to wake up if needed.” He stood and examined the map. “What does Tohon say in your dreams?” he asked in a casual manner, but his arm muscles tightened.

“He gloats. He goads me. But one time he warned me.”

Ryne jerked his head, meeting my gaze. “How?”

I explained about the ambush. “And he hinted that there might be older children who survived his experiments and who might be healers by now.”

“Both dreams are easy to explain. You must have heard a noise while you slept, alerting you to the danger, and the idea of other healers is just your own intelligence working through the possibilities. Which we should consider. Come on.” He strode over to his work table.

Curious, I followed him.

Pulling a piece of parchment and grabbing his stylus, he sat in his chair. “Let’s see. Tohon helped at the Healer’s Guild for a year after we’d graduated from boarding school. I suspect this was when he began experimenting with the Death Lily toxin and putting the clues together about the source of your magic.” He wrote dates on the parchment. “That was about five years ago. Plenty of time for him to inject the toxin into a child.”

“Except at that time, the plague hadn’t spread all over the Fifteen Realms. He couldn’t just inject it into a patient or child without someone noticing. Unless...”

“Unless what?”

“He claimed it was an attempt to find a cure for the plague. The healers’ desperation increased as more people sickened.”

“Or he had a willing subject,” Ryne added. “Someone working with him?”

“Possible. But then why wasn’t this person helping in his infirmary? Why didn’t I meet him or her? And why did Cellina try to kidnap me?”

“All good questions. Perhaps Cellina doesn’t know about this healer. Maybe Tohon kept his or her identity a secret.”

“But Sepp would need to know. Are you saying this mystery healer and Sepp are working together?”

“It’s just speculation.”

“Based on a dream conversation.”

“You did spend time in his castle, Avry. You might have noticed something while there and your dream is just making the connections for you.”

“Or I could have read something in that crate Belen found in the Healer’s Guild’s record room.” Mentioning Belen’s name reminded me that I hadn’t asked Ryne if he’d learned anything about Poppa Bear.

“No news.” Ryne sounded as tired as I felt.

I considered our strange conversation. “Danny might know if there were older children in Tohon’s castle.” Except he was in Alga Realm with the northern tribes. “Kerrick told me his healing powers ignited. He should be training with me.”

“One of the tribeswomen has a form of magical healing and he’s working with her. He’s safer there for now.”

And Zila was with Kerrick’s brother, Izak, and his Great-Aunt Yasmin. Four years younger than Danny, her powers wouldn’t develop for a few more years. Although Danny was only thirteen; young for a healer, but not unheard of.

“Avry, go get some sleep. I’d like you to check that last exit before leaving for the infirmary,” Ryne said.

“All right. Where should I spread my bedroll?”

“There’s barracks on the living level in the mines.”

“Beds?”

He smiled. “The mattresses are thin, but they’re off the ground.”

I sighed. That was the best news I’d gotten all day. Which said quite a bit about my day.

* * *

“Did you request me to escort you to the infirmary?” Odd asked. He leaned in the doorway of the barrack.

“No. I asked for Saul and his squad, but they just returned from a ten-day patrol.” I folded my blanket and stuffed it into my pack.

“Saul? Even after I just spent the last seven days crawling through the mines with you. I’m insulted.” A pause. “Why Saul?”

“We didn’t crawl, and I thought you’d like a break. Besides...”

“Besides, what?”

“He’s quieter,” I teased. Saul was a man of few words.

“Fine, then I won’t talk during the entire trip.” Odd crossed his arms and pouted.

“You sound like a four-year-old.”

“Who’s a four-year-old?” Ryne asked as he squeezed by Odd.

“Odd’s acting like one,” I said.

“Am not!”

I spread my hands out. “See?”

“Avry, be nice. Odd’s one of my best sergeants. His squad has one of the highest mission-success rates of my army.”

“Ha!” A pleased, almost smug, expression creased his face.

“Now you’ve done it. He’s going to be impossible. I’m willing to wait a day for Saul to rest up.”

“I’m not,” Ryne said. “We can’t waste any time. News of your little incident with Cellina’s patrol will eventually reach her, and one of two things will happen. She’ll either recall her troops or stick with the plan. Either way, I can’t send as many soldiers as I originally planned to attack Zabin or we won’t be able to hold off if Cellina’s northern troops engage.”

“Why would she continue?” I asked. “She no longer has the element of surprise.”

“True, but she still has us outnumbered. And if your marks on the map are accurate, she has already positioned her troops in prime locations. So instead of an outright offensive to retake the city, I’m sending only a few elite squads to harry her defenders and draw them away from the manor house while you, Flea, and another squad rescue Estrid and as many of her staff as possible.”

I considered his plan. “With her troops coming from the north and the ones in Zabin, won’t you be caught between the two?”

Ryne stared at me a moment. “I should make you a general. That’s exactly what’s going to happen, but we’re going to hunker down in these mines and make a nuisance of ourselves for now.”

“And the rest of us?”

“The new infirmary location is near Grzebien, southeast of Zabin. There’s a cave system that’s—”

“I’m well acquainted with that cave.” The grief inside my heart pushed against my throat. I spent about twenty days there with Kerrick and the boys. Lots of memories waited to ambush me there. Looking past the pain, I recognized the strategic strength of the location.

“Here’s a map. I’ve marked where you, Flea, the monkeys, and the odd squad need to rendezvous with the rest of the team.”

Odd moved closer to study the markings. “When?”

“Twelve days,” Ryne answered. “That’ll give you enough time to travel to the infirmary, check patients, and get to the rendezvous location.”

“I thought you were worried about time,” Odd said.

“My squads are on foot. If I had enough horses for everyone, it’d be different. But the same goes for Cellina, and I hope by the time the news reaches her and she adjusts her strategy, we’ll be there and gone.”

I calculated. We’d have to give Zabin a wide berth as we headed south—familiar territory for me, and I’d have at least three days with my patients. “Twelve days works for me. What about Jael?”

“What about her?” Ryne asked.

“Last time I saw her, she was in that area. She could be holed up in Grzebien.” I’d no desire to run into the air magician.

“My intelligence agents report she’s headed toward Dina.”

Dina was one of Tobory Realm’s major cities. A little too close for comfort, but better than in Pomyt.

“Okay. What if we’re delayed? What’s the contingency plan?” I asked.

Ryne tapped the map. “Second rendezvous point for day fourteen. If you don’t arrive there, then the mission is cancelled until we can regroup. Details about the mission will be given to you when you meet up with the team. Captain Drisana will be in charge.”

“How will I know it’s her and not one of Cellina’s spies?” I asked.

Odd nodded. Wynn’s betrayal remained a raw spot in our hearts.

“Ask her what realm she’s from. If she doesn’t answer Ronel Realm, then it’s not Drisana.”

Ronel was the dangerous sea east of the Fifteen Realms. It made sense not to use a real realm, as a person had a one-in-fifteen chance of guessing it right.

“And you trust this Drisana?” I asked.

“Oh, yes, she’s been with me since before the plague. Just follow her orders and the mission should go smoothly.”

Odd huffed. “Follow orders? You do remember who you’re talking to.” He jerked his thumb toward me.

“Hey.” I batted Odd’s hand away.

“Do I need to provide examples?” Odd asked. “I’ve several.”

“No need,” Ryne said drily. “I’m well aware of Avry’s...uh...unpredictability.”

“Good save,” Odd said.

“I’m sure he learned that in school,” I said, matching Ryne’s dry tone.

“You’re right. It’s one of the four Ds we studied.”

“Four Ds?” I couldn’t resist asking.

“Diplomacy, defense, deception, and disinformation.”

“Ah. And which D were you referring to?”

Ryne handed me the map. “I’ll let you figure that one out. You’re a smart girl.” He left.

* * *

Just as I feared, a flood of memories assaulted me as soon as I entered the cave near Grzebien. Outside this cave, Kerrick had taught me how to move silently in the forest, and we had all played a fun game of hide-and-seek to test my new skills. I’d boasted of being Queen Seeker and Kerrick had tried to trick me by hiding in a tree. But I’d sniffed him out, following his wonderful scent of spring sunshine and living green.

I wondered if the painted targets were still visible on the trunks from when Belen had shown me how to throw a knife with accuracy and heat. I’d learned survival skills, and after three years of searching for information, I’d discovered my sister, Noelle, had survived the plague and been conscripted into Estrid’s holy army.

And it all had happened only three seasons ago. So much had transpired since then it just amazed me.

I checked on the patients. The move had gone well and no one with major injuries had arrived during the transition. All were settling down for the night.

When I joined the boys, I didn’t need to say a word. Flea and the monkeys’ expressions of sad acknowledgment spoke volumes. We huddled together around the communal campfire and exchanged information. I told them about my adventures at HQ.

“I’m not surprised she’s being aggressive,” Loren said. “I think Cellina’s been planning to take control of Tohon’s army from the beginning. Tohon didn’t know about her sister, did he?”

“No, and Wynn claimed she hated him, and Cellina did sic her pack of dead ufas on Tohon,” I said.

Talking until midnight, we batted a few ideas around, but no one had any more insight into Cellina’s plans. Tired from seven days on the road, I spread my bedroll near Flea’s.

“Can I talk to you in private?” Flea asked in a whisper.

“Sure.” We moved away from the fire.

“There’s a patient I’ve separated from the rest,” he said.

“Why?” Flea’s serious tone scared me more than the secrecy.

“There’s something wrong with him.”

“You should have told me right away. Where is he?” I demanded.

“He’s not critical. He’s in another cavern. It’s just...”

“What? Flea, spit it out.”

“I think he has the plague.”

KERRICK

Kerrick didn’t know how long he lay on the forest floor. Energy returned to him in small frustrating increments. He’d only been gone from the forest for a few minutes and it had sapped all his strength and magic. Which was the opposite of how his magic worked before he’d gotten sick. Now he needed to use his power to leave the forest and to turn his skin back to its original tan color.

You are of the forest, the living green had said to him. Alive like trees and plants.

Those words scared him. Did they mean he was confined to the forest, rooted there like the trees? Was that the price for his life? He hoped not. Perhaps he just needed to regain his strength. After all, he’d been unconscious for weeks.

When he felt better, he pushed to his feet. Flea’s message had been terse. Bag in sticky pine. Kerrick smiled, remembering how Flea hated to get sap on his hands. Quain had teased him, saying that as an ex-thief Flea should be used to sticky fingers. The boy had stared at Quain through his long bangs and replied, “Who said I’m retired?”

Kerrick found his pack shoved into the bushy branches of a white pine tree. Needles stuck to the material, and a squirrel had chewed on the leather straps. Most of his clothing, along with his weapons, money pouch, and boots had been stuffed inside. Only one shirt was missing. His dadao sword had been wrapped in oiled skins and hung from a branch.

The setting sun had cooled the air. He dressed quickly, wrapping his short black cape around his shoulders. His clothes turned the colors of the forest as soon as he donned them. Handy. A quick check confirmed his lock picks remained in place. Flea had also included jerky, travel rations, and a note. Kerrick built a small fire. Gnawing on a piece of jerky, he read Flea’s letter.

Kerrick,

If you’re reading this, then me and the monkeys are wrong and, boy oh, boy, I’m going to be so happy to be wrong! We all believe you’re dead (again—you really need to communicate better if you’re not), so does Prince Ryne, but Avry refuses to accept it and I guess she’s right if you are indeed reading this.

A warmth spread throughout his chest. Avry had faith in him. Kerrick hoped she held on to it and hadn’t changed her mind. He hated to think he’d caused her any more pain.

Avry asked me to write this note. She’s gone with Sergeant Odd to Prince Ryne’s new HQ. I’ll write the location below in our old signals just in case this gets into enemy hands. Those raccoons can be devious when they want—ha-ha. Me and the monkeys are headed with the rest of the infirmary staff and patients to our new location (written below) where we’re supposed to meet up with Avry sometime.

I say ‘supposed to’ because you know Avry. She already disobeyed orders by searching for you after Prince Ryne called it off. And I wouldn’t be surprised if she decides to keep searching and not join us until she’s done. Plus Prince Ryne was really keen on her going to HQ so he might have a special mission for her there. She was all pissed off about it so he’ll have his hands full—ha-ha.

I really really hope you are reading this letter! I have this magic now and it’s awful. I don’t want it. Have you ever felt that way? Probably not since your forest magic is useful. There’s nothing useful about death.

Flea

Kerrick reread the letter. This time picking up on what Flea didn’t write. A friction between Ryne and Avry? Or an attraction? Jealousy flared for a moment before he squashed it. Avry refused to believe he died. That meant a lot. He returned to the note.

Was Flea a death magician now? Too many questions without answers. He read the locations and debated his next move. Travel to HQ or south to Grzebien? Ryne wouldn’t separate Avry from her patients if he didn’t have a good reason.

What would be the quickest route to Avry?

Through Ryne.

He finished his jerky and doused the fire. With his deeper connection to the forest, traveling in the dark wouldn’t require as much energy as before. One benefit to his new...what? Situation? Magic? Existence? Prison? Better than the alternative—death. And as Flea said: There’s nothing useful about death.

* * *

Two days later, Kerrick crouched at the edge of the forest, studying the activity around the town of Victibus. At first glance, the town resembled any other small town struggling to recover from the plague years. Yet small clues hinted that not all was as it seemed. No children ran through the streets. Everyone walked with a purpose and didn’t amble or gather in groups to chat.

A large factory attracted the most activity. Ryne’s HQ, no doubt, and it explained why he couldn’t detect either Ryne or Avry in the surrounding forest. During the last couple of days, he’d experimented with his range and discovered his ability to sense living creatures reached about five miles.

But right now Kerrick had to figure out how to reach Ryne. He didn’t have enough energy to go that far from the forest. But would Ryne believe him if he sent a note? No. Frustration boiled. Kerrick needed to find someone who recognized him and would take a message to Ryne.

It sounded easy enough, but only after checking every single patrol for three days did he see a familiar face around midafternoon. Too bad he couldn’t remember the guy’s name— just that he was a sergeant and had helped Avry escape from Tohon in Zabin. A prince in Kerrick’s opinion.

Kerrick rushed to intercept the squad. Not hard to do, but he scared them when he appeared without any warning. They yanked their swords out and formed ranks. At least he remembered to pull enough power to turn his skin, hair, and clothes normal.

He held his hands out, showing them he was unarmed. “Sorry, gentlemen, but I’m in need of assistance and don’t have time for niceties. I need you to take a message to Prince Ryne and Healer Avry.”

“And I need a vacation and a purse full of gold coins, but that ain’t gonna happen,” one of the men quipped.

Turning to the sergeant, he asked, “Surely you recognize me? I’m Prince Kerrick.” Ugh, he hated using his title. “I believe you were in the infirmary cave when I arrived with Avry, Loren, Quain, and Flea. Remember?”

“I also remember you disappeared and the major ruckus it caused. Why can’t you take the message to them yourself?” the sergeant asked.

Good question and one he’d prepared for. “I’m a forest mage and I am tracking a person of interest. If I leave now, I’ll lose him. Please ask them to come here. I need to talk to them both.” And hug one very tight.

The soldier who had spoken before glanced at the sergeant. “Do you want us to take him, Enric?”

“No. He’s legit. I’m not sure Healer Avry’s still here, but I’ll relay your message.”

“Thank you.”

The men continued on to HQ. Unable to keep still, Kerrick walked in circles. He didn’t need to remain in that exact location because as soon as Ryne or Avry entered the forest he’d know in a heartbeat.

Hours later, or so it felt, Ryne arrived. Not in the direction Kerrick’d been expecting, but from the opposite way. His life force popped up from seemingly nowhere. Strange. The prince had at least a dozen bodyguards with him. Considering he thought Kerrick was dead, he guessed he shouldn’t be insulted by the soldiers.

One person was missing. Avry. Worry flared.

When Ryne approached, Kerrick drew power to appear normal and then made noise before stepping out from the bushes. Tense bodies and expressions relaxed.

Ryne grinned and rushed him, grabbing him in a tight hug before pushing him away. “You bastard, where have you been?”

“Long story.”

“And why couldn’t you come inside?”

“Even longer story. I’ll tell you all about it, but first, where’s Avry?”

“She’s at the new infirmary site down near Grzebien.”

Disappointment stabbed deep.

“She’s going to be ecstatic.”

“I need to catch up to her.”

“Not until you explain what you’ve been up to.”

Every fiber of Kerrick’s being wanted to bolt. To leave Ryne without an explanation. The desire to catch up with Avry pulsed with each heartbeat. And despite Ryne’s entourage of guards, it’d be so easy to disappear.

CHAPTER 7

My heart skipped a few dozen beats. Did Flea just... “The plague? Are you sure?”

“At first, I thought he had an upset stomach. He couldn’t keep anything down, but now he has flu-like symptoms—aches, pains, fever, and that unmistakable oily sweat with the sugary rotten smell.” Flea’s nose crinkled.

Classic stage-two symptoms. Oh, no. “Is anyone else showing signs of the plague?”

“No, but I moved him so he doesn’t get anyone else sick.”

A good idea. “Where is he?”

“In the back, I’ll show you.” Flea grabbed a lantern and led me deeper into the cave system. “I thought everyone who survived was immune to the plague.”

“They are, but not every single person in the Fifteen Realms has been exposed to the disease. Ryne managed to go a number of years before getting sick.” When Tohon had sent an assassin to infect him. Except Ryne’s sister had been among the first wave of people to die from the plague. They’d been in Pomyt on a diplomatic mission. Why would he survive only to sicken later? And why hadn’t I thought of this before?

“In here.” Flea held up the light.

The soft yellow glow illuminated a tiny cavern. Lying on a cot in the center, a young man tossed and turned. He had kicked his blankets off. A sheen of sweat coated his face. As I approached him, my magic stirred from deep inside, signaling a familiar warning. I didn’t even need to examine him. He had the plague.

Fear pulsed as I remembered what I’d read about the spread of the plague. Not airborne. “Flea, did you touch him?”

“Of course. I helped him in here.” He peered at me in confusion.

“Did you have skin contact? Did some of his oily sweat rub off on your skin?”

“Yeah, I did my death touch on him because he wasn’t getting any better.” He paled. “Am I going to get the plague, too?”

“How do you feel?”

“Queasy.” He sank to the ground.

Which could just be the power of suggestion. I crouched next to him and pressed my fingers to the back of his hand. A recognizable vanilla-scented coolness pumped through him.

“Am I going to die?” His voice squeaked.

“No.”

He sagged against the cave’s wall. “Thank the creator!”

“You’ve been hanging out with Estrid’s soldiers too long.”

“Who should I thank, then?”

“The Peace Lilys. Their serum flows in your blood, protecting you.”

“Wow. That’s some powerful stuff.”

I agreed. It had saved mine and Flea’s life. Tohon used the serum to animate the dead. The serum and his life magic—I still hadn’t figured how the combination worked. As soon as I’d learned Death Lily toxin would eliminate his dead soldiers, I’d stopped thinking about it. Too much else going on.

“Did the patient encounter the enemy before he sickened?” I asked Flea.

“Yes. Private Yuri said his squad was ambushed. He was knocked out and when he woke he was alone. He had a cut on his neck, but was otherwise unharmed.”

Interesting. “Has the rest of his squad reported in?”

“No. They’re considered missing in action.”

Not good. As I stared at the sick patient, my thoughts returned to the puzzle of the Lilys. If this man died, his body would probably be rejected by the Peace Lilys because he had no magic. The Lilys only saved those with magic or the potential to wield it. There was a slim chance the patient had potential. If we brought his body to the Lily fast enough, it might work. But why wait until he died? We could transport him now. Except only Flea and I could be near him. I wouldn’t risk anyone else.

What if I brought the Peace Lily serum to him? It might accelerate his death like it had with me. He was going to die regardless. But it might work. It was worth a try.

Excited, I straightened. “No one else cares for this patient or even comes near him. Just us. Understand?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. You need to scrub your hands with soap and water before you leave this cavern every single time. Have you touched anyone else since checking him?”

Flea stood. “I don’t think so. I moved him this afternoon, and then you came.”

A bit of good news. “Stay here with him tonight. I’ll bring back a dose of fever powder to make him more comfortable before I leave.”

“Leave? Where are you going?”

“To find a Peace Lily.”

* * *

I debated between speed and safety. The man had a few more days until he experienced stage-three symptoms, and the monkeys would never forgive me if I left without them. Safety won. I fetched the fever powder, soap, and a water bucket for Flea before finding my friends. Despite the late hour, Loren and Quain hadn’t gone to sleep. They waited for me by the hearth.

“What’s going on?” Quain demanded.

“Is Flea all right?” Loren asked.

“He’s fine. There’s a very sick patient that needs care,” I said.

“So why all the secrecy?” Quain asked.

I lowered my voice. “He has the plague.”

“Flea!”

“Shh, Quain. Not Flea. The patient.”

Loren wilted and rubbed his face. “Not this again.”

“Not if I can help it.”

“The healers couldn’t stop it before,” Loren said. “And you’re not sacrificing your life again.”

“I’ve an idea.” I explained about the Peace Lily serum.

Quain jumped to his feet. “Let’s go.”

“What about Flea? Will he get sick, too?” Loren asked.

“No.” I smiled as they both accepted my answer without question. “Bring your packs, it might take us a couple days to find a Peace Lily.” The map wasn’t as accurate in this area and the Death Lily had only shown me its flowers.

“Should we clear it with someone?” Quain asked.

“I don’t need permission to take care of my patients.”

“And when Prince Ryne learns you left the infirmary with just us for protection, he’ll have a fit.” Loren rolled up his blanket.

“I don’t care.”

“Avry.” Loren gave me his don’t-be-stupid look. He usually aimed it at Quain, so I must be acting unreasonable.

“All right. I’ll talk to the person in charge of the infirmary’s security. Do you know—”

“Lieutenant Macon,” Odd said, joining us. He eyed our packs. “And I can guarantee he won’t let you leave with just two protectors.”

“We managed with just Hogan,” I challenged.

“And a dozen Lilys.”

True. And if we ran into an enemy patrol, I didn’t want Quain or Loren to be harmed or captured. Actually, I wanted them and Flea in a safe place like Alga Realm with Kerrick’s brother. But they’d just refuse.

“Wait here, I’ll talk to him.” Muttering under his breath, Odd strode away.

“Do we want to dash while Odd is distracting the L.T.?” Quain asked.

“Tempting, but Cellina is after Avry. And while we can easily handle a dozen...” Loren gave us a wry smile. “If she sent her dead-ufa pack after us, we’d be—”

“Snack food,” Quain finished.

Odd returned. “You can go as long as my squad goes with you. Let me guess, you want to leave now.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go wake them up. This had better be important.”

“It is.”

Odd’s gaze met mine for a long moment. He nodded. “Give us a couple.”

While Odd roused his men, I consulted the Lily map. East would be the ideal direction to avoid any nasty encounters with the enemy. According to the map, a cluster of Lilys grew a day’s walk roughly northeast.

It seemed as if hours had passed before Odd and his squad were ready. I led them into the forest surrounding the cave. We all went silent and the odd squad practically melted into the darkness. A half-moon shone enough light so we didn’t stumble.

Odd stayed by my side. “Are you going to tell me what this is about?”

“It’s for a patient.”

“And it couldn’t wait for morning?”

“Yes, it could, but I like to bother everyone and drag them out of bed.”

“Okay, dumb question. Give me a break, I’m tired.”

“Sorry. Thank you for coming along.”

Odd grunted.

“I should warn you,” I said.

“This ought to be good.”

“You’re not going to get much sleep in the next two days. A man’s life is at stake.”

“Yeah, I figured. I’m not that tired. Lead on, boss lady.”

Boss lady? That was new. Was Odd being sarcastic? Or just being...well, Odd? He kept pace with me, moving with easy, graceful strides. No signs of tension. I relaxed.

No one said much as the sun rose and traveled across the sky. I spent most of the trip to the Peace Lilys mulling over a number of scenarios. If the Lily gave me its serum, should I inject it all? Or a portion? If the serum killed my patient, would my touch bring him back to life? What if the Lily refused? Tohon had harvested the serum using his life magic, stealing it from the Peace Lilys. Those he injected it into had remained dead, but the serum preserved their bodies, preventing them from decaying. One thing I did know, I wouldn’t steal from the Lily.

We reached the cluster of four Lilys a few hours after sunset. In the cooling air, I smelled the familiar scent of vanilla. None of them moved or hissed as I approached. They were all Peace Lilys.

This might be harder than I’d thought. The single time I’d communicated with a Peace Lily had been after Noelle died. I’d attacked the plant when it refused to save my sister. Remembering the vision of Tohon placing his hands on the base of the Peace Lily’s flower, I copied him. Smooth and thick, the white petal was cool under my palms.

Nothing happened.

I concentrated on why I needed its serum, forming a picture of the dying patient in my mind. Suddenly the petals parted and I lurched forward as my right hand disappeared into the heart of the plant.

Barbs circled my wrist, jabbing into my skin. Ice flowed into my arm, up my shoulder and stabbed into my head.

One only. Learn, it said.

Then it released me, expelling my hand. I fell back. Odd and Loren pulled me to my feet.

“Well?” Loren asked.

I relaxed my grip. A single grape-size blue ball rested in the center of my palm. Except for the smaller size and color, it resembled the Death Lily toxin’s sack—squishy and durable.

“That’s good, right?” Quain asked.

“I’m not sure.” Remembering the Lily’s words, I examined it. Learn what?

“When will you know?” Odd asked.

“When I see the results. Let’s go.”

“No can do,” Odd said. “My men are exhausted. We need a few hours of sleep or we’ll be stumbling into things and making a racket.”

I glanced around. His men had built a small campfire. A few huddled around it and a couple already snoozed nearby. Loren and Quain drooped with fatigue, too, but they’d never admit it.

“All right. Four hours max. You can sleep as long as you like when we return.”

Odd left to organize a watch schedule. I placed the serum in an outside pocket of my pack. Unable to resist the lure of a warm fire, I joined the others. Wrapping my cloak tighter around me, I settled next to flickering flames, using my pack as a pillow. I’d just rest my eyes for a moment.

“How’s that for proof, my dear?” Tohon asked as he led me around the dance floor.

I wore the green silk gown with the plunging neckline and open back. The heat from Tohon’s fingers seared my skin, but I couldn’t break away from him. Music filled the air like a mist, swirling around us.

“Proof of what?” I asked.

“That part of me resides in you. Why else did the Peace Lily open for you?”

“I needed—”

“It doesn’t care. You placed your hands in the exact same spot I did and it worked. Proof.”

“But it gave me its sack, I didn’t steal it.”

“Trivial details, my dear. And not worth ruining our evening over.” Tohon increased his pace, twirling me in circles.

The other dancers blurred by. When Tohon finally stopped, we stood in the garden. My head kept spinning. Tohon hooked his arm in mine and walked me along the stone paths. When my vision cleared, I noticed the once-manicured bushes and plants were now overgrown and wild. Weeds grew everywhere.

Tohon tsked. “Such a shame. Look what happens when the gardener is gone.”

“Kerrick’s not gone.”

“Then where is he, my dear?”

Cold drops struck my face. Water ran along my jaw. The sound of sizzling matched the steady shushing of rain. I groaned and opened my gluey eyes. The others stirred, as well. Darkness remained. Smoke billowed from the wet embers.

“Ah, the joys of camping,” Quain said. “Waking up in a puddle.”

“Yeah, sure, it’s a puddle,” Loren teased.

“Grow up.” Quain pulled his hood over his bald head.

“I’m not the one with the puddle.”

“That’s enough, gentlemen,” I said. Every muscle in my body ached. I clambered to my feet. Rain dripped into my eyes. I yanked my hood up. Icy water splashed down my neck. Lovely.

“Welcome to the rainy season,” Odd said. He swung his cloak around his broad shoulders.

Quain peered into the dark sky. “I told you the weather last year was unusually dry.”

“And how does that help us now?” Loren asked.

I ignored their bickering. My thoughts returned to my nightmare as Odd gathered his squad and prepared to leave. Tohon’s magic couldn’t be inside me. Could it? No. I’d never heard of such a thing. Then again, that shouldn’t be a surprise; my knowledge of the other eleven types of magic was limited. Perhaps it was mentioned in Ryne’s book about the various magical powers. I’d have to ask the next time I saw him.

The rain continued as we traveled back to the infirmary. The darkness turned into a grayness. The sound of raindrops striking the leaves interfered with our efforts to match the noise of our passage with the forest’s song. We stopped often to listen for intruders or signs of an ambush. At each stop, I touched the greenery without thought, seeking Kerrick’s magic. Nothing.

While I understood the need to be cautious, my frustration over our slow speed grew as the day progressed.

It was close to midnight when we arrived. I grabbed a few supplies and headed to Yuri’s cavern, ordering the others to remain behind. Flea slept on his bedroll, blocking the entrance.

He woke the instant I stepped over him. “Did you find a Peace Lily?”

“Yes, and it gave me its serum.” I placed everything on the floor so I could take off my dripping cloak and toss it into a corner with a wet plop.

“Do you think it’ll work?”

I pulled the blue sack from my pack. Was there even enough inside to save the patient? “I’m not...sure.”

“Then talk it through. That always helps me.” He flashed me his lopsided grin.

“Okay. If I inject this serum into Yuri, it’ll do one of two things. It will accelerate the disease and kill him. Then I revive him with a touch. Hopefully.”

“And the other?”

“It will cure him.”

“Why would you think that?”

I explained the link between the plague and Death Lily toxin.

“So you think since Death counters Peace, it’ll work in reverse?”

“Yes.”

“What happens if Yuri dies and you can’t bring him back to life?”

“Nothing. He’ll be gone.”

“Which will eventually happen regardless.” Flea gazed at the sleeping man. “We should ask Yuri first.”

“Is he lucid?”

“At times. He knows he has the plague. I thought it only fair to tell him.”

“You’re right. And we should ask for his permission to try the serum.”

Flea woke Yuri. The young man’s gaze jumped from Flea to me and back as we explained my theories. It was a lot of information to absorb.

When we finished, he closed his blue eyes for a moment. Then he looked at me. “Go ahead and do it. It’s my only chance to live.”

I picked up the syringe, poked the needle into the blue sack, and drew all the clear liquid into the reservoir. Tapping it, I expelled the air bubbles. Yuri’s gaze never left me. He held his right arm out. Flea stood on the other side of the bed, holding Yuri’s hand.

A drop of serum hung from the end of the needle as I approached. I ran my fingers along the inside of his arm, seeking the best spot.

Learn. The Lily’s comment came unbidden. I stopped as another scenario popped into my mind. Was the serum for me? Was I supposed to heal Yuri, die from the plague again and be revived by Flea’s touch?

Of all the options that one made the most sense. Had the best chance of working. Had worked before.

Why hadn’t I considered it prior to this moment? Was it because it would take me twenty days to die and the pain during those last three would be the worst I’d ever experienced? Oh, yes.

I met Yuri’s confused gaze. Could I endure the plague again? Should I? Others needed me as well as this young man. And we had to rescue Estrid and her staff in two days.

“What’s wrong, Avry?” Flea asked.

“I figured out what I’m supposed to do.”

“That’s great. Right?” Flea’s brow crinkled.

Not so great. Now I needed to decide if I should.

KERRICK

Kerrick suppressed a sigh and invited Ryne to get comfortable. No matter how much he wanted to catch up to Avry, Ryne needed to know.

They built a small fire and sat on opposite sides as if negotiating a treaty. The guards fanned out in a wide circle around them. Kerrick explained waking in the forest and his new limitations. “That’s why I couldn’t go inside. I still don’t have enough energy to leave for long.”

Ryne hadn’t said anything during his story. Now he leaned back against a tree trunk. “That’s...quite a story. Avry was right again. Good thing she’s not the type to gloat.”

The warmth in Ryne’s voice raised Kerrick’s hackles. “Why did you bring her to HQ when she’s needed at the infirmary?”

Ryne told him about the Lilys. “She completely disregarded my orders and put my men in danger, but I couldn’t yell at her because she discovered vital information. Do you know how frustrating that is?”

Oh, yes, Kerrick was well acquainted with Avry’s inability to follow directions. “I’ve found the best way to work with her is to explain the situation. She’ll figure out the best way to approach it and you avoid the whole ‘ordering her around’ thing.”

“I’ve learned that the hard way.”

Kerrick laughed at Ryne’s martyred expression. “What was the vital information?”

“Cellina sent troops to our north. She was doing a classic backdoor sneak, but once word of the...incident with Avry reaches her she might change tactics. Regardless of her plans, I need to protect our flank, which means we had to change the attack on Zabin to a distraction and rescue.” He continued outlining his plans.

“Wait? You’re sending Flea and Avry to rescue Estrid?”

“Do you have another idea? I’m open to suggestions,” Ryne snapped.

Kerrick waited.

“Sorry. I don’t like it, either, but I’ve no choice.” Ryne lowered his voice. “I need Estrid. My army is small and we’re scrambling to stay in this. Without her forces, it’s just a matter of time until we’re forced back over the Nine Mountains.”

Not good. A stray thought struck Kerrick. Would he be able to cross the Nine Mountains? Forests grew between the ridges, but the peaks were bare. He might never see his home again. Refusing to dwell on those thoughts, Kerrick focused on the problem at hand—keeping Avry and Flea safe.

“What if I send a message to Noak asking for aid?” Kerrick asked.

“Noak? The leader of the northern tribes?”

“Well, technically, his sister, Rakel’s, in charge, but he leads their warriors.”

“Do you think he’ll come?” Ryne asked.

“I’ve no idea if he will help. It wasn’t too long ago he wished to slaughter our entire population, but Danny did save his people. We won’t know unless we ask.”

Ryne asked Kerrick to write a message. “I’ll send someone tonight.” Then he sobered. “I can’t count on him, so I’ll need to go forward with the plan to rescue Estrid.”

“When is the attack?” Kerrick asked.

“Two days from now.”

It would take Kerrick four days to walk there. “Do you have any horses?”

“No. Big noisy creatures aren’t good for guerrilla-warfare tactics.”

Too bad Kerrick had sent Oya back to the northern tribes. He’d have to find another horse.

“I know you want to catch up with Avry and Flea. Then what?” Ryne asked.

“What do you mean?”

“With your forest magic, you’re my best scout. You can get past enemy lines and I really need accurate information on where Cellina’s forces are.”

“I’d rather stay with Avry.” If she wanted him. Kerrick worried she’d distance herself from him in order to avoid getting hurt again.

“I’ve two of my best squads guarding the infirmary. Once Estrid’s rescued, Avry won’t be in any more danger.”

Kerrick just stared at his friend.

“She shouldn’t be in danger, but... Yeah, we both know it’ll find her.” Ryne rubbed his hand along the stubble on his chin. “It’s up to you. I won’t order you to return. But think about this....” He paused as if debating what to tell Kerrick.

Kerrick braced for bad news. “Think about what?”

“Belen. No one has heard anything or seen him. But no one can get close enough to the enemy.”

Ryne didn’t disappoint. His words sucker punched Kerrick right in the gut, implying only Kerrick could discover where his best friend had been.

“Low blow, Ryne.”

“I’m despicable, I know. And you shouldn’t be surprised.”

“I’m not.”

“Will you think about it?”

“Yes. But Avry first.”

“Of course.”

“Anything else I need to know about?” Kerrick asked.

“I’ve heard rumors about a Skeleton King down in Ryazan Realm. He’s gathered an army and is marching north.”

“Bad news. We encountered him once when searching for Avry, and barely made it out alive.”

“I sent a scout.”

From Ryne’s dour expression, Kerrick braced for more bad news. “And?”

“The scout returned with a package for me. The Skeleton King sent me a crown made from human bones and a note.” He sighed. “He warned me that he was coming and he planned to conquer—his word, not mine—both Cellina’s and my forces. And that when he is victorious over us all, I will crown him with this special crown.”

“How much of a threat is he?”

“Pretty big for us. For Cellina, not so much. She has over two thousand living troops and close to a thousand dead ones. Plus a dead-ufa pack or three.”

“Could that be another reason she’s pulling out of Zabin? Clearing the way for the Skeleton King to come after us? Then with the sneak attack from the north, you’ll be caught between them.”

Ryne cursed. “Another reason why I need you, Kerrick. To find out how many troops the Skeleton King has. My scout learned nothing of value.”

“I said I’d think about it.”

Kerrick wrote a message to Noak and left soon after, heading south to Zabin. Traveling through the night, he avoided the various patrols, but he kept track of animals in the forest, seeking a loose horse. In the morning, Kerrick skirted small towns and farms, hoping to find someone willing to sell or rent him a mount.

By midafternoon he finally spotted two horses grazing in a large pasture near the woods. Summoning all his magical strength, Kerrick turned his skin and clothes to normal before leaving the forest. Each step forward required a concentrated effort. By pure determination, he reached the farmhouse.

He found the horses’ owner and, if the man thought Kerrick’s strained demeanor odd, he didn’t seem to care once the two gold coins hit his palm.

“No saddle,” Kerrick whispered to the farmer. “Just a bridle. Please bring him to the forest. I’ll be waiting there.”

Kerrick’s legs shook as he hurried to return to the living green. As soon as he entered its domain, he collapsed.

Two seconds later, or so it felt, the man arrived with the horse in tow. “Hello?” he called, almost stepping on Kerrick. “Harper’s all ready.” He walked farther in.

Drawing on his final reserve of energy, Kerrick stood, changed to normal and caught up to the man, who jumped about a foot when Kerrick approached from behind.

“Thank you,” Kerrick said, taking the reins.

The man nodded and then bolted back to his farm.

He’ll have an interesting story to tell his family. When the man disappeared from sight, Kerrick mounted Harper. The dark brown horse instantly turned green, brown, orange, red, and yellow, exactly matching Kerrick and the rest of the forest. Handy.

Kerrick had a day and a half to reach the rendezvous spot. He spurred Harper into a gallop.

CHAPTER 8

“You can’t,” Flea said after I explained what I needed to do to save Yuri’s life.

I placed the syringe carefully on my pack to free my hands. “It makes the most sense.”

“What if the serum doesn’t work?” Flea dropped Yuri’s hand and moved around to my side of the cot. “You can’t die. We need you.”

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