Authors: Maria V. Snyder
After an hour, I stopped. Noelle needed to rest, and I needed answers. She plopped down on the ground.
“It’s not safe,” one man said. He had short brown hair and carried a saber.
“She’s sick.” I pulled my pack off. “If you can keep your squad quiet for a minute, I’ll be able to tell you if anyone is chasing us.”
He agreed. Concentrating on the sounds of the forests, I closed my eyes. No sour notes or strange sounds reached me.
Opening my eyes, I said, “We’ve either lost them or they’ve given up.”
“It’s still not safe. Tohon’s other patrols—”
“Are nowhere near us.”
He squinted at me. “How do you know?”
“Tohon’s troops crash through the forest like blind deer. They haven’t learned how to go silent. Neither have you.”
He bristled. “Yet we managed to rescue you.”
“Thank you, Mr....”
“Gilson.”
“Avry.”
He inclined his head.
“While I’m grateful for your help, you have to admit your appearance was rather...timely. Were you in the area, or...”
“We were waiting for you,” Gilson said.
Alarmed, I wrapped my hand around the hilt of my knife. “How did you know we would be coming?”
Gilson glanced at Noelle. She had told me to go east. The pain from my shoulder spread to my heart. Noelle had betrayed me again.
KERRICK
Willing to do anything to ensure Danny’s freedom, Kerrick had agreed to be Rakel’s second when she challenged her father. If they failed, Kerrick and Rakel would die. In that case, Noak had promised to take care of Danny.
The boy woke soon after Rakel healed him. Noak helped him to his feet.
“You have been touched by summer, and now are tribe, little brother,” Noak said.
Danny craned his neck back to stare at the big man. “Kerrick’s been touched by winter, does that make him tribe, too?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Danny asked.
Kerrick suppressed a chuckle at Noak’s uncomfortable expression.
“She gave you a gift in exchange for your sacrifice.”
Danny didn’t look convinced, but he kept quiet. As they walked back to Krakowa, Rakel explained his duties as a second. He would fight Canute’s second, who would probably be Olave, and share magic and energy with her if she needed it. Since Olave hadn’t been touched, it would be her power against her father’s.
When they reached the edge of the forest, Rakel gripped his hands to test if they were compatible, just in case. Her warmth soaked into his hands, traveled along his arms and spread throughout his body. His exhaustion lessened, and he leaned toward her like a sunflower following the sun.
That feeling of longing reminded him of Avry. An image of her rose in his mind. Tohon touched her cheek and she writhed in pain. He cried out, and Rakel released him.
“You are bound to another,” she said.
“I...”
“Your challenge will fail,” Noak said to Rakel.
“It is not like ours. He can still aid me. But you must focus on me, and not let another claim your thoughts. Can you do that?” she asked.
Kerrick glanced at Danny. “Yes.”
Olave and Canute waited for them on the steps of the library. They demanded answers and insisted Rakel return to seclusion. Kerrick left Noak and Rakel to deal with them, going to bed. He would be useless unless he rested.
* * *
Something bumped into his bed. Kerrick rolled over, grabbing for a weapon he no longer possessed. Danny stood next to him holding a tray full of food. Darkness filled the windows, and lantern light flickered in the hallway.
Kerrick groaned. “It’s not even morning.”
“You’re right. It’s actually evening. You slept the entire day.”
He sat up in alarm. “The challenge?”
“The big fight is scheduled for tomorrow.” Danny set the tray on the night table. “Kerrick, you don’t have to do this. I’m tribe now. They won’t hurt me.”
“Don’t you want to go home?”
Danny stared at his feet. “I never had a home. Well...not one I remember.” He played with the hem on his shirt. “You’re my...home, and I don’t want to be alone again.” Plopping down on the edge of the bed, he grunted. “That sounded so...selfish! What I meant was...I’m fine with how things are.”
“But then you’ll never see Zila or Ryne again.”
He shrugged, putting on a brave front. “Zila’s annoying, and Prince Ryne’s too busy. Besides, he’ll come find us eventually. Right?”
“We can’t count on that. There’s a very good reason why Ryne’s busy.”
And it might be Tohon and his army that finds us first,
Kerrick thought. He’d better warn Noak before the challenge.
“Don’t fight. Please.”
Ah. Kerrick considered his next words carefully. “Danny, there’s more than one reason I agreed. Rakel doesn’t wish to marry Olave. I can’t stand by and let that happen, even though she’s my enemy. Besides, Avry would kill me if she found out.”
“Uh, Kerrick. Avry’s—”
“No, she’s not. She made me promise not to tell anyone, but if I die tomorrow...I want you to know.”
Kerrick watched as a combination of emotions rolled through the boy. Joy, anger, fear and back again.
Danny hopped to his feet. “Avry’s alive! You can’t fight now. If you lose, she’ll be devastated.”
He took the boy’s hand. “There’s another reason.” Kerrick waited until he had his full attention. “If Rakel is forced to marry Olave, he will eventually become the leader of the tribes, and getting rid of me is the first thing on his to-do list. Better now than later.”
“Do you really believe that?” Danny asked.
“We both know it’s just a matter of time. And don’t forget, if Rakel wins, we’ll have our freedom.”
“Isn’t there any other way?”
“Not that I can think of.”
Danny stared at him for a moment. “You’ve given up. But I won’t.” He left.
Kerrick debated going after him but decided to let Danny have some time to accept the inevitable. Suddenly ravenous, he devoured the food and then lay back on the pillow.
Despite what Danny believed, he hadn’t given up. Not at all. And he planned to fight as if his life depended on it. Because...well, it did.
* * *
The next day Kerrick stood at the edge of a large circle that had been etched into the ground. The tribespeople surrounded the area, all hoping to get a good view of the action. According to Rakel, they’d been told that a challenge had been presented, but not by whom. They also didn’t know the circle had been located near the forest so Kerrick could access his magic.
Danny pressed against him as they waited for the ceremonial challenge to be called and accepted. Rakel strode into the middle of the circle and formally announced her intention to assume leadership of the tribes. A ripple of disapproval rolled through the crowd.
The murmurs ceased when Canute stepped into the circle, accepting the contest.
“I call my second,” Canute said, gesturing to the edge. “My son, Noak.”
By the shocked gasps, Kerrick wasn’t the only one expecting Olave to be named. Pulling his dadao, Noak joined his father.
Kerrick’s hopes sank. This would be a short fight.
“Who will defy tradition and be your second, girl?” Canute asked.
Before Rakel could answer, Danny dashed into the circle. “I’m her second.”
“No!”
Kerrick moved to chase him, but the people around him held him back. He fought them, but the man next to him said, “Cross the threshold and her attempt will be forfeit, and the boy will die.”
He was going to die anyway. Unless Noak refused to fight. No expression showed on the man’s face. Not good.
Jeers, hisses and angry words rose from the crowd.
Canute silenced them all with a glare. “What is this? A farce?”
“No,” Danny said. “As her second, I request you concede the match in our favor.”
Laughter ringed the circle, and even Canute cracked a smile. “Why would I be so foolish, boy?”
“Because if you don’t, your tribe will cease to exist.”
The noise level dimmed in an instant.
“You’re sick and dying. Half your tribe lies abed.” Danny strode to the edge. He jabbed a finger at a man. “He’s coughing up blood. This other man is hours away from collapsing. And she can’t stop bleeding. Without Rakel and me to heal them, they’ll all die.”
Kerrick beamed with pride. Well played. But would Canute heed the wisdom of Danny’s words?
CHAPTER 20
“No,” Jael said. “I’m not falling for your tricks. I know nothing cures Death Lily toxin. She’ll either die or survive.”
“But if Noelle dies, this will prevent Tohon from turning her into one of his dead,” I said.
“He won’t.” Jael’s hard expression softened. “I’ll ensure she has a proper burial.”
Anger surged. If my hands hadn’t been secured behind my back, I would have lunged for her throat. Instead, I said, “Tohon’s not going to agree to your terms, Jael. He doesn’t want me that badly.”
“And I’ve had enough of your whining.” She waved a hand. “Take her back to the barn.”
Gilson grabbed my upper arm. He escorted me to the old barn. All the windows had been boarded over and the door locked from the outside. At least he removed the manacles before pushing me inside.
The door clicked shut behind me. Sunlight glinted through the wooden slats and streaked the straw with yellow lines. Having already explored every inch of the one-story structure this morning, I sat on a pile of hay bales, considering my limited options, which included actions such as should I lie down or bang my head against the boards?
Enric had been happy to discover Gilson and his squad reported to General Jael and had quickly joined their ranks. Jael had the foresight to send her loyal troops away before Tohon could tighten his noose. The squad had ushered us to Jael’s hideout at a rapid pace. Noelle had to be carried and it had taken us a full day to reach the small abandoned settlement southeast of Zabin.
Noelle had then been whisked away as soon as we had arrived, and, except for my brief audience with Jael in the farmhouse, I’d been locked in the barn. Enric actually believed I had been incarcerated for my own protection.
Although I knew I should be angry at Noelle for betraying me again, I couldn’t produce the feelings. She was dying, and she was my sister. Everything but anger pulsed in my chest. I needed to get her to a Peace Lily. Maybe this time it would save her as it had saved me, but Jael wouldn’t listen.
My shoulder ached, and a bone-deep fatigue pressed on me. I dug through my pack. Gilson had confiscated my dagger and syringe, but I still had the toxin sack. Too bad I couldn’t do anything with it, as I’d never inject it into a living person.
One side of the sack was dented, but liquid squished inside. Not as much as before, but enough to take out a few dead soldiers. The fibrous material hadn’t leaked despite being pierced a number of times with a needle. Impressive.
Down near the bottom of my pack, I found the Lily map. It had been in there since Saul and I had delivered Ursan. Spreading the map out on my lap, I located my current position and deduced the closest clump of Lilys. It was approximately one day east of here. So close!
Frustrated, I tested every wooden slat for weakness again. Solid. Building a pyramid of hay bales, I climbed into the rafters and pushed against the roof with my hands, hoping for a soft spot. None.
Finally exhausted, I stretched out on a pile of loose straw.
* * *
I jerked awake. Surrounded by darkness, I listened. Only the thumping of my heart reached my ears. But an uneasy feeling stirred in my chest. I jumped to my feet. The barn door remained locked tight. What had roused me? I peeked out through one of the small knots. No moonlight or lanterns lit the farmhouse. No movement. No—
An ufa howled, which would have been creepy if it had been a distant keen. But when the noise sounded on the other side of the wall, it went straight past creepy and right into terrifying.
A loud thud shook the barn’s wall. The boards creaked. Alarmed, I backed away. More howls pierced the night. Shouts and screams followed them. Cellina’s ufa pack had found us.
Another thud vibrated. Cracks snaked through the wooden slats. I grabbed my pack and scrambled up the hay pyramid. When I reached the rafters, I kicked the bales, knocking them down.
With a crash, an ufa broke through the wall. It paused as if stunned. Crouched on a rafter, I knew I wasn’t high enough to stay out of its reach. The creature might not see me, but it could smell me.
Through the hole in the wall, I spied a fire. Ufas usually shied away from flames, but I doubted anything could scare the dead ones. The beast below me turned its head, sniffing the air. Smoke and the scent of burning wood wafted inside the barn. Just when I thought it couldn’t smell me, the ufa slunk in my direction.
I pulled the toxin sack from my pack. Perhaps I could rip it with my fingernail and squirt the toxin in its face. But when the creature lunged into the air toward me, I panicked and tossed the sack at it. The ufa snatched it with its teeth, popping it before slamming into the rafter.
The beam shook, and I lost my balance, falling to the ground. The good news, I landed on a pile of straw. The bad, the ufa landed next to me. Before I could move, the creature was on top of me, pinning my shoulders down with its huge paws.
Bracing for its teeth to rip into me, I shut my eyes. But it didn’t. Instead the ufa remained over me as if waiting for further orders. It had been on a seek-and-find mission, not seek-and-kill. Good to know.
The stench hit me a second before the ufa collapsed on top of me. I would have gagged if my lungs hadn’t been crushed under its weight. Using my arms, I pushed on the beast’s chest and wiggled sideways enough to make some breathing room. However, getting the dead weight off me would be impossible.
While I debated calling for help, a thud vibrated the floor boards of the barn, then a second. I froze as snuffling sounded quite close. Long sharp claws scraped at the ufa on top of me. It rocked, threatening to uncover me. I clung to its fur as the other ufa pushed its nose under my ufa’s belly.
My throat burned with the need to breathe, and I was on the verge of passing out when the ufas padded away. After waiting a few more seconds, I sucked in the foul air in relief. Still trapped, there wasn’t much I could do.