Authors: Maria V. Snyder
I laughed. “How about it means it’s time to strike.”
“Perfect.” And then Odd’s eyes lit up, and he growled, dashing to the cave’s entrance.
For one heartbreaking second, I thought Belen had arrived, but it was Wynn. Odd pulled her into a hug, then led her over to me.
“Look who’s back,” Odd said to Wynn. “Avry escaped the big bad.”
“I’m the one who told you, you idiot.” She elbowed him in the ribs. “Good to see you, Baby Face.”
“It’s so nice to see you both. Here. At the same time. What a
coincidence,
” I said.
Odd leered and Wynn elbowed him harder this time.
“How’s the scar doing? Are you having any trouble eating?” I stepped close, examining the jagged line along the left side of her jaw.
“It doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it’s actually useful.”
“How?”
“All I have to do is snarl and scowl at the kids in my unit, and they about wet their pants.” She laughed. “Youth can be wonderful when we’re trekking through the woods for twelve hours at a time, but, man, they can be pretty dense at times.”
“Are you staying tonight?” I asked.
“Yep, I even brought supper. Coll, get in here,” she yelled.
A very young man—younger than Flea—scurried in carrying four dead rabbits.
“Fresh meat,” Wynn said.
“The rabbits or Coll?” Odd asked.
She smirked. “Both.”
The poor boy blanched. I took the rabbits from Coll, and he bolted for the exit.
“I’ll give these to the cook,” I said. “He makes a delicious stew, but it’ll be a few hours.”
Odd turned to Wynn. “In that case, would you like to have an early supper with me?”
Confused, I said, “The stew won’t be
that
long.”
They exchanged grins.
“Oh.”
“Ah, Baby Face, you’re finally growing up.” Wynn took Odd’s hand.
They left to find a private place to...er...dine. Various emotions tumbled in my chest—happy for them and sorrow that the one I’d like to have an early supper with was gone.
* * *
The next morning a rare summer rainstorm drummed outside. I worried that Jael might have sent it, but the steady sound and lack of wind eased my mind. Before breakfast, Wynn pulled me aside. “Forgot to tell you last night. Prince Ryne needs more of those toxin sacks. Have you collected them?”
“Not yet. He said he’d send word.”
“Well, this is the word.” She put three fingers up and widened them so they looked like a W.
“You’re chipper this morning. And here I thought you’d be tired from all that...sleeping you were doing last night.” Jealous? Who, me?
Wynn winked.
I retrieved the Lily map from my pack. Spreading it out, I searched for the nearest Lily cluster. Small checks marked the ones I’d already taken the sacks from. According to Tohon, the Lily would regenerate the toxin in two months’ time.
Tapping on the map, I said, “There’s a patch about a day and a half east of here.”
Wynn leaned over. “I saw a bunch of them to the southeast and only a couple hours away.”
“It’s not marked.”
“Must have missed it. And there was a Death Lily, as it tried to snatch Coll. Poor kid almost soiled his pants.”
“Coll? Really?”
“Well, he is young.”
“No, I meant the Death Lily. They go after those they think have potential for magic. Has he shown any other signs?”
“No, but if you want, my unit can accompany you today.”
“That would be great. Plus, Quain will be happy. Not only about staying dry, but he’s been fussing about this assignment every chance he gets. Keeps calling it babysitting duty,” I said.
“Quain? Is he the cute bald guy?”
“Yes, but don’t
ever
let him know that.”
“About being bald?”
“No, the cute part. He would be insufferably smug forever.”
“Got it.”
After we ate, I grabbed a few supplies, borrowed a wide-brim hat to keep the rain off my face and headed out with Wynn. Even though it was late morning, the air was still chilly, and it smelled of moist earth.
Her team followed us, but their progress through the woods made nary a sound. And they kept well hidden, so I didn’t see them at all. Though we weren’t technically in enemy territory, it was still prudent to be as quiet as possible.
“They’re good,” I whispered to Wynn.
She beamed. “I’ve been training them.”
After a few hours, she led me into a clearing that was just the right size for the Lilys. They liked the sunlight but also liked being protected by trees.
I glanced around but didn’t see any. “Are they deeper in?”
“No.”
“Where are they?”
“There’re all around us. Can’t you see them?”
I looked again. Instead of Lilys, dead ufas stood among the trees. Fear kept me rooted to the spot, but I yanked my knife out and threw it at the closest ufa, burying the blade into its shoulder.
I shouted at Wynn. “Run! They’re after me.”
“Well, of course they are, Baby Face. Why do you think I invited them?”
KERRICK
He had left Oya back in Peti. It was far easier to travel on foot through the forest, but slower. Agonizingly slow, in his opinion, as he wanted nothing more than to hold Avry in his arms again. But the pace was prudent. Through his magical connection with the living green, he sensed many groups of soldiers moving in all directions. A battle raged to the west and southwest. And Kerrick wasn’t sure who was who. Plus, he couldn’t sense the dead soldiers or any dead ufa packs, which increased the level of danger.
After a week, he reached the Healer’s Guild and discovered Ryne’s location in a nearby cave. It was quite the reunion since Ryne thought he’d died.
“Three miracles in one summer,” Ryne said after pouncing on him. “This is a sign!”
“Three?” he asked.
“You, Avry and Flea.”
His heart skipped a few beats. “Flea?”
“I forgot you don’t know. So much has happened. Sit down, sit down, I’ve lots to tell you.”
Kerrick glanced around the cave as strong emotions slammed into him. Flea alive? “Where’s Avry and Flea?”
“Not to worry. They’re both safe and with the monkeys in the infirmary.”
“Which is...?”
“About a day east of here.”
Another delay. It took all of Kerrick’s willpower to stay and listen to the events over the summer. At one point, he jumped to his feet. “You left without her.” His hands curled into fists, but he kept them by his sides.
“A tactical decision that worked
exactly
as I’d imagined. Well...except for her sister dying.”
“Noelle died?”
After that, it was a very long night.
“And no one knows where Belen is?” he demanded.
“Tohon claims he turned him into one of his dead, but I find that hard to believe,” Ryne said. “We’ll find him.”
Much later, when Kerrick tried to sleep, his mind whirled with all the information Ryne had divulged. But three events kept snagging: Flea being saved by a Peace Lily, Avry believing he was dead and Belen’s disappearance. He gave up on sleep a couple hours before dawn, told Ryne he couldn’t wait any longer and took off in the rain for the infirmary cave.
Wishing he’d brought Oya, Kerrick jogged through the forest, concentrating his magic on the immediate vicinity only. Ryne had assured him no enemy patrols lurked in the woods to the east, and he didn’t want to waste his energy scanning the entire area.
He arrived at the infirmary cave around midafternoon. Not recognizing any of the guards outside, he bypassed them. Then he slipped inside and stopped, searching for Avry and Flea. His heart jolted, banging against his rib cage when he spotted Flea joking with Quain and Loren.
When he approached them, they stared at him for a moment in confusion. His gaze focused on Flea. He’d believed Ryne, but some things you just needed to see for yourself. And this was one of them.
“Kerrick!” They all jumped to their feet.
Their words and questions jumbled together. Kerrick ignored the noise as he grabbed Flea’s shoulders and pulled the boy into a hug, reveling in the fact that he held real solid, living flesh. Flea had grown, and a spark of magic reached Kerrick.
He pulled back. “Are you a healer now?” he asked Flea.
Flea’s smile went from ear to ear. “No. I’m something, but we haven’t figured it out yet.”
“Gee, Loren, I’m beginning to feel we’re being left out.” Quain pouted. “No one cares about us since we’ve done the boring thing and stayed alive all this time. No miraculous return from the grave for us, so we’re not worth hugging.”
“Sorry,” Kerrick said, pulling in each one and thumping them on the back. “And I didn’t die.”
“So there’s another reason you look like a drowned oversized rat?” Quain asked.
“I’m hoping there’s a good reason you managed to get past my men,” a man, wearing Estrid’s uniform, said. “Otherwise, they’re in trouble.”
“You can’t fault them. This is Prince Kerrick, he’s a forest mage,” Loren said.
The man studied him with a keen interest. “Sergeant Oddvar.” He held out his hand.
Kerrick shook it.
“Oddvar?” Quain asked.
“You don’t really think my parents named me Odd, do you?”
“Uh, no. Of course not.”
“Where’s Avry?” Kerrick finally asked as he scanned the room again.
“She’s going to flip when she sees you!” Quain said.
His patience was about to end. “Where—”
“She went out to harvest toxin sacks,” Loren said.
“By herself?” he demanded.
“No. Sergeant Wynn and her squad accompanied her,” Odd said.
“When?”
“A couple hours ago. She’ll be back in another two or three hours,” Odd said.
In order to find her faster, he asked, “Which direction?”
“Southeast.”
“I’m not in the mood to wait. Gentlemen, I’ll see you later.” Kerrick hurried from the cave. Flea called after him, but he wasn’t going to waste another moment.
As soon as he connected with the living green, he sent his magic to the southeast, searching for Avry and her companions. He found a cluster of irritations about eight miles away. Breaking into a jog, he headed in that direction.
Avry was going to be surprised.
CHAPTER 22
Wait. Did Wynn just say she’d invited them? Perhaps the noise of the rain hitting my hat had garbled her words. I kept my gaze on the dead ufas—eight...no, seven now, as one collapsed from the toxin on my blade. They surrounded us, so I turned in a slow circle, wishing I had more weapons. They kept their positions at the edge of the clearing.
“Wynn, did you—”
“Yes. I led you into this trap. Surprised?” she asked.
If her revelation had been before my sister died and the confirmation of Kerrick’s death, I would have been devastated by her betrayal. But at this point, I had nothing left. “You did catch me off guard. I mean, we knew someone had to be spying on Estrid’s army, but you were the last person I’d expect to rat us out to Tohon.”
“Not Tohon. I hate him just as much as you do,” Wynn said.
“Then who— Oh. You’re working for Cellina?” That was more of a shock.
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“She’s my sister.”
Understandable. “And you hate Tohon.”
“Exactly, I knew you were smart, Baby Face.”
“Not smart enough,” I muttered under my breath.
She laughed. She could.
“Where is she?” I asked, certain Cellina would want to gloat.
“How boring,” Cellina said as she stepped from behind a tree. “I’d thought Avry would at least shed a few tears over your treachery, sister dear.”
“I’m tapped out right now, but if you’d like to come back tomorrow, I could probably shed a couple just for you.” I should be scared, but I was actually having fun. Plus, a few off notes sounded to the south, indicating two people were quite close, and a distant rustling might be a squad farther behind them. Perhaps the monkeys had decided to follow me and brought the Odd Squad. I glanced at Wynn. Did she hear them?
“Amusing, but I’m here to—”
I stopped her. “Let me guess. Hmm... Drag me back to Tohon? No. You wouldn’t have bothered with the ruse. You’d have sent the ufas.” I considered. “You want sister dear to keep her cover, but you want me dead, so she lures me out here and I’m attacked, she survives and runs back to the cave to report on my demise.” I turned to Wynn. “What about your unit?”
“I sent them on another mission. They didn’t accompany us.”
“Ah. Nice.”
“Too bad you didn’t figure this out a couple hours ago,” Cellina said. “Do you know why I wish you dead?”
“You’re jealous that Tohon is so smitten with me.” I let that sink in. “I hope you know that getting rid of me is not going to make him love you, Cellina. That man is incapable of loving anyone other than himself.”
“Nice try. He is obsessed with you, and it’s causing him to make poor decisions, and he won’t listen to reason. Once you’re gone, he’ll be easier to manipulate.”
“Interesting word choice, Cellina,” Tohon said. He stepped into the clearing. “However, I already suspected you had your own agenda regarding Avry. In fact, I was just discussing this
at length
with Sepp as we followed you here. Wasn’t I?”
Cellina’s face paled as Sepp joined Tohon. We were having quite the party.
Sepp’s queasy expression suggested he was uncomfortable being here, and he stared at the ground. “Yes, you were.”
Tohon’s arrival confirmed that I’d no chance for rescue. Unlike Cellina, he might keep me alive for old times’ sake. Tohon strode over to me and took my hand in his. His fiery gaze promised pain. Perhaps not.
“You’d be proud of me, my dear,” Tohon said. “I also deduced Sepp’s involvement with this little plot. Should I kill them both?”
A few slight sour notes sounded to the northwest. “No,” I said, hoping this time it was someone who could help me. Of course, the person needed a couple squads with him or her to be of any use.
“Why not?”
“You can use them.”
“Ohhh, I like. Go on.”
“Well...Wynn’s in tight with Ryne’s army. She runs messages for him and is privy to all his plans. But I’m thinking if you kill her sister, she won’t be as accommodating for you. And Sepp...this one is harder since he’s a whiny, nasty man who betrayed me before.” I paused. “You know...I’ve changed my mind. You can go ahead and kill him. He has no redeeming value.”