Touch of Power (27 page)

I found Ryne a week later. Tucked in a corner of the castle, in an abandoned and off-limits wing, the room felt like a museum. I held up the lantern I carried, illuminating the contents. The light reflected off shiny boxes resting on top of black velvet-covered tables. Upon closer inspection, I realized the boxes were glass coffins. A knot of cold horror twisted in my chest.

Ryne occupied one of them, but he wasn’t the only one on display. Two others had been encased. An older man, wearing formal robes and a gold crown must be King Zavier. The other was a much younger man—close to Kerrick’s age. He had broad shoulders, short blond hair and familiar features. Did Tohon have a brother?

There was one empty glass coffin. To think it waited for an occupant was creepier than the occupied ones. I shuddered, then inspected the bodies.

Ryne actually looked many years younger than when he had visited Tara. He had shaved his full beard and bushy mustache. His dark brown hair had been cut short and, with his expression smoothed, he had a pleasant face.

While Ryne appeared to be asleep, King Zavier’s skin had death’s pallor and the other man was also dead. From his comments when he showed me the castle, I knew Tohon enjoyed using his power to take a life. But he hadn’t taken Ryne’s. At least, not yet. I wondered if the stasis prevented Tohon from finishing the prince.

Who was next? I suspected Tohon would enjoy seeing Kerrick inside the empty coffin. A strange feeling touched me, almost as if I felt protective of Kerrick. I dismissed it and searched under the tables.

A cheap pine coffin had been shoved underneath the empty coffin’s table. I didn’t need to open it to know I would fit inside.

I left the morbid room, setting a quick pace. The early-morning hours before dawn had been the best time for me to search the castle. Most of the inhabitants worked late, and remained in bed until midmorning. I’d been here long enough to know those were the hours Tohon kept, as well.

After I returned the lantern to my rooms, I walked to the infirmary in the gray half-light, mulling over various ways I could send a message to Sepp about Ryne. None of them seemed possible at this time. Half distracted, I almost missed a furtive movement to my left. Curious, I slipped between the stable and armory. Pressing against the armory’s wall, I peeked around the building.

A lone figure moved along the pasture’s fence and toward the northwest corner of the compound. My memory tugged. Cellina had mentioned a garden…of Death Lilys! I sprinted after the person, cutting through the pasture. Was she or he a complete idiot?

In the weak light, the northwest corner appeared to be a copse of trees and bushes. The person had disappeared into the greenery, and I hoped a Lily hadn’t attacked. As I approached the garden, the individual stalks and Lilys came into focus. The petals were bent in strange angles. At first I thought the Death Lilys had all caught someone, but then I realized the petals had been pulled wide open, exposing the inside of the flower.

I walked up to the closest one. It didn’t move. The plant had been wired to a metal frame to prevent it from closing the petals. Whoever had come here didn’t need to fear being eaten. Even the Lily’s infamous vines had been wrapped and knotted tight around a metal lattice. My emotions tugged between fascinated and repulsed. Who could tie up a Death Lily like this?

Tohon. Why? No idea.

I turned to leave, but a rustle sounded behind me.

“Good morning, my dear,” Tohon said, stepping between two Lilys. He carried a bag. “Are you finished with your snooping already or is this part of the compound on your agenda today?”

I shouldn’t be surprised Tohon knew about my searches. “You don’t seem upset.”

He shrugged. “Look all you want. The only person who can wake Ryne is dead. Besides, you’re stuck here and can’t run off to Estrid or Kerrick and tell them all my secrets. And don’t think you can send a message, either. My people are loyal and will report you. You don’t want to anger me, my dear.”

A chill rolled though me, pricking the hairs along my skin. Changing the subject, I gestured to the Death Lilys. “Why are they…spread apart? What are you doing with them?”

“Keeping the flowers open makes it easier for me to extract their toxin.”

Horrified, I gaped at him. “Why?”

He smiled at my reaction. “Did you know the Healer’s Guild tried a number of ways to obtain the Lily’s toxin? The substance breaks down as soon as the Lily dies. But if it is taken from the living plant, the toxin retains its properties.” Tohon reached into his bag and pulled out an orange-colored ball. “Working with the Guild, I discovered that I alone can remove these sacks of toxin. I’m immune to the poison. But if anyone else reaches inside, the Lily will sting him.”

The sack in Tohon’s hand matched the two I had hidden in my rooms. Why would the Death Lily give me them? “I know why the Guild wanted the toxin, but what do you need it for?”

“My dear, I can’t believe you’d be that innocent. Think devious thoughts.”

There were easier ways to kill, but the toxin caused a slow and painful death. A crazy connection occurred to me. The toxin’s symptoms matched the first two stages of plague. Both ended in death except for those few who survived the Lily’s poison. Since I doubted Tohon cared about the similarities or wished to find a cure for either, I concentrated on what he would find useful. He had called his people loyal, but from what I’d seen, they acted more terrified than devoted.

“You use the toxin to threaten people.”

“I knew you had a dark side.” Tohon beamed with pride. “It’s amazing how effective the threat of injecting the toxin into a person is. They’ll do anything I say or tell me what I need to know. Remember that, my dear.”

He’d just confirmed I would find no allies here.

“Since you seem to have enough time to wander around each morning, I don’t think you need another three full days in the infirmary. You can start helping me now.” Tohon gestured for me to accompany him.

As we walked to the castle, he asked, “Have you discovered my lab yet?”

“No.” I had hoped not to find it during my explorations. I could only imagine the horrors that awaited.

Tohon led me through the castle and into the base of one of the towers. Another corkscrew stairway had been built inside. Instead of descending as I had expected, Tohon climbed the stairs. We looped around and around until he stopped a few floors up. He unlocked a door.

“Why did you think I could find your lab when you locked the door?” I asked.

“I figured Nasty Kerrick taught you how to pick locks.”

I huffed in amusement.

“What’s so funny?”

“He wouldn’t teach me. I think he was afraid I’d break my word, and he’d need to cuff me to the trees again.”

Tohon tsked. “No surprise. He has such ill manners.”

He pushed the door open. Sunlight spilled out, and it reminded me of his forever garden. But tables and equipment filled the long narrow space. Windows high up on the walls let the light in. The lab smelled of vanilla and anise.

Happy that my low expectations hadn’t been met, I walked around. I recognized a few devices like the distiller, which extracted oils and other medicinal liquids from plants. The Guild had a whole building dedicated to research. It appeared as if Tohon had duplicated it on a much smaller scale.

He grabbed a bowl from a stack and set it on a table. Dumping the toxin sacks, he spread them out. I counted ten.

“Is there a limited supply?” I asked.

“Each Death Lily has two sacks. If they’re removed, they will grow another set, but it takes a few months.” He pointed to a ledger. “I keep track of when I harvest the sacks.” Tohon opened a drawer full of syringes. Taking one, he pushed the needle into the sack, then filled the reservoir with the toxin.

Sickened by his macabre task, I asked, “What do you need me to do? I have patients to check.”

Tohon gestured to a chair. “Have a seat, my dear. This won’t take long.”

Unease roiled as I sat. He tapped on the syringe to ensure no air bubbles were stuck.

Turning to me with the syringe in hand, he said, “Tonight I have one of those dreaded royal parties. You will accompany me. Wear the green gown.”

My mind registered party and gown, but I couldn’t tear my gaze from that syringe. When he set it on the counter, I relaxed.

He smiled. “Your emotions are such a delight, my dear. You can go from hating me, to fascinated, to repulsed, then to desiring me and back again. How am I to tell which is genuine, when you don’t know yourself?”

“At least I’m not predictable.”

“True.” He crouched down before my chair so we were eye level. “The one thing I do know is you’re getting satisfaction from your work in the infirmary, healing patients. You are finally doing what you’re supposed to be doing. It’s gratifying, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“And you have me to thank. If Nasty Kerrick had his way, you would have healed Prince Ryne and died.” He rested his hands on my chair arms as he studied my expression. “Yes, I know the truth. I was helping at the Guild headquarters when the first plague victims arrived.” With a slight smirk, he asked, “Did Nasty Kerrick convince you to heal the prince?”

“No. You did.”

“Oh? Do tell, my dear.”

“Do you want a list or should I just sum it up?”

“Not nice. Well, consider this. Ryne has been defeated. Even if you somehow managed to wake and cure him, he doesn’t have the manpower or the resources to stop my army. Your sacrifice would have been for nothing. You’re infinitely more valuable than Ryne.” He paused and scrunched up his nose. “Which makes this harder to do, but it must be done.”

“Makes what harder?”

He grabbed my right wrist and strapped it to the chair’s arm. I squawked in protest, pushing at him with my left hand. Quicker than expected, he had trapped my left wrist, as well. I struggled against the bonds and kicked, but he stepped out of reach. How could I not notice the leather ties hanging from the arms?

“What…?” The question died in my throat as Tohon picked up the syringe and approached. I opened my mouth to protest, but he thrust the needle into my upper arm and depressed the plunger, sending the toxin into my body.

Logically there was no reason to be scared. I was immune to the toxin. But would the immunity still work if Tohon and not the Death Lily injected it into me?

Chapter 23

“Why did you do that?” I asked with a steady voice despite my fluttering stomach.

“You don’t seem too upset,” he said.

The toxin spread throughout my body. I leaned back and closed my eyes as my thoughts disconnected from my body. Except there wasn’t a Death Lily to connect to. Only Tohon, but there was no way into him. As if he sensed my plight, he touched my cheek. And we linked consciousnesses.

Interesting reaction, my dear. This isn’t your first experience with the Death Lily’s toxin, is it?

Hard to lie when he heard my thoughts at the same time that I did.

No.
My childhood encounter played, then the one where I had pushed Flea out of the way.

I suspected as much. They won’t communicate with me.

You abuse them, steal their sacks.

They kill people, Avry.

So do you.

His amusement flowed through me.
Are you going to defend me, too?

No. Stop you.

Another wave of mirth.
I doubt it.

Why did you inject me?

To prove a theory. Too bad the Healer’s Guild is no more. I would have liked to gloat.
Tohon dropped his hand from my cheek. He returned to the table with the sacks and wrote in his ledger.

Disconnected from him and my body, my awareness hovered. Could I send it to another place? Too bad Tohon released my wrists and grabbed my hand before I could try. Our consciousness joined as he pulled me to my feet.

You’ll feel better in a few hours, my dear.

How do you know?

I’m guessing.

We left the lab and he locked the door. As we spiraled down to the ground floor, I asked,
What theory did you just prove?
But the answer popped in my mind.
That all healers have survived an encounter with a Death Lily.

Impressive, my dear. If you weren’t already mine, I’d be worried.

I’m not yours.

So you say.

I suppressed the desire to argue with him. As my mother had often said, Pick your battles. Instead, I concentrated on the experiment.
Does surviving the toxin make us healers? Is our magic a gift from the Death Lilys?
I asked Tohon.

I believe so, but I haven’t been able to prove it yet.

If I had control of my body, I would have skidded to a stop. Images of him injecting people just to see if he could turn them into healers flowed through my mind. However, Tohon kept a firm grip as he guided me back to my rooms.

You haven’t been
—

That’s none of your concern, my dear.
His tone warned me to drop the subject.

I mulled over what I’d learned.
If you’re immune to the toxin, does that mean you can heal, as well?

No, my life magic prevents me from getting sick. I’ve never had a cold, the flu or stomach problems. Even poison has no effect. Ah, here we are.
He laid me on my bed and released me.

I hovered over my body, still able to see despite my closed eyes.

Tohon sorted through the clothes in the armoire. He held up a green gown. Sequins glinted from the low-cut bodice. “Wear this one tonight. I’ll send Winter in a few hours to help you get dressed.” He draped it over a chair before leaving.

Disembodied, I tried to move, remembering how I had flowed through the roots of the Death Lily. But then a vine had connected me to the Lily. I had also needed Tohon’s touch. My body lay on a mattress; perhaps I could move through the bed.

Imagining traveling into the softness, I projected my awareness toward the bed. Nothing happened. I guessed I would remain an intangible being until the toxin’s effects wore off. Yippee.

Winter arrived a few hours later. She called my name, but my body didn’t stir. Perhaps I wouldn’t have to go to the party, after all. The young lady touched my hand and I flowed into her consciousness.

Worry for me dominated her thoughts. Nice to know she genuinely liked me. Concern over King Tohon’s reaction if she didn’t have me ready in time pulsed at the back of her mind. She debated if she should report my condition to the king.

Can you hear me, Winter?

No reaction.

I didn’t feel right hearing her thoughts when she couldn’t hear mine. However, I did learn a few things. One, she was terrified of Tohon. Two, she had been ordered to tell Tohon everything I did. Three, Winter would never deliver a message to Sepp for me.

She removed her hand and I floated up like a bubble released underwater. I stayed an invisible ghost for ages; at least, it seemed as if time had stopped. When I had been inside the plant, my body and soul had reconnected as soon as I’d been spat out, but Tohon’s injection lasted much longer. At least it didn’t kill me.

Without warning, I snapped back into my body. I kept my eyes closed until the strange feeling of weighing a thousand pounds dissipated. Then I sat up and stretched.

Winter returned while I soaked in the tub.

“Thank the maker you’re awake!” She bustled around, gathering brushes and combs. “The king was getting impatient. Come on, miss. We have lots to do.”

The desire to drag my feet and make Tohon wait surged. But I knew he would direct his ire at Winter so I cooperated with the girl, letting her arrange my hair and apply makeup. But when it came time to dress, I balked.

The plunging neckline aside, the silk gown’s straps tied behind my neck so no material covered my back or my sides until my waist. I felt almost naked. Instead of putting the green one on, I found a yellow gown with layers of silk that wasn’t as revealing.

Winter fretted over my decision, but she finished with my hair without saying a word. She had pulled it back with two combs and then curled the ends. It had grown past my shoulders.

As Winter was applying the finishing touches of my makeup, Tohon barged in.

“What’s taking so—?” He stared at me. “Why aren’t you wearing the gown I picked?” he demanded. A crazed fury filled his eyes.

I stepped back automatically. “It didn’t fit.”

“Don’t lie.” He closed the distance between us. “You will change now.”

“No. I was uncomfortable.”

“I don’t care. Change now.”

“I—”

He grabbed my forearms. Intense pain shot up them and spread all over as if I had caught on fire. I yelped, yanking my arms in an attempt to dislodge his grip. Stronger than me, Tohon held tight. Waves and waves of fire boiled my blood. He stared at me as I yelled.

The attack stopped as quick as it started. With his fingers still clamped on me, Tohon leaned close to my ear. “The green gown. And if you give me trouble again, you’ll be thrown into a cell below the castle for three weeks. Understand?”

Unable to control my ragged breathing, I nodded. He released me and watched as I fumbled to change. I turned my back on him to finish. Winter helped me tie the straps. When she moved away, Tohon came up behind me.

He touched one of the scars crisscrossing my skin. I stiffened.

“Is this why you didn’t want to wear this gown?”

“Yes.”

“Who did this to you? Kerrick?” Anger spiked his words.

“No one. I healed a man who had been whipped.”

“Then you should be proud of them. The healers I worked with were always showing me their scars. The women especially enjoyed revealing
all
of them. They appreciated the intoxicating link between us.”

Unlike me. I stepped away.

“Come on, then. We’re late.” His clipped tone warned that he remained unhappy.

I followed him to a carriage that had been brought to the main courtyard. The cold air sent goose bumps along my skin. Tohon helped me into the carriage and I flinched as he draped a blanket around my shoulders.

As the horses pulled us through the gates and toward the city, Tohon chatted as if he hadn’t just attacked or threatened me. His mood swings made Kerrick’s seem tame in comparison. If something as minor as a gown set him off, what would he do if he discovered the real reason I was here? I swallowed as fear bubbled up my throat. At least that incident provided me with more incentive to find a way to send a message to Sepp. My time here was limited.

The sun had set by the time we reached town. We stopped outside an impressive mansion that had been built with thick wooden beams and river stones. Gardens surrounded the structure and one side wall was covered in ivy. Bright firelight flickered behind the windows and music drifted through the open doors.

Tohon made a grand entrance. A room full of well-dressed people bowed before him and fawned over him. Their piercing gazes raked over me. I stifled the desire to hide within the folds of the heavy drapes. At least the house was warm.

Three rooms had been decorated for the event. A string quartet played in a corner of the ballroom. Food and wine filled the dining room. Laughter echoed and couples danced. Despite his claims of another dreaded party, Tohon enjoyed the attention. He introduced me as Avry of Kazan to a number of lords and ladies. They nodded politely, then ignored me while Tohon was with me. Which was fine until they aimed snide comments at me when he wasn’t close enough to hear.

At one point in the evening Tohon abandoned me. I found an empty seat in a dark corner, glad to no longer be eyed as if I were dessert.

My peace didn’t last long. Tohon sought me out. And for the first time he didn’t have a group of admirers surrounding him.

“You have them all atwitter, my dear. The theories and rumors about you are quite amusing. Because of the scars on your back, some believe you’re a prisoner of war, others say you’re a lady for hire who likes it rough.” He huffed. “As if
I’d
need to hire someone. And I’ve heard a few speculate that you’re a bastard child of Sultan Kazan.”

“What would they do if you told them the truth about me? Would they turn into a lynch mob?”

“No. They would smile politely.”

“So, no change. Why didn’t you tell them?”

“I like to keep them guessing. But I do want them to know you’re special to me.” He held out his hand. “Come dance with me.” He wasn’t asking.

“I don’t know how.”

“It’s easy. Just follow my lead.”

I wouldn’t touch him until we were in the ballroom. With one hand on my hip and the other holding my hand, we joined the flow of dancers. At first, I couldn’t match his steps and it felt as if everyone stared at me as I stumbled along. I ignored the people around me and concentrated on the moves. After a few turns around the floor, I caught on.

Once I found the rhythm, I relaxed. Big mistake. The heat of his touch ignited my magic and other things left unmentioned. He smiled. Moving his hand from my hip to my bare back, he pulled me close.

“I knew you’d look fabulous in that gown, my dear.”

Intent on changing the direction of the conversation, I said, “As per our contract, this counts as an event. Correct?”

His good humor faded. “Asking for a favor already?”

“A small request.”

He gave me a wry smile. “Go on.”

“I’d like a shopping trip to town.”

“Really? You don’t seem the type.”

“I need a few personal things.”

“Winter will fetch anything you need, my dear.”

“Yes, she will. She’s wonderful, but I need a day away from the castle.”

“And from me?”

A rush of desire flooded my senses. I closed my eyes for a moment, pushing the sensation away. “Stop.”

He chuckled. “I’m just encouraging your own emotions. Besides, you’ll give in eventually, my dear.”

Probably, but not tonight. “The trip—”

“You can go, but Winter and half a dozen bodyguards will go with you.”

Not good. “I don’t want to attract attention,” I tried.

“After tonight, there may be a few people who will try to get to me through you.”

Wonderful. “Then I’ll take Winter and Cellina. She can use that sword, right?”

“She learned at school with the rest of us.” His gaze grew distant. “She considers you a threat. Do you really want to spend time with her?”

“Why would I be a threat to her?”

“Because, you’re here with me instead of her.”

“Oh.” That explained a number of things.

“Growing up, I was a prince in name only. Once my father learned of my magic, he appointed my cousin as his heir. These young noble ladies had no interest in me then. Now that I’m king, they’re tripping over themselves to get my attention. I knew Cellina in school. We became very close and I know I can trust her.”

“Why am I here? You can’t trust me.”

“Such honesty, my dear. You’re here because you’re a challenge.”

“When I’m no longer a challenge, will you be here with another lady?”

“Worried?”

“No. Hopeful.”

His grip tightened. I gasped as every inch of my skin tingled. Light-headed, I swayed. He supported me. “Those comments try my patience, and you know what I’m capable of.” We danced for a while in silence. Instead of clearing, my head felt fuzzy, as if I’d had too much wine to drink. Overheated, I glanced at the doors to the garden with longing.