Taste of Darkness

by Maria V. Snyder

  “You did more than scout, didn’t you?” I asked.

  “Cellina’s army is determined to find us.”

  Not good. “Us in particular, or the members of Ryne’s attack teams?”

  “I don’t know, but they’re being very methodical.”

  “Then you need to rest.” I tugged him down to his bedroll, spooning in next to him.

  He smoothed my hair off my neck, then draped his arm around my waist, pulling me tight against him. “I’d hoped to consult my prophetess on my future.” His voice sounded husky and his fingers slid under my tunic.

  “Can you sense other people in the forest while you’re sleeping?” I asked.

  “No, but the living green sends me a...pulse, a warning of danger if anyone comes near me.”

  “Did it do that before?”

  “No. What does this have to do with my future?” Kerrick’s hand moved lower.

  I grabbed his hand, trapping it on my stomach. “The prophetess says you will sleep now because it’s vital.”

  Kerrick made a small huff of disappointment.

  “You’re guaranteed to get lucky when we’re safe. Better?”

  “Oh, yes.” He kissed my neck and nibbled on my ear.

  “Behave or I’ll sleep in the cave.”

  He chuckled. “An empty threat. Besides, we’re safe right now.”

  And I’d learned over the past year that there was no guarantee we’d have a later. I released his hand and turned to face him.

  “But what about the prophetess?” he asked.

  “She changed her mind.”

  * * *

  With hiding in the daylight and traveling at night, it took us four more days to loop wide around Zabin. According to Kerrick, Odd and the others had headed south toward the infirmary. I’d worried Cellina’s troops would find the new location, but the enemy patrols didn’t swoop that low. So far.

  “What about Ryne?” I asked Kerrick during a rest stop.

  “I’m not sure where he is. He might be hunkered down in the mines.”

  “Might be?” That didn’t sound encouraging.

  “Ryne’s too smart to get caught. He’ll figure out what’s going on and meet us at the infirmary.”

  “Why the infirmary?”

  “Because it’s safe for now. And he knows that’s where you’ll go.”

  True. I was anxious to get back to attend to any injuries that might have occurred during the skirmishes. Also, Estrid concerned me. She hardly ate and kept quiet most of the time. Similar to Eva, but while being subdued seemed more Eva’s natural personality, it wasn’t Estrid’s. Perhaps she just needed time to adjust to the new reality.

  After two more days of travel, we arrived at the infirmary. One of Lieutenant Macon’s men must have signaled our approach because Odd stormed from the entrance before we reached it. Glad he survived, my good mood faded when he headed straight for me.

  “Where the hell have you been?” he demanded.

  “Hi, Odd, nice to see you, too,” I said.

  “Cut the crap. You didn’t follow any of the contingency plans, you endangered your friends, you—”

  Kerrick materialized from the forest, or at least that was what it looked like, and stood next to me. He wore his flat, unreadable expression. But Odd didn’t back down. He eyed Kerrick with open hostility. Two inches taller than Kerrick, Odd possessed the lean, hard muscles of a longtime soldier. So did Kerrick, but he had been exhausting himself every night keeping us safe.

  Odd returned his attention to me. “I see you found him.”

  “And the High Priestess,” I said.

  He gazed past my shoulder and gasped. “Thank the creator!” He hustled to her and escorted her into the infirmary, all the while fawning over her.

  I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, he’d been recruited into her army and had fought for her as she conquered Casis and Pomyt Realms. Odd’s reaction to her arrival was an example of why Ryne needed her help.

  Flea swept his bangs to the side. “Humph. The creator had nothing to do with her rescue.”

  “Yeah, he should have cried, thank the Flea!” Quain said.

  “Ooh, I like. We should use it all the time,” Loren added.

  They tried out variations of it as they headed inside with Flea trotting behind them.

  “Guess I’ll stay here until I receive new orders,” Eva said, following the monkeys.

  I turned to Kerrick. “I—”

  “Go check on your patients. I’m going to find a soft spot and sleep for a week.”

  “I don’t think the monkeys or Flea will let you. They’ve been good about not pestering us for answers, but I’m sure once they’ve eaten and are rested, they’ll be bugging you.”

  “That’s fine. By then, I’ll be lonely.” He smiled.

  “I wouldn’t be so certain of that.” I leered.

  “Does my prophetess have good news?”

  “I’ll have to consult my crystal ball.”

  “Then make haste, my love. I await your prophecy.” He grabbed my hand and kissed the back.

  Despite the warm tingle that shot up my arm, I said, “I’m not falling for your princely moves.”

  “Darn. That move should have melted you with desire and caused you to give in to my princely charms.” Humor sparked in his eyes.

  “Then that settles it.”

  “Settles what?”

  “I’m not a princess.”

  “Thank the Flea!”

  I yanked my hand from his. “Don’t start. Now go get some sleep.” I shooed him before I entered the cave. Just past the threshold, I paused and glanced back.

  He remained standing in the same spot, watching me. I might not be a princess, but he understood what I needed.

  Inside the cave, Odd had found Estrid a comfortable chair and a change of clothes. Instead of the yellow POW jumpsuit, she wore a red skirt and white tunic. Impressed by his fast acquisitions in a place where we all wore fatigues, I watched the ruckus around the High Priestess. Color had returned to Estrid’s cheeks, she spoke with animation and she’d attracted a number of soldiers. She was back in her element. A good sign.

  An idea occurred to me. Would Estrid be willing to release Melina from the monastery if I asked her? We did save Estrid’s life and I also saved her granddaughter’s life. It would be an easy way to keep my promise to Mom. It couldn’t hurt to ask. But not now. I’d wait until later. Avoiding the crowd around the fire, I headed for my patients. Christina sat next to a man, talking to him, but she shot to her feet as soon as she noticed me.

  “I’m so glad you escaped,” we said at almost the same time and then laughed.

  “I see you didn’t hesitate to help out,” I said.

  “And I see you put my information to good use.” She gestured to Estrid.

  “Yes, thanks for that. Now I owe you two.”

  Christina smiled, showing straight white teeth, which complemented her olive skin and dark hair. “I’ll remember that the next couple times I’m sick.”

  “Deal.” Glancing around, I counted cots. Four more patients than when I’d left. Not bad. “Do you know where Ginger is?”

  “She’s resting. We’re sharing her duties.”

  “Great. Can you walk me through the patients?”

  “Sure.”

  We stopped at each patient and Christina explained the person’s injury or illness. Most had minor ailments that the caregivers had already treated. One woman didn’t rouse when we stopped by her cot. A large gash marked her forehead.

  “Private Tori hasn’t woken since she arrived yesterday, but she swallows the broth we feed her.”

  I rested my fingertips on her neck, feeling her pulse and allowing my mag
ic to flow into her, seeking the sickness. At first it found nothing, but a blackness pumped through her heart and tainted all her organs.

  “She’s either been poisoned or she ate Hogs Breath berries,” I said.

  “Is she going to die?” Christina asked with alarm.

  “Depends. If it’s the berries, then she’ll recover on her own, but if it’s poison then I need to heal her before it gets worse.”

  “You’re too fatigued.”

  I agreed. Plus I’d shared my energy with Kerrick every night. I considered.

  “Can you bring that lantern closer?” I asked Christina.

  She hefted it and I checked Tori’s mouth. If she had eaten the pink berries, the seeds might still be stuck in her teeth or the juice might have stained her tongue. Nothing. Perhaps the broth washed them away.

  “Have you examined her skin?” I asked.

  “Not too closely. We made sure she didn’t have any broken bones or other injuries.”

  “Help me remove her shirt.”

  We stripped her from the waist up, exposing purplish-red bite marks on her upper arms, breasts and shoulders. She hadn’t been bitten hard enough to break the skin, which was why Christina had missed it.

  Christina covered her mouth. Her eyes wide. “Do you think she’s been...”

  “I hope not.”

  Rolling her over, we removed her pants and undergarments. More bite marks lined her legs and hips, but after a quick check, it didn’t appear that she’d been raped. Thank the Flea! But she had been poisoned. An ugly puncture wound on her thigh oozed pus and blood.

  “What’s this?” Christina pointed to a black mark in the middle of Tori’s back.

  It was a tattoo of a skull wearing a crown of bones. Horror welled as I guessed the significance. The Skeleton King. He must have captured Private Tori.

  I explained my suspicions to Christina. “I have to heal her so she can tell us what happened.” My magic surged through her, cleaning the poison from her body and drawing the power into me.

  Christina grabbed my elbow, steadying me. “You should lie down.”

  “No. Take me outside.” I hated to bother Kerrick, but if my strength failed, I’d need his energy.

  I leaned on Christina. A few inches shorter than me, her left shoulder fit right under my arm. As we passed the fire, Odd sprang to his feet. He supported my other side. The world spun.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  Christina answered, but her words faded into a buzzing noise. Black-and-white spots swarmed around me like flies. My legs refused to hold my weight. Then fresh air roused me for a moment.

  Odd’s voice cleared. “...doesn’t make sense, it’s warmer inside... Oh.”

  The sweet smell of spring sunshine engulfed me. I sank into it.

  * * *

  “...message for me,” Ryne said. “Private Tori remembers being tortured by the Skeleton King. He grilled her on our defenses and locations and when she refused to answer, he’d bite and lick her, claiming he was tasting her. An effective method. She eventually told him all she knows.” He sounded defeated.

  “Did she learn anything about his forces?” Kerrick asked.

  “They blindfolded her, so she doesn’t remember much about where she was or details about his troops. Her patrol had been assigned to sweep down near the border with Tobory and Sectven Realms. I didn’t expect them to encounter any trouble. The Skeleton King is much closer than my estimate.”

  Another problem to deal with. I wondered if I kept my eyes closed, maybe all our problems would go away. I ached from head to toe. Cocooned in softness and warmth, I considered giving into the desire to return to sleep.

  “Once Avry’s recovered, I can scout for you and find out exactly where the Skeleton King’s been hiding,” Kerrick said.

  Oh, no. He wasn’t going anywhere. My eyes wouldn’t open so I reached out through the blankets, blindly seeking Kerrick.

  “Avry? Can you hear me?” he asked, clasping my hand. His magic tingled along my skin.

  My throat refused to work. I nodded instead.

  “You’ve absorbed a very potent poison. It will take some time for all your senses to return.”

  I longed to ask how long, but all I managed was a squeak.

  Kerrick’s voice deepened with emotion. “You’ve been sick for three days. You struggled just as bad as when you healed Belen.”

  Belen’s injuries had almost killed me. If Kerrick hadn’t stayed with me either time... I squeezed his hand in gratitude.

  “Flea helped. He shared energy with you when I depleted mine.”

  Oh, Kerrick. “You...” The word hissed from my tight throat. Better than a squeak.

  Kerrick smoothed my hair away from my forehead. “Don’t lecture me unless you want me to return the favor.”

  A blurry orange blob smeared the blackness. It pulsed, growing brighter. Firelight? Guess my eyes were open after all.

  “Ryne’s here,” Kerrick said. “He arrived this morning.”

  “Hello, Avry. Good to see you...er...recovering,” Ryne said.

  I peered in the direction of his voice. A fuzzy man-size bush sat next to the fire. More darkness hovered beyond him. Nighttime or the limit of my blurry vision?

  “We’ll discuss the poisoning and the plague victim when you’re able,” Ryne said. “However you must stop healing these fatal cases,” he commanded.

  He could flat out order me to stop, but it wouldn’t matter.

  “This isn’t the time—” Kerrick started.

  “It’s the perfect time. She can’t argue with me.”

  Kerrick laughed. “Like that will make a difference. Avry will heal who she wants regardless of your desires. I thought you’d figured that out by now.”

  The furry edges sharpened. Ryne’s features came into focus. He gazed at me with a desperate intensity. Deep lines of exhaustion marked his face. Mud spattered his pants. I’d never seen him so...disheveled.

  “I know. But she has to realize that she is vital to our success. We’re so close to understanding the Peace Lilys, and Yuri—”

  I pushed to a sitting position. “What about Yuri?” My throat burned with the effort to speak.

  “He’s an...”

  “Careful,” Kerrick warned.

  “An opportunity to learn more about our enemy. Avry, you need to think about the bigger picture. Without the Death Lily toxin, we’re done.”

  He’d said the same thing about Estrid. And Danny could harvest... No. The young healer was safe on the other side of the Nine Mountains. I glanced at Kerrick. He peered at me in concern. Although I’d argue I was the one who should be concerned. Gaunt and haggard, Kerrick’s face showed the strain of giving me his energy. And I didn’t doubt he’d do it again if I healed another near-fatal patient.

  “Okay,” I said, sinking back down into my cocoon of warmth.

  “Okay, what?” Ryne asked.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “But—”

  “Go away, Ryne.” I waved my free hand. “We’ll talk later.” Then I yanked Kerrick closer and lifted the blanket.

  He slid in next to me along with a pocket of cold air. I shivered. He wrapped me in his arms and dropped his magic. I snuggled in close, resting my head on his shoulder. A slight rustle sounded as Ryne left.

  Kerrick huffed with amusement. “Ryne obeys your orders better than you do his. Maybe you should be in charge.”

  “I’m not ruthless enough.”

  “True. And I, for one, am glad. He is right, though. For purely selfish reasons, I agree that you need to be more selective about who you heal.”

  I growled.

  “Easy. I didn’t say you should listen to him. You know I’ll support you regardless. And
so will Flea.”

  My nurturing instinct flared. “Don’t push him. He needs guidance, not orders.”

  “I can be subtle.”

  I pulled away to look at him. “You? Subtle?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re about as subtle as Estrid hiking through the woods.”

  “Hey.” But his protest lacked heat as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

  I reached up and closed his eyes and stroked his rough cheek. “Sleep.” And for once, he listened without arguing. Progress.

  * * *

  “With the Skeleton King creeping in from the south, should we relocate the infirmary?” I asked Ryne between big bites of stew.

  We sat around Kerrick’s fire a full day after I’d woken from the poison. Kerrick and I had slept almost twenty hours straight. After bathing and changing clothes, we both had been starved. Ryne, the monkeys, and Flea had brought out supper, joining us.

  “Not at this time,” Ryne said.

  “Why not?” Kerrick frowned at him. His wet hair glistened in the firelight and he’d shaved. But it would take more than one day of sleep to erase the dark smudges under his eyes.

  “If we have to engage the Skeleton King’s forces, the infirmary should be close to the action.”

  A cold knot settled in my chest. I hadn’t thought about that.

  “And then there’s the concern about the plague,” Ryne added.

  “Concern? That should scare the crap out of us,” Loren said. “If Cellina can start spreading the plague again, we’re screwed.”

  “I don’t believe it’s the same plague,” I said.

  All five men stared at me in horror.

  “Actually, that might be some good news.”

  No response.

  “And the rest of his squad mates didn’t sicken even though they carried him for a few miles. Is that also good news?” Loren asked.

  Good question. I dug into my memories. My mentor, Tara, had taught me the various pathways that a sickness could enter a body—through the nose, the skin, blood, saliva, and during intercourse. In Yuri’s case, blood was the most likely pathway. He had that gash on his upper right arm.

  “Ryne, when that spy grabbed you, did he cut your skin?” I asked.