“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.
&n
bsp; “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.
Taste of Darkness (An Avry of Kazan Novel - Book 3) Page 7