Scent of Magic

by Maria V. Snyder

  Having a plan didn’t make me feel any better, so I decided to spend my morning searching for Melina. I walked through Dagger, Cutlass and Garrote’s companies’ areas, asking a few young girls Melina’s age if they knew her. Nothing. Then I swept through the others, scanning faces. No Melina.

  On the way back to my area, I heard Ryne’s name. Without thought, I stopped to listen.

  “...left half of his soldiers behind. The marauders had invaded,” a private said.

  “Sergeant Vic said they’ve taken over the northern realms and everyone is dead,” another said.

  “Then why would Prince Ryne leave, you dolt!” He smacked his companion on the head. “You can’t believe anything Vic says.”

  “I heard Prince Kerrick is working for King Tohon as a double agent,” yet another chimed in.

  Wild rumors and speculation weren’t helping me. I would have to check with a more reliable gossip source, such as Lieutenant Thea or Major Granvil. Continuing on, I wondered how long I should wait before approaching them. Perhaps tomorrow.

  Hurried movement caught my attention, and I spotted Noelle running an errand for Jael. I needed to talk to her alone, but she was either out in the camp in plain sight or with Jael. Fingering my stiletto, I considered another option.

  “Excuse me, Sergeant,” a voice sounded behind me.

  I turned around. A very young private snapped to attention. He appeared to be eleven or twelve years old, but had to be at least fifteen—the minimum age to be a soldier in Estrid’s army.

  “At ease,” I said.

  He relaxed his stance but ran his hands down his shirt as if nervous. “Uh...are you the one looking for Melina from Mengels?”

  “Yes. Do you know where she is?”

  He wiped his hands on his pants, leaving damp stains behind. “Uh...can I ask why you want to know?”

  “I’m a friend of her mother and I promised to check on Melina.”

  His gaze darted to the side before returning to me. “I mean no disrespect, Sergeant, but you’re new here, aren’t you?”

  I wouldn’t consider two months new, but I nodded.

  “I’m guessing you haven’t encountered the Purity Priestess yet?”

  Uh-oh. I had dodged her and her goons before. “Go on.”

  “Um...well, as members of the army, we are the creator’s weapons and we must be pure of heart and soul. But Melina didn’t pass...inspection.” His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “She was sent to the monastery in Chinska Mare to atone for her...misdeeds.”

  Various emotions swept through me. First, relief that Melina was alive and reasonably safe. Second, outrage that she had been incarcerated for life because she wasn’t a virgin. And third, surprise that she hadn’t passed. Sixteen seemed too young to me. Regardless of my views, it didn’t change my feelings for her. Or the fact that I needed to rescue her...somehow. Yet another worry, and an addition to my already long to-do list.

  “Thanks for telling me, Private.”

  He dashed off.

  That solved one mystery. Feeling better about my situation, I found a comfortable place to sit and watched the manor house.

  Ryne, Belen and the monkeys emerged after sunset. Shouting orders to his troops, Ryne directed them to bivouac in the fields north of the manor. Loren and Quain guided them to the proper spot while Ryne and Belen were joined by the High Priestess Estrid.

  A ripple of sound emanated all around me as Estrid’s army jumped to attention at her appearance. She wore a red silk gown with gold brocade glinting in the lantern light. From this distance she looked elegant and younger than her fifty-two years. Ryne offered his arm, and she rested her hand on the crook as they descended the steps.

  Her hand remained on his arm as they crossed to Jael’s tent. A sign to her troops that they were working together as equals. Impressive. My opinion of her intelligence rose a couple notches.

  Followed by a scowling Belen, they entered Jael’s tent. I wondered if Ryne had broken the news to him about me. Or perhaps his uncharacteristic demeanor meant Kerrick was missing or worse. The temptation to sneak up to the tent and listen through the fabric pulsed in my chest. Before I could act on my impulse and be caught snooping, I turned away and headed for the sergeant’s fire, skipping supper. My stomach already felt as if I’d swallowed a twenty-pound rock.

  All five of Lieutenant Thea’s sergeants lounged by the fire. No surprise the conversation focused on Ryne’s troops. Ursan watched me as I settled between Odd and Liv, his gaze contemplative. The others hardly noticed my arrival.

  “...he’s holding back,” Odd said. “He has to have more soldiers.”

  “Yeah,” Liv agreed. “No way he could have driven the marauders from the northern realms with only four hundred.”

  “The captain of Falchion Company thought there’d be at least a thousand,” Wynn said.

  “Oh? Did you just happen to run into Captain Lynton today? Or are you stalking the poor man again?” Liv asked.

  Wynn punched her on the arm.

  “Why would Prince Ryne hold back troops?” I asked Odd.

  “There could be trouble in the north or it could be a strategic thing. Perhaps he’s keeping them in northern Pomyt just in case the battle doesn’t go well here and he needs to make a fast retreat.” Odd shrugged.

  He could shrug. Trouble in the north meant nothing to him, but it made my heart shuffle. Deep breath, Avry.

  Once my fears settled, I considered his guess. Knowing Ryne, I dismissed the protection for a retreat scenario. Ryne wouldn’t waste resources. A strategic move made more sense. Perhaps they were planning to cross the Nine Mountains through the Orel pass and drop in behind Tohon’s army. And Kerrick had been assigned to lead them.

  It was a nice fantasy. It included Kerrick being alive and well and probably pissed off because he had planned to meet up with me in Zabin. I clung to it for a bit. But it didn’t take long for my healer side to worry that he was injured and dying somewhere and here I was, playing soldier.

  “...you think, Irina?” Ursan asked.

  It took me a moment to realize he was speaking to me. “Think about what?”

  “You seem distracted tonight. Something wrong?” Ursan appeared to be the soul of concern, but I knew better.

  “Nothing’s wrong. Just tired. What did you want to know?”

  “We were discussing Prince Ryne,” Ursan said. “The last thing we need is some pampered, spoiled prince draining our resources. But I’m curious as to his timing. Don’t you think it’s rather convenient that Ryne arrives now? He’s been missing for over two years, and now he just shows up out of the blue.” His expression said what he hadn’t—just like you.

  “He’s probably been guarding his realm all that time,” Odd said.

  “Coming down here is a big risk,” Liv said. “He’s safer on the other side of the Nine Mountains.”

  “Irina?” Ursan waited as if I alone possessed the answer.

  Before I could offer an opinion, a figure approached our fire. My heart flipped when I recognized my sister.

  “General Jael wishes to speak to Sergeants Ursan and Irina. Now,” Noelle said.

  Not good. “What does she want?” I asked.

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” she snapped. “Let’s go.”

  I stood on weak legs. Ursan had been watching my face, so I smoothed my expression to, I hoped, one of mild curiosity.

  Bright lantern light shone through the fabric of Jael’s tent. I squinted as I followed Noelle through the flaps. As I had suspected, this was used solely for the planning of a war. Huge conference tables ringed with chairs filled the tent. Maps hung from the walls along with charts and diagrams. Officers sat in groups, discussing important matters. Or, at least, it appeared, by their stern faces and tight muscles, to be vital. Thank goodness I didn’t recognize anyone except Jael.

  Would she see through my disguise? Noelle hadn’t, but Jael’s magic might remember me. Jael stood at the end o
f a small table, talking to a couple of colonels. Noelle waited until she was noticed and then informed Jael of our arrival. The general flicked her gaze to us before she dismissed Noelle. Jael gestured us closer.

  Ursan stayed one step behind me, and I felt his body heat on my back. We saluted, although I had to stifle the desire to stab my stiletto through Jael’s heart as payback for killing Flea.

  Despite the lines of strain in her face, she was beautiful. Her long blond hair flowed down her back. Big blue eyes assessed us with mild interest.

  I braced for her to recognize me. Would she cry out in surprise or attack me or order her guards to arrest me? With her, any or all of those reactions were possible.

  “I’ve been hearing good things about you, Sergeant Irina,” she said. “Major Granvil is very satisfied with the work you’ve been doing.”

  Not sure where this was going, I said, “Thank you, sir.”

  “Granvil also informed me that Sergeant Ursan and his jumping jacks have been successful employing your training. Would you say they are your best students?” Jael asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. I want you to run a training exercise tomorrow afternoon. The teams will be Sergeant Ursan and his jacks versus that whelp Ryne and his chosen few.” Jael pursed her full lips in distain.

  “Sir?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “What is the objective of the exercise?”

  “The objective is for one team to sneak up and ambush the other. The whelp believes our army is lacking in certain covert skills, and I want to prove him wrong. I’ll be observing so don’t disappoint me, Sergeant.”

  “Yes, sir.” One positive thing about Kerrick remaining in the north, no one to lecture me about how much trouble I was in right now.

  “Excellent. You’re dismissed. Sergeant Ursan, a word.”

  My cue to leave. I saluted and hurried outside into the darkness. Pausing to let my eyes adjust, I wondered what Jael wanted with Ursan. Instead of heading to my tent, I stepped to the side as if waiting for him. The guards stationed by the entrance didn’t react. They continued to ignore me.

  Leaning closer to the fabric, I strained to hear Jael’s voice. Nothing. Either the fabric was too thick or the noise inside was too loud. Would Ursan tell me what she wanted? His yes, sir, though, was crisp and loud. Show-off.

  I joined him when he strode from the tent. For the first time since I’d known him, he seemed...distressed. He barely acknowledged my presence as I tagged along, and he remained silent the entire trip back.

  Just before we parted ways, I asked, “What did the general say?”

  “It’s classified,” he said.

  “Was it about tomorrow’s exercise?”

  Ursan gave me a blank stare.

  I sighed. “I want your jacks to be at the training site early tomorrow so we can go over a few things. Prince Ryne’s men will be hard to beat.”

  “How do you know?”

  Ah, there was the suspicious Ursan I’d grown to tolerate. “Belen is one of his men.”

  “Oh.” He considered. “How hard to beat?”

  Almost impossible if Ryne brought Loren and Quain, but that wouldn’t be positive. “More challenging than finding me. But I think the jacks will score a few jackknives tomorrow.”

  I expected a smile, but he stiffened, shot me an unreadable look and said good-night.

  * * *

  In the middle of the darkened room, Kerrick lay inside a glass coffin. His open eyes were lifeless and without color. I shouted his name and pounded on the glass.

  “No need to carry on, my dear,” Tohon said, stepping from the shadows. “He can’t hear you.” He took my hand in his, turning it so my palm faced up. “Besides, you’re mine. You’ve been mine since that first kiss.” Tohon pressed his lips to my wrist.

  His magic shot up my arm and straight into my core. A wave of sensations radiated out, turning my muscles into a spongy mess. Unable to stand, I sank to the ground. Tohon followed, pushing me flat.

  He leaned over me. “You can’t hide from me, my dear. I will find you. I promise.” Tohon pressed his lips to mine.

  Odd’s booming voice woke me. My lips tingled from Tohon’s kiss, and the image of Kerrick in the coffin wouldn’t dissipate.

  Odd bounced on the edge of Wynn’s cot. “Took me all night, but I’ve got the good stuff.”

  Liv threw her pillow at him. “Go away.”

  He ignored her. “I’ve sorted through all the wild rumors and gossip and discovered the truth! The tribes from the wildlands have indeed invaded the northern part of Ivdel Realm.”

  I sat up. “That’s horrible.”

  “Not to worry, Prince Kerrick is leading the rest of Prince Ryne’s troops in an attempt to stop them.”

  “Attempt?” I asked. My relief over Kerrick being alive and well was instantly replaced with worry.

  “The tribes are notoriously vicious and effective against larger opponents.”

  “How do you know?” Wynn asked. “You grew up in Ryazan Realm.”

  “And we don’t have history books in Ryazan?” he shot back.

  Before they could launch into an argument, I asked, “How effective?”

  “At one point they had control of all the land north of the Nine Mountains. When they found passable routes through the mountains, they attacked the southern lands. They weren’t called realms then.”

  “And?” Wynn prompted.

  “An army waited for them. Spotters had seen the tribesmen and warned the southerners. But even outnumbered ten to one, they used the terrain to their advantage. They hid in the foothills and sent small groups out to harass the army before returning to their hiding spots. Using that tactic, they managed to remain in the area for a number of years until more forces arrived and drove them back over the mountains and all the way to the wildlands.”

  The strategy sounded familiar. I searched my memories and recalled Kerrick mentioning Ryne’s elite squads and how they had been successful against a bigger army. I wondered if Ryne learned it from the tribes? And I hoped he’d taught Kerrick a counteroffensive.

  “Did you find anything else out?” I asked.

  “Do you remember the healer who came through here about six months ago?”

  Murmurs of assent. Oh, no, this was it.

  “She saved Davy’s leg,” Liv said. “They were going to cut it off because of an infection. Why?”

  “She died saving Prince Ryne’s life,” Odd said in a dramatic voice.

  I guess I should have felt appreciated as they appeared to be upset by my heroic death. But it just made me sick to my stomach.

  Wynn and Liv pumped him for details, but he only had the basics. Eventually the topic returned to Ryne’s troops.

  “They’re a quiet lot,” Odd said. “I hope that doesn’t mean they’re scared.”

  * * *

  After Odd left, I sent the jacks out to practice. I stood in the middle of the training area and shouted instructions as they ran the drills over and over again. I wasn’t the only one nervous. Ursan paced, making it hard for me to listen to the others. And a few times when he was out on recon, I heard him crash through the underbrush.

  Before Ryne showed up, I gathered the jacks around me. “Just relax and do what you know how to do. Keep it fun. And follow the rules. We’re all on the same side.”

  Ursan flinched when I said that last bit. I suspected Jael had ordered him to cheat. I gave the jacks an hour off to eat and rest. They headed back to camp in high spirits, but I stopped Ursan before he could follow them.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked him.

  “Nothing.”

  “Yeah, right. Did the general order you to break the rules in order to win?” I demanded.

  He seemed surprised by the question. “No.”

  “Then what’s going on?”

  Ursan refused to answer. He pushed past, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts. No surprise Jael was up to no good. But what did she in
tend? I would have to stick close to Ursan this afternoon and find out.

  * * *

  I stood with the jacks when Ryne and his team arrived, keeping my distance and hoping to blend in with the crowd. Ryne’s team consisted of Belen, Quain and Loren. Four of them against Ursan and his squad. Major Granvil accompanied Noelle, who would fetch the general when the teams started interacting. Granvil read the rules of engagement to all the participants.

  Each team would travel in opposite directions for an hour. They couldn’t spread out or go in different directions. They had to stay together as they would out on patrol. Not side by side, but close. They couldn’t lie in wait for more than fifteen minutes, and those who were “caught” had to return to base where the officers waited. Caught meant being surprised by an opposing team member. If there were still active participants on both sides at sundown, the winner would be determined by the percentage of “kills.”

  “Sergeant Irina?” Granvil called.

  Oh, no. “Yes, sir?” I stepped forward, drawing everyone’s attention. My gaze stayed on Granvil, but my skin itched as I felt Ryne and the guys studying me.

  “You’ll be the intermediary, ensuring everyone is following the rules and dealing with any contested ‘kills.’”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Any questions?” Granvil asked.

  Everyone’s focus returned to the major. Everyone’s but Belen’s. His gaze burned into my soul, and I shifted so my back was to him.

  “How far can we go?” Ryne asked.

  “This large patch of woods is surrounded by farm fields. As long as you stay within the forest, you can travel anywhere.”

  “Fair enough,” Ryne said. Then he looked at me. “How can we be sure Sergeant Irina isn’t biased? After all, she trained these men.”

  Good question. I glanced around, but it seemed no one wanted to answer him. “All I can give you is my word to be impartial, sir. If you’d like to pick—”

  “Her word is enough,” Belen said.

  Ryne accepted Belen’s endorsement without hesitation. But I worried. Did he recognize me? I’d have to avoid him during the exercise. Oh, joy.

  Since there were no other questions, Major Granvil sent the teams deeper into the woods. Ryne’s team to the east and Ursan’s to the west. I stayed behind with the major and Noelle. Nothing would happen for more than an hour, so I didn’t need to be out there yet.