Had Kerrick felt this way when we parted? He’d seen me without life. And then I’d walked away, claiming it was for the best. Not nice—almost cruel. Had he suspected the real reason I’d ran? Did I?
I glanced at Flea. He looked so young and peaceful. No nightmares disturbed his sleep, unlike with me. Most nights Tohon visited my dreams. Most nights Tohon’s kiss lingered long after I woke breathless with desire. His touch so vivid, I worried my dreams of him would erase my memories of lying with Kerrick.
Pulling the sheet over Flea, I tucked him in. Even though I knew he was safe, I just couldn’t leave.
I settled in one of the chairs and waited. My thoughts returned to past decisions and mistakes. Had Tohon claimed me? Is that why I dreamed of him every night?
Familiar voices woke me from a light doze. Night had fallen, and Quain carried a lantern. He held it high in one hand and clutched a sword in the other as he entered the tent. I called to him to avoid being skewered.
Quain’s defensive posture didn’t relax. “What are you doing here?”
Equally armed, Loren slid in behind him, followed by Ryne. Of the three, only Ryne appeared happy to see me. And in that moment, it hit me.
“Quain, I’m sorry,” I said.
Caught completely off guard, he just stared at me.
“You’re right. I didn’t trust you. Any of you. Because I’m terrified,” I said.
“Of what?” Ryne asked, stepping closer.
I drew in a deep breath and then the words gushed forth. “Of being captured by Tohon again. Scared of what he’d do to me. Not of being tortured or even being experimented on, but losing myself. Also if he found out about Kerrick and me...” I swallowed. The thought of Tohon’s wrath shook me to my core. “I can’t resist his life magic. The contract I signed was the only reason he didn’t press his advantage before. Next time, there won’t be negotiations. I’d rather die again than be his.”
The three men gaped at me as if uncertain what to make of my confession.
But for me, once I’d said the words aloud, admitting my fears, I felt much better. Odd. And I realized I couldn’t hide forever. I’d let the fear drive me away from Kerrick, and he might be killed fighting the tribes. I vowed, if I got another chance, I wouldn’t let Kerrick out of my sight.
Quain sheathed his sword, handed the lantern to Loren and pulled me into a Belen-sized hug. Loren put the light down and wrapped his arms around us both, making an Avry sandwich.
“Don’t worry about Tohon, Avry,” Loren said. “We’ll protect you.”
“He’s not getting near you,” Quain said. “You’ll be safe with us.”
I let myself believe them as I leaned my forehead against Quain’s shoulder.
“Avry died, too?” Flea asked. “When did that happen?”
In a flash, I was tossed aside as the monkeys whooped and pounced on Flea.
“Why didn’t you tell us? Was he hiding, too?” Quain demanded.
I explained how I found Flea.
“Wait. A Death Lily told you to go there? Is no one else suspicious?” Quain asked.
“I asked it to help me with the Peace Lilys, and it sent me there. I’m not complaining.”
After another round of hugs and slaps on the back, Loren introduced Flea to Ryne since they hadn’t met. The prince shook his hand and thanked him for helping to save him. Flea stammered and gave him one of his lopsided grins.
And then I remembered what else the Lily had given me. I fished them from my pack and held them out.
“What are those?” Ryne asked.
“The Death Lily’s poison sacks.”
Loren and Quain shrank away, but Ryne picked one up and examined it in the lantern light.
“That’s interesting,” Ryne said. “Why would it give them to you?”
“I don’t know,” I said.
“Maybe it wants us to inject it into Jael,” Quain said.
“I’d second that,” Flea said. “I missed a lot of cool stuff because of her.”
We glanced at each other. Cool wasn’t the word I’d use to describe the past six months.
“What do we know about this?” Ryne asked, holding up a sack.
“It kills people and its own plants if you pour it around the base of the Lily’s stem,” I said.
“But it doesn’t kill everyone,” Ryne said. “Healers survived the poison, and Danny and Zila.”
“Maybe there is another use for the toxin,” I suggested. “Maybe it wants us to figure it out.” I remembered when Tohon had injected the toxin into me. My consciousness had floated above my body, which was similar to being inside a Death Lily, but when Tohon had touched me, I’d merged with his thoughts. I’d wondered if he had used the toxin to create his dead soldiers but had dismissed the theory since he froze the dead bodies in a magical stasis so they didn’t rot. Perhaps I’d been too hasty.
“Here.” Ryne handed it back to me. “I’ll let you figure it out.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Tell me what else you learned while you were gone,” Ryne said.
I filled him in on the disappearing troops.
Ryne stared at the wall for a long moment before declaring, “We have five days to prepare.”
“To prepare for what?” Quain asked.
“For war.”
“Why five days? He could attack tonight,” Loren said.
“That’s midsummer’s day,” Ryne said as if we should all know the significance of that day. When no one commented, he continued. “When we were in school, that was always the last day before our annual break. And the last-year students always crown their elected king on that date, during graduation.”
Now it made sense. Tohon had wanted to be king but hadn’t been elected, and now he was determined to be king of the Fifteen Realms.
“Estrid’s forces have been training for months. Are they strong enough to stop him?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Ryne said.
“You don’t know?” I asked. “You’re supposed to be a military genius!” My voice turned shrill.
Ryne put his hands on my shoulders and leaned close, capturing my full attention. “Jael commands this army. They are loyal to her and to Estrid. Not me. I have four hundred soldiers and that’s it. I can only give advice. Plus Jael hasn’t confided her real plans to me. She’s been feeding me the same bull she’s been telling her mother-in-law.”
“What about your troops?” I asked.
“When Tohon attacks, they’ll be in the forest divided into small tactical units.”
“Like your elite squads you used to help Kerrick in Alga?”
“Yes. They’ll harry Tohon’s soldiers with quick, short strikes. I wanted to divide all of Estrid’s forces into squads because I don’t think we can win using more traditional warfare methods.”
“But what about the dead soldiers?” Loren asked. “None of your elites returned from scouting missions in Sogra.”
Ryne released me from his piercing gaze to glance at Loren. “We were unaware of Tohon’s abominations then.”
“But they have neck armor now,” I said.
“My troops have been training to deal with that. Estrid still isn’t convinced.”
Alarmed, I asked, “Haven’t Belen and Ursan returned?”
“It’s only been ten days,” Ryne said. He squeezed my shoulders as if consoling me, then let go.
We had five days until Tohon attacked. “Tell me what you’re doing, and I’ll start training my squads.”
Ryne raised an eyebrow. “Your squads?”
“Sergeant Irina’s squads. I’m sure she’ll help.”
He promised to send one of his men over in the morning to demonstrate the technique.
Once again I hesitated before leaving. Flea stood between Loren and Quain. “Do you have an extra cot for him?” I asked.
“Yes,” Ryne said.
“You’ll need to find him some clothes that fit, and—”
“We’ll take care
of him,” Ryne said.
I pointed at the monkeys, getting their attention. “Don’t let him out of your sight. Understand?”
“Hey,” Flea said. “I can take care of myself.”
We all ignored him.
“Yes, Sergeant,” Loren said, smiling.
“Good.” I nodded.
As I left, Quain said, “She said I was right, Loren. Did you hear her?”
“I don’t recall.”
“Liar, you just don’t...”
Their bickering faded as I strode through the camp, heading toward my tent. If only Belen and Kerrick were here, it would be perfect. Until Tohon attacked. With that sobering thought, I sought out Thea. She talked to a group of lieutenants, and by their intense gazes I guessed she discussed the disappearing soldiers.
I hovered on the edges, hoping to catch her eye. She noticed me and waved me over.
“Sergeant Irina estimated over two hundred in a squad,” Thea said, including me in the conversation.
The others looked doubtful.
I made a quick decision. “Prince Ryne is pretty confident Tohon will attack on midsummer’s day.” Before they could dismiss the news as hearsay, I continued, “We’ll need special training to counter them. All your squads that are not on patrol are to report to the main training area in the morning.”
The lieutenants gaped at me, then glanced at Thea. She met their outraged expressions with her typical calm. “All my squads will be there, Sergeant,” she said without looking at me.
One by one, they nodded and left to inform their platoons.
She turned to me. “Go tell Liv, and I’ll find Saul and Odd. Wynn’s out on patrol.”
“Thanks,” I said.
A brief smile. “You haven’t led me astray. Besides, nothing wrong with more training.”
We parted to spread the news. It was well past midnight when I crawled into my cot. Exhaustion had one benefit—no nightmares.
Liv shook me awake at dawn. “Come on, Baby Face, wake up.”
I groaned and tried to roll over, but she yanked my sheet off.
“You’re evil,” I mumbled.
“This was your idea, not mine.” She crossed her arms and studied me.
I ran my fingers through tangled hair. Still no lice. “What?”
“Your hair is getting darker, and your lips aren’t as fat.”
There had been no free time for me to reapply Mom’s various dyes. “So?”
“So, there have been rumors about you.”
Oh, no. It had started. “What rumors?” I asked with what I hoped was a mildly curious tone. Getting up, I pulled on my shirt.
“That you’re working for Prince Ryne. You were spotted heading straight to his tent when you returned from your secret mission. And you’ve been in his tent a couple times since he has arrived.”
Thinking fast, I said, “Since the exercise in the forest, he’s been consulting me on a few things. Lieutenant Thea is well aware of my activities.”
“Consulting you? A sergeant? Yeah, right.”
“Okay, I confess.”
Liv waited.
“We’re lovers.”
She burst out in a high-pitched semigasping laughter. So amused by my comment, she doubled over and collapsed onto her cot. I debated between being offended and glad I entertained her as I finished dressing.
After waiting for her to calm, I said, “What’s so funny about that?”
“Come on, Baby Face. First, he’s a prince, and second, everyone knows there is only one man for you.”
That surprised me. “Really? Which man?”
“We’ve no idea. But you’re the prettiest sergeant around and you’ve been so oblivious to the interest from the other guys that we’ve figured you had to be in love with someone else. Did he die from the plague?”
“No.” My reply just popped from my mouth.
“Then why isn’t he with you?”
“It’s complicated.” Before she could ask any more questions, I brushed past her. “Let’s go, we’re late.”
A sizable group had already gathered in the training yard with more arriving. Saul and Odd joined us as soon as we entered the area.
“More games of hide-and-seek?” Odd asked me with a smile. “Or do you have a new game to play?”
“A new one.”
“Oh? What’s it called?”
I remembered Thea’s comment about the dead soldiers. “Fighting the impossible.”
Odd’s humor died as his gaze slid past my shoulder. “I think I’m going to like hide-and-seek better.”
Ryne, the monkeys and Flea approached us. Quain carried the neck collar along with a burlap sack that clinked with each step.
“I thought you were sending someone else,” I said to Ryne.
Liv and Odd shared a look, and I realized too late that my tone and demeanor had been inappropriate for a sergeant talking to a prince.
Ryne ignored my insubordination. “This will be another chance for me to get acquainted with Estrid’s troops. It’ll be important when we’re fighting together. Please ask all the officers and sergeants to come over. We’ll demonstrate the technique to them first, and then they can teach their squads.”
I waved Thea over and relayed Ryne’s request. Soon we were surrounded, and even Major Granvil joined us. He nodded to Ryne, gave me a look that would pierce armor, but didn’t say a word.
Prince Ryne explained to the group that when Tohon attacked, the soldiers wearing the metal collars would be Tohon’s special forces. “They will come at you with a mindless determination in utter silence. They will be unaffected by injuries to their bodies.”
A ripple of unease tinged with amusement rolled through the audience.
“Yes, I know what you’ve been told. And you probably think I’m crazy right now. But I’m not here to convince you, just to teach you a skill that might save your life in battle.” Ryne gestured to Quain.
Quain set the sack down. It clanked. He clamped the metal collar around his throat, drew his sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. He advanced.
Ryne pulled his own weapons. “First step is to unarm your opponent.”
They engaged in a sword fight. Metal rang and clanged as they fought. Even though I wasn’t an expert, Ryne’s superior skills with a blade were obvious. He used a number of quick and efficient moves. Quain’s cheeks turned red as he struggled to defend himself. I scanned the faces watching the match. The others appeared to be impressed. I suspected that was another reason Ryne decided to lead this training exercise—to gain the soldiers’ respect.
Quain grunted, and I turned in time to see his sword fly from his hand. Blood welled in a bright red line from his thumb to his wrist. I fought the desire to rush to him and check the severity of the cut.
“Once your opponent is unarmed, don’t hesitate to take the next step,” Ryne said. “Plant your sword.” He shoved the tip of his blade into the hard ground. “Move in close. As you advance, change the grip on your dagger like so.” He spun the hilt in his hand so the blade now pointed to the ground. “With your free hand, grab his head and pull down. Then aim the blade for the base of his skull. The collar protects the neck and prevents decapitation, but if you can jam the blade into the spot between the cranium and spine, you’ll stop him.”
Murmurs of shock and disbelief sounded. Comments and questions erupted all at once.
“That’s brutal.”
“It’s an impossible place to reach in a fight.”
“What if he’s taller than you?”
“Why can’t we just chop their arms off instead?”
Ryne explained with a strong calm voice. Even when he repeated the same answer multiple times, he never lost his temper. He demonstrated the strike many times, as well. Each repetition soothed the ripples. They quieted and finally really listened to him. When they started repeating back his instructions, Ryne appeared satisfied.
Quicker than I’d expected, the lieutenants and sergeants practi
ced finding the kill spot on Quain, Loren and Flea. The burlap sack held more collars. Although they didn’t quite match the one stolen from Tohon, they proved adequate for the training. When Ryne was happy with their efforts, he distributed collars to the sergeants so they could teach their squads.
As they disbursed into smaller groups, I walked over to Quain. “Let me see.”
He flexed his hand. “It’s just a scratch.”
“Scratches can get infected.” I grabbed his wrist, but he broke my grip.
“No. I’m not letting you blow your cover.”
I huffed. “We’re four days away from war. I’m not going to hide when I’m most needed.”
“You still have four days,” Quain said. “If it isn’t better by then, I’ll be first in line.”
“All right, but go wash it with soap right now and cover it with a clean bandage. Keep it dry and—”
“Av—Irina, don’t worry, I know how to take care of a cut.”
“Sorry. I’m just...”
“Overprotective? Overly cautious? Smothering?” He smirked.
I crossed my arms and gave him my best stern look. “You didn’t seem to mind my tendency to nurture when I healed Belen and Loren.”
Unaffected by my comment, he said, “They’re a bunch of wimps.”
Just then Loren joined us. “Who’s a wimp?”
“According to Quain, you are,” I said.
Quain’s smirk died. He sputtered.
“Care to explain?” Loren asked him, putting his hand on his sword’s hilt.
“Go ahead.” I waved jauntily and left the monkeys.
Ryne moved among the squads, assisting when needed. Flea also helped. I watched a few bouts and answered questions. Eventually, Loren and Quain joined the training.
By the end of the day, word of the special strike training had spread to the other companies. Major Granvil organized with his colleagues and scheduled more practice and teaching sessions for the next couple days.
Scent of Magic Page 17