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  Annoyance creased his brow. “Dodging mercs, keeping off the main roads and dragging along an unwilling healer has slowed us down. However, I’ve no doubt we will reach Prince Ryne.” He opened the door, then paused. “And don’t worry about anyone disturbing you. My men will take turns staying with you.”

  I bit back a sarcastic reply. After he left, I went to the window. I drew in the cool air and gauged the distance to the ground. Would the drainpipe hold my weight?

  Even if I escaped, how long would I be free before Kerrick tracked me down? Or before the mercs found me? If I turned myself in to Tohon, would he give me the forty golds? A ridiculous prospect, but interesting to contemplate nonetheless.

  “Avry?” Loren stood in the doorway. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking in the view.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “What’s the matter, Loren? Afraid I’m going to jump out the window?”

  “Something like that.”

  I sighed. As much as I would love to part company with Kerrick, I was smart enough to know he was better than being dragged to Tohon by a group of mercenaries. I shuffled over to my bed, kicked off my boots and squirmed under the covers.

  Loren closed and locked the shutters before settling into a nearby chair. I enjoyed the warmth and comfort of the bed, but couldn’t fall asleep.

  “Why did we come to Mengels?” I asked Loren.

  “Do you want the ugly truth or for me to sum it up nice and neat?” His words were punctuated with anger.

  I propped up on my elbow and studied Loren’s expression. “Did you want Belen to die?”

  “No…yes…no.” He rubbed his face. “It wasn’t my decision.”

  “That’s right. It was mine and it was easy. I’m sorry it caused you such…trouble. And don’t expect me to promise not to do it again.”

  Loren laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of asking you that. Wouldn’t want you to make our lives easier or anything.”

  “You’d be bored.” I flopped back onto the pillows. “Although I’m not too sorry. I ended up in this lovely bed.”

  “You can thank Kerrick for that.”

  “Ugh. I’d rather not.”

  “He probably saved your life.”

  “Oh?”

  “He packed leaves and mud into the holes in your stomach and wrapped a bandage tight around your waist. We used Belen’s litter and ran here. Mom’s famous for her healing herbal remedies and she forced spoonful after spoonful down your throat.”

  “Should I thank Mom, then?”

  “Not funny.”

  Kerrick only worked so hard to save my life so I could save Ryne’s. He didn’t care about me. “You’re right, it isn’t.”

  “Get some sleep, Avry.”

  Despite Kerrick’s promise of a peaceful rest, a commotion outside my door woke me in the middle of the night. The lantern had been turned down low, and Quain had replaced Loren. He stood near the door with his dagger in hand.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  He shushed me, and cracked the door open. Mom’s frantic voice pierced the darkness. Pounding steps drummed past my room. Other voices joined Mom’s. Unable to wait any longer, I slid from the bed and crept beside Quain. He shot me a dark look before returning his attention to the hallway.

  “Well?” I whispered.

  Quain pointed his dagger at me. “Go back to bed.”

  After being on Kerrick’s bad side, Quain’s attempt to intimidate me didn’t work. It fact, it had the opposite effect. “No.”

  He jerked in surprise. Opening his mouth, he paused, then shut it.

  The noises from the hall died down. Then Kerrick pushed into my room with the others behind him. Their expressions told an interesting story. Belen concerned, Loren uneasy, Flea angry and Kerrick impassive as usual.

  “Since we’re all awake, we’ll leave now,” Kerrick said.

  Flea swallowed his squawk of protest when Kerrick glared at him.

  “Why’s Mom so upset?” I asked.

  “It’s not our concern,” Kerrick said. “Belen, do you have her cloak?”

  Belen nodded.

  “Belen, tell me,” I said.

  “Melina’s missing,” Flea answered. “Over the past six weeks, someone’s been kidnapping girls and disappearing into the woods. None of the town watch has been able to find them.” He stared at Kerrick.

  “It’s not our concern,” Kerrick repeated. “We don’t have time for this.”

  I rounded on him. “You’re a cold, heartless bastard.”

  He remained calm, but I sensed his fury simmering. It would soon boil. Too bad.

  “Of course it’s our concern! Mom took us in, she helped me. You can find them.”

  “In case you haven’t been paying attention, if Ryne is more important to me than Belen’s life, then he’s certainly a higher priority than some girl.”

  “Girls, Kerrick. Not girl. The beast has done it before and will do it again. You hold your prince in such high esteem, what would he think about you abandoning Melina and Mom for him?”

  Anger twitched on his face, but Kerrick held his temper.

  Belen answered for him. “Ryne would be appalled.”

  That was the first good thing I’d heard about Ryne. Unfortunately, the argument had no effect on Kerrick.

  Time to make a concession. “Find Melina, and I won’t make any more escape attempts. We’ll be able to travel faster if I cooperate,” I said.

  “And you’ll heal Ryne?” Kerrick asked.

  “No, but I’ll give you until we reach him to change my mind. How’s that?”

  “Will you swear to it?” he asked.

  “I, Avry of Kazan Realm, give you my word.”

  “Agreed.” He held out his hand.

  When I clasped it, a strange tingle of magic zipped up my arm. I let go quickly.

  “Okay, gentlemen, looks like we’re going hunting,” Kerrick said.

  Everyone rushed to get ready. Before Flea hustled from my room, he touched my shoulder. “Thanks, Avry.”

  “Are we friends again?” I asked.

  “Yep.” He flashed his lopsided grin and ran after Quain.

  I stopped Belen. “Do you have my knapsack? I need to change into my travel clothes before we leave.”

  “You’re staying here,” Kerrick said.

  “No. Melina might need me.”

  “We’ll bring her back here.”

  “If she goes with you. She might be traumatized and not trusting a bunch of men. Forcing her will only make it worse.”

  He considered.

  I added more incentive. “The town watch is combing the woods—there’ll be no one here to protect me if the mercenaries catch up to us.”

  Belen hid his smile as Kerrick’s shoulders drooped just a smidge. “Fine.”

  When Kerrick left, Belen shook his head. “Flea argued and begged Kerrick to help Melina. I tried and so did Loren. No luck. But you changed his mind.”

  “Only because I gave up my freedom.”

  “I don’t think so. You can really get under his skin. This has been a most interesting trip. I can’t wait to see what else happens.”

  “I can.”

  When Belen returned with my knapsack, I asked him why Kerrick was the one in charge. Belen was a few years older, stronger and more personable.

  “Prince Ryne asked him to find a healer.” Belen turned his back so I could change into my extra set of black travel clothes. Which were now my only set. I folded the tunic and skirt, tucking them into my pack just in case.

  Belen handed me his two daggers. “Keep them with you just in case.”

 
“Won’t Kerrick be upset?”

  “He never ordered us not to give you a weapon.”

  I smiled, thinking how he and Kerrick acted like brothers. “Kerrick and you are both from Alga Realm. So how did you meet Ryne?” I asked.

  “Long story. Let’s find Melina first.”

  Easier said than done. Despite Kerrick’s magical connection, we couldn’t find the man who had taken Melina. When dawn woke the colors of the forest, I hoped we’d find a trail to follow. No luck.

  I worried that Kerrick would give up the search, seeing it all as a colossal waste of time. When we encountered yet another large group of people, I remembered how the forest reacted to intruders. Finding two people among all these searchers would be almost impossible.

  “We need to talk to Mom,” I said to Kerrick during one of our breaks.

  He sharpened his sword with a stone. “Why?” he asked without looking up.

  “Only she can empty the woods for you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know.” I gestured at the surrounding trees. “How the intruders feel to the forest, like an infection or pox on a sick patient.”

  Kerrick stopped in midstroke, glancing at me with suspicion. “How do you know that?”

  “From you.”

  “I didn’t tell—”

  I huffed. “When you grabbed me from the mercs. Remember? Your skin and hair turned the colors of the forest, and—”

  “I know what I did. I just didn’t know you could…feel it, as well. I never could explain the experience to anyone.” He considered. “You’re right. We should ask Mom to empty the forest of searchers.”

  Shocked that he admitted I was right, I almost missed the next thing he said.

  “But Mom doesn’t know,” Kerrick said.

  “Doesn’t know what?” Belen asked. He had returned from scouting and sat down next to me.

  Kerrick stared at me with a hint of amusement as I realized Belen didn’t know about his forest magic, either. And Kerrick wasn’t inclined to tell him. Though he didn’t seem worried I’d tell Belen. Hell.

  Magicians tended to be skittish, as well. When a family discovered their child was gifted with powers, they kept it quiet until the child learned control of his magic and could protect himself. Kidnapping of young mages had been an unfortunate problem before the plague. Children with magic could be sold for a thousand gold pieces to the northern tribes living in the wildlands.

  “Mom doesn’t know I’m a healer, so if we find Melina and she’s injured it would be better not to have anyone around.” I don’t know why I covered for Kerrick. Perhaps I could use it to my advantage someday.

  “Oh.”

  We sat in silence for a while. I thought about the problem.

  “The kidnapper has gone to ground,” I said. “We’ll tell Mom we know where, but he won’t emerge until everyone has given up. Mom will understand and order everyone but us out.”

  “And what if we still don’t find them?” Kerrick asked.

  “Do you have another idea?”

  “No.”

  Kerrick followed my plan, asking Mom to bring in the searchers. Since there had been no signs of Melina, she was happy for any bit of good news. Guilt churned in my stomach over our little deception. Little—how was that for trying to make myself feel better?

  After all the watchmen and volunteers returned to the Lamp Post Inn, Kerrick ordered his men to stay behind, as well. “We will go alone,” he said, gesturing to me.

  They protested and I wondered what Kerrick was up to. He didn’t change his mind. As we headed out, I tucked one of the daggers Belen gave me into my belt and the other into my boot. Kerrick noticed the action, but didn’t say a word.

  When we reached the door, Belen stepped in the way. “If any harm—”

  “Comes to her, you’ll rip out my arms. Got it,” Kerrick said.

  “I’m serious,” Belen said.

  “I know. Do you really think I’d put her in danger?”

  “Not on purpose, but things happen that are beyond even your control.”

  Kerrick gave him a tight smile. “You mean I’m not omnipotent?”

  “You’re not even semipotent.”

  “Is that even a word?” Kerrick asked.

  “He probably meant you’re impotent,” I offered.

  It was worth Kerrick’s glare to hear Belen’s deep chuckle. He pushed Belen aside. The big man’s laughter followed us as we left the inn.

  Kerrick paused just after entering the forest. “We don’t have much light left. We’ll need to move quickly. How committed are you to finding Melina?”

  An odd question. “Very.”

  He held out his hand. “Two is better than one.”

  Understanding rolled through me. I really didn’t want to touch him, but this wasn’t about me. When his fingers wrapped around mine, magic zipped along my skin, connecting me with the forest.

  My awareness expanded into the trees and along the ground. The living green rustled with unease. Unwelcome irritants had trampled its young shoots. It pulsed with pain from broken branches and cut foliage. Deep in its heart, a splinter throbbed. A sore spot the forest wished to remove.

  United through the forest’s essence, we searched for that thorn without saying a word. No need. I was no longer Avry, but an extension of green.

  Together we found the path of a dangerous intruder. Light at first, it darkened as if rotting with excessive moisture. The smell of decay hung in the air.

  And then it loomed before us. An infection oozing with an unnatural bile. Kerrick released my hand. I sank to my knees as the living essence retreated and Avry returned.

  I sucked in deep breaths to clear my head, letting my eyes adjust to once again being an observer and not a part of the forest. I mourned the loss of the forest’s state of being, and I wondered how Kerrick could be so grumpy and mean when he had that ability to sink into the living green at will.

  He crouched next to me, pointing to a hillside. “See that?”

  “The hill?” I squinted in the semidarkness. The shape had an odd…bump.

  “That’s how he’s managed to avoid capture. He built a cabin into the hillside and camouflaged it with moss, grass and dirt. Stay here.” Kerrick crept through the woods, keeping well away from the hidden cabin. No sound marked his passage. Soon he disappeared from my sight.

  I waited as the air cooled and darkened. My concern about Melina grew with each minute I spent doing nothing. We should storm the cabin before that bastard could harm her. What if she was dead?

  Kerrick returned after full dark. A satisfied smirk twisted his lips.

  “Where have you been?” I whispered.

  “Did you miss me?”

  “Not possible. However, there’s a girl—”

  “I looped around the cabin. There isn’t another entrance or any windows. But I found a chimney of sorts. He’s using a small metal pipe to vent the smoke from a fire.”

  “And this helps us how?”

  “Think about it. There is only one way to get inside. If we try to go through that door, he’ll be waiting for us. He has the advantage.”

  But if he came outside, we would have the upper hand. What would force him to leave? “You blocked the pipe?”

  “Yep. We’ll smoke him out.”

  Clever. But I wouldn’t admit I was impressed.

  “When he emerges, I’ll take care of him. You find Melina and help her. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  Kerrick positioned himself near the entrance while I crouched a few feet behind him. It didn’t take long for the moss-covered door to swing open. A shaft of firelight pierced the darkness as white smoke billo
wed out. A tall man waved his arms to clear the haze. He coughed once before Kerrick pounced, wrapping his hands around the man’s neck.

  I straightened. Intent on telling Kerrick not to kill the guy, I stepped closer but froze as three more men ran from the cabin.

  Chapter 8

  The three men rushed Kerrick, knocking him and the tall guy to the ground. Even surprised by them, Kerrick managed to land a few blows before he was overpowered. Two men sat on him, while the third took his sword. They questioned him, but Kerrick remained silent.

  I stood in the open, unnoticed for now and afraid to call attention to myself. I stepped back into the shadows, but I caught the tall guy’s attention. Recovered from his near strangulation, he dashed forward and clamped a hand on my arm, hauling me into the firelight streaming from the cabin.

  “What do we have here?” he asked.

  I was getting tired of being manhandled all the time. My fear transformed into anger. “Are you blind?” I asked. “Oh, that’s right. You’ve been playing with girls so long, you’ve no idea what a woman looks like.”

  Instantly angry, he backhanded me. Expecting the attack, I leaned away and caught a glancing blow. The force knocked me to the ground. While there, I pulled the dagger from my belt and held it close to my body. Tall Guy pulled me to my feet by my hair.

  I pressed his fist against my head, trapping his hand. Not only did the move stop the pain, but I now touched him. Skin to skin. Magic exploded from my core. I channeled it into him. He screamed, but I held on.

  The man with Kerrick’s sword charged. I spun, putting Tall Guy between us. He dropped to his knees still yelling, which made it easier for me to press the tip of my knife against his throat. Sword Man stopped in midcharge. I reduced the amount of pain, quieting Tall Guy.

  Nice to have everyone’s undivided attention. “Release the girl, or I’ll slit your buddy’s throat.”

  The two squatters on Kerrick jumped off and yanked him to his feet. Sword Man aimed the blade’s tip at Kerrick’s neck. “I can play that game, too,” he said.

  “You’re assuming I care about him.” I laughed. “Go ahead. You’ll be doing me a favor.”