Taste of Darkness (An Avry of Kazan Novel - Book 3) (13 page)

CHAPTER 10

Snuggled next to Kerrick, I allowed my worries and fears to disappear. All that mattered was he’d survived the Death Lily toxin. We’d overcome his limitations. And if not, then I’d live with him in the forest. Better than living without him.

I stretched and pushed up on my right elbow. We’d both fallen into an exhausted sleep soon after our reunion. The sun hung low in the sky, which meant we’d slept through the afternoon.

My body still tingled pleasantly. I would have enjoyed the view of his muscular chest, but he blended in with the ground. So did I. As long as I touched him, my skin matched the forest’s colors.

My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since...I’d no idea. And Kerrick’s recovery had taken a toll on him. His hip bones stuck out.

Kerrick mumbled when I untangled my legs and broke skin contact to search for my clothes. They hadn’t gone far. Our lovemaking had been slow and intense, unlike our last reunion, which had been fast and passionate. I dressed and had to sweep my hands over the ground to find him again.

He snagged my wrist and yanked me close. “Don’t go.”

“Estrid’s waiting and I’ll bring food if there’s any left. Loren’s making his road stew.”

He grumbled, but released my arm and once again turning invisible.

I hesitated. “You won’t—”

“I’ll stay right here unless an enemy patrol comes through,” Kerrick said. “Then I’ll lead them away from the cave and double back.”

His words were sincere, yet the knot in my chest refused to loosen. “We should leave after full dark. It’ll be safer. We need to catch up to my team and deliver Estrid to Ryne. Do you have any idea where he is?”

“No, but I can find him with my tree mojo.”

I smiled over Quain’s term for Kerrick’s magic. As I strode away, my worries and fears returned, including the new one—that Kerrick wouldn’t be there when I returned. Especially since I could only feel his magic when he used it to look normal. I paused and turned around.

Kerrick appeared. He shooed me away. “I’m already missing you.”

The monkeys, Eva, and Flea slept, but Estrid stared at the fire. Loren’s stew pot rested on a few glowing embers and my mouth watered. Estrid watched me as I filled a bowl with the steaming goodness.

I sat next to the High Priestess. “Did they fill you in?” I asked her between bites, pitching my voice low so I didn’t wake the others.

She turned her gaze to me. “Yes, except they wouldn’t tell me why Prince Ryne would risk so much to rescue me. Will you?”

“I think you should hear it from him.”

“What if we’re captured?” Her voice cracked with fear and echoed loudly against the stone walls.

I agreed, that thought was unpalatable. “Then we’ll have other things to worry about.”

She blanched and the wrinkles on her face deepened. At that moment, she appeared to be in her early sixties—ten years older than her true age.

“Even though we’re in enemy territory, we have Kerrick and should be able to avoid a run-in with unfriendlies,” I said so she wouldn’t panic.

“If he’s not too exhausted from doing
guard duty
all afternoon.” Quain smirked.

I ignored him. All but Flea had roused at Estrid’s cry. I checked on him. No sweat on his brow, or other symptoms of a fever. No mumbling or agitation. He appeared to be in a deep sleep. I searched my memories. When he had awoken Quain from the stasis, he’d gotten sick to his stomach, but hadn’t acted tired.

I debated touching him. He’d refused my help earlier, but if he was this worn-out, we couldn’t leave tonight as planned. Plus I was responsible for him. Placing my fingers on the back of his hand, I sought signs of an illness, and, finding none, I shared my energy with him. I pulled away before he could drain me dry.

As he woke, I straightened.

He stared at me with confusion for a moment, then asked, “Is it time to go?”

“Soon. How do you feel?”

Flea sat up. “Better. Hungry. Is there any stew left?”

Glad he didn’t flinch because of my proximity, I said, “Just save a bowl for Kerrick.”

“He must be starved. I’ll go relieve him,” Quain said.

“He won’t come in,” I said.

“Why not?”

Aware that everyone’s attention was focused on me, I did a little creative explaining. “He’s keeping track of the enemy patrols with his tree mojo, and if he comes inside, he might lose them.” I smoothed my tunic. “I told him I’d bring him a bowl.”

Loren said, “Once Flea’s done stuffing his face, I’ll take it out.”

“Hey,” Flea protested around a mouthful.

“In the meantime, we should prepare to go,” Loren said.

Since I hadn’t unpacked, I waited by the fire as they rolled up their bedrolls and Flea finished his stew. When Loren was ready, he brought the pot out for Kerrick.

The events over the past day repeated in my mind. I hoped the rest of my team had escaped the blockade.

“Did Odd get out?” I asked Quain.

He shrugged. “Don’t know. Once we realized you weren’t following us, we changed direction to find you.” He glanced at Estrid. “We were mad that you’d run off, but, considering the outcome...”

But at what price? We’d lost a number of soldiers in the battle to escape the manor house.

Loren returned. “Time to go.”

We doused the fire and filed out. The moon was a bit brighter, and the air had turned quite crisp. Eva and the guys had donned their cloaks and Estrid wore mine. I wrapped my blanket around my shoulders. Memories tugged. Not the first time nor, I was sure, the last that I’d used my blanket as a cloak. Knowing I’d warm up once we were underway, I ignored the chilly breeze.

Kerrick scouted ahead as we hiked northeast at a cautious pace. Estrid’s bumbling seemed overly loud and I thought we’d be marked for sure. No one talked. Throughout the night, off notes and crunchings of others sounded closer than I’d liked. A few times, Kerrick stopped us and we hunkered down until the danger passed. At those times, my heart pumped hard as if I’d just sprinted uphill.

By dawn, we twitched at every unexpected noise. Kerrick found another cave for us to hide in.

“Lots of patrols around,” he said at the entrance. “No fire this time.”

“What’s the watch schedule?” Quain asked.

“I’ll stay in the forest. No one’s going to get close without my knowledge,” Kerrick said.

Quain looked at Loren.

“Sounds good,” Loren said, ducking inside. I followed and set up my bedroll for Estrid to use. Then I joined Kerrick outside. “Did you tell Loren what happened to you?”

“Not all of it, but he trusts me.” Strain shone on his face.

“Kerrick, relax.”

He held out his hand. I laced my fingers in his. He dropped his normal camo and I turned foresty.

“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 magic to flow into her, seeking the sickness. At first it found nothing, but a blackness pumped through her heart and tainted all her organs.