[English] Touch of Power (Năng Lượng Thần Kỳ)

Touch of Power
Page 10



“You will heal him.” Kerrick’s dangerous tone warned me not to argue, but I wouldn’t back down.

“Never.”

“That’s enough, Avry.” Belen stood. “We can discuss this in the morning.”

“There’s nothing to discuss,” I said. “I’m not healing him. In fact, I’m glad he’s locked in stasis where he can’t hurt anyone ever again. The only thing that would make me happier is his death.”

I’d gone too far. With a strangled cry, Kerrick lost his temper. Belen lunged toward Kerrick and I raised an arm to block Kerrick’s strike, but we were both too slow. Kerrick backhanded me across my cheek. The force of the blow sent me to the ground.

Chapter 4

My cheek stung and throbbed. I remained on the floor of the ****. Belen stood between me and Kerrick.

“…temper in check. She’s a sweet girl,” Belen said.

“She’s a healer, Belen. And no longer a girl. Healing Ryne is all I care about. All you should care about, as well. You know—”

“Yes, I know what’s at stake.” Belen spat the words. “But if you raise your hand to her again, I’ll rip your arm from its socket.”

Wow. I tilted my head to catch Kerrick’s expression.

A flicker of surprise flashed across his flat gaze. “Make sure she keeps her opinions of Prince Ryne to herself and I won’t have to.” Kerrick glanced at me.

I met his cold gaze and realized I meant nothing to him. Unlike Belen, Kerrick must know I wouldn’t survive healing Ryne and he didn’t care.

“You will heal Ryne,” he said before turning away. “Loren, your watch.”

Loren shot to his feet. “Yes, sir.” He dashed from the ****rn. And I wished I could follow him.

Belen knelt next to me. He pressed a wet cloth to my cheek. “I’m sor—”

“Don’t apologize for him,” I said, leaning into the cool comfort of the cloth. I glanced around. By the rigid way they lay under their covers, I knew Flea and Quain pretended to be asleep. Kerrick shucked off his boots and settled into Loren’s spot, ignoring us.

Belen played nursemaid, fetching me a drink of water and setting up my bedroll. I liked him. Too bad, I wouldn’t be staying with them for long.

I waited for an opportunity to escape. It took two days. Two days of walking through the forests in silence and one night in yet another ****. A night I kept quiet and just listened to the men, nursing my bruised ego.

The second night’s stop was far from ideal since Kerrick stopped at a big echoey ****rn. I suspected he knew the location of every single ****rn in the forest. But I couldn’t stand being with him any longer.

“Remember when those three drunks challenged Belen to a fight?” Quain asked no one in particular during dinner and when Kerrick was out on watch.

“And Kerrick gave strict orders. No fighting or we wouldn’t be able to go near a tavern again,” Loren said.

Flea rolled his eyes. “I’ve heard this story a dozen times.”

“Only a dozen?” Belen asked. He had stretched out on his back by the fire and rested his head on his crossed arms. “For some reason those two monkeys—” he gestured to Loren and Quain “—think that story bears repeating over and over again. Perhaps it’s just an unfortunate manifestation of their low intelligence.”

Quain snorted. “Manifestation? Oh, boy, look who’s trying to impress the healer.”

“He doesn’t want us to finish the story. He’s afraid we’ll scare Avry,” Loren said, trying to draw me into the conversation.

All four of them had been overly solicitous as the bruise on my cheek swelled, turned red, and faded to a mere smudge of greenish black. I reminded myself that they hadn’t struck me. No need to hate them.

“I’m not that easy to scare,” I said. “What happened with the drunks?”

“He clapped all three of their heads together, knocking them out. Thus, no fight,” Quain said.

“Thus? Now look who’s flinging the fancy words around,” Loren said.

“Thus is not fancy,” Quain shot back.

Flea sighed elaborately. “Here we go…again.” He picked up his two rocks and practiced juggling them despite his claims of giving up the other night.

I had made sure my bedroll was close to Flea’s. While Quain and Loren launched into a debate about the fanciness of certain words, I asked Flea about his name.

Keeping his gaze on the stones, he pointed his chin over to the others. “They, ah, gave me the name. Seems it was nicer than being called a parasite.”

“What’s your given name?” I asked.

“I don’t have one. At least, not one I remember.” Flea missed a stone and muttered a curse. “I grew up on the streets, thieving *****rvive. I’ve been called boy, thief and other uncomplimentary words.” A flash of his lopsided smile. “How’s that for a fancy word? Uncomplimentary.”

“I’m suitably impressed,” I said.

He managed to keep the rhythm of the throws consistent for a number of exchanges before the rocks collided in midair. Another curse and he started again.

“How did you get involved with this group?” I asked.

“About a year ago, they came to my town, asking questions about healers. They were discreet, but still word gets around and the local muscle didn’t like them or me for selling information to Kerrick. Stealing secrets was one of my most lucrative abilities.”

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“It almost got you killed,” Belen said.

“That time. I had a whole network of informers and these guys showed up and just blew it apart.”

“Funny, I remember it differently.” Belen tossed another log on the fire.

“You would. Your life and livelihood weren’t at stake.” Flea scratched his temple with the edge of one of his stones. “When things grew too hot, I helped them slip out of town and…” He glanced at Belen with affection, but masked it before the big man could see. “I just stayed.”

“Ha. We rescued him from the stockade before they could hang him as a traitor. And then we stopped the idiot from going back.”

Which would explain Flea’s comment about kicking Belen’s shins because he wouldn’t let go.

“So who gave him his name?” I asked.

“Kerrick,” Belen answered.

Not who I’d expect. “Why ‘Flea’?”

A full-out grin spread across Flea’s face. “’Cause I’m fast and hard to catch.”

“Because he’s a pest and hard to squash,” Belen said.

“Because he jumps about three feet in the air when you scare him,” Loren added.

“Because he’s annoying and makes us itch with impatience,” Quain said.

“Thanks, guys. I love you, too.” Flea made exaggerated kissing noises and patted his ass.

They threw pieces of bread and pillows at him, laughing. I realized they had formed into a tight family. Guilt at what I’d planned welled, but it shattered the moment Kerrick entered.

I bided my time, keeping awake while Loren woke Quain for his shift and Quain roused Flea for his. After Quain’s breathing settled into a deep rhythm, I crept from my covers. With one mournful look at my knapsack, I tugged my cloak around my shoulders and tiptoed away from the fire. If anyone woke, I hoped the presence of my knapsack would make them assume I had just gone to the privy—which was a stinky side ****rn I hated to use.

Flea sat on the top of a large boulder a few feet away from the ****’s entrance. As soon as he spotted me, he immediately slid down the side.

“What’s wrong?” he asked in a whisper.

“Nothing. I just needed some fresh air.”

“You shouldn’t be out here.”

“Is there anyone around?” It would be a surprise if there were. Since I’d been with Kerrick and his men, I’d seen no one at all, yet they still carried their weapons at the ready.

“Not close, but there’s a group of merchants—we hope—about two miles due east of here. See the fire?” He pointed.

I squinted into the darkness. We stood on a slight rise. A tiny pinprick of orange-yellow dotted the mound of trees.

“How do you know they’re merchants?”

“Wagons loaded with goods, horses and armed guards. They could be mercenaries, but they have too much…stuff. Mercenaries usually travel lighter.”

“How do you know all this?”

Flea grinned. “Kerrick’s already checked them out and determined they’re probably harmless. We have to be more careful now. I’m sure the rumors about your rescue and our involvement have spread faster than the plague. Twenty golds is a huge sum. There are a few mercenary groups who would love to take you from us.”

Curious, I couldn’t help asking, “Can they?”

“Not many,” he said with pride. “But don’t worry, Avry. We’re too smart to walk into an ambush.”

My heart squeezed with guilt and I hesitated.

“You better get inside. If Kerrick finds you out here, I’m a goner.”

“All right.” I turned to go, but stopped. “Flea, don’t move.”

He froze. “What?”

“Kissing Spider. Hold still.” I touched the back of his neck with my hand. I found the small area between the vertebrae and shot my healing power into his spine. He arched back in silent surprise before collapsing.

Catching him, I laid him down. I arranged his limbs so he would be comfortable. My stomach twisted as I pushed a lock of hair from his eyes. Healers had a few ways to defend themselves, but we hated to use them. And some, like the one I used on Flea, needed to hit the precise location or it wouldn’t work.

I considered his size. He’d wake in two, maybe three hours. However, Belen’s watch shift would start within an hour. I needed to go. Now.

Should I head toward the merchants and hope they’d protect me?

No. Basic survival—trust no one. I ran west.

I discovered within minutes that running full speed through the forest at night wasn’t my best idea. After I wiped the dirt from my face and hands and regained my feet, I slowed my pace. It would be hard to follow my trail in the dark so I hoped Kerrick would wait until dawn.

If I was lucky, I’d have a three- or four-hour head start and wouldn’t stumble into a Death Lily. If I wasn’t, I’d have one hour at most or become plant food. I focused all my energy and concentration on putting as much distance between me and Kerrick as possible.

My luck held for once. When the sun’s rays diluted the darkness, I was able to see better and I increased my pace until I smelled smoke. Skidding to a stop, I turned in a slow circle, seeking the direction of the fire. When I found it, I crouched and crept toward the source.

It wouldn’t be good if I accidentally ran into a band of mercenaries. Better to know where they were and how many than try to guess. My progress through the underbrush was far from utter silence. However, aside from a few rustles, I managed to get close enough to see into a clearing.

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I counted ten sleeping bodies around the dying fire. No horses. But one guard slumped against a tree trunk with his mouth hanging open—also asleep. Would they set two guards? I searched the surrounding woods, seeking movement. Nothing.

Satisfied, I backed away and bumped into someone. I froze as the edge of a sword touched my neck.

“Gotcha.”

Chapter 5

“Turn around slow,” the sword’s owner ordered me.

I obeyed. Perhaps he didn’t know who I was. Yeah, right. And perhaps this was all a dream and I would wake up in my house, surrounded by my family.

By the exultant smirk and greedy glint in his dark brown eyes, I had only the possibility that they wouldn’t kill me outright.

“Put your hands where I can see them,” he said. His sword still rested on my neck.

I held my hands out.

“Wake up!” he yelled. The shout roused the sleeping men in the clearing. “Today’s our lucky day!”

Voices and loud calls cut through the forest. Not good. As the sounds drew nearer, I stepped back in panic.

“Relax, sweetheart. The bounty for you is double if we bring you in alive.”

That stopped me. “Forty golds? Why?”

“Don’t know, don’t care. As long as Tohon pays us in full.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“There are other interested parties. I’m sure—”

Hands wrapped around the mercenary’s head and yanked. The sword’s blade nicked me as a loud snap vibrated through the air. The man fell, revealing Kerrick. A scarier sight by far.

Kerrick lunged toward me. Knocking me to the ground, we rolled through the underbrush with ease. But this time, I was aware enough to realize we shouldn’t be able to do that. When we stopped, Kerrick was once again on top, but this time he pressed his hand over my mouth.

After my head cleared from the spinning, I noticed Kerrick’s skin and clothes matched the colors of the forest floor. Exactly. Even his hair. Magic tingled inside me as he drew it from the earth, using it to camouflage us. Kerrick must be an earth magician. Which explained so much—like how we avoided all the Lilys.

We lay there for what seemed like ages. Men’s boots pounded past us. Voices called and anger over the dead mercenary rippled through the forest. My senses expanded and I felt a connection with the living essence of the forest.

To the forest, the men were invaders, a blight on a healthy organism. It knew where each irritant was located. When the men moved farther away, Kerrick yanked me to my feet. He used the forest’s aversion to keep track of the mercs and escape the area without being seen, dragging me with him.

When we were far enough away, he broke the magical connection with me. I staggered with the shock of being cut off from the soothing green. He let me fall.

I regained my feet with the intention of running away, but Kerrick grabbed my wrist. By this time, his skin and hair had returned to normal.

I said, “Thanks for the help, but you’re not going to change my mind about Prince Ryne.”

“You’d rather be handed over to Tohon of Sogra?” he asked as if I lost my senses.

“No. I’d rather be left alone.”

“Not going to happen.” He tugged me along behind him like a disobedient child.

Digging in my heels would be useless so I gathered magic and sent a blast of pain into his hand on my wrist.

Instead of dropping my arm like a normal person would, he squeezed harder and pulled me toward him. More skin contact meant more pain for him. What the hell was he doing? I increased the intensity. He dropped to his knees, but kept his hold on me.

Damn it. I focused all my strength and directed it at him. He pitched over to his side, bringing me with him. Kerrick’s muscles convulsed with the pain, but he still wouldn’t let go.

I stopped when I had exhausted my energy. We lay locked together, panting as if we both had run for miles.

“Is that all you have?” His voice rasped. “Because you’re not going to get another chance.”

I ignored his comment. “Your earth magic must have protected you or else you’d be unconscious and drooling right now.” Except I suspected that wasn’t quite true.

“I’m not letting you go. Do you understand?”

Unfortunately, I did. “You can’t force me to heal him.”

“True. However, I can make you so miserable that you’ll be happy to heal him in order to get away from me.”

Fear swirled in my heart. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt me. Yet—”

“I did.” He stared at me a moment. “I’m sorry I hit you. I lost my temper. It won’t happen again.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Do you really think I’d risk getting my arm torn off? Belen never makes an idle threat. And neither do I.”

Kerrick kept an iron grip on my wrist, towing me at a fast pace. I jogged to keep up and was soon winded. My failed escape attempt had drained me.

Loren joined us when we neared the ****. He shot me a hard glare. “Any trouble?” he asked Kerrick.

“Mercs—at least a dozen. She walked right into them.”

If I had the energy, I would have protested.

Loren glanced behind us. “Did they follow you?”

“Not yet, but they’ll find our trail soon.” Kerrick pulled me through the entrance and flung me down by the fire. “Get your stuff packed.”

As I gathered my things, I noticed Quain’s glowers and Flea’s hurt-puppy pouts. Belen, though, smiled, and would have come over except Kerrick intercepted him.

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“No helping her,” Kerrick said.

“But—”

“That’s an order, Belen.”

Belen stared at him. “It won’t work.”

Kerrick didn’t back down. “Not your decision.”

The air thickened as the tension emanated from them. I stood and slung my knapsack over my shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, Belen. I’ll be fine.”

My bravado sounded good. Even boosted my energy a bit. But after Kerrick clamped his hand around my sore wrist, and I endured another endless quick march through the forest, I began to wonder if I had been overly optimistic.

We stopped…sometime. It took me a few moments to realize we had indeed halted for the night in a tiny clearing. Kerrick only allowed me to eat half rations before manacling my hands behind a tree. The cold metal cuffs cut deep into my wrists. I leaned against the rough bark just happy to be sitting.

The men’s voices surrounded me as I drifted into and out of sleep.

“…get sick.” Belen’s soft concern.

“…can’t, she’s a healer.” Kerrick’s dismissive bark.

I opened my mouth to educate him—healers sickened like everyone else. We just recovered faster. And if the injury was severe enough or the disease too quick, we’d die. But I pressed my lips together. Let him figure it out for himself.

The next morning, Kerrick shook my shoulders.

“I’m awake,” I said when he didn’t stop.

He rested his hands on my shoulders and gazed at me. “Will you heal Prince Ryne?”

“No.”

Kerrick didn’t say a word. He unlocked the manacles. After I gulped a few mouthfuls of bread, he reclaimed my wrist. And once again my world blurred to a smear of orange, red and yellow as I struggled to keep up with him.

That night he confiscated my cloak before securing me to a tree. Curled up on my side with my arms bent uncomfortably around the trunk, I shivered.

Voices worried over the mercenaries drawing nearer. I would have felt bad about alerting the mercs if I had the energy.

The next morning, Kerrick shook me awake. “Will you heal Prince Ryne?”

“No.”

And that was my life for…I’d no idea. Wake, answer Kerrick’s question, eat, hike all day, eat, doze, shiver and repeat.

Funny how a person’s body could adapt to the harshest of circumstances. Eventually, I wasn’t as exhausted at the end of the day. I kept up without being half dragged. But each night grew a bit cooler, and my teeth chattered a bit harder.

On the sixth—seventh?—night, I huddled close to the small fire, sucking in as much warmth as I could before Kerrick pulled me away. Flea sat next to me. He wouldn’t meet my gaze and hadn’t since I’d attempted to escape.

“Flea,” I said.

He poked the fire, refusing to acknowledge me. I touched his arm. He yelped and jerked it away.

“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”

He huffed, stabbing a stick deep into the embers. Bright orange sparks flew up.

“I didn’t hurt you before,” I tried. The neck zap didn’t cause pain, just unconsciousness. “I’m sorry.”

“Doesn’t mean anything,” Flea said. The firelight illuminated his profile. A few hairs sprang from his chin and small red pimples dotted his cheek. “You used me to escape. You pretended to like me and teach me to juggle. I was stupid to fall for it. But I won’t make that mistake again.”

“I wasn’t pretending.”

“Not listening.”

“If your friend had been anyone else…”

Flea turned his back to me, asking Belen a question. Belen lounged on the other side of him.

When Kerrick hauled me over to a tree for the night, I decided I’d heal anyone else, except Kerrick. He could die a slow and painful death—preferably while cold and shackled to a tree.

The next night, I tried again. But Flea refused to talk to me. I wondered why I bothered. Guilt, I supposed. I hadn’t deceived him, but I did use him to escape.

Belen had kept his distance all this time, but tonight he sat near me. “Why won’t you heal Prince Ryne?” he asked.

I sensed interest from everyone even though they acted casual. Kerrick stood watch, but when we camped out in the open, he stayed closer. In other words, he could hear me so I chose my words with care. “Before the plague, he…invaded Casis Realm and burned the city of Trenson to the ground, killing thousands and leaving the rest homeless.”

“That’s an ugly rumor,” Belen said. “Trenson’s priests planned to start sacrificing nonbelievers. Ryne sent his troops in to stop them and the priests started the fire.”

Hard to believe. Every major town in Casis had been ruled by a sect of priests. They wouldn’t destroy their own town or they’d have nowhere else to rule. Each sect had been very territorial.

“Give me another reason,” Belen said.

“He annexed the Nine Mountains. Stole all those natural resources from the Vyg Realm, which is his neighbor.”

“He bought the rights to the mines. Vyg’s operations were losing money so Ryne purchased the companies from the government and made them profitable. Vyg owned the land and they received twenty-five percent of the profits.”

“If that’s true, then he made them profitable by not spending any money on safety,” I said. “He lured workers from the other Realms with promises of high wages, except he sent them into dangerous mines without the proper equipment and he wouldn’t give them any time off. Hard to spend your wages when you’re not allowed to leave the mines. Not even to visit your family.”

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Belen’s gaze turned inward as if he considered my words. “There was a horrible ****-in before the plague.” He took my hand. “Who did you lose?”

I jerked my hand back. “I didn’t lose anyone. I know right where they are. They can both be found under millions of pounds of rock.” I stood and planned to storm off into the woods for some privacy. But Kerrick blocked my way. I resisted the urge to punch him. Instead, I sat next to the nearest tree. He manacled my wrists.

Later that night as I curled up, I let the tears leak from my eyes. I didn’t make a sound. I wouldn’t give Kerrick the satisfaction. Or the hope.

On the tenth—twelfth?—night, something changed. Instead of one ladle, Kerrick filled my bowl with stew. He returned my cloak. The morning question remained, but he slowed his pace as we traveled through the forest. He stopped more often, listening, and he seemed distracted.

He had multiple whispered conversations with Belen, who kept glancing at me in concern.

Kerrick wouldn’t let Belen light a fire that evening. He paced. Not a good sign. Furrows creased Quain’s bald head and Flea was extra jumpy.

“What’s going on?” I asked Belen.

“Mercs closing in.”

“Sorry.”

He waved my apology away. “They would have caught up to us eventually. They started following us soon after we left Jaxton.”

I considered. “You’re trying to make me feel better.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We were overnighting in ****s before I escaped, but since then, we’ve been out in the open so we don’t get trapped.”

Belen beamed with pride. “Smart girl.”

“Not smart enough to get away from Kerrick,” I mumbled.

His smile didn’t falter. “No one gets away from Kerrick in the woods.”

“Found that out already.” I glared at Kerrick, but he didn’t notice, which caused me quite a bit of alarm. Grudgingly, I admitted being Kerrick’s prisoner was my best option at this moment. Which said a lot about my life.

When Kerrick stopped pacing and crouched to place his palms on the ground, my concern increased.

“We won’t make it to the ravine in time,” Kerrick said to the others. “We can’t outrun them and they outnumber us, so we’ll have to outsmart them.” He issued orders.

We packed our belongings and headed north toward the ravine. After an hour or so, Kerrick stopped. When he let go of my wrist, I about fainted. He spoke with Belen in a low whisper and then thumped him on the back.

With a strange sense of doom, I watched Kerrick, Loren, Quain and Flea continue north, leaving Belen and me behind. Belen held out his arm. I hooked my hand around his elbow. We walked east.

Stopping hours later, Belen found a dent in a rocky hillside. I couldn’t call it a **** as it wasn’t deep enough, but it cut in just enough to protect both of us from rain or wind. However, it failed to protect us from mercenaries.

According to Belen, the plan had been for Kerrick and the others to lead the mercs north to the ravine. They could travel faster without dragging me along. Belen and I would go west and wait for them to loop back after losing the mercs.

Not a stellar plan, but one that had worked for them before. Belen filled me in on the details as we rested in the shallow shelter. It didn’t take long for the mercs to find us. A noise alerted Belen. He stood, pulled his sword and stepped in front of me, blocking me from view.

I peeked around him. Six men fanned out in front of him. All armed. The seventh hung back, and the way he crinkled his nose when he met my gaze told me why this time Kerrick’s plan hadn’t worked.

The mercs had a magic sniffer—a person who had no magic of his own, but could smell it in others. The stronger ones could track the scent, sometimes hours after, and these could also distinguish the types of magic by the aroma. Before the plague, magic sniffers had been employed to find children with magical powers.

There were eleven different types of magicians in the Fifteen Realms, and all but one of them were born with power. Young children and magic were a dangerous combination. The sooner a child started training, the better. Healing powers were the exception. It could lay dormant for years, undetectable by the sniffers. Mine hid until right after I had turned fifteen. My sister, Noelle, had cut her hand and this urge bloomed in my chest, tugging me to her as if I had been hooked by a fishing line. My mother had started searching for a teacher for me that day.

Belen waited for the mercs to make the first move. Even though they outnumbered him, they hesitated. Not surprising, considering he was a foot taller and two feet wider than their biggest man.

“Look,” the man with the red beard said to Belen. “Just give us the girl and we’ll be on our way.”

“No.”

I touched Belen’s elbow. “Take the offer. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

When he didn’t move, I stepped around him to give myself up. But Belen stopped me with his arm.

“Stay behind me,” he growled.

No arguing with him. As my heart did flips in my chest, I thought fast.

“She’s smarter than you,” Red Beard said. “Last chance.”

Belen tightened his grip on his broad sword—a two-handed weapon that he held easily with one hand.

“I don’t suppose you have a trio of knives hidden somewhere?” I asked him.

“It’s a little late for a distraction,” he said.

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“Juggling isn’t the only thing I’ve learned to do with knives.”

He yanked his dagger from his belt, handed it to me, then pulled another from his boot. “That’s all I have.”

Better than none.

“I guess that’s your answer,” Red Beard said. “Don’t kill the girl,” he ordered his men.

Red Beard stepped forward to engage Belen. Two others also joined the fight. Because Belen kept me and the rocky hillside behind him, there wasn’t room for the other three, and they couldn’t grab me, either.

The fierce intensity and the speed of the fight surprised me. Belen’s calm demeanor remained, and for the first minute, it appeared he had the upper hand. Then the men switched places in one smooth move and now Belen faced three fresh opponents.

That was how they wore him down, by taking turns. I waited for an opportunity to throw my knives, thinking I’d hit their arm or shoulder, but no one would stand still long enough. I had always practiced with a stationary target. No reason not to; I’d never imagined I’d be in this situation in my lifetime.

When Belen’s swings slowed, I knew I had to help him. Even if it was accidental, killing a person went against my nature, so I aimed low and hoped for the best. My first knife pierced one man’s thigh. He yelled and staggered away from the fight. Beginner’s luck didn’t last as the second dagger sailed right by another man.

Then all I could do was watch as they harried Belen, tiring him out. I offered *****rrender again, but he just growled.

Red Beard entered the fray again. He feinted left and dipped his thinner blade under Belen’s and straight into his stomach. Belen grunted as I yelled. But he kept swinging. Red Beard continued to snake past his defenses and stab his blade’s tip into Belen’s gut. Eventually, Belen collapsed.

With a cry, I knelt next to him.

Blood soaked his tunic. He thrust his sword into my hands. “Don’t give up.”

I staggered to my feet, holding the heavy blade. The men smirked until I charged, letting my fury over Belen’s injuries fuel my attack.

Chapter 6

The men sidestepped, avoiding the tip of Belen’s sword. I turned to charge again, but this time Red Beard knocked the heavy blade aside with his, redirecting my momentum. Belen’s weapon dragged me to the side. Red Beard moved in close and yanked the hilt from my hands.

Then he grabbed my upper arm. “Come on, let’s go.”

I resisted. “I have to heal—”

“No time. He…” Red Beard squeezed my biceps as he scanned the area.

I copied him. Glancing around, I counted five. The magic sniffer had disappeared.

“Where’s Conner?” Red Beard asked his men.

At first they exchanged confused glances, but then they realized the danger. Red Beard pulled me to where Belen lay, keeping his back to the rocks and me in front of him like a shield. His men fanned out in front of us, facing toward the woods. Red Beard sheathed his sword and drew a knife. He pressed it against my throat. Without thought, I grabbed his wrist, trying to pull the weapon away from my neck, but he rumbled a warning. Stopping my efforts, I left my hand on his arm.

“I have your girl. Come out now or I’ll slit her throat,” Red Beard called.

Nothing.

“I can collect the bounty whether she’s dead or alive.”

A rustle and then Kerrick emerged from the brush. The fabric of his tunic and pants blended in with the surrounding landscape, but his face, hands and hair remained normal. I was impressed with his level of control despite myself.

The knife cut into my skin and I hissed at the sharp sting.

“Keep your hands where I can see them,” Red Beard ordered.

Kerrick appeared to be unarmed. His gaze dropped to Belen’s prone form, then returned to Red Beard’s. “I have enough gold to pay you the bounty. Take it and go.”

Red Beard laughed. “She’s worth forty golds if brought in alive. I doubt—”

Moving slowly, Kerrick dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a black bag. Coins rattled within.

Red Beard sucked in a breath. “Axe, check it out.”

One of the men snatched the bag from Kerrick. He opened it and poured gold coins into his hand. The young man’s voice squeaked when he reported the count. Forty.

Red Beard tensed. “Where’s my sniffer?”

“Does it matter?” Kerrick asked.

A moment passed. “No.”

Just when I thought he would let me go, Red Beard tightened his hold on me. He laughed. “You’re a fool,” he said to Kerrick. “Now we’ll get eighty golds. Forty from you and forty from Tohon.”

Kerrick’s gaze flickered to my hand still resting on Red Beard’s—a warning. Magic grew inside me, pushing to be released, but I waited for Kerrick’s signal.

“That’s rather greedy,” he said in a conversational tone. Kerrick gestured to the young man drooling over the gold coins in his hand. “You’re not setting the proper example for your young friend here. I would never do that. Isn’t that right, Flea?”

“That’s right,” Flea called from above. We all glanced up. Flea, Quain and Loren stood on the rocks above.

“Now,” Kerrick ordered.

I sent a blast of pain into Red Beard as Flea and the monkeys jumped down. Red Beard swore. I twisted away from his knife and held on to his arm with both hands, sending in another intense wave of pain. Red Beard collapsed onto his knees. Sounds of fighting increased for a moment before dying down. By the time Red Beard slumped to the ground unconscious, the others had been…I wish I could say disarmed, but they had been killed.

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I rounded on Kerrick in outrage. But he knelt next to Belen so I swallowed my accusations. All color had fled Belen’s face. His lips had turned a bluish-gray. I sank next to him and put my hand on his sweaty forehead.

“Is she safe?” he asked Kerrick.

“Yes.” As usual, Kerrick showed no emotion.

Belen sighed wetly.

“No,” I said. “I’m not safe, Belen. Who is going to tear Kerrick’s arm off if he hits me again? Come on,” I urged. “Stay with us.”

Kerrick met my gaze. “Can you heal him?”

“I don’t know. I need to examine the wounds.”

He shot to his feet. “Gentlemen, we need a litter. Now.”

The others had been hanging back, but they surged into action. I held Belen’s hand. My magic swelled and pressed to be released, but I kept it in check. If he was savable, I would need complete concentration.

Faster than I thought possible, they constructed a litter. Rolling Belen onto the lattice of branches, Loren and Quain pulled the big man. We didn’t go far. Kerrick knew of a **** system—of course.

The men made torches, but maneuvering the litter through the tight passages of the **** slowed our progress. I kept talking to Belen, encouraging him to keep awake and stay focused. When we reached a ****rn that met Kerrick’s approval, I ordered the others to build a fire and heat water. I didn’t really need the water, but it gave them all something to do. Except Kerrick; he hovered over my shoulder, providing light.

I yanked Belen’s shirt up. His stomach resembled a ball after a dog chewed on it. It was amazing Belen had lasted this long. The rank odor of blood, stomach acid and feces wafted off of him. Kerrick stifled a cough.

Lightly rubbing my hand over the wounds, I let my power seek how deep his injuries were. Deep. His intestines had been damaged, his stomach torn. If I healed him, there was more than a good chance I wouldn’t live through it.

I settled back on my heels, considering.

“Well?” Kerrick asked.

I turned and looked at him. He might argue and disagree with Belen, but I knew Kerrick cared for his friend.

“Whose life is more important? Belen’s or Prince Ryne’s?”

His expression hardened. “Why are you asking?”

“Because if I heal Belen I may not survive and you’ll have to find another healer for Prince Ryne.”

Understanding brought pain. I stared at Kerrick, knowing I was being cruel to ask him to choose between them, but not caring.

“You might not survive? What are the odds?” he asked.

“I’d give myself a fifty percent chance of living.” More like ten percent, but I wanted Kerrick to choose.

I waited as a range of emotions flashed. He had such good control, no wonder he exploded when he lost his temper. While he weighed the risks, I sent my magic into Belen’s wounds, flooding them. Yet I kept my gaze on Kerrick.

His decision hurt him deeply. “Don’t heal Belen,” he said in a low voice. “It’s too risky.”

Wow. I hadn’t expected that. I thought for sure he’d choose Belen over Ryne. I drew my magic back inside me.

“Go,” Kerrick ordered. “I’ll stay with him until…” His voice broke.

I left quickly. Pain stabbed deep into my stomach, blood ran down, soaking my waistband. I made it to the small fire before I collapsed. My muscles felt as if they’d been shredded and I couldn’t breathe. Now I know why Tara never talked about the Realm wars, and when she healed the warriors near the border. It was an experience like no other.

The pain increased as acid leaked from my pierced stomach and burned my flesh. My magic fought to heal the damage, but it wasn’t fast enough. There would be no recovery from this one. I had no regrets. Belen deserved to live.

Shouts. Curses. A buzz of noise. Flea beside me. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear a word he said. The edges of my vision blurred. Black and white spots swirled, turning the world into a chaotic snowstorm. I reached out blindly, clasped a warm hand, faded from life and into peace.

Well, that was what was supposed to happen. Waking in the blissful afterlife, joining all my loved ones who had died before me. Except an annoying, distracting tug kept pulling and yanking. Pain lingered in that direction. Hurt and anger and harsh words waited on that side. I resisted, but damn it all to hell, I wasn’t strong enough.

When I woke, I thought I had overcome the pull and stayed in the afterlife. Whiteness billowed over me in soft waves. My body was cushioned and cocooned in warmth. I stretched my legs and then tried to raise my arms, but my left arm wouldn’t budge. Rolling over, I encountered a number of very unpleasant realities.

I was alive. I was in a room. I was na**d except for a bloodstained bandage wrapped tight around my stomach. Kerrick lay beside me. And his hand trapped mine.

Kill. Me. Now.

The only saving grace—he was asleep. I glanced around, searching for my clothes. No luck. Figures. Hiding them was an excellent way to prevent me from running away.

I studied him, wondering if I would wake him if I tried to free my hand. Asleep, he looked four or five years younger—around twenty-five or twenty-six. The harsh lines were gone. His nose was a little too hawklike for my taste, but it worked well with his sharp chin. His eyebrows were on the thicker side, but at least they were smooth and not creased together, which they did every time he looked at me. Plus they matched his long eyelashes.

I remembered my little brother, Allyn, had appeared so innocent and angelic when he slept—similar to Kerrick. It must be a survival tactic. If Allyn hadn’t looked so sweet, we would have killed him while he slept. He had been pure evil when he was awake—similar to Kerrick.

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Not pure evil, but close. At least as far as my brother was concerned. Kerrick, on the other hand—pure evil.

Thinking of my brother, I smiled. Allyn had a rare gift of talking his way out of trouble. I dearly hoped he had survived the plague along with Noelle and my mother. I wish I knew where they were. A wave of loneliness rolled through me. As I told Belen, I knew right where my older brother, Criss, and Father were—buried under a million pounds of rock. At least they died quick. Unlike the plague victims. Some of them took two weeks *****ccumb. Fourteen days of pain and the knowledge that their life would end.

Jerking my thoughts back to my present problems, I decided to extract my hand from Kerrick’s. He woke the instant I moved my fingers.

I froze, waiting for his anger. I had disobeyed his order. I almost died healing Belen.

He studied me and I wanted to pull the covers over my head. After all, someone had to remove my clothing. When he moved, I flinched, causing him to pause for a moment.

Why wasn’t he yelling at me? The anticipation was worse than his fury.

But he sat on the edge of the bed with his back to me. He didn’t have a shirt on or an ounce of fat—just lean, hard muscles. At least he wore pants.

Without saying a word, he left my room. I stared at the closed door in shock. I expected a lecture. I expected punishment for my actions.

Not one to let an opportunity pass me by, I slid out of bed and searched for my clothes or any piece of clothing. At this point I’d wear whatever I could find. Nothing. I wrapped the sheet around me and tested the window. The shutters had been latched, but they opened without trouble. My room was on the second floor, facing a forest. Perfect, I could climb down the drainpipe. In a sheet? I laughed. It could be worse.

Someone knocked on my door. I closed the shutters and dove into bed just as a woman with pure white hair bustled into my room.

“Glory be. Mr. Kerrick was right. So happy to see you awake. Oh, you had us all so worried, you did.” She carried a bundle in her arms. Dropping it on the bed she hustled over to the windows and flung open the shutters. “Get dressed and I’ll fetch you some vittles. You must be starved. A skinny little thing like you, going days without food.” She tsked, heading for the door.

“Days?” I squeaked. “How many?”

“Four or five. The boys brought you in.”

“Where am I?”

“In Mengels, dearie.” With a wave she disappeared as fast as she had arrived.

From the amount of time we’d spent traveling, I’d thought we’d gone farther than Mengels. Oh, well. Not my problem. I fingered the clothing the woman had left. A long dark green skirt with a thin pattern of tiny light yellow flowers, growing as if on a vine. A light yellow tunic, some undergarments and black wool leggings. With no other options, I dressed, hoping my own clothes would show up soon.

Catching my reflection in the mirror, I stared at the strange woman on the other side of the glass. My hair had grown to my shoulders. The dark auburn roots a stark comparison to my dyed-blond strands. It stuck up on one side and was matted flat on the other. I combed my fingers through and realized my hair was clean. Who had washed it?

Curious, I lifted my tunic and pulled the bandage down, inspecting my stomach. Ugly reddish-purple circular scars peppered the skin along with burn marks from the acid. I remembered when Tara had shown me her scars, noting each one was a source of pride and not censure. Since I had been an apprentice, I only had one scar from when I healed Noelle. Now, I had the ones from Belen.

The woman returned with a tray. I hurried to cover myself. She exclaimed over my clothes. “Yours were ruined. That nasty boar tore it to shreds. The boys did a nice job picking out the right size for you. Your boots are below.” She set the tray down and pulled a chair over. “I’ll bring them up, but a nice girl like you should wear something more…feminine. I can send Melina out?”

“No. Thank you, Ms....”

“Call me Mom. Everyone does. When you stay at the Lamp Post Inn, I take care of you, just like your own mother.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“You’re very welcome. I’m so glad you lived. Frankly, when Mr. Kerrick brought you in, I was about to call the undertaker. It’s a miracle you survived.” Mom shooed me into the chair.

At least she didn’t suspect I was a healer. My stomach grumbled as I smelled the food. The tray held a bowl of steaming soup and a hunk of bread and cheese.

“Don’t wolf it down or it’ll come up just as quick.” Mom hovered until I started eating. “I’ll be back in a bit. We’ll do something about your hair.”

I tucked a lock behind my ear. “What’s wrong…?” But she had left. Other questions came to mind, but I enjoyed the meal and the solitude. I’d been on my own for three years, and grown used to quiet. Now I’d been with Kerrick’s men for the past twenty-five days at least. Probably more.

Mom returned with my boots, two bottles, towels, scissors and a helper carrying a washbasin and large pitcher. Mom called the young girl Melina and she looked to be around Flea’s age. She filled the basin with water, and waited for orders.

I stood. “You don’t need—”

“Mr. Kerrick wants your hair one color so you don’t stand out so much.”

Mr. Kerrick could kiss my ass. I tried to be stubborn, but Mom didn’t bat an eye. She handled me as easily as a pouting two-year-old. Before I could even protest, she had me just where she wanted with my head in the basin.

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“Auburn or blond?” she asked me.

“No orders from Mr. Kerrick?”

She ignored my sarcasm. “He said he preferred your natural color, but you could decide.”

Gee, what a swell guy.

“The reddish brown sets off your beautiful sea-green eyes better,” Mom said. “But if you choose blond, I’ll give you the dye so you can do your roots.”

I imagined trying to touch up my hair while camping in the Nine Mountains and almost laughed aloud. “My natural color is fine.”

It was sort of nice to be fussed over. After Mom dyed my hair to match my roots, Melina trimmed the ends with the scissors. My hack job had grown in uneven.

When they were finished, Mom stepped back. “Much, much better, my dear. You look lovely. The boys won’t recognize you.”

Good. Maybe I could escape for real this time.

“I’ll fetch them,” Mom said, dashing any hope. “They’ve been pestering to visit, but I wouldn’t let them until you were decent.”

Her comment reminded me of one of my questions. “Was it you, er…did you…?”

“Not to worry. Me and Melina took off those bloody clothes and did what we could for you. There were a few scary nights where I swore we would lose you, but Mr. Kerrick stayed by your side all night.”

That explained the annoying tug. Kerrick couldn’t even let me rest in peace. But as much as I would like to blame him for keeping me from the afterlife, earth magicians didn’t have any healing magic.

“Thank you, Mom, and thank you, too, Melina.”

Melina blushed prettily. After they left, I shoved my feet into my boots and strode to the window. My cloak and knapsack were still missing, but I could—

The door banged open and Loren, Flea and Quain charged me. I backed away until I realized they wore smiles and appeared to be happy to see me.

“Told you she’d live,” Loren said. “You owe me fifteen silvers.”

“You said ‘in no time.’ I believe it took her five days to recover. That’s not ‘in no time,’” Quain protested.

Flea beamed at me. “Wow, you look like…a girl!”

Belen plowed through them all, knocking them aside. He wrapped me in a tight hug, lifting me off the ground.

“Easy, Belen. My ribs…”

He set me gently down. “Avry, why did you risk your life for me? Kerrick ordered you not to heal me. You suffered for days! You shouldn’t have done it.”

The room grew quiet. I spotted Kerrick near the doorway.

“Belen, I decide who I heal. Me. Not Kerrick. Not you. Not anyone. It’s my decision. The only one I have left.” I put my hand on his cheek. “You deserved to be saved. I had no doubts.”

He covered my hand with his own, pressing it against his face. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” And I meant it.

Mom entered. “You’ve visited. Now shoo! We don’t want her to have a relapse.”

Everyone filed out except Kerrick. Mom crossed her arms, waiting. Kerrick didn’t move. She sighed with such exasperation, I couldn’t keep from smiling. But after warning Kerrick not to tire me, Mom left, taking my good humor with her. Kerrick closed the door behind her and faced me.

Here we go. Time for the lecture. I braced for his recriminations.

“Did I see you actually smile?” he asked.

Thrown, I stared at him.

“I know you can smile,” he said, as if we were having a pleasant conversation. “You gave that little girl one even after her family turned you in to the town watch. Why?”

I stammered a moment before I collected my wits. “It wasn’t her fault her father turned me in. She’s a delightful child and I was glad to see her well.”

“Even though it almost led to your execution?”

“The two aren’t connected. I decided to heal her. I took the risk of being captured. It was my fault.”

“I see.”

I didn’t. What game was Kerrick playing now?

“We’re leaving Mengels a few hours before dawn.” He gestured to the bed. “I suggest you enjoy the comforts while you can. We won’t be overnighting at an inn again.”

“You’re still planning on taking me to Prince Ryne?”

“Yes.”

“Can you?” I asked.

He bristled. “You haven’t escaped.”

Not yet. “That isn’t what I meant. Mercs and bounty hunters are searching for me. They almost succeeded and Belen almost died. Can you really escort me to your prince without losing more of your men or me? Forty golds is a fortune to these people.”

“Almost succeeded isn’t succeeding. If you remember, we rescued you. Again.”

“And killed all those men. Even the magic sniffer, he’s—”

“Working for the enemy. If I didn’t kill them, they would attack us another time.”

“But there are more to take their place. You haven’t neutralized the source. As long as Tohon of Sogra dangles those forty golds, they’ll just keep chasing us like ufas after fresh meat. Eventually, someone’s going *****cceed.”

Kerrick’s gaze turned contemplative. “What are you suggesting?”

I hadn’t realized I was. But as I chased the logic, I knew what should be done. “That we find out why Tohon wants me. Maybe if you turn me in—”

“That’s insane. I don’t need—”

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“Not for the money. If you turn me in, then there’s no reason for the mercs or hunters to chase us anymore. We can learn why Tohon wants me alive. Maybe he’s like you, and wishes me to heal a sick friend or loved one. I could heal that person and then we won’t be bothered.”

“And if there’s another reason he wants you alive?”

“Then we escape. You have your earth magic.”

“Won’t work. I’m a forest mage not an earth magician. It’s a common mistake. My magic is a gift from the living essence of the forest. Tohon lives in the Sogra castle. I can’t do a thing surrounded by stone and dirt. Besides, I doubt Tohon cares enough for another to offer forty golds to save his or her life.”

“You know him?” I asked.

“Unfortunately. Why do you think he’s put a bounty on the healers?”

“I figured he lost someone to the plague and held a grudge against us.”

“No. He knows Ryne is sick and only a healer can save him. He wants the prince to die.”

So did I, but I wouldn’t go *****ch extremes. “Why?”

“Ryne is the only one who can stop Tohon.”

Chapter 7

“Stop Tohon from what?” I asked Kerrick.

“From turning the Fifteen Realms into his own personal kingdom.”

Not what I expected. “First, one man can’t change or stop anything. And second, why would Tohon’s attempt be bad? In case you missed it, our world has fallen apart. Peace throughout the Realms would be a step in the right direction.”

Kerrick shook his head. “You’ve been in hiding so long, you’ve no idea what’s really going on. Tohon is not trying to help the plague survivors. He’s gathering them into an army so he can invade all those towns that have managed to reform. Towns like Jaxton. All so his army can grow. And if his forces encounter anyone who refuses to join, they kill him or her. Tohon is…mentally unstable, and for him to be king of all…would be a living nightmare.”

“Why do you think only Ryne can stop him? Why not raise your own army?” I asked.

“Because Ryne is a brilliant strategist, and has outsmarted Tohon before.”

I huffed in disbelief. “Probably because Ryne and Tohon are both megalomaniacs.” I realized my mistake when Kerrick’s entire body stiffened. Expecting him to lose his temper, I stepped back.

Instead, he said in a flat monotone, “We’re going to cross the Nine Mountains. I suggest you get some rest while you can.”

I tried again. “We’ve been traveling for over twenty-five days and we’ve only reached Mengels. Do you really think we can get to the Nine Mountains?”

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 *****m 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.”