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He motioned to one of his men. “Hent, check her room.” Then he returned his attention to me. “Okay, I’ll play. What do you want?”
“It’s more about what you want. You sent your colleagues to ambush me. I assume you have a good reason?”
A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I just wanted to talk.”
Yeah, right. “Okay. So talk.”
It took him a moment to cover his surprise. “Just like that?”
“You’re looking for bodies for Estrid’s army. Right?”
“We’re missionaries, spreading the creator’s message of peace and educating the—”
“Save the speech for someone who is gullible enough to fall for it. Fact is, I’m interested. You know I’m skilled. Four of your guys couldn’t catch me. I can fight for Estrid, but I don’t want to be a draftee, devotee or anything else ending in ee.”
Understanding shone in his eyes. He relaxed until Hent returned from my room with the acolyte I’d pinned to the door. Two small rips marked the sleeves of his robe. He clutched my knives in tight fists, glaring at me.
“We can’t wake Tyson,” Hent said.
Every gaze focused on me. “He’ll be fine once the drug wears off.”
“What did you use?” Chane asked.
“Trade secret.”
“And my other acolyte?”
“Sleeping in the woods.”
He paused for a moment before gesturing to the bar. “Let’s have a drink and discuss your … terms.”
I waited.
“Consider it a cease-fire. No one will attack you. I give you my word.”
“And you are?”
“High Priest Chane of Ozero Realm.”
High Priest? An impressive rank. “What are you doing in Mengels?”
He laughed. “Spreading the word. I can be very persuasive.”
I glanced at his men. They still held their swords at the ready. “Uh-huh.”
“They’re overprotective.” He signaled them, and all but Hent sheathed their weapons.
He stared at me as if waiting for the opportunity to throw my knives at me.
Chane noticed. “Hent, give me those.”
With reluctance, Hent handed him the two throwing knives. Chane placed them on the bar, then he inclined his head at me, waiting. I released his man and slid my stiletto back into its holder on my belt. He pulled a stool out for me, then settled on the one next to it as if we were old friends getting reacquainted. But his gaze turned cold when he focused on my ex-captive. “Otto, fetch us some wine.”
The man rushed to obey.
“So, Miss …?”
“Irina of Gubkin Realm.” I perched on the edge of the stool.
“You’ve traveled a long way.”
I shrugged. “The northern realms are quiet compared to what’s happening on this side of the Nine Mountains.”
“As I understand it, you’re looking for a higher-ranking position in the High Priestess’s army. Why didn’t you approach the officers up near Zabin?”
“They weren’t smart enough to catch me while I crossed through their territory.”
Otto placed two glasses of red wine on the bar and retreated to the other end.
Chane swirled his wine. “But I haven’t caught you either.”
“That’s why you need me.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
I swallowed a mouthful of wine. “I’ve been in Vyg. I’ve seen Tohon’s … special troops.” I let the horror and revulsion show on my face. No acting required. “You need me.”
He considered. “Word from the High Priestess is that those creatures are a rumor. A tactic to spread fear in our army.”
I stared at him, doing my best to match Kerrick’s flat expression.
“The information about them came from a dubious source,” he tried.
“Then you are calling me a liar.” And also Belen, Quain and Loren. If Belen were here, he’d squash Chane so the rest of his body matched his nose. I snatched my knives and stood.
“Wait. I apologize. It’s just so … implausible. I know Tohon’s a powerful life magician, but for him to be able to animate the dead is … unbelievable.”
I could have explained how Tohon injected them with an unknown substance and then froze their bodies in a stasis so they didn’t decay. The combination of the mystery drug and magic gave them a fake life. Why it worked, I had no idea. However, that was much more than I planned to reveal to Chane.
Instead, I said, “You would have an easier time recruiting soldiers if you showed the people what Tohon’s capable of. Then you wouldn’t have to resort to late-night abductions and rounding up street rats.”
He peered at me as if he had misjudged me. “How do I know you’re not a spy for Tohon?”
“Because if I was spying for him, I would have let you kidnap me. Then I would be like all the rest you’ve conscripted—a nameless, faceless soldier able to blend in with ease. He probably has a dozen spies in place already. Tohon’s no fool.”
When he didn’t respond, I said, “This has been a colossal waste of time. I’m leaving.”
“Where are you going?”
“To join Tohon’s forces. Might as well fight for the winner.” I headed for the door. Would they try to stop me?
“Irina, wait,” Chane said.
I turned, expecting to see sharp blades pointed at me. Instead he sent Otto to fetch him parchment and ink.
“Finish your wine,” he said.
Still wary, I settled back on the stool. After Otto returned, Chane wrote a letter of introduction.
“Give this to Major Granvil,” he said, handing it to me.
I scanned the letter. Even though there were a few compliments about me, three words stood out as if they’d been written in bright red ink. My aunt Estrid. Chane was her nephew. I almost groaned out loud. So much for keeping a low profile.
KERRICK
The dead ufa pack kept their positions as if waiting.
Waiting for what? Kerrick stretched his senses to the maximum distance and felt the unmistakable vibrations of a galloping horse. A potential ally or more trouble? With six ufas poised to attack, it couldn’t get any worse.
He kept a firm grip on his sword as he speculated on the approaching rider. It could be Tohon, coming to gloat over Kerrick’s imminent death. But why would he travel all this way when he was busy preparing for war? Because it was exactly what Tohon would take the time to do.
After all, Kerrick and Avry had snatched Ryne from Tohon, denying him his revenge. Ryne’s military savvy posed a very serious threat to Tohon’s plans to become king of all the realms.
The ufas didn’t flinch as the horse slowed and entered the clearing. Kerrick recognized the rider. Although lines of strain marked her face and her long blond hair was frizzy and unkempt, she had the same sad smile he remembered from school.
“Cellina, fancy meeting you here,” Kerrick said.
“We’ve been waiting for you,” she said.
“We? Is Tohon here, as well?”
“No. It’s just me and the dead mutts.” She gestured to the ufas, crinkling her pudgy nose in disgust.
“Was this your idea?”
“Nothing about this is my idea, Kerrick.”
“Yet, you’re here.”
“Tohon is a hard man to refuse. He’s forced me into a very difficult position.”
Lyady Realm had been invaded by Tohon last year. To ensure the president’s cooperation, Tohon had taken his daughter, Cellina, with him.
“I’d feel bad, but your position is better than mine at the moment,” he said.
“True.”
“How did you find me?” he asked.
“The pack was given your scent. Instead of guessing which pass you’d take, we crossed the Nine Mountains and found a place to wait east of the Milligreen pass.”
“Smart.”
“Tohon’s plan. Just like these mutts. Dead ufas are easier to train and more loyal than the living ones. They won’t attack you until I give them the signal.”
The four scars on his neck burned as his heart rate jumped. “Is giving them the signal part of Tohon’s plan?”
“Yes. I’m to report every detail of your death and dismemberment to him. I’ve also been ordered to bring home a souvenir.”
Stunned, he stared at her.
“Your sword, Kerrick. Don’t be so morbid.”
He swallowed. “Hard not to be.” He braced for the signal, but she remained quiet. Sensing her ambivalence, he said, “Cellina, come with me to Ryne’s.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not? We’ll protect you.”
“I know you’ll try.”
“We’ll succeed. We saved Ryne and the children.”
“But not your lady love.”
“She chose her fate.”
Cellina sat straighter in the saddle. “So did I.”
“There’s no reason for you to return to Tohon now.” But as he said the words, he realized she must still be in love with him. Either Tohon’s life magic had influenced her, or she’d never recovered from her school crush. In his younger days, he would have scoffed at the notion. However, he’d learned love didn’t follow logic at all.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said.
She clutched the reins tighter. The horse moved a few steps to the side, smelling her fear. “I can’t disobey him.”
In desperation, he stepped away from the tree. The ufas growled and snarled but didn’t move. Kerrick pointed his blade at the ground, slowly approaching Cellina. Sweat soaked his shirt and burned in his eyes. But he kept his gaze on her.
He stopped with two feet between them. Her lips pinched tight together as if she’d whistle, but no sound escaped. Yet.
Kerrick offered her the hilt of his sword. “Take it.”
CHAPTER 3
I arrived in Zabin around midmorning a week after I’d left Mom’s. The town was completely overrun with Estrid’s acolytes and soldiers. When I’d been here with Kerrick, there had been only a few red robes. Now, it appeared as if the streets were covered with blood. A bad omen.
And the feel of the town had changed. Before, unease rippled just under the surface of the populace. Now, outright fear fogged the air.
My dark gray cloak no longer helped me to blend in. Plus, the day would be too warm for my fur-lined garment. Summer was only three weeks away. I removed my cloak and packed it into my knapsack, put my glasses on, then strode through town as if I belonged. But it wasn’t long before a group of five soldiers stopped to question me.
