Taste of Darkness

by Maria V. Snyder

  Ryne’s comments repeated in his mind. You’re my best scout...I really need accurate information. If Kerrick hadn’t been sick, he would have sensed the extra soldiers and averted the major fiasco that was poised to happen.

  Despite the danger, Kerrick increased his pace to a run. He had to warn the team in charge of creating the distraction. If he stopped them, then Avry and her team wouldn’t go into the manor house, where Kerrick was sure another ambush waited for them.

  He arrived too late. The sounds of fighting reached him before he neared the camp outside Zabin. And through his connection to the living green, he discovered another trap was poised to spring a few yards inside the forest. A wall of soldiers lined up, creating a blockade, which would prevent Captain Drisana’s team from retreating to the north or east.

  Kerrick concentrated on the string of soldiers and determined it hooked behind the manor house.

  Not good. Avry’s exit was obstructed, as well. He dug his hands into the soil, strengthening his bond, seeking irritations to the south. Sure enough, another one of Cellina’s platoons lurked. Damn. The scout had to be a double agent. How could someone miss the mass of humanity occupying the woods around Zabin?

  He pushed his awareness farther out. A group of ten intruders waited to the east. This group was well past the blockade and probably one of Ryne’s.

  Kerrick considered. He needed to create an exit for the others. But how? Yanking his hands from the dirt, he jogged east.

  It didn’t take him long to find the squad. He crept closer. The moonlight shone bright enough to observe them. They wore the green fatigues that marked them as part of Estrid’s holy army. Nice to see not all of them had taken off once Estrid had been captured. Good news, except he didn’t recognize any of them. Quiet and watchful with weapons in hand, they appeared to be on alert.

  Pulling magic, Kerrick transformed to normal. Not wishing to scare them, he backed up a few yards before crunching through the fallen leaves. He spread his hands wide so they didn’t skewer him on sight.

  With plenty of warning, the squad hid and then surrounded him as soon as he walked into their “trap.” One man hung back. Kerrick spotted the sergeant strips on the man’s sleeves.

  “I’m on your side,” Kerrick said. “Prince Ryne sent me.” Not exactly true, but close enough. He explained about the blockade. “We need to clear a path for our soldiers.”

  The eight men and two women looked to their sergeant when Kerrick finished.

  “You certainly know an awful lot about the mission,” the sergeant said. “Who are you?”

  “Prince Kerrick.”

  “Really? We heard he died fighting the northern tribes.”

  “You heard wrong. Look, Sergeant...”

  “Vic.”

  “We don’t have time for this.”

  “I’m not risking my squad. If that blockade is there like you said, a dozen of us aren’t going to make a dent.”

  “We only need to clear one section,” Kerrick said.

  “And how do you propose we do that?” Vic asked. “As soon as we strike, the whole line will turn on us.”

  “I’ve a plan.”

  The sergeant laughed. “Good for you. Let us know how it works out.”

  Expecting resistance from the man, Kerrick encouraged the vines growing on a nearby tree to snake toward Vic’s head. “There’s a section of the wall that’s not as closely connected to the others due to a dried-out creek that makes a deep dip in the terrain. My plan is to take out that section and replace Cellina’s soldiers with yours.”

  “You’re mad. One shout and we’re done.”

  “Then I’ll make sure they won’t make a sound.”

  “You?”

  “I’m a forest mage.”

  “Okay, I’ll play along, Prince Kerrick. Just how—”

  The vines looped around Vic’s mouth and head, making an effective gag. When the man tried to use his weapon, the vines circled his upper body, trapping his arms. Half his squad rushed to help, but they were soon entangled, as well.

  Before, Kerrick would have expanded all his energy to make those vines move. One perk of being a forest mage. However, now using his magic to look normal drained him.

  A sword point pricked Kerrick’s neck.

  “Stop it now,” a woman ordered.

  Kerrick inclined his head. “I’m simply demonstrating my plan.” The vines retreated, freeing the soldiers.

  “Heck of a demonstration.” Vic rubbed his cheeks.

  “Will you come?” Kerrick asked.

  “Yeah, what do you need us to do?”

  “I’ll trap the soldiers with the vines, but this time I’ll also cut off their air supply, knocking them out. You drag them away and then take their place.”

  “Should we put on their uniforms?”

  “No need. It’s dark and they’re similar enough. Plus we don’t have the time. Ready?”

  They sheathed their weapons and collected their packs. Kerrick led them back to the blockade.

  Once they reached the dried creek bed, Kerrick whispered, “I’m going to disappear. You’ll be able to see from here when the vines have done their job. I’ll go warn Captain Drisana and send her your way.”

  Sergeant Vic nodded. Kerrick moved away and dropped his normal look. He edged closer to his targets—eight in all. Thick bushes and thorny briars grew along the creek’s raised banks, creating a barrier between those in the dip and the others.

  Kerrick knelt on the ground and visualized what he needed the vines to do. Concentrating, he directed the vines to drop down and quickly ensnare the soldiers all at once. While this action didn’t require magical energy, his connection to the forest deepened and the task became a physical effort. Sweat soaked his shirt.

  A few muffled grunts sounded as the vines captured the enemy, but none loud enough to raise an alarm. When the squad appeared to do their job, Kerrick staggered to his feet. He headed toward the fighting. Keeping to the edge of the forest, he crossed behind the POW camp and stopped.

  The two armies fought in the training fields. They appeared to be evenly matched, but Drisana didn’t know about the soldiers waiting just to the north. Kerrick scanned the fighters until he saw the familiar blond hair. He hadn’t seen her since they trained together up in Ivdel Realm.

  Kerrick gathered his magic. He pulled his dadao sword and stepped from the forest, heading straight for Drisana. Each stride drained him. Halfway there, one of Cellina’s soldiers intercepted him.

  Flashing his thick-bladed sword, Kerrick growled. The young man stared at the nasty-looking weapon and backed away. Kerrick kept moving even though each step cost him. The skirmish resembled...a skirmish. The enemy lacked a certain fierceness, as if the presence of the blockade meant they didn’t have to try as hard. At least no dead soldiers fought among them.

  He dodged a few other soldiers before joining Drisana. She glanced at him briefly before continuing her fight. With Kerrick’s help, they dispatched the man in no time.

  “You look horrible. Did you come back from the dead just for me?” Drisana wiped the blood off her sword.

  “I can’t stay—” He ducked as a soldier swung his sword, aiming for Kerrick’s throat.

  Drisana engaged the man. “Go on.”

  “Don’t go north. It’s blocked.”

  She flicked a glance at him before returning her attention to the fight.

  “Go east, find a dry creek bed and follow it. Tell your team.”

  “We have a team inside the manor.” She feinted right and slipped her blade under the man’s defenses, stabbing him in the stomach.

  “I’ll let them know.” With his energy almost gone, he’d have to ask one of Sergeant Vic’s squad.

  “You can barely stand. Take Eva, she’s
fast and quiet.” Drisana whistled and then shouted Eva’s name.

  A small, thin girl who looked to be twelve years old darted around fighters. She joined them in no time.

  “Go with Prince Kerrick,” Drisana ordered. “He’ll fill you in.”

  “Yes, sir.” Eva peered at him with a dubious expression.

  He didn’t blame her. “This way.” Not bothering to see if she followed, he limped toward the forest.

  When he entered the woods the strong pull to return eased. However, after a few feet, he sank to the ground. Turning to Eva, he said, “Don’t let this scare you.” He dropped his normal camouflage.

  She appeared impressed by his transformation.

  “I need you to deliver a message.” Kerrick explained what he wanted her to do. “Can you show Avry and her team the way out?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Go east with them. You can rendezvous with Captain Drisana later.”

  Eva cocked her head. “What about you?”

  “Don’t worry about me.”

  She didn’t look convinced.

  “The forest will protect me.”

  “Nice.”

  He smiled. “Yes, it is. Now go, Drisana will be signaling a retreat soon.”

  “Yes, sir.” She took off at a fast pace.

  Kerrick worried she’d get caught. But after a few minutes he realized Drisana was right. Eva was quiet.

  Completely exhausted, he lay back on the ground, hoping he’d done enough.

  CHAPTER 9

  Drawing hidden weapons, the ambushers dressed in formal clothes attacked. Odd and his men reacted, pulling their swords and engaging them. Flea and the monkeys joined in. I counted the enemy. At least thirty, outnumbering us two to one. And all living.

  “Don’t use your daggers,” I called over the din.

  Everyone had coated their knives with Death Lily toxin just in case we encountered the dead. Their swords remained clean in case we engaged living soldiers. No one wished to use the toxin against a living person even if they were the enemy. That would be cruel.

  One man lunged toward me. He thrust his sword at my stomach. I twisted. The blade sliced my skin. A line of pain registered distantly as I stepped in close. Unable to use his sword, he dropped it and, in one quick move, wrapped his hands around my neck.

  I copied him, but when my fingers touched the back of his neck, I zapped him into unconsciousness.

  “Avry, get over here,” Odd yelled. He was backed into a corner with three soldiers advancing on him.

  Weaving through the fighters, I snuck up on the men who had trapped Odd. I managed to zap two before being knocked to the ground. Two other ambushers picked me up under my arms and held tight. Unable to reach their skin, I kicked them without success. They dragged me toward the door. Icy fear flowed through me.

  “Avry, duck,” Quain cried.

  I leaned forward. Air swept my neck. Then came the sickening sound of a blade cutting through flesh and bone. Warm blood soaked my back and arm. I remained hunched as Quain pulled back for another swing. More blood splattered on me. I wiped it from my face. Two headless bodies lay at my feet.

  Quain helped me up.

  “Company’s coming,” Loren called. “Time to retreat.”

  Only a few ambushers remained. We bolted from the ballroom. Pounding boots and shouts sounded behind us.

  “What’s the plan?” Odd puffed.

  “Get to the stairs,” I said.

  Not bothering to check for enemies, we raced into the stairwell.

  “Can we block the door?” I asked Odd.

  He glanced behind. “No time.”

  We made it to the ground floor, where Saul and his men fought a couple dozen of Cellina’s soldiers in the narrow hallway. These also were living and I wondered where the dead soldiers waited to ambush us.

  “Oh, good, backup,” Saul said, disarming his opponent.

  “Except we brought more...uh...friends,” Quain said. “How’s the escape route?”

  “Blocked,” Saul said, engaging with another soldier.

  “Stairwell,” Loren shouted. “Keep them from coming out.”

  Odd’s men moved to stop them. I stood in the middle, unable to help. All my knives had toxin on them.

  “Avry,” Loren called. He had disarmed a man and held him in a headlock.

  I understood and darted in to zap the man into unconsciousness. After that, I zapped anyone my team trapped. We had a nice surge of energy, pushing both sides back. But with fatalities and injuries increasing and the large number of opponents, it would only be a matter of time. Fear pulsed in time with my heart. I kept an eye on Flea. He held his own, fighting with a fierce determination. But for how long?

  Should I surrender? I imagined Cellina would be quite ecstatic to learn I’d been captured. And then I realized she could threaten to harm Flea, the monkeys, and Odd if I didn’t heal Tohon.

  No surrendering for me. This would have to be a fight to my death. I refused to be put in that horrible position.

  A ruckus behind the enemy’s line caused a change in dynamics. The soldiers eased off their assault against us. It seemed as if they were being attacked from the opposite direction. Saul’s squad took advantage of their distraction and increased the pressure.

  Then the stairwell group retreated.

  “They’re probably going to get reinforcements,” Loren said.

  “Then let’s not linger,” Quain said.

  It didn’t take long for us to dispatch the remaining soldiers. The reason for our change in luck stood farther down the hallway. A group of caregivers from the infirmary held hollow tubes up to their mouths.

  My team hesitated, not sure what to make of this new development. But I did. Christina, who had been my assistant when I’d worked here, led the group, standing out in front. She signaled and they all put their weapons down.

  “It’s okay.” I pushed my way through. When I reached Christina, I hugged her briefly. “I’m so glad you survived the occupation!”

  She gave me a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You taught me so much, they couldn’t get rid of me. Although I’d rather have gone with you.”

  Ah, the reason for the stiffness. “I’m sorry. There was no time. Noelle had knocked Tohon out. We only had a few minutes.” But I had a plan in place before that. Why hadn’t I thought of taking Christina with us? Because all my focus had been on getting my sister to a Peace Lily before she died. Didn’t work.

  “Thanks for saving us,” Odd said. He gestured to the fallen soldiers. “What did you use?”

  “Darts filled with sleeping draft. We thought we should be prepared in case Cellina changed her mind about us.”

  “Good idea. Uh... Not that I’m ungrateful, but why did you help us?”

  Christina met my gaze. “I heard Avry’s name and came out to investigate.” She shrugged. “If she is captured, things will go from bad to worse.”

  “Do you know if there are more soldiers coming?” Odd asked.

  “No.”

  “Let’s go before we find out.” Saul signaled a retreat. “Back door, now!”

  The odd squad led the way. A few of our team had to be helped.

  “Come with us,” I said to Christina. “All of you.”

  The caregivers exchanged surprised glances.

  “But our patients...” Christina pressed her hands to her chest.

  “Now or never, ladies,” Saul said.

  “We’ve set up an infirmary. You
can work there if you want,” I said.

  “All right,” Christina said. “I’m in.”

  A couple of the other caregivers joined us, but most stayed behind. We raced toward the exit. Christina kept pace with me.

  “Why did you come back?” she asked.

  “We came for Estrid.”

  “She’s not here.”

  “Do you know where she is?” I asked.

  “In the POW camp with the others.”

  I paused. “Is she...”

  “Yes, she’s still frozen.”

  Before I could process her comments, we reached the exit and stopped.

  “What’s going on?” Odd demanded, shoving people out of his way.

  I followed Odd. Something blocked the door. Or rather someone.

  A small girl stood with her arms crossed. “I’ve a message for Healer Avry.”

  “Who are you?” Odd asked.

  “That’s Eva, one of Captain Drisana’s scouts,” a man said. He stood near the front.

  Odd jerked his thumb at me hovering behind him. “She’s here. Now spit it out.”

  “You can’t go straight east through the woods. There’s a line of soldiers waiting for you. You need to follow the dry creek bed in order to get out. It’s just north of here, then it turns east,” Eva said.

  “Is this from the captain?” Odd asked.

  “No. The captain didn’t know about the blockade. Prince Kerrick told her and then he sent me.”

  Did she just say... My heart stopped beating. I pushed Odd out of my way. “You’ve seen Kerrick?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where?” I demanded.

  “He’s in the forest. He said the forest will protect him.”

  “We need to go, now,” Saul said. “We’ll figure this out later.”

  “All right. Go! Find the creek bed,” I ordered.

  They rushed out, heading north. When the girl moved to follow, I grabbed her arm. “Not yet. Show me where you last saw Kerrick.”