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

by Maria V. Snyder

  “Lost in the mines?” Loren asked. “Or absent without leave?”

  Frustration boiled. “I’d send search parties, but no one can read the maps.”

  Quain and Loren flipped through the stack.

  Out of ideas, I said, “We’ll wait for Kerrick and Flea to—”

  “It’s a symhextric cipher,” Quain cried.

  “A what?” Loren asked.

  “The maps. It’s been driving me crazy, trying to remember where I’d seen this before. Prince Ryne used this symhextric code to send messages to his scouts. It uses symbols, numbers, and hexagons.”

  “How do you know all this?” Loren asked.

  “Back when we were camped in Zabin with Estrid’s army, he showed it to me.”

  “Can you decipher these?” I asked.

  Quain picked up another map. “I can try.”

  “What do you need?”

  “Uh...a few sheets of blank parchment, a ruler, and a piece of charcoal.”

  I scrambled to assemble the supplies while Loren helped him organize the maps.

  After I finished, he shooed me away. “No need to hover. I’ll let you know if this works.”

  I pulled Belen aside. “Seems a big coincidence that Quain knows this code.”

  “Coincidence or part of Prince Ryne’s grand scheme?”

  Too tired to argue, I said, “I’m going to bed. Wake me if there’s any news.”

  Grabbing an extra lantern, I walked through the oversize loading doors into the next room, skirted the piles of dirt, and descended into the living levels of the mines. I’d been sleeping on the cot in Ryne’s office. My blankets smelled of spring sunshine and living green. I debated about taking the sleep powder. Would Kerrick’s scent keep the Tohon dreams at bay?

  A light tapping sounded on the door. I answered. A man in his late twenties stood at attention.

  “Private Beau, sir. I heard you wished to see me?”

  Rather old for a private, but he could be a new recruit. “Yes. Where have you been?”

  “Scouting in the tunnels, sir.”

  “Are you supposed to be doing that?”

  He blushed. “No, sir. Not without Sergeant Hogan, but I...was... I wanted to show a colleague this...rock formation...and...” Beau squirmed with embarrassment.

  Ah, the old let-me-show-you-this-rock-formation move. Beau probably had a lady with him.

  “That’s okay, you’re here now. I need you to help decipher the maps of the mines. We’re looking for an underground route to the northwest. One that will get us close to the Healer’s Guild.”

  “No problem. That’s the three-triangle route. It’ll get you about two miles west give or take a mile,” he said.

  Excited, I asked how to find this route.

  “I’ll show you the entrance and the symbols you need to follow.” He picked up my lantern.

  I hurried after him. We descended two levels and he headed to a tunnel on the far left. Shining the light on the wall, he illuminated a symbol that resembled three blue triangles in a circle with their tips touching. There were other symbols painted on the wall as well.

  “This tunnel branches in different directions,” Beau said. “Just down here...” He walked farther in, gesturing for me to follow him. “Here’s an intersection. As you can see, the three triangles are painted on this branch, but not this one. All you need to do is follow them, and make sure you keep the symbol on your right, that means you’re moving away from the center. If they’re on the left, then you’re heading back. It can get confusing down here.”

  I agreed. Too bad the shaft wasn’t big enough for horses. “How long does it take to get to the guild?”

  “It’s not a straight shot. Four, maybe five days. Let me see...” Beau continued down the three-triangle tunnel until he reached another junction. “Ah, yes.” He pointed to a symbol that had four circles side by side. “This shaft is a shortcut and will eliminate a couple days. Hmm...three days total.”

  “Sounds like you know this area well. We might need you to guide us.”

  “Oh, sure. I’ve done this route a couple times.” He smiled, revealing yellowed teeth.

  An uneasy chill zipped through me. No one knew I was down here. We had gone farther into the mines than I’d expected. Too far for anyone to hear me yell.

  “Great.” I turned to go back.

  “Wait,” he said.

  I glanced over my shoulder. He’d hung the lantern on a hook and reached into his breast pocket. Beau pulled out a slender object. A blow gun? I shifted my weight to the ball of my feet, ready to flee. Then he dipped his hand in his pants pocket. Was that a dart filled with Death Lily toxin?

  He yanked a piece of folded parchment from his pocket. “I just want to write down these other symbols so I can double-check the directions on the maps.” Beau smiled again. “I don’t want to get us lost. My sergeant would kill me.”

  A mixture of relief and chagrin calmed my heartbeat. It wasn’t foolish to think he might be a spy for Tohon; it was very foolish not to consider it until after it was too late.

  After Beau wrote down the symbols, we returned to the surface. He joined the monkeys. Quain had found the right quadrant, but not the correct tunnels. Beau helped.

  Belen followed me back to Ryne’s office. “What’s wrong?”

  “How did—”

  “Poppa Bear, remember?”

  I explained about my moment of panic. “I’m not cut out for all this...subterfuge.”

  “It’s not one of your strengths,” Belen agreed with a broad smile. “How about we keep a guard nearby just in case?”

  “All right.”

  He peered at me in suspicion. “That was too easy.”

  “As I see it, I’d rather go to Tohon on my own terms than be dragged there by one of his spies.”

  “Ah, that’s our girl.”

  I mixed a teaspoon of sleep powder in a glass of water and gulped it. One way to keep Tohon guessing was to block him from my dreams.

  Belen tucked me in, pulling the blanket up to my chin. Then he turned the lantern’s light down low, dragged Ryne’s chair over by the door and sat with his sword across his lap.

  “Belen, you don’t—”

  “Hush. Go to sleep.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  His chuckle sounded like the sweetest lullaby.

  * * *

  Kerrick and Flea returned in the evening of the sixth day. I rushed out to meet them with Belen and the monkeys right behind me. Too pale and too skinny, they both appeared in serious need of a month’s worth of Mom’s cooking and a week’s worth of sleep.

  I embraced Kerrick, sharing my energy. Instead of stopping me, he drew me closer. Not a good sign.

  Eventually, he pulled away. “Thanks.”

  “I thought Flea could share his strength with you.”

  “He can, but we kept moving and I didn’t want to slow him down.”

  “What did you find out?” Belen asked.

  “Give the man a break,” Quain said. “Let’s get a fire started and heat up some food.”

  “Trust Quain not to miss a meal,” Loren said.

  Quain bumped Loren’s arm hard as he issued orders. In no time, a warm fire blazed and a pile of dirty dishes grew. I snuggled next to Kerrick, anxious to hear his report, but also afraid.

  “I can’t wait any longer—was Tohon at the Healer’s Guild?” Belen asked.

  “Yes,” Kerrick said. “He set up camp right in the middle of the ruins. Big fancy tent with a rug.”

  I straightened in alarm. “You got that close?”

  “No, I caught a glimpse when the flaps opened.”

  “How many troops does he have with him?” Loren asked.

  Kerrick glanced at Flea.

  Flea said, “Approximately five hundred living soldiers, and about eight hundred dead protected with neck armor. And a dozen dead ufas that guard Tohon’s tent.”

  “And we have—” Quain pretended to count heads “—the s
ix of us.”

  Sinking back against Kerrick, I closed my eyes. Tohon was too well protected.

  “We have an idea,” Kerrick said.

  I opened my eyes in time to see Flea nod.

  “Yeah, we’re thinking we can stay downwind of the camp, Loren can shoot a flaming arrow at Tohon’s tent, setting it on fire, and when he runs out into the confusion, Loren puts another one into his heart.”

  “And there’s also Saul’s squad and a few others Ryne has left behind so we can create a nice distraction,” Kerrick added.

  “You really think Loren can get that close?” I asked.

  “Well, there’s a slight chance of success.”

  “How about if Loren comes in from another direction?” I asked.

  “What are you suggesting?”

  I told him about the mine shafts. “If you create a distraction to the east, we could sneak in from the west.”

  Kerrick and Flea exchanged a significant look.

  “Yes, that could work,” Kerrick said.

  “And if it doesn’t?” Quain asked.

  “Plan B,” I said.

  Everyone looked at me.

  “And that would be...” Quain prompted.

  “Retreat through the tunnels.”

  “Not bad.” Quain pursed his lips.

  “When are we implementing this plan?” Loren asked.

  “Wait,” Quain said. “Why rush? Why can’t we send a message to Prince Ryne and have him send a thousand troops to back us up?”

  Kerrick inclined his head. “Tohon knows we’re here. He won’t wait much longer. The sooner we move, the better. How long did Private Beau say it’ll take to navigate the tunnels?”

  “Three days, and we’ll come out about two miles west,” I said.

  Kerrick drew a circle in the dirt with a stick. “The enemy is about a mile deep, but I’m sure Tohon has patrols going farther out. It’ll take the overland and underground teams the same amount of time to reach the Healer’s Guild, so that fourth day will be our action day.” He tapped the stick on his boot. “Do we want to strike at dusk or the middle of the night?”

  “What’s the advantage of dusk?” I asked.

  “It’s like catching them with their pants down,” Quain said.

  “Not quite,” Loren said drily. “They’re settling down for the evening, eating supper, and washing up.”

  “That’s what I said. And middle of the night means we have to be extraquiet—any sound is amplified.”

  Loren leaned forward. “But the enemy is confused and disoriented from being woken. Plus the darkness will help hide us, which will work in our favor since our teams will be—”

  “Tiny, petite, minuscule, infinitesimal.” Quain pinched his finger and thumb together.

  “Mobile, fast, flexible,” Loren countered.

  “The darkness can also make it hard for us to see,” Belen said.

  “Unless the moon is bright,” Flea added.

  “If it rains, we’ll have to wait until it stops. Hard to have flaming arrows in the rain.” Loren lined up an imaginary bow.

  The discussion continued and everyone offered their opinions and advice.

  In the end, Kerrick decided our course of action complete with contingencies in case it rained and set the time of attack to a few hours after midnight.

  “The overland team will be led by me and consist of Flea, Belen, Sergeant Saul, and his squad. The underground team will be led by Avry and consist of the monkeys, Private Beau, and the rest of his squad. We’ll leave in the morning,” Kerrick said.

  The others rushed off to gather supplies and prepare for the mission, leaving me alone with Kerrick. No cookouts tonight.

  “Well, that was rather convenient,” I said.

  He smiled. “Nice of the boys to clear out.”

  But my mood soured thinking of Belen and the others. Had I just condemned them all to death? Or worse?

  Kerrick brushed a hair from my face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Quain has a point. Why don’t we just go hide until Ryne and his army catches up? He has plenty of personnel now and we’re a small force. It’s suicide.”

  “No. It isn’t.” He turned so he faced me. Taking my hands in his, he met my gaze. “Trust me. This is exactly what we need to do. Okay?”

  Understanding mixed with frustration. Kerrick hadn’t told me everything. He didn’t want Tohon to discover it through me. Smart.

  “I trust you.”

  “Good.” A slow smile spread on his face. “Besides, I’m feeling...energetic.”

  “You shouldn’t waste your energy.”

  Pushing me back until I was on the ground, Kerrick leaned over me. “This is never a waste of energy.” His lips found mine.

  After that, it didn’t take me long to agree with him. And for a few hours, all thoughts of battles, ambushes, and assassinations disappeared. Replaced by every aspect, detail, and scent of Kerrick.

  * * *

  In the middle of the final preparations the next morning, Flea pulled me aside. “Avry, I need you to do something for me.”

  Just by his queasy expression, I knew it involved magic. “I’m not going to like it, right?”

  “No, but it’s important. And believe me, I’m not happy about it, either.”

  Curious. “What is it?”

  “I need you to tell Yuri to listen to my orders.”

  Yuri? Oh, no. “You want to take him along.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  Kerrick’s words trust me repeated in my mind. “All right.”

  Flea tried to hide his surprise with a familiar smoothing of his features. All that time spent with Kerrick was rubbing off on him. He grabbed a lantern and led me down three levels to a small dark room. Inside, Yuri lay on a stone slab.

  Guilt rushed into my heart. I’d been avoiding facing my horrible mistake since I’d arrived. And the poor man had been left all alone. “No light?”

  “He doesn’t need it, Avry.”

  I approached the young man. “If I’d been smarter, I could have cured him.”

  “He was part of the learning process. Without him, you wouldn’t have cured thirty others.”

  I glanced at Flea in suspicion. “Did Kerrick tell you to say that?”

  Flea ducked his head. “He knew you’d be upset and I...” Now he met my gaze. “I was awful to you, Avry. I’m sorry. It just freaked me out and I couldn’t deal. At that time, refusing to use my magic made perfect sense.”

  “And I pushed you too hard.”

  “You had to, we’re at war.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  He gave me his lopsided grin. “Belen. Helping him, but even before when I caught a whiff of burned flesh...” Flea hugged himself.

  “Yeah, horrific things can really motivate a person. Tohon’s dead soldiers convinced me to heal Ryne.”

  “And not Belen’s school stories?”

  I laughed. “No.”

  “Quain owes me big!”

  Trust the boys to bet on that.

  “Are we friends again?” I asked Flea.

  “Yep.”

  My smile died when I returned to the task at hand. I approached Yuri and asked him to sit up. He didn’t move. I ordered him. Still nothing. It had been so long since I’d awoken him with my touch, perhaps he didn’t recognize me. Plus I’d avoided touching him since.

  I pressed my fingertips to his forehead. “Yuri, stand up.”

  He complied.

  “Yuri, I want you to obey Flea’s orders from now on,” I said.

  “How do we know if it works?” Flea asked.

  “Tell him to do something.”

  Flea set the lantern on the floor. “Yuri, pick up my lantern.”

  Yuri walked over and grasped the handle, lifting the light.

  “Wow,” Flea said.

  “That’s one thing to go right,” I said.

  “The first of many.
Come on, Yuri, follow me.”

  We returned to the surface to join our teams.

  “How much toxin do you have?” I asked Saul.

  “We’re out. Prince Ryne took the last of it when he left. I was hoping you had more,” Saul said.

  I cursed under my breath. “I have two sacks left.” Rummaging in my pack, I withdrew them. “Here.”

  “You keep one.”

  My gut reaction was to refuse, but there was a chance of running into a dead patrol when we crept in from the west. “All right.”

  After a quick review of the plan, we split up. Kerrick and I had said our see-you-laters last night, but I still hugged him tight. Then I hugged Belen and Flea, making them both promise to be careful.

  My team descended into the tunnels and I asked Private Beau to take point with Quain assisting. Quain had found the maps for this shaft and they were tucked into his pack just in case Beau lost his way. I followed them while Loren assumed the rear-guard position. Beau’s squad, led by Sergeant Walmer, stayed behind me. Fourteen people total, including Private Red Hair.

  While not under the most ideal conditions—hard rock, mucky puddles, damp air, clammy walls—our trip went well. Keeping track of the days proved the most difficult task since the lanterns provided the only light. And I had to be careful how much sleep powder I mixed since I didn’t want to waste time by oversleeping.

  Beau stopped us about a quarter mile from the exit. “Do we want to make sure the way is clear before we all go?” he asked.

  Good idea.

  “We’ll go,” Loren said, volunteering Quain.

  “No lanterns,” I said. “There should be daylight outside. Just take a peek and report back.”

  “Yes, sir.” Quain saluted me with his dagger.

  “The shaft veers to the right and there’s a steep slope to the exit,” Beau explained. “Just keep a hand on the wall.”

  The monkeys nodded and soon disappeared into the darkness. Unable to keep still, I fidgeted with the straps on my pack and checked my knives. I counted seconds in my head, calculating how long it would take for them to travel a half mile.

  When they failed to return by my estimate, I pulled my stiletto and mentally gave them another five minutes before we’d investigate.

  To my vast relief, they returned with a minute to spare. However, their serious expressions meant bad news.

  “Well?” I asked.

  “The way out is blocked,” Loren said.