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and through that connection, he sensed other people. Or rather, he felt the irritations and annoyances that the forest considered intruders to its home.
When I held Kerrick’s hand, I also connected and experienced the unique bond he shared with the forest. I wondered if my eye color changed from sea-green to a darker green when his magic zipped through my body. Kerrick’s eye color changed to match the forest. Since it was the middle of spring, the surrounding greenery was thick and lush, an emerald carpet.
When I had first met him, his eyes were russet with flecks of gold, orange and maroon. The warm colors belied his personality at the time. He had been as cold and distant as the snow-capped peaks of the Nine Mountains.
But not anymore.
He caught me staring and smiled. It transformed his face from unreadable to … happy. Which still surprised me. I had been used to him gazing at me with annoyance, anger or exasperation, and these pleasant looks threw me.
He waited.
I shook my head and returned to studying the town. It was near the foothills of the Nine Mountains. Even from this distance, it appeared that most of the buildings had burned down. No signs of life.
“Do you think the marauders got to Peti?” I asked. Since it was the closest town to the main pass through the mountains, it had been a popular place to stop before making the treacherous crossing.
Even after the plague, Peti had managed to survive. But without law enforcement, large groups of marauders had formed in the foothills. They would attack populated areas when they ran out of food and supplies. They’d killed, looted and burned without mercy.
“Probably before Tohon got to them,” he said.
Tohon had swept through the foothills and killed all the marauders, leaving their bodies for us to trip over. He had claimed he was cleaning out the undesirables that had infected his kingdom. I considered Tohon’s abominations—his dead soldiers. Why wouldn’t he turn those marauders into more mindless, obedient troops? I asked Kerrick.
“He wanted us to find them. So we would rush to the pass and right into his ambush.”
I shuddered. The memory of the dead carrying me away still haunted my sleep along with Tohon’s voice beckoning me. The forest didn’t consider those things intruders because they weren’t alive. According to Kerrick, the living green ignored the damage they inflicted since it couldn’t sense any life nearby. Which meant the dead could sneak up on Kerrick. An unpleasant thought.
“Let’s check out Peti before we find a place to rest,” Kerrick said.
As expected, no one lived among the burned ruins. A light breeze swirled the ash. Our boots crunched on broken glass. Peti was bigger than I had thought. As we drew closer to the center, we encountered a few brick factories and businesses that had survived the fire. The flames had missed the heart of the town. With the marauders gone, people could return and build anew.
Except Peti was in the Realm of Vyg. Even though it was near the eastern border, this area was technically occupied by Tohon’s army. Kerrick and I had dodged a number of his patrols on our way here.
Kerrick found another small cave for us to hide in until nightfall. I understood the need to be hidden from sight and protected from an attack. However, I would have liked to camp under the sky for our last day together.
We set up our bedrolls and lit a small fire to drive off the chill and cook a simple meal. Sitting on opposite sides, I broached the subject of my future plans.
“No,” Kerrick said without considering anything I’d just said.
“I’m not asking. I need to talk to my sister. To explain—”
“No. It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m not asking,” I repeated because he tended to think he was in charge. “Besides, I was on the run for three years. I know how to get around without encountering trouble. And I can defend myself.” I pulled one of my throwing knives and pointed it at Kerrick. “And I know how to walk through the woods without making noise, so I’ll stick to the forest. Plus my healing powers can be used—”
“I know,” he growled.
I suppressed a smile, remembering blasting him with pain. He’d deserved it. I’d been trying to escape from him and his companions, but he wouldn’t let go. And he called me stubborn. He was the most obstinate person I knew. Worry flared. Would he drag me to Ivdel with him?
“No one knows I’m alive,” I said again. “No one is looking for me. No more bounty hunters, no mercenaries or Tohon’s dead.” And best of all, no Tohon. The man who’d threatened to claim me, and I knew, if push came to shove, he could with one touch. I hugged my arms close to my body.
“But what about the patrols? And Estrid’s holy army? Or Jael? She killed Flea and tried to kill us. If she sees you …” Fear cracked his stony expression for a moment.
“She won’t. I’ll wear a disguise.”
“But your sister is Jael’s page. If you get close to Noelle, she’ll know.”
“Then I’ll make sure Noelle’s alone.”
“But what if she still hates you? She’ll tell Jael you’re alive.”
He had me there.
I thought fast. “Then I won’t approach Noelle until after you and Ryne arrive with his army.” Hopefully in time to help Estrid defeat Tohon. Without Ryne, there was more than a good chance Tohon would overrun her defenses and add all of us to his ranks of dead. “I’ll do reconnaissance and fact-gathering. I promise.” I sensed a softening. “Tohon told me he has spies in Estrid’s camp. I might be able to find them.”
“No. You lie low, blend in and don’t call attention to yourself. Learn what you can from watching and listening. Don’t ask questions.” Even though he was clearly unhappy, he continued. “You’ll need a good disguise. Go to Mom’s in Mengels, she’ll—”
“But she’s days out of the way, and I don’t want anyone to know I’m alive.”
“If you don’t follow my suggestions, then I’ll just follow you.”
And he would.
I kept my expression neutral. “Why Mom’s?”
“Before the plague she helped women who had run away from their abusive husbands. Her inn was known as a safe house for these women, and she would give them a new look, a new name and find them a safe place to live.” He held a hand up. “She’ll keep all your secrets. You can trust her. That’s why everyone calls her Mom.”
“All right. Any other suggestions?”
“Don’t work in the infirmary. I know it’ll be tempting, but find a job that lets you be invisible. Like a maid or a kitchen servant.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
“Stay away from anyone you recognize or know. Belen’s still there.” Kerrick’s face paled. “You should tell Belen. He can help.”
“No, he can’t. Come on, Kerrick, you know he’s a rotten liar.”
“Easy for you to say. He’s not going to rip your arms off.” He hugged his arms to his chest.
“He’s not going to hurt you,” I said. Or would he? Belen was the Poppa Bear of our group, and we had become close friends. The thought of him mourning my death almost changed my mind.
“Have Prince Ryne tell him. I sacrificed my life for his, so he owes me one.” Ryne had had the plague and I’d healed him by assuming the sickness.
Unfortunately for the six million people who had died, the plague killed healers as well, so we’d stopped healing plague victims until we could determine another way. But once the population panicked and rumors spread that