“We need to talk to Mom,” I said to Kerrick during one of our breaks.

He sharpened his sword with a stone. “Why?” he asked without looking up.

“Only she can empty the woods for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know.” I gestured at the surrounding trees. “How the intruders feel to the forest, like an infection or pox on a sick patient.”

Kerrick stopped in midstroke, glancing at me with suspicion. “How do you know that?”

“From you.”

“I didn’t tell—”

I huffed. “When you grabbed me from the mercs. Remember? Your skin and hair turned the colors of the forest, and—”

“I know what I did. I just didn’t know you could…feel it, as well. I never could explain the experience to anyone.” He considered. “You’re right. We should ask Mom to empty the forest of searchers.”

Shocked that he admitted I was right, I almost missed the next thing he said.

“But Mom doesn’t know,” Kerrick said.

“Doesn’t know what?” Belen asked. He had returned from scouting and sat down next to me.

Kerrick stared at me with a hint of amusement as I realized Belen didn’t know about his forest magic, either. And Kerrick wasn’t inclined to tell him. Though he didn’t seem worried I’d tell Belen. Hell.

Magicians tended to be skittish, as well. When a family discovered their child was gifted with powers, they kept it quiet until the child learned control of his magic and could protect himself. Kidnapping of young mages had been an unfortunate problem before the plague. Children with magic could be sold for a thousand gold pieces to the northern tribes living in the wildlands.

“Mom doesn’t know I’m a healer, so if we find Melina and she’s injured it would be better not to have anyone around.” I don’t know why I covered for Kerrick. Perhaps I could use it to my advantage someday.

“Oh.”

We sat in silence for a while. I thought about the problem.

“The kidnapper has gone to ground,” I said. “We’ll tell Mom we know where, but he won’t emerge until everyone has given up. Mom will understand and order everyone but us out.”

“And what if we still don’t find them?” Kerrick asked.

“Do you have another idea?”

“No.”

Kerrick followed my plan, asking Mom to bring in the searchers. Since there had been no signs of Melina, she was happy for any bit of good news. Guilt churned in my stomach over our little deception. Little—how was that for trying to make myself feel better?

After all the watchmen and volunteers returned to the Lamp Post Inn, Kerrick ordered his men to stay behind, as well. “We will go alone,” he said, gesturing to me.

They protested and I wondered what Kerrick was up to. He didn’t change his mind. As we headed out, I tucked one of the daggers Belen gave me into my belt and the other into my boot. Kerrick noticed the action, but didn’t say a word.

When we reached the door, Belen stepped in the way. “If any harm—”

“Comes to her, you’ll rip out my arms. Got it,” Kerrick said.

“I’m serious,” Belen said.

“I know. Do you really think I’d put her in danger?”

“Not on purpose, but things happen that are beyond even your control.”

Kerrick gave him a tight smile. “You mean I’m not omnipotent?”

“You’re not even semipotent.”

“Is that even a word?” Kerrick asked.

“He probably meant you’re impotent,” I offered.

It was worth Kerrick’s glare to hear Belen’s deep chuckle. He pushed Belen aside. The big man’s laughter followed us as we left the inn.

Kerrick paused just after entering the forest. “We don’t have much light left. We’ll need to move quickly. How committed are you to finding Melina?”

An odd question. “Very.”

He held out his hand. “Two is better than one.”

Understanding rolled through me. I really didn’t want to touch him, but this wasn’t about me. When his fingers wrapped around mine, magic zipped along my skin, connecting me with the forest.

My awareness expanded into the trees and along the ground. The living green rustled with unease. Unwelcome irritants had trampled its young shoots. It pulsed with pain from broken branches and cut foliage. Deep in its heart, a splinter throbbed. A sore spot the forest wished to remove.

United through the forest’s essence, we searched for that thorn without saying a word. No need. I was no longer Avry, but an extension of green.

Together we found the path of a dangerous intruder. Light at first, it darkened as if rotting with excessive moisture. The smell of decay hung in the air.

And then it loomed before us. An infection oozing with an unnatural bile. Kerrick released my hand. I sank to my knees as the living essence retreated and Avry returned.

I sucked in deep breaths to clear my head, letting my eyes adjust to once again being an observer and not a part of the forest. I mourned the loss of the forest’s state of being, and I wondered how Kerrick could be so grumpy and mean when he had that ability to sink into the living green at will.

He crouched next to me, pointing to a hillside. “See that?”

“The hill?” I squinted in the semidarkness. The shape had an odd…bump.

“That’s how he’s managed to avoid capture. He built a cabin into the hillside and camouflaged it with moss, grass and dirt. Stay here.” Kerrick crept through the woods, keeping well away from the hidden cabin. No sound marked his passage. Soon he disappeared from my sight.

I waited as the air cooled and darkened. My concern about Melina grew with each minute I spent doing nothing. We should storm the cabin before that bastard could harm her. What if she was dead?

Kerrick returned after full dark. A satisfied smirk twisted his lips.

“Where have you been?” I whispered.

“Did you miss me?”

“Not possible. However, there’s a girl—”

“I looped around the cabin. There isn’t another entrance or any windows. But I found a chimney of sorts. He’s using a small metal pipe to vent the smoke from a fire.”

“And this helps us how?”

“Think about it. There is only one way to get inside. If we try to go through that door, he’ll be waiting for us. He has the advantage.”

But if he came outside, we would have the upper hand. What would force him to leave? “You blocked the pipe?”

“Yep. We’ll smoke him out.”

Clever. But I wouldn’t admit I was impressed.

“When he emerges, I’ll take care of him. You find Melina and help her. Understand?”

“Yes.”

Kerrick positioned himself near the entrance while I crouched a few feet behind him. It didn’t take long for the moss-covered door to swing open. A shaft of firelight pierced the darkness as white smoke billowed out. A tall man waved his arms to clear the haze. He coughed once before Kerrick pounced, wrapping his hands around the man’s neck.

I straightened. Intent on telling Kerrick not to kill the guy, I stepped closer but froze as three more men ran from the cabin.

Chapter 8

The three men rushed Kerrick, knocking him and the tall guy to the ground. Even surprised by them, Kerrick managed to land a few blows before he was overpowered. Two men sat on him, while the third took his sword. They questioned him, but Kerrick remained silent.

I stood in the open, unnoticed for now and afraid to call attention to myself. I stepped back into the shadows, but I caught the tall guy’s attention. Recovered from his near strangulation, he dashed forward and clamped a hand on my arm, hauling me into the firelight streaming from the cabin.

“What do we have here?” he asked.

I was getting tired of being manhandled all the time. My fear transformed into anger. “Are you blind?” I asked. “Oh, that’s right. You’ve been playing with girls so long, you’ve no idea what a woman looks like.”

Instantly angry, he backhanded me. Expecting the attack, I leaned away and caught a glancing blow. The force knocked me to the ground. While there, I pulled the dagger from my belt and held it close to my body. Tall Guy pulled me to my feet by my hair.