“Escort the prince to an underground suite,” Tohon ordered four of them.

The soldiers surrounded Ryne. The prince climbed from the coffin with dignity and grace. Impressive. He met my gaze and nodded before being led away.

Tohon’s fingers dug into my skin. “What should I do with you, my dear?”

“I—”

“It was a rhetorical question. I know exactly what happens next.”

He pulled me to my feet and leaned close.

“All the comforts and freedoms you’ve enjoyed are gone. You will have to earn your way back into my good graces.” He threw a pair of gloves onto the floor. “Put those on.”

When I didn’t move, his magic blasted through me, sending me back to my knees. Even if I could break away from Tohon, my odds of getting far were slim to none. I slipped on the gloves. He yanked me to my feet, spun me around and held my arms behind my back while one of the guards snapped a pair of manacles on me, cranking them tight around the gloves and my wrists.

“Take her to a cell close to Prince Ryne’s. Make sure her hands remain secured. I don’t trust her.”

The soldiers grabbed my upper arms—one on each side. They led me down so many steps, I lost track of the number. Better to count than to consider the future. Metal doors swung open and clanged shut. Rank odors fouled the air. Metal bars and sickly yellow torches blurred past. I glimpsed Ryne sitting on a big metal shelf that served as a bed in a cell two down from the one they shoved me into. They left, banging the door closed behind them. An empty cell separated us.

My accommodations included the same hard bed as Ryne’s, and a slop pot. I sat on the edge. Wiggling, I tried to slide my body through my arms. It didn’t work. Ryne watched my useless efforts through the bars. And so did the two who took up positions at the end of the hallway. The design of the prison made Ryne and I quite visible to anyone guarding this wing.

“Sorry the rescue failed,” I said.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Avry of Kazan.”

“I remember you. You were one of Tara’s apprentices. How is she doing?”

“Not good. She’s dead.”

He let out a slow breath. “What else have I missed?”

“Make yourself comfortable. This is going to take what’s left of the night.”

I told him about Kerrick’s two-year search and everything that happened since. He didn’t interrupt, but a few of the more alarming incidences caused him to cringe.

“Sepp’s working with Tohon. If it wasn’t for that little surprise, my plan might have worked.” My throat was raw by the time I finished.

“You planned to heal me?” Ryne asked.

“Yes.”

He stared at me as if trying to decide if my answer was genuine or not. “Even knowing you’ll die?”

“Yes.”

He flinched and glanced away. After a few silent moments, he said, “I can’t believe Tohon’s still experimenting with the Death Lily toxin. Even when he knows the danger.”

“Besides the obvious, what danger?”

“He could start another plague.”

Not the answer I’d been expecting. “Did he start the first one?”

“Not directly. He was helping the healers develop an antidote to the toxin. What they thought was an antidote turned into the plague.”

“How do you know?”

“I stole their notes after my sister died.”

“And you added to it,” I said.

“I was furious. The Guild had been doing research without taking the proper precautions. They were playing with dangerous substances. I always worried something like that would happen.”

He confirmed my suspicions about the Guild. “You should be happy that the Guild is gone, then.”

“I’m… It’s not like that. I wanted the handful of researchers in the Guild to be held accountable, not executed. I didn’t know the people would kill healers.” He rested his head in his hands. “I regret my actions. How could you even consider healing me when you knew about my involvement?” Ryne gazed at me as if in awe. “Can you even forgive me?”

“I already have.” Saying the words confirmed my decision in my heart and soul.

“How could you?”

“Two reasons. Kerrick and Belen. I trust them. It’s that simple.” I smiled, remembering Flea had said the exact same thing to me long ago.

“You said Belen is safe with Estrid. But Tohon said Kerrick will be here soon. Has he been captured, as well?”

I explained. “Tohon’s pretty confident Kerrick’ll try to free us.”

“Tohon’s confidence is one of his weaknesses. Although in this case, I’m with Tohon. I hope Kerrick finds a way to outsmart him.”

“Kerrick suspected Sepp wasn’t trustworthy.” I told him about the note. “If he’d known Sepp would double-cross us, he’d never let him come…unless he planned for Sepp to show his hand. But did Kerrick guess Tohon would wake you?”

“Tohon hasn’t changed since school. He likes to gloat. He likes to flaunt it when he has the upper hand—more weaknesses. I’m positive he meant to wake me at some point.”

“But now we have…seven days at most.” Until he died. “How do you feel?” I asked.

“Rotten. Everything aches and I’m sweating.” He lay down.

Stage-two symptoms. “At least you’re not throwing up.”

“Small mercies,” he muttered. “I’m not going to waste my time moping. Right now there’s not much we can do—unless you have a set of lock picks on you?”

He seemed so hopeful, I hated to disappoint him.

Ryne glanced at the guards and lowered his voice. “Aside from the guards doing something stupid, we’re stuck for now. Best thing I can do is learn everything I can about what Tohon is planning. Avry, can you tell me about his dead soldiers?”

I told him what I remembered. Thankfully, I hadn’t seen them since being in Tohon’s castle.

“You believe Tohon is putting them into a stasis right after they die. But he’s injecting them with a medicine or chemical to animate them. Right?” Ryne asked.

“Yes.”

“If we can figure out what substance he’s using, we can stop him from making more. Any ideas?”

I thought of my journal back in my office in the infirmary. It was possible, although unlikely, I had jotted down some useful information. “The Guild had lists of hundreds of different medicines from plants alone. My mentor knew all of them, but I only remember a few.”

“You’ve been with Tohon long enough to learn about his experiments. Has he mentioned anything else?”

“No. All he talked about was the Death Lily…” A memory snagged. When Tohon had injected me with the toxin, my essence had detached from my body. I had no control, but Tohon walked me back to my room and laid me down on the bed. My body had obeyed him. What would happen if he injected the toxin into a body without a soul? Would it do the same?

“Avry?”

I told him about the toxin. “It almost seems too coincidental.”

“It makes sense. The body has already died so the toxin won’t kill it.”

“But the body’s been frozen in a stasis. Wouldn’t that freeze the toxin, as well?”

“Good point. Don’t give up. Keep thinking, Avry, you have a fine mind.”

“And look where it’s landed us.”

“This is temporary.”

I laughed. “I’m glad you can stay positive.” And I was beginning to like Ryne.

“Positive thoughts lead to positive results.”

“Did you learn that in school?” I asked.

“Yes. One thing the school excelled in was preparing us for the intricacies of politics and the harsh reality of intrigue and deception.”

“That school certainly had an impact on the students. Kerrick’s still grieving over Jael. Tohon still wants to be king of all the Realms.”

“It was life changing for all of us.”

In the morning, guards woke me from a light doze. Yanking me to my feet, they marched me to the infirmary. One removed my manacles and gloves while the other gave me strict instructions. I could work with the patients, but I must not leave the infirmary without them. They would guard the doors and would bring me back to my cell in the evening.