I glanced up in surprise. An angelic face surrounded by a mane of messy brown hair peered down at me from the upper bunk.

“That’s Zila. She’s eight,” Danny said.

“I survived, too,” she said. “I want to go. King Tohon’s mean.”

“Anyone else?” I asked.

“No. Just us,” Danny said.

“We’re special. King Tohon said so,” she said. “Two from dozens.”

“Dozens?” Danny frowned at her. “Are you sure he said dozens?”

“Yep.”

He was old enough to realize what that meant. Danny’s face paled, but he swallowed and met my gaze with determination. “We’ll help you.”

I filled them in on my plan. “Can you be ready to go tomorrow night around this time?”

“Yes,” they both said.

“Don’t tell anyone,” I added.

“Do I look like I’m eight?” Danny asked.

“Hey.” Zila threw her pillow at him.

He ducked it easily and tossed it back.

Curious, I asked, “How old are you?”

He straightened. “I’m twelve and three-quarters.”

I kept to my normal routine the next day. When I returned to my rooms from the infirmary, I brought my journal, food and a few first-aid supplies, packing them in my knapsack along with the envelope for Noelle. We’d need money, but I’d planned to sell my throwing knives.

Danny had told me the nurses only came during the day, so it should go smoothly. When it was well after midnight, I collected the kids. Dressed and ready, they both had small packs slung over their backs.

Hurrying through the castle, we slipped outside without incident. The moon was brighter than I’d wished, but we crossed to the outer buildings without raising an alarm. I paused in the stable’s shadows to listen for sounds of pursuit. After a few minutes of silence, we headed to the Death Lily garden.

Once there, I stopped next to the first one. Even though the petals were held open, I stuck my hand inside. A thorn pricked my palm. My awareness floated along the Lilys consciousness. Its misery consumed me.

How can we help? I thought.

Images of the orange toxin sacks filled my mind. I still had them in my pack. Then it showed me squeezing the liquid onto the ground around the plants. Its own toxin would kill the Death Lily. It wanted to die. Except I had the impression killing these plants was more like cutting off a limb than ending the Death Lily’s consciousness.

It released my hand and I held another two sacks. I quickly explained to Danny and Zila what we needed to do. Giving them each one of my throwing knives along with a stern warning to be careful with the sharp weapons, I sent them to the other Death Lilys. After they started, I grabbed my stiletto and cut a toxin sack open. I poured the poison around the base of the plant, then moved to the next one.

We worked as fast as possible. While the kids went deeper into the garden, I stayed on the outer rows. Because of the plague symptoms, I moved slower than the kids. I hoped I would get them to safety before I entered stage three.

Dawn was only a couple of hours away when we finished. At least I succeeded in one more thing. Tohon would have to plant a whole new garden of Death Lilys and wait for the Lilys to mature before he could start again. Perhaps by then Ryne and Estrid would be victorious.

The three of us cut through the dying garden to the back wall. Danny and Zila hesitated when they spotted the Peace Lilys. I assured them they wouldn’t be snatched. We pushed through to the wall.

Danny climbed over first, then Zila and I followed. As I crested the top, I felt no guilt in breaking my word to Tohon. Kerrick had been right. Tohon was a madman and there was no way I’d leave Danny and Zila in his care.

A surprised cry sounded as I dropped to the ground. I straightened and spun. Standing at the edge of the forest, Tohon held Zila, and Sepp had Danny’s arm twisted behind his back. I almost wilted in defeat right there. Damn.

“So predictable, Avry,” Tohon said. “I puzzled over why you would stay behind once Ryne had been rescued. Then I figured you had discovered my experimental children. Once I understood, all I had to do was assign a nurse to watch and wait. You didn’t disappoint.”

I glanced around, counting the soldiers. He’d brought six guards.

“You don’t think we needed an army to handle a couple of kids and a dying healer?” Sepp’s sneering tone bordered on incredulity.

“A healer who saved your life. As I recall, you almost died because Tohon had his dead soldiers capture me on my way to the cave. If it wasn’t for Kerrick’s timely rescue, you would not have survived your injuries.”

Sepp glanced at Tohon with anger and horror creasing his brow. I used the distraction to pull a couple throwing knives.

“Don’t listen to her,” Tohon said. “I allowed Kerrick to rescue her. I needed to touch her before they discovered Ryne was missing to ensure she’d return to me.” He studied me. “Is that all you have?”

It might not have helped me now, but I had planted a seed of doubt in Sepp’s twisted mind. “I have this.” I brandished my weapons.

“And if you move, I’ll hurt this little girl. So I suggest you drop all your knives on the ground,” Tohon said.

When I didn’t, Zila cried out in pain. I tossed my weapons down.

“Now, lead the way back to the castle. If you try anything stupid, I’ll hurt her again.”

I noticed movement along the ground in my peripheral vision, but I kept my gaze on Tohon. “How could I do anything, Tohon? All I have left are these.” I reached into my pocket slowly and withdrew my stones.

“What are they?” Sepp asked.

“Juggling stones. See?” I juggled the three rocks. Belen was right. They were the perfect size and weight. I did a bunch of tricks, reversing direction, throwing them high, then low, using one hand and doing a spin-throw combination.

Tohon and Sepp looked at me as if I’d lost my mind, but the guards and the kids watched fascinated. Good. No one noticed the vines creeping around their legs. And Kerrick had called me stubborn. The man was supposed to be long gone by now.

At the first shout of alarm, I threw my rocks as hard and fast as I could. One hit Tohon square on the forehead. The second cracked Sepp in his temple. Both men let go of their hostages when hit.

“Run,” I yelled to Danny and Zila.

They bolted into the woods as Kerrick, Ryne, Quain and Loren took advantage of the surprised guards whose feet were entangled in the vines. I dove for my knives.

But Tohon had already read the situation. Knowing his guards wouldn’t last long, he took off with Sepp close on his heels, heading back to the safety of his castle. And a lot more than six guards. I moved to give chase, but Kerrick clamped his hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

“We’re in enemy territory. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of Tohon another day,” he said. “Find the kids, we need to go. It’s not safe here.”

“No, it isn’t. You should be long gone by now.”

“Frustrating when someone doesn’t follow logic and common sense. Isn’t it?”

I opened my mouth, but he said, “We can argue about it later.”

I nodded and searched the woods for Danny and Zila. They hid under a bush. I coaxed them from their hiding spot and held their hands as we followed Kerrick to the north.

It was the longest, hardest, most exhausting trek in my entire life. Every inch of my body ached. Chills followed flashes of heat. Sweat gushed from my skin only to freeze a few minutes later.

The forest blurred into a green-hued watercolor painting. I lost track of time. When my body reached its limit, I tripped over my own feet and fell flat on my face. Content to remain there, I waved the others on. They wouldn’t leave me. Picked up and cradled like a baby, I nestled against Kerrick’s chest and fell asleep.

I woke…later. A bright campfire burned. Shadows danced on stone walls. Another one of Kerrick’s caves. I almost groaned aloud.