“Avry? How do you feel?” Ryne asked.

“Like I’ve been squashed by Belen.”

He laughed. “At least you still have your sense of humor.”

I sat up. The cave spun and I put my head in my hands to keep from passing out.

“Here, eat.” Ryne held out a bowl of meat. “It’s fresh venison.”

My stomach churned at the smell. “Save it for the kids.” I glanced around. “Where are they?”

“They’re with Kerrick. He’s giving them a tour of the caves. They were quite fascinated by them. And Loren and Quain are on watch.” Ryne filled a spoon with meat. He aimed it at me. “Are you going to eat or do I need to force-feed you?”

I growled.

“You’ll feel better. I know.”

“Fine.” I snatched the spoon and bowl. Once I started eating, my stomach settled. When I finished every last morsel, I asked Ryne why they hadn’t left for safer ground days ago. Once Tohon returned to his castle, I was sure he’d send out squads of his soldiers, both living and dead, after us.

“You know the answer.”

Because Kerrick wouldn’t abandon me. “Well, you’re all going to leave tomorrow. I don’t want anyone to stay and watch me die.”

“You’re going to need care.”

“No. I don’t want it.”

“I don’t think you’ll have the choice,” Ryne said.

“Then I’ll run away.”

He smiled. “Has that worked for you in the past?”

I huffed. “I saved your life—aren’t you supposed to be nice to me?”

“I don’t cater to whiners.”

Checking my pockets, I searched for something to throw at him.

Ryne opened my bag and pulled out my juggling rocks. “Looking for these?” He dropped them into my hand.

My ire instantly dissipated. He had taken the time to find them for me. I rubbed my fingers along the names. Belen, Kerrick, Quain, Loren and Flea. My keepers. “Can you read minds?” I asked.

“No. I’m good at reading people.”

Giggles echoed. Kerrick’s deep voice vibrated in my chest. I met Ryne’s gaze. “You’ll take good care of them?”

“I will.” He stood and waved Kerrick and the kids over. “The meat’s done and it’s delicious.”

The kids ran to Ryne. They wolfed their food down. Between bites they chattered nonstop about the caves, the stalagmites and milky deposits. Kerrick ate in silence, seeming content to listen to the kids.

After they finished eating, Ryne took them out to surprise the monkeys. “I’ll bet they fell asleep on duty. Who wants to bet me?”

“I’ll bet you they didn’t,” Zila said.

“Loser washes the dishes?” Ryne asked.

“Deal.” She shook his hand.

I smiled. She was going to be trouble. My grin faltered when I caught Kerrick staring at me.

He moved closer. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

This was the conversation I wanted to avoid. “I thought you knew.”

He sputtered. “How could you think…? You’re smarter than… No wonder you hated…”

It was fun watching him be so…flabbergasted—a whole new side of him. I suppressed a smile. “You did tell Belen that Ryne was all you cared about. That was after you hit me. Not your best moment.”

Sad acknowledgment smoothed Kerrick’s face. “No, it wasn’t.”

“What would you have done if you knew?” I waited even though his conflicted emotions shone clear.

“I wouldn’t have pushed you so hard,” he said.

“And if I’d decided to heal Ryne and you knew the consequences, you’d feel guilty. I’m right and you know it.”

“I still feel guilty,” he said.

“You shouldn’t. I told you from the beginning that it was my decision. And as I recall, you couldn’t threaten, bully, coerce, bribe or otherwise make me decide in Ryne’s favor.”

“I remember. It’s etched in my brain.”

“Good to know I made a lasting impression.”

“Oh, you made an impression. Like a stone caught in my boot.”

“Gee, Kerrick, don’t get all mushy on me.”

He appeared chagrined. “Sorry. It’s been over four years since… I’m a little rusty.”

“Just be yourself. No. Wait,” I said in mock panic. “Don’t be yourself. Be like Belen. A sweet, lovable type.” I grinned.

“And what do you consider Belen?” he asked.

“A good friend. Why?”

“I don’t want to be your friend, Avry.” Kerrick stroked my cheek, then leaned in and kissed me.

It was a wonderfully sweet kiss at first. But he soon let me know sweet and lovable wasn’t his style at all. Intense and passionate would be a more accurate description. As desire swept over me, I didn’t want to be his friend, either.

We broke apart when Zila rushed up to us to inform us that Prince Ryne would be doing the dishes tonight.

“Good,” Kerrick said. “If you had found the monkeys asleep, then they would be doing the dishes for the rest of the trip.”

She giggled. It took a while to settle both kids down, but soon their exhaustion caught up to them and they passed out.

“Here’s the plan for tomorrow,” Kerrick said. “Ryne, Quain and Loren will take the kids over the Nine Mountains to Ivdel. I’ll meet up with you after—”

“You should go with them,” I said. “With Tohon’s patrols, they’ll need your magic—”

“Not happening. Unless you’re coming with us?”

I had depleted my strength getting here, and I wouldn’t let Kerrick carry me again. “I can’t.”

“Then I stay with you.”

“Can’t I at least—”

“No.”

Biting my lip, I kept quiet as Kerrick and Ryne discussed routes and strategy. Relieved to have company for my final days, I still worried over the unnecessary risk of sending the others on without Kerrick. Since changing Kerrick’s mind was impossible, I decided to stop fretting over everyone else. It was time for me to be selfish for once.

In the morning, I pulled Danny and Zila aside. I gave Danny my journal, explaining as much about healing and a healer’s powers as I could.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t be here to teach you, but when you feel that tug, that desire to help another, to heal him, just let it go.” I described the sensation.

Danny didn’t like the idea of leaving me.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “These men are good. They’re going to heal the world.”

“But no one likes healers,” Zila said. She was unusually subdued.

“If you develop the power, they’ll accept you both. You’re not tainted by the past. You’ll be considered miracles.” I hugged them. “You are miracles.” Then I said goodbye to Ryne, Quain and Loren and shooed them all on their way before I cried.

Kerrick accompanied them for a bit, showing them the path. When he returned it seemed as if the cavern warmed. Or it could be due to the plague. Stage one had lasted seven days, and I was three days into stage two. I estimated I had another five days until stage three. Five days with Kerrick and then…

“Finally, I have you all to myself,” he said, sitting next to me.

“So what do you want to do? Play cards, plot how you can defeat Tohon, or reminisce?”

Instead of answering, he drew me down with him onto my bedroll and kissed me. Passion and desire flared, igniting a fever within me. A good fever that prompted me to tug at his clothes with impatience.

He broke off the kiss and grinned. “Easy.”

“Not this time.” My hands sought skin.

Once I pulled his shirt off, I ran my fingers over his smooth back. He yanked off my tunic and distracted me from my explorations by kissing my neck. Soon there was nothing between us. Kerrick took the lead as I had no experience.

But I caught on quick. Every part of my body hummed and sang with his every movement. Waves of delightful heat pounded through me. When he whispered my name, shivers raced along my skin.

Afterward we lay together, still entwined. My aches and pains forgotten and replaced by a contented tingle.

Half-asleep, I protested when he moved, turning so he was behind me. Tucking me close, he pulled a blanket over us.

“Better?” he asked, draping an arm over my shoulder.