Scent of Magic (7 page)

Kerrick and Danny exchanged a glance.

“She’s eight,” Danny said. “Her reaction is understandable.”

The nanny poked her head in, asking what happened. Kerrick told her.

She scowled at him. “They’re children. If I’d known what you were here to talk about I’d have stayed with them.”

“They hardly knew her.” Kerrick tried to defend himself as Berna hurried from the room after Zila.

Danny gazed at him with a pained expression. “She rescued us from Tohon.” He gestured to the room. “We went from lab rats to being spoiled rotten. Doesn’t matter how much time we spent with her. She’s...” He swallowed. “She will always be special to us.”

“Yeah. I get that,” Kerrick said. “Sorry.”

Berna returned flustered and red-faced as if she had been running. “Zila’s disappeared. Don’t just sit there, help me look for her.”

When Berna turned her back, Danny rolled his eyes. “Berna gives up too fast,” he whispered to Kerrick. “Come on, this shouldn’t take long.”

Kerrick followed the boy from the room, marveling at the boy’s ability to shift back and forth from a child to a young man in moments.

However, Danny would be wrong about the search. It would extend for hours, enlisted dozens of seekers and covered the entire fifty-room castle without success.

A new worry swirled in his chest. If they couldn’t even find an eight-year-old, how would they fare against Tohon’s army?

CHAPTER 4

Ursan flourished his knife, threatening me. “Talk, or I’ll start cutting off body parts.”

“Yours? Or mine?” I kept my voice steady despite my insides twisting into goo. “It’s an important distinction.”

Grabbing my left hand, he pressed the blade against my wrist. Blood welled as the sharp steel cut into my skin.

“I see.” I craned my neck to meet his gaze a good six inches above me.

He was as solid as an oak tree. He even had muscles in his neck. A square-shaped head added to his sturdiness. His intent to harm shone in his eyes. I would have been terrified, except he held my hand. Skin contact was all I needed to defend myself. Except if I shocked him, then what would I do?

“I’m Irina of Gubkin Realm. I volunteered—”

“Bullshit. You’re one of Tohon’s magicians.” He drew in a deep breath. “I can smell it.”

Oh, no. He was a magic sniffer. I cursed my rotten luck. The day had just been too easy.

“He sent you to spy on us.” Ursan’s knife cut deeper.

I hissed in pain. “Why would I offer to help train your men if I worked for Tohon?” I sensed a softening. “He’d want me to
sabotage
your efforts, not aid them.”

“But you’re not an ordinary girl, are you?” Ursan sniffed my hair. “Not a water mage or air...” Another snort. “I smell forest magic and life magic.” His grip tightened. “Only one life magician in the Fifteen Realms, which means you’ve been with Tohon.”

I thought fast. “And there’s only one forest mage left. And they’re on opposite sides.”

“Prince Kerrick disappeared. No one knows where he is. He could be dead or Tohon’s prisoner.”

So Ursan knew Kerrick was a forest mage. I wondered what else he knew. However, this had gone on too long. I made a quick decision and zapped him. He grunted but failed to let go. Sending another blast, I forced him to his knees. What was it with these big guys? Didn’t they feel pain? The third assault loosened his grip on the knife. I yanked the weapon from his hand, then released him.

I stepped back as he sank onto his heels, panting and sweating.

When he regained his composure, he asked, “What magic is that?”

My initial instinct was to lie, but all he had to do was notice the already healing cut on my wrist to figure it out. “I’m a healer.”

A variety of expressions crossed his face. From surprised to suspicious to confused and then back to suspicious. “The healer with Prince Kerrick also disappeared.”

“Obviously, there’s more than one healer.” I waved my left hand. “I can prove it to you in a few hours.”

His confusion returned. “Why are you here?”

“Tohon lifted the bounty on healers and I was sick of hiding.” I shrugged. “I wanted to help.”

“Why aren’t you helping in the infirmary?”

Good question. Did I have a good answer? “Healers are still not welcome.”

“Not around here. That other healer was here for a few weeks last year. She saved a bunch of lives. We owe her.”

Nice to know I’d been appreciated. “It’s still a big risk. And one I’m not ready to take.”

He gestured to the forest. “Who taught you how to go silent?”

“No one. I’ve been on the run for four years. I’ve learned a few things.” I glanced around. The light was fading fast. “What are you going to do?”

“Me?”

I laughed at his shocked expression. “Yes, you.”

Ursan stared at me. “I’d thought you’d...disappear.”

“Then you thought wrong. I’m tired of running and want to help. I’d rather teach your squad for now. But if you want to expose me...I won’t stop you.” Handing him his knife, I waited.

He clambered to his feet and once again towered over me. The desire to cut and run pulsed through me for a second, but I steadied my nerves.

“All right,” he said. “We’ll do it your way
for now
. But if I see you doing anything suspicious, I’ll drag your ass to the major. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

As we headed back, I said, “Lieutenant Thea knows you’re a magic sniffer. She asked you to sniff me out, right?”

“Yes, but not many do. We don’t want too many people to know just in case Tohon sends one of his magicians undercover.” He gave me a pointed look.

“It’s a good strategy. I’m sure Tohon has spies in camp.”

“You’re sure as in you
know,
or you’re sure as in you
think?
”

Now it was my turn to give him a pointed stare.

“Yeah. Dumb question. No doubt he has spies.”

We joined the lieutenant and the other sergeants a few minutes after sunset. All five of them turned to us. I kept quiet just in case Ursan changed his mind.

“She found me,” he said. “We’ll begin training my squad in the morning.”

The lieutenant said, “What took you so long?”

Ursan grinned. “I cheated.”

Thea failed to see the humor. “Explain, Sergeant.”

“It’s war, sir. Rules don’t apply.”

* * *

I followed Sergeants Liv and Wynn back to our tent. They lit a lantern and stared at me as if assessing the enemy. I stretched out on my cot, glad to relax for the first time all day. They remained standing.

“You’re a little young to be a sergeant,” Wynn said. Her frown contrasted with her round face and small nose.

“More than a little. She’s just a baby.” Liv smirked, flashing big square teeth. Her light brown hair resembled a fine fuzz and had been clipped so short the hair couldn’t lie flat.

Liv noticed the direction of my gaze. She ran a hand over her head. “Lice. If you manage to get sent out on missions, you’ll be shaving your head, too. Long hair’s a bitch to take care of when you’re a
real
soldier.”

“You haven’t been promoted from a grunt.” Wynn pointed to my face. “Too pale.”

Resigned to the interrogation, I pushed up on one elbow. “You don’t have any people from the northern realms here?”

“We do. But we’ve been training outside for months.” She pulled her collar down and showed an impressive tan line, visible even in the soft lantern light. “So what’s your story, Baby Face?”

“Just what Lieutenant Thea said, I’ve been assigned to train—”

“Yeah, yeah.” Liv waved a hand. “Who cares about that? Not us. You show up from nowhere with this uncanny skill. There has to be a reason.”

I considered my options. These two seemed to have adopted the whole hardened-soldier persona. But was it all swagger or a true indication of their characters?

“I came down here to see a bit of action,” I said.

They snorted in amusement.

“She’s cute when she’s trying to be tough,” Wynn said.

“You’re going to see more than a bit, Baby Face,” Liv said. “There’s more to being a sergeant than sneaking around the woods. Think you can handle it?”

“Yes.” No sense selling myself short.

Wynn’s demeanor turned speculative. “That’s rather bold.”

“Yes.”

Liv and Wynn exchanged a glance.

“She’s training the jacks tomorrow,” Liv said to her friend. “If that doesn’t send her away, nothing will.”

“Oh, yeah.” Suddenly in a good mood, Wynn slapped my shoulder. “Good luck with that.” She strode from the tent.

Liv followed her but glanced back when she reached the flap. “Come on, Baby Face. It’s time for the sergeant’s fire.”

We first headed to the mess tent for supper. It was noisy and hot under the canvas. Many of the soldiers sat at long wooden tables, but a few had settled on the ground. While waiting in line, I searched for an empty spot and found none.

After filling our trays, Liv and Wynn led me back outside.

“Those guys are pigs,” Wynn said. “They’ve lost their table manners during the plague years.”

“And they stink, too,” Liv added. “After sweating all day in the hot sun, they’re not going to waste time bathing when they have to do it all again tomorrow.”

“They’ll only clean up when ordered,” Wynn said in disgust.

Before we reached one of the many campfires scattered over the fields, Liv turned to me. “That’s the sergeant’s fire. We eat, talk, gossip, discuss strategy and discipline. But no matter what the topic is, what we discuss at the fire
stays
at the fire. Understand?”

“Yes.”

The three other sergeants—Ursan, Saul and Odd—had already settled down with their meals. When we approached, conversation ceased. They kept their impassive expressions as I sat next to Liv and Wynn to eat my supper.

Conversation eventually resumed. The bland food was of the standard meat-and-potatoes variety. At least it was warm. I listened to the comfortable banter. It sounded as though the five of them had been working together for a while. A pang of longing touched me.

I missed
my
guys. Missed the monkeys arguing. Missed Belen’s teasing. Missed Flea’s lopsided grins most of all. He shouldn’t have died. Sudden fury welled, and I realized that it might be near impossible for me not to strangle Jael when I saw her again. She had tried to kill all of us, but only succeeded in taking Flea’s life.

When the topic turned to the patrols disappearing in Vyg, I paid closer attention.

“Tohon’s protecting something in sector five. We need to send more scouts,” Odd said.

“We will, once Belen returns from sweeping Vyg’s southern border,” Liv said.

“But that’ll take weeks!” Odd tossed another log onto the blaze. Bright orange sparks leapt into the air.

Ursan gave me a contemplative look after Odd’s comment.

“It’s vital we keep Tohon out of the southern realms,” Liv said.

“Why?” Odd asked.

“So we’re not battling him on two fronts, you idiot!”

“What’s Tohon waiting for?” Wynn asked. “He’s amassed an army in western Vyg and has control of Kaisma, but so far has only sent patrols farther north and east.”

A good question. And no one offered an answer. Why would he wait? The weather was favorable. If he hurried, he could strike before Ryne arrived. Unless he wanted Ryne and Estrid to team up. Tohon never lacked for confidence. He might be planning to eliminate them both in one massive sweep.

Or, he might be creating more dead soldiers. They probably needed time to train. Perhaps that mystery drug was grown in Vyg.

“What’s in sector five?” I asked the group.

“We don’t know,” Liv said. “Haven’t you—”

“I meant, what part of Vyg is in that sector? Are there towns? Forests? Any natural resources like a quarry?”

“Oh.” Liv glanced around. “It’s north of the center of Vyg. Near the Nine Mountains.”

“The area is forested,” Ursan said. “But there are a number of abandoned mining towns up there.”

“There’s your answer,” I said. “He’s protecting one of those mining operations. Probably ore so he can manufacture more weapons.”

“The Nine Mountains are full of ore,” Ursan said. “It would be smarter and safer for him to mine behind his lines in Sogra.”

“Plus he has control of Lyady Realm,” Odd said. “And has captured the president’s daughter to ensure their cooperation. Lyady’s steel mills are still in operation as far as I know.”

He had a point. I considered. “What else is mined in that area besides ore?”

Odd said, “The arms merchant in town claims his weapons are crafted from the liquid metal found at the bottom of the Nine Mountains. He mentioned there’s a shaft in Vyg that goes deep under the mountains.”

His comment caused a riot of laughter.

“You were conned,” Saul said. It was the first time he’d spoken since I’d arrived. He appeared to be the type of person who was content to just listen.

I would have agreed with Saul, but Odd’s statement triggered a memory. Kerrick had purchased my stiletto and throwing knives from a merchant in Zabin. Probably the same one, since he’d claimed my weapons had been crafted from liquid metal, as well. And Kerrick had nodded as if it meant something to him. Perhaps I should pay the merchant a visit when I had some free time.

* * *

Tohon’s hand stroked my back, igniting a trail of fire along my skin. His other arm wrapped around my waist, trapping me against him.

“Do you really believe teaching your little trick can defeat my army, my dear?” His throaty chuckle vibrated in my chest.

I tried to squirm free, but his magic flooded my senses. Desire tingled as heat spread from my insides out, turning my willpower into goo.

“You think you escaped, but you haven’t. From the very first time I touched you, you’ve been mine. I’ve already claimed you, my dear.”

My heart fluttered as a wave of intense pleasure rolled through me.

Something jolted my cot, and I snapped awake.

Wynn stood over me. “That must have been quite a dream, Baby Face. Lots of writhing and moaning. Who was the lucky man? Or was it a woman?” She smirked.