your mission a success, Sergeant?” one guard asked.
“That’s debatable, Private.”
“Hey.” I swatted Odd’s arm.
“I see,” the private said, ushering us inside. “I’ll let Prince Ryne know you’ve returned. Wait here.”
We stood in a typical reception area complete with an area rug, desk, and chairs. Surprising, since the towns that hadn’t burned down had been looted by the plague survivors.
I perched on the edge of one of the wooden chairs. “I hope this isn’t the only entrance.”
“Don’t worry, there are other ways out,” Odd said with a gleam in his eyes.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“You’ll see.”
I muttered under my breath, but Odd ignored me. Soon enough, the private returned and escorted us inside. Tall machinery occupied the main area, with screens and conveyor belts connecting them. Piles of rocks littered the floor. Some reached as high as the metal roof. I put the clues together and guessed Victibus had mined some type of stone and used this equipment to break it into smaller pieces.
After we passed the machinery, we headed to an open area where tables had been assembled and maps spread out over them. A number of soldiers surrounded the conference tables and Ryne bent over a map. So this was HQ. Not very impressive.
When Ryne noticed us, he gestured us closer. Wearing gray pants, a black tunic, and black boots, Ryne looked nothing like a prince of Ivdel Realm. Or rather like the king of Ivdel. Even with his parents gone, he hadn’t assumed the title. Neither had Kerrick. Which had changed my preconceptions of all royalty being backstabbing and power hungry. Now it was almost all, since Tohon and Jael matched the stereotype.
“Any problems?” Ryne asked.
“No,” Odd said.
“Yes,” I said at the same time.
Odd continued in a formal tone, “Cellina sent a team after her, like you expected. We intercepted them as ordered.”
“It was a little sloppy,” I chimed in. “A few of our guards were hurt. Perhaps next time you can just stab the fish hook right through my stomach and dangle me from the trees. It’d be more effective.”
Ryne’s gaze focused on me. “I see. Avry, I’d like a word in private.”
“Okeydokey.”
He stared at me as if gauging my mood before turning away.
I followed him. Expecting him to lead me to an empty corner, he surprised me by pulling open one of the oversize loading doors. In this section of the building, large mounds of earth had been piled. And right in the middle was a huge hole in the ground.
Ryne headed straight for it and descended steps that led down to an underground room.
I paused at the edge.
He glanced up. “We’ll be more comfortable in my office.”
Oh, no. “Your office is down there?”
“Yes, along with a number of caverns and tunnels. We could house our entire army down there if we had to.”
I groaned. “The mines.”
“Exactly. And the best part is, they extend for miles in all directions. Once we figure out where they go, we can use them to move troops unseen. Isn’t it wonderful?”
From a military standpoint, yes, but I’d rather be outside under the stars than under the ground. My visions of spending a night in a normal bed vanished. I joined him at the bottom.
Ryne led me along a well-lit corridor. Lanterns hung every few feet and the air remained warm.
“Up here in the living levels, there’s plenty of light,” Ryne explained, noticing my interest. “As you go deeper, the spacing of the lanterns is wider, and the ones we haven’t explored are dark.”
“Living levels?”
“Yes, the miners stayed here while on duty. There’s an entire cavern filled with bunk beds. It would make a good infirmary, except...”
“Except what?”
“I don’t want injured to be brought to HQ, they’re too easy to follow. And I don’t think navigating dark tunnels with casualties is a good idea.”
“So where do you want to locate the infirmary?”
“Closer to Zabin.”
Not what I expected. “Why?”
“I’ve just received some intelligence on Cellina’s troop movements.” He rested his hand on his sword’s hilt. “It appears the bulk of her army is retreating back into Vyg Realm.”
“Why? Doesn’t she have the upper hand?”
“She does. We’ve been harrying her northern flank, but it’s caused more of a nuisance, like mosquito bites on an ufa, than any real harm.”
I considered. “Is she trying to lure you down to Zabin?”
“Perhaps. She’s leaving a couple companies behind to guard the town.”
“Maybe she set a trap.” Unbidden, memories of another trap played in my mind. Tohon had surrounded Zabin with his dead soldiers, encircling us. Ulany, his earth mage, had hidden them underneath the ground until it had been time to strike. A shudder of horror ripped through me. “Can she command the dead like Tohon?”
“I don’t know. But I do know she can’t surprise us with them like Tohon did at Zabin.”
“Why not?”
“Ulany’s dead.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know that. Glancing at Ryne, I wondered what else he kept from me.
“We took her out when we rescued Estrid’s soldiers from the trap.”
The time he left me behind, again. With good reason, but still... No, I wouldn’t go into that now. Instead, I asked, “Why do you think she’s retreating?”
“I think she’s regrouping and taking stock of her resources. Pulling back into the safety of Vyg, Cellina can coordinate her forces and plan her next move.” He stopped in front of a wooden door. “That’s what I’d do if I was in her position.”
“All right. But that doesn’t explain why you want the infirmary closer to Zabin.”
Ryne grabbed a lantern from the wall, opened the door and gestured me inside. I scanned the room. Desk, armchairs, a worn couch, a single bed, and chest of drawers filled the space. This was more than just his office. The single bed snagged my attention. I wondered if Ryne had ever found that person.
He
