on how he’d looked that night without his shirt, feeling sick. Did he come here?
He stopped. Sorrow flowed.
Stopped where? If I could just find his body, I might—
Gone into the green.
Where?
A vision of the entire forest filled my mind. It was empty. However, I refused to believe it. The barbs pulled away and the Death Lily set me on the ground. I huddled there in utter misery for a moment, then gathered every bit of strength I had left.
I still had no proof. Gone in Death Lily speak could mean he left the forest or was in a cave. It didn’t have to mean he... No. Not going to go there. Not yet.
Quain and Loren hovered as close as they dared, their expressions hopeful.
“He didn’t come here,” I said, standing.
I glanced away. Bad enough to feel the grief burning inside me, I didn’t need to witness that same pain reflected in my friends’ eyes.
“What now?” Quain asked in a quiet voice.
“We go back to the infirmary cave. I’ve patients to check on.”
“And Kerrick?” Loren touched my shoulder.
“We keep searching.”
Taking another route back, we reached the cave after sunset. Ryne had arrived. He sat by the fire intently listening to Flea and Odd. I exchanged a glance with the monkeys.
“Did you send a messenger?” I asked Loren.
“Kerrick did when we returned from our...uh, encounter with Tohon and the others. Thought Ryne should know what happened, especially about Cellina’s takeover.”
It made sense. Prince Ryne led our ragtag army. He had the military savvy and strategic acumen to counter Tohon. However, he was the last person I wanted to see right now. His genius tactics had caused me quite a bit of pain and suffering over the past few months.
Before Ryne noticed me, I sent the monkeys over to the fire. “Talk to him.”
“What about you?” Quain asked.
“I need to check on my patients. It’s been—” my sluggish thoughts refused to add the hours “—too long.”
Concentrating on the injured soldiers, I moved from cot to cot, talking to the men and women. No new casualties had arrived since yesterday. The caregivers had done a fine job of keeping everyone comfortable and the bandages had all been changed. I consulted with the head caregiver, Ginger. Her capable and no-nonsense attitude was perfect for this type of work.
The floor wobbled under my feet, and I stumbled. I stared at the ground, trying and failing to understand how it had moved. Then the room spun. Ah. Exhaustion had finally caught up to me. “Wake me if you need me,” I said to Ginger.
Keeping to the shadows, I slipped into my cavern. Still empty. The guys had moved out the night before last to give Kerrick and me privacy. It was just as well. I didn’t want company. Before lying down, I pulled Kerrick’s shirt from my knapsack. I pressed it to my face and breathed in his unmistakable scent—spring sunshine and living green.
Tears pushed and my nose filled, but I wouldn’t cry. Not yet. Not until I had proof. I fell asleep clutching his shirt tight.
* * *
“Avry.” A voice shattered my dream.
With effort, I opened one eye. Ryne knelt next to me.
“Go away,” I mumbled, rolling over.
“Avry, we need to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk to you. Go away.”
“You can’t avoid me.”
True. I sighed. “We’ll chat in the morning, before the search parties go out. Okay?”
“I’ve called off the search.”
I sat up, turning. “What? Why?” Fury blew away the sleep fog.
He reached for my hand, but I jerked back. Ryne settled back on his heels. “He’s gone, Avry.”
“No. You’re wrong.”
“I wish I was, really I do.” Ryne pushed a lock of his brown hair from his tired hazel eyes. Worry lines creased his face and he appeared much older than twenty-seven—the same age as Kerrick. “Remember that book on magicians I have?”
“Couldn’t forget that.” I didn’t bother softening my sarcasm. His school textbook on magicians and their powers had led to Ryne leaving me behind to be caught in Tohon’s nasty trap. I shuddered at the memory.
He ignored my tone. “It reports that forest mages go into the woods when they die. And their bodies disappear.”
“No. Not buying it. What if they’re in a city?”
“Avry, it fits. You know it. Death Lily toxin is lethal. He died in the woods and the living green reclaimed its gift to him.”
“No.”
“Then why can’t we find his body? And if he didn’t die, why isn’t he here? You know Kerrick, he would never just leave you.”
“No. No. No. No!” I screamed the last one. And with that one word, all the emotions I’d been suppressing burst from my core. I collapsed as great gasping sobs pounded my body.
CHAPTER 3
I woke in Ryne’s arms. He was curled next to me. It took me a moment to remember what had led to this. Ah, yes. Ryne insisting Kerrick was gone. The suffocating pain returned, pressing my chest as if I lay under the Nine Mountains. Groaning, I rolled away.
Ryne pushed up to one elbow. “Avry, are you—”
“Don’t ask. Ever.” I grabbed my boots and left.
After checking on my patients, I searched for Loren. He sat with the group around Ryne. They’d probably been discussing military tactics, but I didn’t care. I caught Loren’s attention and gestured for him to join me. He nodded and slipped away.
His face tight with concern, Loren approached me as if I’d attack him. I would have laughed if the circumstances had been different.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Do you still have the map with the search areas marked on it?”
“Yes. Why?” He shifted, wary again.
“I need it.”
“But Ryne—”
“I don’t care what he said. I’m not giving up until I have proof. Can you get it for me, please?”
