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.
I sat up, rubbing my face. “Just a nightmare.”
“Ah, too bad. Do you get them often?”
Debating how much to tell her, I hesitated but then decided since we shared a tent, she and Liv should know. “Every night.”
“That stinks.”
An understatement. Before she could question me further, I stood, changed and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading over to the forest training area to meet Ursan’s squad. They stood at attention at the edge of the field. Two rows of five young men known as the jumping jacks. Despite their cockiness, I sensed an undercurrent of hostility from them.
I glanced at Ursan. “Jumping jacks?”
“Remember that move I pulled on you?”
“When you jumped down from the tree?”
“That’s our squad’s signature style for ambushing the enemy,” Ursan said.
“You were jackknifed, sweetheart!” a soldier called from the ranks, and they all laughed.
One look from Ursan silenced them. He had their respect, but I didn’t. Fair enough, for now.
I turned to the group. “Who called me sweetheart?” No one moved. “What? Too chicken? Come on, reveal yourself.”
A soldier in the front row stepped forward with a challenging smirk. I crossed my arms and scrutinized him for a long moment while I wrapped my fingers around the handle of one of my throwing knives.
“You’re not my father or my lover,” I said, causing a ripple of snickers. Boys.
I pulled my knife and threw it at the center of his belt, hoping I put the right amount of heat behind it. I didn’t want to hurt him.
He yelped as the tip of the blade pierced the leather far enough to keep the weapon in place. Staring at me in shock, he opened his mouth, but snapped it shut when I walked up to him.
I gripped the handle of the knife. “If you call me sweetheart again—” I yanked it out “—I’ll aim lower. Understand?”
“Yes.”
I waited.
“Yes, Sergeant.”
“Good. Return to your position, soldier.” I scanned the others. A combination of surprised, impressed and admiring expressions met my gaze.
“Does anyone else wish to call me sweetheart?” I asked.
No one said a word.
“I believe you proved your point, Sergeant,” Ursan said. “Let’s get started.”
I spent the rest of the day te
aching the jumping jacks how to move in the forest. Not exactly sure if I could explain the technique in my own way, I taught it the same way Kerrick had shown me.
A few, like Ursan, caught on quick. Others struggled but eventually mastered the technique, and a couple had no sense of rhythm at all. They would have to return tomorrow for more practice.
Lieutenant Thea arrived in midafternoon to watch the session. She consulted briefly with Ursan before leaving.
The next day I worked with Ursan’s two remaining men while the others practiced their new skills. This time Major Granvil visited and asked for a demonstration.
I picked the four best students to accompany me and the major. We walked deeper into the forest until I found a suitable location.
“All right, gentlemen, I want you to take a noisy stroll away from us. Then on my command, go silent. Your goal is to return one at a time and get as close to Major Granvil as possible. He’ll signal when he hears you. Understand?”
“Yes, Sergeant,” they said in unison and with a little too much enthusiasm.
“Go.”
They tromped through the bushes as if they’d get extra points for noisiness. No doubt scaring away all wildlife. Major Granvil regarded their retreating backs before pulling his gaze to me. “I’d thought they’d give you a hard time.”
“They tried.”
“And?”
“They’re smart, Major. They quickly learned this technique can save lives.” I drew in a breath and projected my voice over the din. “Gentlemen, go silent!”
The crunching, snapping and rustling died in an instant.
“They could have just stopped moving,” Major Granvil said. He stroked his mustache.
I agreed. “That’s why I asked them to return. Listen closely, Major.”
He scanned the woods, turning in a slow circle. Although I had picked the best, they still needed practice. Small sounds, off notes and rustlings reached me. I tracked the first soldier. He had gone wide and planned to approach from our left.
When the soldier was about four feet away, the major heard him and called out his location. Major Granvil’s voice remained steady but couldn’t completely mask his surprise.
The next two soldiers were caught a few feet farther away, giving the major a sense of security. The last man looped around us. He showed more patience than the other three, moving when the major moved and stepping with care.
I examined a berry bush so I wouldn’t give the soldier away. He crept up behind the major and grabbed his shoulders. The major jerked but didn’t cry out. He turned and shook the smiling soldier’s hand.
We returned to the exit point. Lieutenant Thea and Sergeant Ursan waited for us with the rest of the jumping jacks in the field next to the woods.
“That was very impressive,” Major Granvil said. “Sergeant Ursan, I want you and your jacks to check out sector five on your next patrol.”
“Yes, sir,” Ursan said.
“No,” I said. “They’re not ready.”
“Explain, Sergeant.”
“They need more practice.”
“How much more?”
“A couple days, at least.” Although I would have been happier with a week. “And I should go along.”
The major stroked his mustache while he considered. “All right, two more days, but you’re not going, Sergeant Irina. I need you here to train my other squads.”
He cut me off when I tried to argue, and left with Lieutenant Thea.
I spent the next two days working with the jumping jacks and Thea, who’d wanted to learn the skill, as well. At the end of the second day, I gathered them around me for some last-minute advice.
“While most people won’t hear you, you still need to avoid the Death Lilys. They will sense you no matter how quiet you are. Bypass them altogether, but if you’re desperate, Peace Lilys smell like vanilla, and Death Lilys have a faint aroma of anise. Also Death Lilys hiss before they snatch you, so you have some warning.”
“I thought both types of Lilys smelled like honey and lemon?” one of the soldiers asked.
“They do, but when you get closer—”
“You’re dead,” Ursan said. “The Death Lily will spit out your bones once it eats all your flesh. Don’t go near them at all.”
I bit my lip to keep from correcting him. It only consumed those who died immediately from the toxin it injected into them. Some were spat out and died later from the poison, and a few, like me, lived through the experience. Those survivors developed healing powers.
Instead, I said, “If you encounter a squad of Tohon’s dead soldiers, the best way—”
Ursan interrupted me again. “We don’t believe the rumors about them, Sergeant Irina. It’s a scare tactic.”
“And you should be scared, Ursan. I’ve seen them. They’re real and hard to stop.”
“You’ve seen them, and Belen claims to have fought them, but no one else has. Not another soul.” His implication clear.
“It’s a good strategy to keep them hidden until the battle starts. The shock and revulsion caused by their arrival will give Tohon’s men an advantage. Think about it.”
But Ursan wouldn’t budge. “Word from General Jael is that Tohon managed to convince Belen that these impossible things exist to spread fear through our ranks.”
“Do you really think Belen would be so easily tricked?”
“All I know is Belen’s loyal to Prince Kerrick, not the High Priestess.”
“What about me? Have I been tricked, as well?”
“Yes.”
And he couldn’t trust me. “You’ll discover the real truth soon enough, and when you encounter the horror, cut its head off. It’s the only way to stop it.”
* * *
Ursan and his jumping jacks left for their patrol the next morning. Wearing camouflage and barely discernible in the predawn light, the eleven men melted into the forest. I stood at the edge and listened. They had improved over the past four days. I hoped it was enough.
An odd feeling lumped in my chest. It was as if I had healed them, and now the jacks were headed for danger. So far, no one had returned from that sector. If all went well, they’d be back in ten days.
To keep from brooding over the jacks, I concentrated on training Sergeant Wynn’s squad. Since I’d arrived, I’d worked eight days straight. But I finally had an afternoon off on the ninth day.
Exhaustion dragged at my limbs, but I needed to do a little exploring. Walking through the camp, I scanned faces, searching for Melina. She could have been sent to another training camp or was out on patrol, but I’d promised Mom I’d look after her. I’d figure out how I’d keep my promise once I found her.
I also searched for my sister, Noelle, although I knew she’d most likely be with Jael. From a distance, the general’s tent near the manor house blended in with the others surrounding it. All the same size, color and shape. Except Jael’s tent buzzed with activity and red-robed acolytes. I settled in a shady spot on a rise to watch the action, noting who entered and who left.
A familiar figure ducked through the flaps. Recognition shot through me like a cold lance. Noelle headed east, walking fast. Only my promise to Kerrick kept me from following her. She disappeared from my sight, then returned with a major in tow.
My heart pumped like I had just run up the Nine Mountains. After a few moments, my pulse settled, but each time Noelle appeared, it quickened. From what I’d seen, I’d guess Jael sent her to relay messages and fetch officers, acolytes, food and supplies.
When the sunlight faded, Jael and Noelle left together and headed toward the manor house. No surprise that Jael wouldn’t sleep on a cot outside when an opulent room and four-poster bed waited for her inside.
Jael’s graceful strides matched her royal bearing. Even with a sword hanging from her belt, she appeared to be more like a queen than a general. Noelle stayed two steps behind her. She had pulled her long black hair into a knot, making her look older than her fourteen years. Or was
it fifteen?
I realized with a jolt that she had turned fifteen a month ago, which made me twenty-one. My birthday had been completely forgotten—too busy struggling to keep away from Tohon’s touch when I’d been his prisoner.
When Jael and Noelle entered the building, I debated. With the infirmary on the ground floor, another soldier walking around wouldn’t be too noticeable. But if any of the infirmary workers recognized me, my cover would be blown.
Instead, I made another sweep of the camp, noting the position of the companies and platoons. There was a large, enclosed complex in the northeast corner. The fence around it had been built with what appeared to be two-story oversized barn doors attached to thick posts. I peeked in through the small gap next to a post. Inside the enclosure was a sprawling collection of barns, sheds and a farmhouse. Why would it be fenced off?
Unable to deduce the reason, I grabbed supper and joined the other sergeants at the fire. With Ursan, Liv and Saul on patrol, there were only three of us. I asked Odd about the complex.
“That’s for the prisoners of war,” he said.
“I didn’t see anyone.”
“They were probably all inside. They wear these bright yellow jumpsuits so they’re real easy to spot. We don’t have many POWs yet. The High Priestess values life, so I’d expect we’ll be ordered to capture our enemies instead of killing them when possible. The enclosure has plenty of room,” Odd said in a dismissive tone.
“Unlike General Jael,” Wynn said. “She has no qualms about killing the enemy and wishes to attack Tohon first, but the High Priestess won’t give her permission.”
“She’s stepped up the patrols again,” Odd said. “How much do you want to bet she’ll disobey the High Priestess’s orders?”
“I’ll bet a week’s pay the colonels won’t let her. They’re still loyal to the High Priestess,” Wynn countered.
Her comment stirred a memory. When Jael had tried to kill us, she’d mentioned not wanting to tip her hand to Estrid. I wondered if that meant she planned to gain the army’s support? Not that a ruthless leader wouldn’t be a good thing against Tohon’s troops, but if she defeated Tohon, that would put Jael in a very powerful position.