Taste Of Darkness

“I’ve accepted it as a manifestation of my insecurities. I suspect your dreams of Tohon are similar. Perhaps a way for you to express your fears.”

His explanation made sense. Yet I couldn’t shake the truth in Tohon’s words. “Sounds very logical, Ryne. But have you really accepted it?”

He huffed. “No. I wish he’d shut up and get the hell out of my dreams.”

“I could give you a sleeping draft.”

“No, thank you. I have to be able to wake up if needed.” He stood and examined the map. “What does Tohon say in your dreams?” he asked in a casual manner, but his arm muscles tightened.

“He gloats. He goads me. But one time he warned me.”

Ryne jerked his head, meeting my gaze. “How?”

I explained about the ambush. “And he hinted that there might be older children who survived his experiments and who might be healers by now.”

“Both dreams are easy to explain. You must have heard a noise while you slept, alerting you to the danger, and the idea of other healers is just your own intelligence working through the possibilities. Which we should consider. Come on.” He strode over to his work table.

Curious, I followed him.

Pulling a piece of parchment and grabbing his stylus, he sat in his chair. “Let’s see. Tohon helped at the Healer’s Guild for a year after we’d graduated from boarding school. I suspect this was when he began experimenting with the Death Lily toxin and putting the clues together about the source of your magic.” He wrote dates on the parchment. “That was about five years ago. Plenty of time for him to inject the toxin into a child.”

“Except at that time, the plague hadn’t spread all over the Fifteen Realms. He couldn’t just inject it into a patient or child without someone noticing. Unless...”

“Unless what?”

“He claimed it was an attempt to find a cure for the plague. The healers’ desperation increased as more people sickened.”

“Or he had a willing subject,” Ryne added. “Someone working with him?”

“Possible. But then why wasn’t this person helping in his infirmary? Why didn’t I meet him or her? And why did Cellina try to kidnap me?”

“All good questions. Perhaps Cellina doesn’t know about this healer. Maybe Tohon kept his or her identity a secret.”

“But Sepp would need to know. Are you saying this mystery healer and Sepp are working together?”

“It’s just speculation.”

“Based on a dream conversation.”

“You did spend time in his castle, Avry. You might have noticed something while there and your dream is just making the connections for you.”

“Or I could have read something in that crate Belen found in the Healer’s Guild’s record room.” Mentioning Belen’s name reminded me that I hadn’t asked Ryne if he’d learned anything about Poppa Bear.

“No news.” Ryne sounded as tired as I felt.

I considered our strange conversation. “Danny might know if there were older children in Tohon’s castle.” Except he was in Alga Realm with the northern tribes. “Kerrick told me his healing powers ignited. He should be training with me.”

“One of the tribeswomen has a form of magical healing and he’s working with her. He’s safer there for now.”

And Zila was with Kerrick’s brother, Izak, and his Great-Aunt Yasmin. Four years younger than Danny, her powers wouldn’t develop for a few more years. Although Danny was only thirteen; young for a healer, but not unheard of.

“Avry, go get some sleep. I’d like you to check that last exit before leaving for the infirmary,” Ryne said.

“All right. Where should I spread my bedroll?”

“There’s barracks on the living level in the mines.”

“Beds?”

He smiled. “The mattresses are thin, but they’re off the ground.”

I sighed. That was the best news I’d gotten all day. Which said quite a bit about my day.

* * *

“Did you request me to escort you to the infirmary?” Odd asked. He leaned in the doorway of the barrack.

“No. I asked for Saul and his squad, but they just returned from a ten-day patrol.” I folded my blanket and stuffed it into my pack.

“Saul? Even after I just spent the last seven days crawling through the mines with you. I’m insulted.” A pause. “Why Saul?”

“We didn’t crawl, and I thought you’d like a break. Besides...”

“Besides, what?”

“He’s quieter,” I teased. Saul was a man of few words.

“Fine, then I won’t talk during the entire trip.” Odd crossed his arms and pouted.

“You sound like a four-year-old.”

“Who’s a four-year-old?” Ryne asked as he squeezed by Odd.

“Odd’s acting like one,” I said.

“Am not!”

I spread my hands out. “See?”

“Avry, be nice. Odd’s one of my best sergeants. His squad has one of the highest mission-success rates of my army.”

“Ha!” A pleased, almost smug, expression creased his face.

“Now you’ve done it. He’s going to be impossible. I’m willing to wait a day for Saul to rest up.”

“I’m not,” Ryne said. “We can’t waste any time. News of your little incident with Cellina’s patrol will eventually reach her, and one of two things will happen. She’ll either recall her troops or stick with the plan. Either way, I can’t send as many soldiers as I originally planned to attack Zabin or we won’t be able to hold off if Cellina’s northern troops engage.”

“Why would she continue?” I asked. “She no longer has the element of surprise.”