“They really mean to catch us,” Ferrin said. “Six manglers to guard a single bridge? That’s uncommon. They must have significant assets in motion.”

“Could we swim the river?” Jason asked. “Or build a raft?”

“Steal a raft?” Nedwin mused.

“The current here is deceptively swift and treacherous,” Aram said, having regained his full size half an hour before. “The river doesn’t slow down until you near Potsug. Hence the bridge.”

“We need our horses and our gear,” Galloran said. “If we can find a raft big enough, we could risk the current. But we can’t afford the time to build one. And we can’t lose time exploring other crossings. Barring unforeseeable opportunities, we’ll assail the bridge in the small hours of the morning. Surprise them with orantium. Perhaps send a couple of our party stealthily across to harass those on the far side. Until then, we should rest. We’ll have to ride hard later.”

“Once we’re over the bridge, I’ll take a detour to Whitelake,” Nedwin said. “Fetch Malar.”

Galloran nodded his approval. “You can manage the lake?”

“Yes.”

“Where could we meet?”

“Just south of Three Peaks,” Nedwin answered.

“So be it,” Galloran confirmed.

“I’ll scout for rafts,” Ferrin offered.

Dorsio snapped and motioned that he would join Ferrin.

Tark offered to take the first watch, and everyone dispersed, some to sleep, some to reconnoiter. While fetching blankets from his saddle, Jason found himself alone with Nedwin. The redhead was sorting through a variety of metal vials that hung from his neck by thin leather cords.

“What do you have there?” Jason asked.

“Some of the substances I’ve collected,” he said. “I have a powder that can bother any animals attempting to track us. I thought I’d scatter some here, then more after we cross.”

“How’d you learn so much about herbs and snakes and everything?”

Nedwin’s cheek twitched. “When I was imprisoned at Felrook, I kept my ears and eyes open. Quietly I learned to prepare many of the concoctions administered to me. When I was finally released, it became an obsession to gather the materials they had used. By immersing myself in the endeavor, I continued to learn.” He held up some vials, one at a time. “This induces sleep; this causes gut-wrenching nausea; this opens the mind to suggestion; this increases sensitivity to pain.”

“Increases pain?”

Nedwin kept that vial in his long hand, stroking it with his thumb. “A mixture of tarantula poison and juice distilled from a certain carnivorous plant. After a tiny dose, pressure feels like pain, and pain flares into an otherwise impossible agony.”

“You experienced it?”

Nedwin gave a bitter chuckle. His somber smile bespoke dark memories. “Endlessly. They probed the limits of my tolerance. Under the influence of the substance, a finger pressed to my shoulder felt like it was boring into me, searing my flesh. But they wouldn’t stop there. They would slap me, or cut me, eliciting overwhelming surges of anguish. Then they would drill my teeth.”

Jason winced and clapped a hand over his mouth, experiencing phantom pain just hearing the description.

“Copernum was the worst of them,” Nedwin muttered resentfully.

“Chancellor Copernum?”

Nedwin nodded, wringing his freckled hand with his gloved hand. “He was my chief tormentor for the final years of my confinement. I had been transported to the small dungeon of his manor at Trensicourt. He had a grudge against my family. He won our title from my elder brother. Once I had been reduced to a gibbering lunatic, he finally released me. He was liberal with nervesong, the pain enhancer. It had some ancillary effects. Along with amplifying pain, it quickened my other senses: hearing, sight, smell. Under its influence, I overheard many conversations not intended for my ears. Over time, the enhancement of my senses began to linger. And my ability to feel pain vanished.”

“Really?”

“To this day.” Eyes glazed, he fingered the vial of nervesong. “I can still sense pressure. But physical discomfort has become a distant memory. Unless fate betrays me, one day Copernum will drink from this vial and learn of the pain he inflicted so casually.” Nedwin shook his head, returning to the present.

“I hope you pull it off,” Jason said. “Did you know Copernum tried to kill me?”

“I’m not surprised, considering how you humiliated the scoundrel. When I heard about your battle of wits, I laughed all day. If you had no other virtues, I would love you forever for the embarrassment you caused him.”

“It felt good to beat him,” Jason said. “I’m sorry to hear about your suffering.”

Nedwin shrugged, staring uncomfortably at the ground. “We all have misery to bear. I’m off to cover our tracks.” He swung up onto his horse and rode away.

After spreading out his blankets, Jason curled up on the ground. He tried not to dwell on all Nedwin had suffered. How could a person cope with so much torture? Jason thought about his own time at Felrook, locked within an iron shell fitted to his body. The memory made him sweat. How long could he have lasted? What else would have been in store? Thankfully, he had escaped before the worst ensued. He hoped he would never have to sample nervesong. Of course, if he were ever captured again, that might be exactly what he would have to face. Grim concerns slowed his ability to sleep.

A soft hand jostled Jason’s shoulder. “Wake up, sleepyhead,” said a familiar voice.

Startled awake, Jason blinked and squinted. By the light of the setting moon, he saw a pretty face hovering over his own, dark hair hanging a bit longer than he remembered. The face matched the voice. But how could Rachel be here? He scooted away from her, messing up his blankets. His first instinct was that the lurker must have caught up to him and invaded his dreams. Propped up on his elbows, he focused on her eyes. They weren’t black. “Is that really you?” he asked in wonder.

She smiled and sat back. “Surprise.”

He lunged forward, throwing his arms around her, partly to make sure she was real, partly out of sheer joy. She hugged him back. Holding her made her presence tangible. “I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed. “Who found you?”

Several voices chuckled. Jason released the embrace, noticing for the first time the presence of Drake, Galloran, Dorsio, Aram, and Tark, all standing in a loose circle around where he had been sleeping. The unexpected audience made him awkwardly conscious of the exuberant hug.