How?

Your magic.

But my magic doesn’t work that way. And the living green had never spoken to him before he’d gotten sick.

Mirth. No voice that you’d understand.

But now I can.

Yes.

Why?

You are of the forest.

But I’m alive.

Yes. Alive like trees and plants.

Kerrick’s temples pounded. Definitely alive. But how much time had passed? The living green showed him a tree’s small growth—its measure of time, but not helpful.

Concentrating on his immediate needs, Kerrick pushed all his other concerns aside for now. First he found edible berries, roots, and nuts with ease. A stream nearby quenched his thirst. As for clothing, Kerrick decided to stay camouflaged until he could slip back into the infirmary cave. He’d left his pack and the rest of his clothing with Avry.

Avry. He remembered her emotional reaction to their reunion. She had thought he’d died fighting the northern tribesmen, and then when he’d been poisoned she’d kept him at arm’s length most of the night.

Did she believe he’d died again? He hoped not. Hurrying northeast, Kerrick noted the location of the various patrols and avoided them. He had awoken much farther from the cave than he recalled. As he drew closer, he slowed. No one guarded the front entrance. Not good.

He looped around to the back. Deserted, as well. Waiting proved difficult, but he didn’t want to walk into an ambush. Well, not na**d and unarmed.

After an hour with no signs of activity, he stepped from the forest. Or rather, he tried. A force dragged him to a stop. Pouring every ounce of strength into his legs, he managed a couple more steps. But his feet acted as if they’d grown roots and he stumbled to another halt.

The pull to remain in the forest was like no other he’d encountered. If felt as if an invisible net had been thrown over him and tied to a tree’s trunk. Perhaps it was the living green’s way of warning him. He drew power and the force eased. Odd. He stepped closer to the cave, but the force increased. More magic meant more distance.

Not stopping to analyze it, Kerrick gathered as much power as he could and sprinted. He had enough energy to confirm the cave had been abandoned and to find the message from Flea.

Weak and drained, he crawled from the cave toward the forest. Each inch a relief until he collapsed just past the border.

As he lay panting and spent, he’d realized he hadn’t needed to use his magic to find food or to locate the soldiers. That had required no effort. Unlike leaving the forest, which required a feat of strength and considerable endurance.

The living green’s comment repeated in his mind.

You are of the forest.

CHAPTER 6

I had mere moments to act. Once Odd and Hogan were taken to the enemy camp, I’d have no chance to rescue them. I considered my options. One—wait until they were out of sight, drop down from the Death Lily, and chase after them. Then what? It was twelve against one.

Two—drop down before they left, surprising them. Then what? It was still twelve against one.

Three—I had nothing. What did I have? A Death Lily and a dozen Peace Lilys. But they didn’t know the others were Peace Lilys.

Vines? I asked the Lily. Grab the men? Will the Peace Lilys help?

Yes. They go.

Drop me down, I’ll distract them while you and your friends ensnare them. Okay?

Yes. Taste them?

Despite what I’d contemplated earlier, the thought of the Death Lily snatching each soldier and essentially killing him or her didn’t sit well with me. No. Please let them go after we disappear into the mines.

Agreement pulsed.

Thank you. Okay, drop me...now.

The Death Lily yanked its barbs from my arms and spat me onto the ground. I yelped as I hit hard, rolling. Disoriented for a moment, I lay there. But the voices of the soldiers returning to investigate reminded me of the danger.

I staggered to my feet as the nine men and three women stopped to gape at me. The soldiers needed to be closer to me for the vines to reach them. Hogan and Odd stood in the center of a loose circle. Odd kept his expression neutral, but an amused amazement sparked in his eyes. Hogan frowned, but kept quiet.

Swaying, I gestured wildly to the Lily. “Whoa. Did you see that?” I asked. “So fast. I just dropped my pack and...swoosh!” I hugged my arms and faked a shiver.

They moved in a few feet. The Lily’s vines crept toward their boots.

My shirt had been ripped by the Lily’s barbs. Blood welled. I coated my fingers with it and then thrust them out, showing them the bright red tips. “Look! It attacked me!”

“Calm down, miss,” the leader said. He stepped in, but kept out of the reach of the Lily’s petals. “You survived. You might live—”

“I’m going to die,” I screeched. “No one lives. No one. Ohh...” I put my hands on my face and stumbled as if about to faint.

Instinctively, the soldiers shuffled a couple more feet before they halted. Good enough. Vines from the Peace Lilys snaked along the ground behind them.

“Miss, you need to move away from the Death Lily so we can help you.” The leader held out his hand.

I stared at him. “Help me? There’s nothing you can do.”

“She’s right, Vonn. Leave her,” a woman said.

Vonn turned to her. “She’s with them.” He pointed to Odd and Hogan. “Since they won’t talk, maybe she will. And we can’t have her running back to her commanding officer as soon as we leave.”