“Your boyfriend’s been busy,” Odd muttered. “Probably exhausted himself.”

Kerrick appeared beside us. Joy shone on his face. “I’ve plenty of energy left,” he said, despite the skin clinging to his gaunt and pale face. He held out his arms.

Odd hesitated before handing me over. Kerrick’s magic swept over me like a healing balm. He squeezed me tight as I snuggled against him, his scent a welcome break from the reek of sewage.

“Thank you,” Kerrick said to Odd in a strangely formal tone.

Odd nodded. “I’d better catch up with my squad. We might encounter trouble before we reach the border.”

“Watch out for Jael,” I said to Odd.

“She won’t bother you,” Kerrick said in his flat tone. “But troops are moving to intercept the women as we speak.”

“How soon?”

“Two days.”

They’d be only halfway to the border with Pomyt. Not good. Unless... “What if they go south to Tobory Realm? It’s shorter and unexpected.”

“Lots of Death Lilys down there,” Odd said.

We both stared at him.

“Will you be able to catch up by then?” Odd asked me.

Already feeling stronger, I glanced at Kerrick.

“We’ll meet you at the border.”

“See you there.” Odd turned to go.

“Odd, wait.” Kerrick set me down.

The leaves under me pulsed with his magic, keeping our connection. Kerrick dug in a pocket and produced a lumpy orange berry about the size of a gold coin.

He handed it to Odd. “Tell the women to collect and eat these. They’re edible and will give them energy. Stay away from all the other berries, most are poisonous.”

Odd tucked it into his pocket. “Got it.” Then he took off.

Kerrick knelt next to me. He pulled a clump of wet hair off my face.

“Why won’t Jael bother Odd?” I asked. “Did you—”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“She said she killed you. And no jail cell could hold her. She was just too dangerous to keep alive. At least now she’s being useful for a change.”

I waited.

“As fertilizer for the forest,” he said.

“Is there a chance she’ll come back like you did?”

“No.”

I searched my feelings. No sadness or guilt, and relief dominated. Ryne might be mad at us, but we’d neutralized a threat.

“You just had to rescue them all, didn’t you?” Kerrick asked, but his tone remained soft.

“Wasn’t my idea.” I told him about Melina. “Besides, it was the right thing to do.”

“It’s going to be a challenge getting that many women to freedom. Plus they’ll need clothing, shoes, and more than berries to eat.”

I smiled. “I’m sure you’re up to it.”

“Well, first things first.” He picked me up. “You lost weight.” He scowled.

“The food was awful. I’m going to write a letter of complaint.”

His scowl eased. “After you’re healed.” He turned.

“Where are we going?”

“To a safer location.”

“What about the priests?”

“They can hang out here for another day and give the women a head start.”

He carried me to a small campsite and laid me on his bedroll, then wrapped me in his blanket. Lighting a fire, Kerrick stared into the flames for a moment. The bright glow highlighted his exhaustion.

“How bad is it?” he asked.

With the energy he’d already shared, I no longer gasped for breath. My left lung functioned normally, but the right was still punctured. And my ribs... Pretty bad. “I don’t want you to deplete your strength—”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“On my own, I’d need a week to heal.”

Kerrick stretched out next to me, pulling me close. “Good thing you’re not alone.”

His magic soaked into me. The pain eased and I relaxed, falling asleep in his arms.

* * *

The snuffling of a large creature woke me. Darkness surrounded us. The fire had died. I drew in a deep breath. My right lung no longer wheezed, but my ribs protested the motion with tweaks of pain. Better than the fire that had stabbed deep with every movement.

A soft whinny sounded close by. Confused, I scanned the surroundings as my eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight. A black horse-shaped shadow pawed at the ground near Kerrick, who didn’t wake at the slight noise. The stubborn man had poured every ounce of strength into helping me.

Disentangling myself, I stood and returned to my normal coloring. The horse didn’t shy away. I recognized him as the large russet male Kerrick and I had ridden on the way to Chinska Mare. Had he followed Kerrick? A couple feed bags sat by the fire ring. Kerrick must have kept him.

“What’s the matter, boy? Are you hungry?”

The horse bobbed his head. Taking that as a yes, I opened a feed bag and held it while the horse munched. When it was empty, I dropped it next to the others and noticed my pack. I stared at it in amazement. How did it get here? Had I carried it with me despite my injuries?

I sorted through the contents. My boots, travel clothes, and a few other necessities like soap remained inside. The desire to bathe pulsed through me with a sudden intensity. Stiff with dried blood, mud, and sewage, my tattered robe resembled a discarded rag. My skin itched and muck caked my hair.