Belen raised his bushy eyebrows at the dadao but helped organize the townspeople. Even though Kerrick didn’t need light to travel in the forest, there was just enough moonlight to see the shape of the trees and other obstacles in their path. Plus most of the leaves had fallen, allowing more illumination to reach the ground. However, the blanket of leaves on the forest floor presented another problem.

Sounding like a herd of cattle, the group jogged through the woods with Hux taking point. Kerrick’s magic alerted him when the guards entered the forest. He lost count after fifty. Too many by far. He urged Hux faster. They wouldn’t outrun their pursuers, but they might outsmart them.

The forest covered the signs of their passage, and after an hour, Hux slowed. Hux had found a small clearing next to a rocky outcrop. Perfect.

Kerrick gathered everyone around. “The guards are closing in. I need you to touch Huxley with your hand or be in skin contact with someone who is touching him. My magic will camouflage us all through the horse. Some of you can sit on the rocks or the ground. If you break contact at any time, you’ll be seen. Hopefully, the guards will give up the search, but we’ll stay hidden and make no noise as long as it takes. Understand?”

Nods and a few “yes, sirs” sounded. Kerrick moved Huxley next to the outcrop and waited for everyone to settle into a comfortable position. A few sat on the rocks, holding hands and making a human chain. Flea and Belen stood near Hux’s head.

“This is new,” Belen said in a low voice.

Flea huffed. “You haven’t seen nothin’. It’ll take us hours to fill you in on all the new.”

Kerrick hushed them. “Everyone ready? Operation Disappear starts now.” He rested his hand on Huxley’s neck.

“Operation Disappear?” Flea chuckled. “Now who’s been hanging around the monkeys too long?”

“Quiet.” But Kerrick couldn’t help smiling despite the dangerous circumstances. They’d found Belen!

He’d lost a great deal of weight and was pale. Except where a thick scar crossed from the back of his head to his right temple, his black hair had grown long and bushy, matching his beard.

It didn’t take long for the noise of the Skeleton King’s soldiers to reach them. Kerrick tensed. Black figures moved through the woods, heading in their direction. A few cursed and a couple stumbled. Kerrick connected with the living green. Sluggish, it resisted his efforts to thicken the underbrush surrounding the clearing. Using the ivy for the rescue had almost depleted Kerrick’s resources. Kerrick saved the little bit of strength he had left instead.

The sky lightened, diluting the blackness above. Not good. The rising sun might expose them by casting their shadows on the ground. He watched as the soldiers drew closer. Kerrick urged them on. It would be a race against the sun.

Five of them entered the clearing, while the others continued past. Two aimed straight for them. Kerrick pulled magic. He focused it at a tree root growing underground. The root surfaced above the dirt, high enough to trip them and knock them off course. Then he used his magic to shake the trees to the left of the outcrop, drawing them away.

He sagged forward, lying over Huxley when they took the bait. Flea touched his wrist and energy flowed into him. Kerrick squeezed the boy’s shoulder in thanks. It still amazed him that Flea, Avry, and he could share magical energy between them. After a minute, he pulled Flea’s hand away. No sense draining Flea when his magic might be needed. This wasn’t over.

“Stay quiet,” he whispered to the others. “They’ll be back.”

The sun rose. Kerrick frowned at their long black shadows stretching across the clearing. Nothing he could do but wait. And wait. And wait.

The shadows shortened as the sun climbed higher in the sky. He kept tabs on the soldiers. They had fanned out and covered a wide swath of forest. Too wide for Kerrick and the others to sneak past.

By midday the soldiers had given up and retraced their steps. Once again a few wandered too close and Kerrick distracted them.

Kerrick dropped the camouflage when the soldiers were a couple miles away. Everyone groaned and stretched stiff muscles. He slid off the saddle and Huxley shook off the hands, then trotted in circles. After he fed Huxley, Kerrick collapsed onto the ground.

“We shouldn’t linger long,” he said to Belen, who had plopped down beside him.

Belen agreed. “Those filthy cannibals are like an infestation. They’re quick and strip everything down to the bone.”

“Will one of his followers take the princeling’s place?” Flea asked, joining them.

“I don’t know. I’ve been out of it for a while.” Belen rubbed the scar on his head.

“And instead of listening to Mom, you decided to take on the Skeleton King’s army all by yourself,” Flea said.

“I just went to scout and gather information for Prince Ryne. But I saw them...” Horror reflected in his eyes. “And, well, I couldn’t just stand there and watch them butcher those people.” He grinned. “Did a fair bit of damage, too.”

Kerrick debated if he should explain to Belen how he shouldn’t have charged into the fray without first considering the consequences, but it was Belen and no matter how logical his argument, Belen wouldn’t listen. He’d just smile and say it turned out fine in the end. Except one of these days, it wouldn’t.

“What’s the plan?” Flea asked.

“We’ll take them to Mengels. They can gather supplies and head for safety and we’ll head home,” Kerrick said.