Taste of Darkness (An Avry of Kazan Novel - Book 3) (36 page)

CHAPTER 23

“Thirty dead soldiers?” I asked the monkeys. “Are you sure?”

“Yep,” Quain said.

“They had the collars, that dead gaze and stood as still as...well...death,” Loren added.

Not good. I glanced at my team. With fourteen of us, disabling two each wouldn’t be that difficult, but the narrow confines of the tunnel made it tough. Did we retreat? No. Kerrick said we needed to be here. And enough was enough. It was past time for Tohon to be stopped once and for all.

“Has everyone treated their weapons with Death Lily toxin?” I asked.

Nods and “yes, sirs.”

“Who has the blow gun?” I asked.

Private Red Hair stepped forward.

“Loren, are your arrows—”

“Yes, they’re covered.”

And my throwing knives had been dipped in the toxin. “Loren, you take point, followed by Private...”

“Judi, sir.”

“Judi and me. The three of us will do as much damage as possible from a distance. When they close the gap, we’ll try to push through so you can engage the enemy. Don’t forget there’s a delay before the toxin works. Do you all know the skull jab?”

More nods and “yes, sirs.”

“Questions?”

“What if there are more outside the shaft?” Beau asked.

Good question. “Once we start the fight, there’s no going back. We’ll keep pressing on until we run out of opposition.” Or they stopped us, but I kept that to myself. “And keep to the plan if anything happens to me. Loren’s the one who needs to get close to Tohon’s tent. I’m just here as backup. Understand?”

Unhappy agreement.

Beau extinguished the lantern, and Loren led us through the darkness. We formed a line, keeping a hand on the shoulder of the person in front of us.

As we neared the exit, the blackness diluted in subtle hues. Loren solidified into a dark figure and shadows defined the rough contours of the walls. The shaft veered to the right. Loren fitted an arrow into his bow, signaling us to be ready.

I pulled two knives, while Judi primed her blow gun. We fanned out to each side of Loren. Light shone beyond the bend.

Loren counted under his breath, “One, two, three.”

On three we stepped into view. The bow twanged and a puff of air sounded. Squinting in the brightness, I aimed at the closest figure on the right without an arrow sticking out of his or her chest. Judi aimed left so we didn’t waste our weapons. I managed to hit another before the first wave of dead reached us.

We were armed with swords, but the tight space limited their effectiveness. Instead of throwing my knives, I poked the thin blades into the enemy as I shoved through them.

The stench of the dead filled the tunnel along with shouts, curses, and the ring of metal. After I used my last knife, strong hands clamped on my wrist, tugging me toward the exit. I glanced back to see the gap between me and my team widen.

Fear and revulsion fueled my efforts to break free. Frantic I pressed my hand on one man’s face, zapping him. Of course, it didn’t slow my progress. I covered another’s eyes. No effect.

If only they obeyed me like Yuri. But he didn’t obey me until I touched him again. Why not? I gasped. Flea! Flea had checked Yuri’s pulse after I awoke him to confirm Yuri’s status. That was why Yuri didn’t listen to me until after I touched him the second time.

I reached for the closest dead flesh and yelled, “Stop!”

He did. Ecstatic, I touched the ones near me, ordering them to stop. However, others pressed in, trapping my arms. They passed me up the steep slope and right into the waiting arms of Tohon.

* * *

Tohon smiled. “Fancy meeting you here, my dear.”

I grabbed his throat, intending to squeeze the life from him. But two living soldiers pulled me off him and yanked my arms behind my back. At least two dozen others fanned out around the tunnel’s exit along with a half dozen dead ufas.

“Bind her hands,” Tohon ordered. “You try my patience, my dear.”

Cold metal bit into my wrists—an all-too-familiar feeling.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“Your sleep powder actually worked in my favor. I could rifle through your thoughts without your waking or remembering my presence.” Tohon gestured to his guards. “Take care of anyone who makes it out of the tunnel.”

“Yes, sire.”

“No!” I said.

They all ignored me.

“Don’t, Tohon, I’ll...”

“You’ll what?” Tohon asked. “Cooperate? Promise not to kill me? Agree to be my queen? It’s too late for that.” He stepped closer to me. “No doubt you’re smart. It’s no surprise you figured out that the dead obey whichever magician touches them last. So let’s not pretend you don’t know what else is going on between us.”

“You can’t claim me, Tohon. You tried before and failed.”

“And now I know why. With two magicians, one can’t force it on the other. It grows with time and the use of magic. That’s the beauty of this...bond.” He savored the word.

My stomach churned with bile.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” Tohon asked.

“Unfortunately.” It had also been my first run-in with his dead.

“During our brief encounter, I imprinted on you and started the process. Sheer happenstance.” He swung his arm wide. “I’ve been learning all about this wonderful quirk of our magic while waiting for you.”

Ah. The real reason he’d been camping in the ruins of the Healer’s Guild—the underground storage room with all those crates full of research notes.

Tohon linked his arm through mine. “Now, let’s go get into position so we’re ready for Team Kerrick. I believe they’re attacking two hours after midnight.”

I glanced back. No activity at the mouth of the tunnel. Pain clamped around my heart. Maybe the quiet meant my team had retreated deeper in the mines. Beau did know his way around. I clung to that bit of hope.

The hope expanded a smidge when half of Tohon’s men followed us to the guild with the dead ufas trotting beside them, leaving only a dozen soldiers behind. From the angle of the sun, it was just past midafternoon. I also clutched the fact Kerrick knew about my dreams. Never had I been so glad to be lied to.

Tohon chatted about what he’d learned about the bond. Half-distracted with worry for Kerrick and my team, I didn’t fully listen. Noak had told me Tohon’s death would break the bond and that was all I needed.

“...will result in the immediate death of the other,” Tohon said.

That caught my attention. “Even if the other isn’t hurt?”

“Yes. So it’ll be in my best interest to keep you alive, my dear. And vice versa.”

A tightness ringed my chest. Breathing became difficult.
Don’t panic,
I repeated in my mind. “Except we’re not... We haven’t...completed the process.”

“Not yet. Kerrick must die or go dormant. After that, we’ll be bonded.”

“And I’ll have an excellent reason to commit suicide.”

“Now, now, my dear. Don’t be nasty. Do you remember how your body reacts to my touch?”

“Unfortunately.”

“I believe your words were
scatterbrained
and
swooning.
Well, I tried
clearheaded
and
cooperative,
and was tricked. Then I tried threatening you, scaring you, and killing your sister. Yet, you resisted every effort and almost killed me in the process.” He tsked. “Once we’re bonded, I will ensure that quick intelligence of yours is turned to goo. I will enjoy scatterbrained and swooning Avry very much.”

Even more motive to commit suicide, but I clamped my mouth shut for the remainder of the trip to the Healer’s Guild.

When we arrived, Tohon shook his head. “Such a waste. The buildings were magnificent. Perhaps I’ll have them rebuilt. Would you like that, my dear?”

Actually, I would. Very much. “Yes.”

“Don’t sound so surprised. I do care about the Fifteen Realms. So much so that I want to unite us all so we can prosper and grow.”

Again, I refrained from commenting. While his goal was admirable, his methods were not. No amount of arguing would change his mind. He’d convinced himself that his actions had been with the purest intentions. That murdering six million people wasn’t a crime when you called it biological warfare. That reanimating the dead was making the most of your limited resources and not morally repugnant.

Instead, I asked, “How did you protect your...er...friends from the first plague virus?”

“Ah. I wondered when you’d ask me that. Although, I think you’ve already figured it out.”

I had? “You had the cure and managed to give it to Ryne and the others during your school reunion before spreading the plague.”

“Correct. And you already know what the cure is.”

I mulled it over. My blood cured the new plague, so following the logic... “Your blood!”

“Correct. I discovered my life magic infused my blood with curative properties while doing my research at the Healer’s Guild. Along with the fact that about a third of the people didn’t contract that plague either by avoiding exposure or just a natural resistance—a happy side effect as a king needs subjects. Besides, it would have been incredibly stupid to release the plague without a cure.”

“Do you have a cure for the new plague? The one Wynn stole?”

“Of course. However, I developed that one to be more difficult to spread—to use more for assassination than mass exterminations. Your death magician was kinder to that traitor than I would have been. I’d planned for Wynn to experience a great deal of agony before she died.”

My thoughts spun. He’d gone to such lengths to be a king—the more I learned, the sicker I felt. At that moment, I gave up trying to figure out this horrible business of war. Spies, double crosses, ambushes, and strategic military positioning; how did anyone keep it all straight?

Then I realized it wasn’t my job to keep track. It was Ryne’s and maybe I should have just trusted him to do his job and I should have focused on my job—healing patients. Interfering with Ryne’s strategy had only landed me here with Tohon.

Tohon guided me inside his tent. The fabric hung low on its frame and water dripped from the edges. They had soaked the material to keep it from burning. Lovely.

He pushed me into a chair then ignored me as he sent for his officers. No one, except the guards at the entrance, paid me any attention. Even if I slipped past them, I doubted I’d get far.

“Any signs of Prince Kerrick’s team?” Tohon asked one of his lieutenants.

“No, sire.”

“Keep vigilant, they could strike at any time. And spread the word, all patrols are on duty. No one sleeps tonight.”

“Yes, sire!”

Tohon noticed my interest. “You don’t really think I believed
all
your information? I was pretty confident about you, but once you told Kerrick about our dreams, I’d be a fool to trust anything he said.”

Yet he had soaked the fabric of his tent. I listened as Tohon positioned his troops and dealt with the various problems and questions from his men. Fear simmered in my chest, but a numb sense of inevitability settled over me. Events had been set into motion; I would either get an opportunity to act or not. Ideally, I’d kill Tohon. Worst case... I shied away from that line of thought. As Ryne had once said, positive thoughts led to positive results.

After three nights with little sleep, I dozed in the chair.

“Am I boring you, my dear?” Tohon asked, waking me.

“Has anything happened?” I asked.

“Not yet, which is why we need to leave. But first you need to change.” Tohon grabbed my arm and helped me stand. He gestured to two women waiting nearby. “Don’t touch her skin.”

The ladies towed me behind a screen.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

They ignored me as they removed my cloak and uniform. With a quick no-nonsense efficiency that would have made Mom proud, they dressed me like one of the dead soldiers, complete with metal collar. Instead of my hands clamped behind my back, they secured a wide leather belt around my waist and cuffed my arms to my sides. They wound my hair into a bun and covered it with a knit cap.

When we returned to the main area, Tohon had also changed from his silk tunic and black pants. He, too, resembled one of the dead.

“Ah, there’re our doppelgangers,” Tohon said.

I turned. A woman with long auburn hair pulled into a single braid and green eyes arrived along with a handsome dark-haired man. The woman tied my cloak around her and the guards manacled her hands behind her back. The man stepped behind the screen and returned wearing Tohon’s clothes.

“Nice.” Tohon beamed. “Do you remember the plan?”

Both nodded.

“Very good.” Tohon gestured to the flaps. “Shall we, my dear?”

Not like I had a choice. We ducked outside. The sun hung low in the sky. It was about two hours before dusk. As we strode through the camp, I scanned the soldiers. No one appeared to be settling down for the night. No “catching them with their pants down.” Another group of guards followed us, as did the dead ufas, of course.

“You’re rather quiet. What are you thinking?” Tohon asked.

“The doppelgangers are a smart move.” Unfortunately.

“A compliment? You must be feeling ill, my dear.”

The thought of being bonded to him went way beyond ill into the domain of nauseating, foul, repulsive, and vile. A sarcastic comment died in my throat. No sense upsetting Tohon unduly, and if he believed I was resigned to my fate, then all the better.

We left the guild’s compound and entered the forest. After an hour, I recognized the area. I slowed.

“Something wrong?” Tohon smirked.

“Is that—”

“Yes. Ryne’s first headquarters. Do you have fond memories of that cave?”

“I don’t like caves,” I said.

“Really? Yet you spend so much time in them.”

“They provide protection for my patients.”

“Yes, they’re handy for protection.” Tohon led me straight to the entrance.

I hesitated. Once inside, the chances of my rescue or escape bottomed out at zero. The soldiers behind us moved closer.

“Go on, my dear. Make a break for it. It might make you feel better. Frankly, this docile act is rather boring.”

I’d get two steps before being tackled. No thanks. I walked toward the cave. Right before I entered, an icy chill brushed my skin, raising goose bumps on my arms. An omen? Or something else? A memory stirred and then slipped out of reach.