Great-Aunt Yasmin entered with a swish of skirts. She clutched her shawl tight, but her sharp gaze sliced right through Kerrick. Uh-oh.
“Three years, Kerry.” She held up three gnarled fingers. “You’re gone three years and I have to hear about your return from my maid.” She radiated indignation, anger and guilt-inducing energy at him.
Izak’s smirk died when she rounded on him. “Don’t be so smug, young man. You haven’t seen your brother in years and you’ve been fighting with him! What kind of welcome is that?”
“How did—”
She harrumphed. “I’m old, not stupid. Now come here, Kerry, and give your favorite auntie a hug.”
Kerrick bent over and gave her a gentle squeeze. She was half his size and all bones. Her white hair had been pulled up into a neat bun. Great-Aunt Yasmin looked pretty good for a ninety-year-old.
She rested her hand on his cheek and smiled. “Ah, Kerry. You’ve found your heart. Who is she?”
He shouldn’t have been surprised. Despite her claim to have no magical abilities, she had a canny knack for reading a person’s soul.
“A healer, but she’s … gone.”
She patted his cheek as if consoling him, but the shrewd gleam in her gray eyes told him she wasn’t buying his act at all. Great-Aunt Yasmin stepped away instead of questioning him further.
“What have you boys been arguing about?” she asked.
They exchanged a glance.
“I’m old, not fragile. If it’s bad news, you’d be better off if I heard it from you and not my maid.”
Kerrick explained about the northern tribes invading Krakowa. “I want to take at least half of the Algan army and drive the tribes back into the wildlands.”
Surprised, Great-Aunt Yasmin turned to Izak. “Didn’t you tell Kerry about the deal?”
Izak’s face paled. “How did …? Never mind. Old, not stupid, I know.”
“What deal?” Kerrick asked.
Izak stepped back as if expecting a blow. “You weren’t here. I did what I could for our people.”
“He was too young when you left him in charge, Kerry. Don’t blame him for panicking and making a deal with King Tohon.”
CHAPTER 6
I scanned the soldiers’ faces a third and fourth time, hoping Kerrick had decided to arrive at Estrid’s camp incognito. It would have been an excellent idea since Jael had no qualms about killing him either. However, no one even resembled him or matched his build.
Disappointment and worry flared in equal measure. Had Tohon’s men caught up to him before he’d reached Ryne’s? Was he hurt? Captured? Or killed? Despite the danger, I edged closer to the procession as they paraded right past Jael’s tent and headed straight for the manor house.
Jael watched Ryne and his men go by with an icy glare. Would she try to harm them? Noelle stood by her side and studied the passing soldiers with a keen interest. Was she looking for me? Did that little smile mean she was happy about my absence?
Belen was far from happy. He strode right up to the procession and blocked Prince Ryne’s path. The horse stopped. Smart horse. Belen grabbed the horse’s cheek strap and spoke to Ryne.
He had to be asking about Kerrick. I hurried to catch up, but Ryne leaned forward and said something to Belen. It must have soothed him, because he released the horse and walked next to Quain and Loren. From atop their horses, both men gave Belen queasy smiles before returning their gazes to Ryne’s back.
They dismounted in the courtyard in front of the manor house and then entered with Belen in tow. I grunted in frustration. Who could I ask about Kerrick? None of the soldiers waiting patiently outside looked familiar. I couldn’t just stroll into the building with both Estrid’s and Ryne’s armies watching.
Frustration welled. I would just have to wait for the camp gossip to reach our company. Or did I? One of the reasons for this ruse was so I could gather information about Estrid’s army and operations. Who could I tell this to now? I’d have to reveal myself, and I still hadn’t talked to Noelle or found Melina.
I sucked in a breath, settling my racing heartbeat. No need to rush into a decision. News about Avry the healer and Prince Kerrick would reach me, and I’d get a better sense of how to proceed.
Having a plan didn’t make me feel any better, so I decided to spend my morning searching for Melina. I walked through Dagger, Cutlass and Garrote’s companies’ areas, asking a few young girls Melina’s age if they knew her. Nothing. Then I swept through the others, scanning faces. No Melina.
On the way back to my area, I heard Ryne’s name. Without thought, I stopped to listen.
“… left half of his soldiers behind. The marauders had invaded,” a private said.
“Sergeant Vic said they’ve taken over the northern realms and everyone is dead,” another said.
“Then why would Prince Ryne leave, you dolt!” He smacked his companion on the head. “You can’t believe anything Vic says.”
“I heard Prince Kerrick is working for King Tohon as a double agent,” yet another chimed in.
Wild rumors and speculation weren’t helping me. I would have to check with a more reliable gossip source, such as Lieutenant Thea or Major Granvil. Continuing on, I wondered how long I should wait before approaching them. Perhaps tomorrow.
Hurried movement caught my attention, and I spotted Noelle running an errand for Jael. I needed to talk to her alone, but she was either out in the camp in plain sight or with Jael. Fingering my stiletto, I considered another option.
“Excuse me, Sergeant,” a voice sounded behind me.
I turned around. A very young private snapped to attention. He appeared to be eleven or twelve years old, but had to be at least fifteen—the minimum age to be a soldier in Estrid’s army.
“At ease,” I said.
He relaxed his stance but ran his hands down his shirt as if nervous. “Uh … are you the one looking for Melina from Mengels?”
“Yes. Do you know where she is?”
He wiped his hands on his pants, leaving damp stains behind. “Uh … can I ask why you want to know?”
“I’m a friend of her mother and I promised to check on Melina.”
His gaze darted to the side before returning to me. “I mean no disrespect, Sergeant, but you’re new here, aren’t you?”
I wouldn’t consider two months new, but I nodded.
“I’m guessing you haven’t encountered the Purity Priestess yet?”
Uh-oh. I had dodged her and her goons before. “Go on.”
“Um … well, as members of the army, we are the creator’s weapons and we must be pure of heart and soul. But Melina didn’t pass … inspection.” His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “She was sent to the monastery in Chinska Mare to atone for her … misdeeds.”
Various emotions swept through me. First, relief that Melina was alive and reasonably safe. Second, outrage that she had been incarcerated for life because she wasn’t a virgin. And third, surprise that she hadn’t passed. Sixteen seemed too young to me. Regardless of my views, it didn’t change my feelings for her. Or the fact that I needed to rescue her … somehow. Yet another worry, and an addition to my already long to-do list.
“Thanks for telling me, Private.”
He