Taste of Darkness

“Yes.”

“All right. We’ll leave in the morning,” he said.

Saul and Flea left to start their sweeps. The monkeys and Belen settled near the fire.

“So it’s our last night together in a while and you brought the boys,” Kerrick said.

“There’s safety in numbers.”

“Uh-huh.” He waited.

She huffed. “They refused to stay in HQ.”

Figures. He pouted.

“This just means we’ll take an extralong honeymoon.”

“Are you asking or telling?” he asked.

“Telling. You’re better at following orders.”

He couldn’t argue with that. Happy she didn’t preface her answer with an “if we’re alive,” Kerrick kissed her. And with that kiss, he promised to do everything within his power to ensure they had that honeymoon.

CHAPTER 22

“Are you sure Sergeant Hogan isn’t here?” I asked a private with bright red hair.

“Yes, sir. He accompanied the battalion that went northeast. Prince Ryne only left a few squads behind.”

Shoot. “Any reports from the battalion?”

“They reported that the enemy hadn’t crossed the pass before the winter snows closed it.”

Good news. “Are they coming back then?”

The private’s young face creased with confusion. “No, sir. Prince Ryne ordered them to remain there to ambush the enemy when the pass opens.”

“Why?”

“Sir?”

I’d exceeded the girl’s knowledge base. “Never mind. Is there anyone else here who knows how to navigate the mine shafts?”

“Private Beau has been helping Sergeant Hogan.”

“Can you find him, please?”

“Yes, sir.” The girl saluted and bolted.

I mulled over the information I’d gleaned so far. It would be two months before the pass opened. Why keep the battalion there when the enemy still occupied Vyg? Unless Ryne believed Tohon had sent all his forces to the south and north. It didn’t sound like Ryne would be that...gullible.

My head ached. I rested it on the table, glad the mining machinery all around me remained silent. The maps Ryne had left hadn’t helped me discern the enemy’s western positions. Which made Kerrick’s mission all the more vital. He’d been gone for two days and I missed him so much.

“Are you all right?” Belen asked.

I sat up. “I’m fine.”

He set a large box on the table. “I found the maps of the mines.”

“Great.”

Belen set the lid aside. “Don’t get too excited.” He pulled one from the box and unfolded it. “They’re written in code.”

“Code?”

“Yeah, you need a key to figure them out.”

I spread the map out. It appeared to be normal except strange symbols had been written along the lines at intersections, starting points, and ending points.

“Do you think these are marked on the mine shafts?” I asked. “I remember seeing numbers and words on the walls.”

Belen rubbed his hand over his scar. “Could be. Guess we can check. But with which map?” He tossed a couple more on the table. “There’s a ton of them.”

Hopefully, Private Beau would know. Rolling up the area maps Ryne had left, I cleared a space. “Let’s open them all and see if there’s a pattern.”

While Belen opened them, I studied each one.

Belen tapped a finger on a map. “You do know the odds of one of these going straight to the Healer’s Guild are low, right?”

“Yes, but maybe we can get close. It’s worth checking.”

“Oh, yes. No doubt. Just didn’t want you to get your hopes up.”

The sudden desire to hug him filled me, so I did.

He hugged me back. “What’s this for?”

“Because you’re here and I can.”

“I missed you, too.”

“Don’t disappear again.”

“I won’t if you don’t,” he said.

I pulled away and gazed up at him. “You’d think that would be an easy promise to make.”

His deep rumbling laugh rolled through me like a cup of hot tea.

“How about no misleading the other over one’s death?”

“I’m sorry about that, Belen. I should have trusted you.”

“I’ve a lousy poker face. Besides, you were worried about Tohon. With good reason.”

I tapped my chest. “He still has a hold on me.”

Belen wrapped me in one of his bear hugs. “Not for long.”

We returned to deciphering the maps, but no pattern emerged. The monkeys arrived a few hours later.

“We checked everywhere and couldn’t find a legend for those maps,” Loren said. “It makes sense not to have a key lying around if you’re going to use a code. That would defeat the purpose.”

Plopping in a chair, I rubbed my stiff neck. Quain picked up a map and studied it. I didn’t have the energy to tell him it was a lost cause. Unless Private Beau knew the codes.

“Have you seen a young private?” I asked the monkeys.

“They’re all young,” Loren quipped.

“One with bright red hair?”

“Yeah, she was looking for someone,” Quain said, sounding distracted.

“I need that someone—Private Beau. Can you see what’s taking her so long?”