Taste of Darkness

Ryne shook his head. “I tried every conceivable argument and used every ounce of reason and logic I possess to convince her to stay and fight.”

“Does anyone else think she’s an ungrateful bitch?” Quain asked.

Loren raised his hand. “Me.”

“I wasted a perfectly good dinner for her,” Flea said only half joking.

“What about her army?” Kerrick asked Ryne, hoping for a bit of good news.

“She sent orders out to her soldiers to return to Ozero immediately and I’ve sent word out that all are welcome to stay.”

“Did you say pretty please? I’m not above begging,” Quain said.

“Any takers?” Kerrick regretted the question as Ryne’s expression darkened.

“No.”

“Not even the odd squad?” Avry’s voice broke.

Kerrick glanced at her. Odd had been the grunt who’d charged from the infirmary all concerned and protective when they’d arrived. A twinge of jealousy touched his heart. Did she care for him? Were they more than friends? Her pale face revealed a hurt betrayal.

“It’s tough for Odd right now,” Ryne said. “Estrid’s still here and he’d pledged to fight for her, as did all of her forces. However, I’m thinking once she leaves, we’ll have a few...defectors.”

“Wait. Estrid’s still here?” Avry asked.

“Yes, she’s organizing her retreat.”

“In my infirmary?” Color returned to her cheeks in an instant.

Kerrick exchanged a look with the monkeys. All were glad Avry’s ire wasn’t aimed at them for once.

“Just settle down.” Ryne put his hands out as if placating a skittish horse.

Wrong move. Kerrick suppressed a grin.

Avry shot to her feet.

Ryne stood, as well. “We have to be diplomatic about this. Estrid might have a change of heart and return. She is the High Priestess. We don’t want to ruin our relationship with her.”

“Burning bridges and all that, eh, Ryne?” Loren asked.

“Exactly.”

“Isn’t Estrid burning a bridge by leaving?” Flea asked.

“Oh, yeah, a huge conflagration,” Quain quipped. “But she has all the bridge builders on her side, while we’re left with a burned mess.”

“Exactly,” Loren said.

Avry’s entire body stiffened with that stubborn determination Kerrick knew so well. He’d feel sorry for Ryne, but the man had brought this on himself. And truthfully, if Ryne was going to meekly let Estrid walk away, he deserved it.

“I’m going to talk to her,” Avry declared. “The High Priestess owes me one.” She glanced at Kerrick.

“I’ll be here. Go burn some bridges.”

She nodded and strode toward the cave. Ryne shot Kerrick a sour look before hurrying after her. Wide grins spread on the monkeys’ faces.

“This is too good to miss,” Quain said, following Ryne.

“I’d better make sure Quain behaves.” Loren jogged to catch up.

Kerrick glanced at Flea. “You can go, too. I don’t mind.”

“Nah. Who wants to listen to a bunch of people arguing? Avry isn’t going to change the High Priestess’s mind. I’ve seen that look before.”

He studied Flea. The young man had pulled his knees to his chest. Flea drew in the dirt with a finger.

“What look?”

“The death stare.”

Not what Kerrick had been expecting. He delayed his response by adding another log to the fire. “I’m not familiar with that term.”

“She’s seen her death. Looked it right in the face. Had that moment of knowing she’ll die.”

“But she was frozen in the stasis. Sepp calls it a fake death.”

Flea shrugged. “A person’s life doesn’t need to be in danger. It’s the realization of not if you’ll die, but when and how. The inevitability of it. It leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.”

“That’s true for everyone.”

“Yeah, but we ignore it. For her, it’s right there, staring at her.”

Kerrick wasn’t sure if Flea was right or not. But there was no denying Estrid was terrified. “You said you’ve seen the death stare before. Where?”

“Every time I gaze in a mirror.”

Oh, no. “Flea, you’re—”

“Don’t. You can’t see it. You’re not a death magician.”

He resisted the urge to argue with Flea. Avry had said to be subtle so he tried another approach. “Do I have it?”

Surprised, Flea glanced up and met his gaze for a moment before returning to his earthy sketches. “No.”

“Why not? I’ve been on the edge of death a couple times. I’ve had a taste of the darkness. My connection to this world is as thin as a blade of grass.”

“Even though it’s true, you don’t believe it deep down. You have too many reasons to live.”

True. Avry topped his list. “And you don’t?”

Flea shrugged. He used the heel of his boot to smooth the dirt, erasing his doodles.

“I can name a few.”

“Yeah, well... Everything’s different now,” Flea said.

“Because of the magic?”

“Yeah. It ruined everything.” Flea pounded his fist on the ground. Puffs of dirt floated up on either side.

Kerrick considered his words with care. “Yeah, it’s a real bummer that Quain’s still around to annoy us, and—”