“Could he still be in the castle complex?” Maren asked.

“Unlikely,” Ari said. “If he could slip past you unseen, he could exit the complex without being noticed. Although we should make sure before we go.”

“Go where?” Janco asked.

Ari waited. His partner tended to speak before thinking and if Ari gave him a minute he would figure it out for himself. Unfortunately, not every one knew him as well, and Janco’s quick responses often led to trouble.

“Tracking mission.” Janco rubbed the scar below his right ear. “Which direction do you think Rye headed?”

“East toward home.”

“The greenie seemed smart. Do you really think he’d run home?” Maren asked.

“Do you have any better ideas?” Ari asked.

No response from either of them. Maren volunteered to conduct a castle-wide search for Rye while Ari and Janco headed to their rooms to prep for the mission. Their suite was down the hall from Valek’s. Janco’s gaze lingered on his bed, and he ran a hand over the pillow.

“I didn’t sleep either. We’ll have to catch a few on the road,” Ari said as he packed his rucksack.

Janco sighed and shoved supplies into his pack. “Should we bring the orange, yellow and red camo? The leaves are starting to change.”

“No. They’re still on the trees. Bring the green and browns – we’ll be staying on the ground.” He zipped up his bag, and tried to calculate how far Rye might have traveled. “When did you notice he was gone?”

Janco squinted. “He was gone at dawn. Hey! That rhymes. I could use it when I fight.” He practiced a variety of rhyming combinations.

Ari ignored him as he calculated how far Rye could travel in three hours. Far enough, and if he chose the wrong direction, catching up to the greenie would be almost impossible.

When they had finished packing, they returned to Valek’s office to wait for Maren’s report. Ari endured Janco’s fidgeting for an hour before she showed.

“Nothing. The castle’s clean,” she reported.

“Did you check—”

“Yes, Janco. I checked all your hiding places.”

“Even the—”

“Storage rooms.”

“And the—”

“Servants’ quarters. And the little nook you found near the dungeon.”

Ari suppressed a chuckle at Janco’s chagrined expression. “Good work, Maren. You’re in charge until we get back.”

“Swell. What should I tell Valek when he returns?”

“If we don’t come back, send him east.”

Janco shot him a concerned look. “Do you think we’ll need him?”

“If there’s magic involved, he’d be our best defense.”

“That’s not fair,” Janco said.

Ari knew better than to ask what wasn’t fair, but Maren didn’t.

“Valek gets everything. Immunity to magic, Yelena, super assassin skills—”

“We’re wasting time.” Ari shouldered his pack. “Let’s go.”

They traveled east through the Snake Forest , stopping only to check for signs of Rye . Someone had passed through here a while ago, but it was difficult to determine who. When the sun set, they made camp near Lake Keyra . Janco wilted under the weight of his pack and deep lines of exhaustion etched his face.

“I’ll take first watch.” Ari offered after they ate dinner.

Janco flashed him a grateful smile and collapsed onto his bed roll. Ari moved away from the small camp fire to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He circled their campsite, halting every ten steps to listen for odd noises. Ari doubted they would encounter trouble so early in their search.

When the moon rose, he returned to the dying campfire. Embers pulsed with a weak glow and Ari bent to add wood, stirring the fire to life. A small flame erupted.

Then the world paused. All the nighttime noises ceased. Movement froze. But it seemed only Ari was affected. The single flame had tripled in size by the time Ari reconnected with the world around him.

A shuffling step sounded behind him. He spun, reaching for his sword. It wasn’t in his scabbard. Men dressed in colorful robes surrounded Ari. They aimed their scimitars at him.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Ow! Go away!” Still half asleep, Janco swatted at the annoyance. It persisted, pricking him with sharp little jabs. The scar below his right ear tweaked in warning. “What the?” He jerked awake. A tall man wearing an obnoxious dress hovered over him. Although the garment was gaudy, Janco’s gaze had focused on the scimitar inches from his nose.

He rolled away, reaching for his sword, but his scabbard was empty. And now he had two men threatening him with their long blades. Liquid moonlight shone from the sharp metal.

Janco’s insides cramped for a moment. A painful contraction—his body’s reaction to his brain’s acknowledgement that he was seriously screwed. Then it eased. Calm and acceptance flowed. If this was the end, he’d make the most of it.

Glancing around, Janco spotted his partner kneeling in the middle of their camp with his oversized hands laced behind his curly head. Four other men flanked Ari.

“Get up.” The man closest to Janco ordered. The blue and gold stripes on his garment shimmered. “Hands behind your head.” Stripey poked Janco in the back. “Now join your friend.”

Janco shot Ari a poisonous glare as he knelt next to him. “What ja do, Ari? Fall asleep?”