He dodged a few other soldiers before joining Drisana. She glanced at him briefly before continuing her fight. With Kerrick’s help, they dispatched the man in no time.

“You look horrible. Did you come back from the dead just for me?” Drisana wiped the blood off her sword.

“I can’t stay—” He ducked as a soldier swung his sword, aiming for Kerrick’s throat.

Drisana engaged the man. “Go on.”

“Don’t go north. It’s blocked.”

She flicked a glance at him before returning her attention to the fight.

“Go east, find a dry creek bed and follow it. Tell your team.”

“We have a team inside the manor.” She feinted right and slipped her blade under the man’s defenses, stabbing him in the stomach.

“I’ll let them know.” With his energy almost gone, he’d have to ask one of Sergeant Vic’s squad.

“You can barely stand. Take Eva, she’s fast and quiet.” Drisana whistled and then shouted Eva’s name.

A small, thin girl who looked to be twelve years old darted around fighters. She joined them in no time.

“Go with Prince Kerrick,” Drisana ordered. “He’ll fill you in.”

“Yes, sir.” Eva peered at him with a dubious expression.

He didn’t blame her. “This way.” Not bothering to see if she followed, he limped toward the forest.

When he entered the woods the strong pull to return eased. However, after a few feet, he sank to the ground. Turning to Eva, he said, “Don’t let this scare you.” He dropped his normal camouflage.

She appeared impressed by his transformation.

“I need you to deliver a message.” Kerrick explained what he wanted her to do. “Can you show Avry and her team the way out?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Go east with them. You can rendezvous with Captain Drisana later.”

Eva cocked her head. “What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

She didn’t look convinced.

“The forest will protect me.”

“Nice.”

He smiled. “Yes, it is. Now go, Drisana will be signaling a retreat soon.”

“Yes, sir.” She took off at a fast pace.

Kerrick worried she’d get caught. But after a few minutes he realized Drisana was right. Eva was quiet.

Completely exhausted, he lay back on the ground, hoping he’d done enough.

CHAPTER 9

Drawing hidden weapons, the ambushers dressed in formal      clothes attacked. Odd and his men reacted, pulling their swords and engaging      them. Flea and the monkeys joined in. I counted the enemy. At least thirty,      outnumbering us two to one. And all living.

“Don’t use your daggers,” I called over the din.

Everyone had coated their knives with Death Lily toxin just in      case we encountered the dead. Their swords remained clean in case we engaged      living soldiers. No one wished to use the toxin against a living person even if      they were the enemy. That would be cruel.

One man lunged toward me. He thrust his sword at my stomach. I      twisted. The blade sliced my skin. A line of pain registered distantly as I      stepped in close. Unable to use his sword, he dropped it and, in one quick move,      wrapped his hands around my neck.

I copied him, but when my fingers touched the back of his neck,      I zapped him into unconsciousness.

“Avry, get over here,” Odd yelled. He was backed into a corner      with three soldiers advancing on him.

Weaving through the fighters, I snuck up on the men who had      trapped Odd. I managed to zap two before being knocked to the ground. Two other      ambushers picked me up under my arms and held tight. Unable to reach their skin,      I kicked them without success. They dragged me toward the door. Icy fear flowed      through me.

“Avry, duck,” Quain cried.

I leaned forward. Air swept my neck. Then came the sickening      sound of a blade cutting through flesh and bone. Warm blood soaked my back and      arm. I remained hunched as Quain pulled back for another swing. More blood      splattered on me. I wiped it from my face. Two headless bodies lay at my      feet.

Quain helped me up.

“Company’s coming,” Loren called. “Time to retreat.”

Only a few ambushers remained. We bolted from the ballroom.      Pounding boots and shouts sounded behind us.

“What’s the plan?” Odd puffed.

“Get to the stairs,” I said.

Not bothering to check for enemies, we raced into the      stairwell.

“Can we block the door?” I asked Odd.

He glanced behind. “No time.”

We made it to the ground floor, where Saul and his men fought a      couple dozen of Cellina’s soldiers in the narrow hallway. These also were living      and I wondered where the dead soldiers waited to ambush us.

“Oh, good, backup,” Saul said, disarming his opponent.

“Except we brought more...uh...friends,” Quain said. “How’s the      escape route?”