“Are we still traitors, Ryne?” I asked.

“Careful how you answer,” Kerrick warned him.

We sat around a campfire outside the infirmary with the monkeys and Flea. Fydelia remained in the infirmary with Odd. Ryne had just arrived. He rode in on the horse that had carried the soldier with the message that we’d returned. It took a total of six days, and we’d all rested in the meantime. Although Kerrick still moved as if a deep weariness had soaked into his bones. I worried he was getting sick, but he was quick to wave off my concerns as soon as I’d voiced them.

I’d also checked on the patients and found they’d been well taken care of in my absence. But what had upset me the most were the four cases of the new plague. Ginger and Christina had isolated them, and had been careful to wash their hands after treating them. However, I wouldn’t let my caregivers risk getting sick now that I’d returned. I couldn’t heal them, but I could ease their suffering with various herbs. Although seeing them had been a painful reminder of my horrible mistake.

Yuri had accompanied Ryne to HQ. It made sense for him to be there, but an uneasiness drifted in my chest. I still felt he was my responsibility.

Without any clouds to obscure the stars, the night air had cooled fast and there would be frost on the ground by morning. The official start to winter was nine days away.

“Yeah. Don’t piss us off, or we’ll take our girls and go,” Quain said to Ryne.

Kerrick shot him a look, but Quain kept his smug expression.

“No, you’re not traitors,” Ryne said. “I regretted my harsh words after you left. However, I still believe your decision to go was unfounded and reckless.”

“Even after we’ve given you two thousand, three hundred and forty-six reasons that it was well worth the effort?” I asked.

“Are you telling me you knew this would happen?” Ryne challenged.

“No. And I’ll admit there were times...” I shuddered at the memory of kneeling for hours “...that I agreed with you.”

“And I should learn to trust your instincts. Shall we call a truce?” Ryne asked.

“Agreed.” I shook his hand.

“Aww, nuts. Avry, you should have gloated some more,” Quain said.

We all ignored him. Flea poked at the fire with a stick. Bright sparks spiraled up into the air. He’d been extraquiet ever since we returned from Chinska Mare.

“How’s the war going?” Kerrick asked Ryne.

“Aside from a few skirmishes along the border, it’s not.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Loren asked.

“You would think so, but Cellina’s up to something big. Our scouts who returned from Vyg have reported seeing fewer living soldiers than there should be, and more activity from the squads of dead soldiers, which is the opposite of how it’s been these past few months. She also pulled her troops from Zabin. Which makes me wonder where her soldiers are going.”

“Any ideas?” Kerrick asked.

“Nope.”

They exchanged a significant glance. My heart squeezed as I realized Kerrick would offer to scout for Ryne. Maybe not tonight, but soon. And while I understood the need, I already missed and worried about him.

“Any word about Belen?” I asked.

“Nothing, sorry. But lots of reports on the Skeleton King,” Ryne said.

Now it was Quain and Loren’s turn to exchange a look. This one was full of horror.

“We ran into him when we were searching for a healer,” Loren said.

“That’s one sick bastard,” Quain said.

“His army is on the move. And he sent me another message.” Ryne rubbed a hand over his face.

Oh, no. “Another bitten and tattooed soldier?”

“Worse. He sent me a box of bones with a letter. The bones belonged to two of my scouts that had gone missing. He taunted me, saying to stop with the sweeps and scouts, to bring my army to Sectven Realm because his troops were hungry for a fight.”

“Wait, I thought he was down in Ryazan Realm?” I asked.

“Not anymore. He’s invaded half of Sectven Realm.”

I leaped to my feet. “Sectven! Mom lives there. And we just rescued Melina.”

KERRICK

Kerrick understood Avry’s concern. He felt it, too. Mom meant a great deal to him. And from the worried expressions on Flea’s and the monkeys’ faces, they cared for her, as well.

He grasped Avry’s hand before she could rush off to organize a rescue party. Pulling, Kerrick tried to get her to sit back down next to him.

She resisted. “We need to warn Mom.”

Ryne opened his mouth to respond, but Kerrick shot him a let-me-handle-this look.

“It’s Mom, Avry,” Kerrick said. “She has her sources of information. She probably knows more about the situation than we do right now. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she hasn’t already cleared out of her inn and has traveled somewhere safe.”

“Nowhere is safe. Plus she wouldn’t leave without knowing what happened to Melina.”

Ah, hell. Avry had a point. He considered their options and found a solution that would appease both Avry and Ryne.

“I’ll go,” he said. “I’ll take Hux and be there in three days. If Mom’s still there, I’ll tell her about Melina and escort her here.” Kerrick glanced at Ryne. “I’ll also gather better information about where this Skeleton King is and how big his forces are.”