Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder Page B

she looked elegant and younger than her fifty-two years. Ryne offered his arm, and she rested her hand on the crook as they descended the steps.
    Her hand remained on his arm as they crossed to Jael’s tent. A sign to her troops that they were working together as equals. Impressive. My opinion of her intelligence rose a couple notches.
    Followed by a scowling Belen, they entered Jael’s tent. I wondered if Ryne had broken the news to him about me. Or perhaps his uncharacteristic demeanor meant Kerrick was missing or worse. The temptation to sneak up to the tent and listen through the fabric pulsed in my chest. Before I could act on my impulse and be caught snooping, I turned away and headed for the sergeant’s fire, skipping supper. My stomach already felt as if I’d swallowed a twenty-pound rock.
    All five of Lieutenant Thea’s sergeants lounged by the fire. No surprise the conversation focused on Ryne’s troops. Ursan watched me as I settled between Odd and Liv, his gaze contemplative. The others hardly noticed my arrival.
    “...he’s holding back,” Odd said. “He has to have more soldiers.”
    “Yeah,” Liv agreed. “No way he could have driven the marauders from the northern realms with only four hundred.”
    “The captain of Falchion Company thought there’d be at least a thousand,” Wynn said.
    “Oh? Did you just happen to run into Captain Lynton today? Or are you stalking the poor man again?” Liv asked.
    Wynn punched her on the arm.
    “Why would Prince Ryne hold back troops?” I asked Odd.
    “There could be trouble in the north or it could be a strategic thing. Perhaps he’s keeping them in northern Pomyt just in case the battle doesn’t go well here and he needs to make a fast retreat.” Odd shrugged.
    He could shrug. Trouble in the north meant nothing to him, but it made my heart shuffle. Deep breath, Avry.
    Once my fears settled, I considered his guess. Knowing Ryne, I dismissed the protection for a retreat scenario. Ryne wouldn’t waste resources. A strategic move made more sense. Perhaps they were planning to cross the Nine Mountains through the Orel pass and drop in behind Tohon’s army. And Kerrick had been assigned to lead them.
    It was a nice fantasy. It included Kerrick being alive and well and probably pissed off because he had planned to meet up with me in Zabin. I clung to it for a bit. But it didn’t take long for my healer side to worry that he was injured and dying somewhere and here I was, playing soldier.
    “...you think, Irina?” Ursan asked.
    It took me a moment to realize he was speaking to me. “Think about what?”
    “You seem distracted tonight. Something wrong?” Ursan appeared to be the soul of concern, but I knew better.
    “Nothing’s wrong. Just tired. What did you want to know?”
    “We were discussing Prince Ryne,” Ursan said. “The last thing we need is some pampered, spoiled prince draining our resources. But I’m curious as to his timing. Don’t you think it’s rather convenient that Ryne arrives now? He’s been missing for over two years, and now he just shows up out of the blue.” His expression said what he hadn’t— just like you.
    “He’s probably been guarding his realm all that time,” Odd said.
    “Coming down here is a big risk,” Liv said. “He’s safer on the other side of the Nine Mountains.”
    “Irina?” Ursan waited as if I alone possessed the answer.
    Before I could offer an opinion, a figure approached our fire. My heart flipped when I recognized my sister.
    “General Jael wishes to speak to Sergeants Ursan and Irina. Now,” Noelle said.
    Not good. “What does she want?” I asked.
    “You’ll find out soon enough,” she snapped. “Let’s go.”
    I stood on weak legs. Ursan had been watching my face, so I smoothed my expression to, I hoped, one of mild curiosity.
    Bright lantern light shone through the fabric of Jael’s tent. I squinted as I followed Noelle through the flaps. As I had suspected, this was used