The leaves under me pulsed with his magic, keeping our connection. Kerrick dug in a pocket and produced a lumpy orange berry about the size of a gold coin.

He handed it to Odd. “Tell the women to collect and eat these. They’re edible and will give them energy. Stay away from all the other berries, most are poisonous.”

Odd tucked it into his pocket. “Got it.” Then he took off.

Kerrick knelt next to me. He pulled a clump of wet hair off my face.

“Why won’t Jael bother Odd?” I asked. “Did you—”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“She said she killed you. And no jail cell could hold her. She was just too dangerous to keep alive. At least now she’s being useful for a change.”

I waited.

“As fertilizer for the forest,” he said.

“Is there a chance she’ll come back like you did?”

“No.”

I searched my feelings. No sadness or guilt, and relief dominated. Ryne might be mad at us, but we’d neutralized a threat.

“You just had to rescue them all, didn’t you?” Kerrick asked, but his tone remained soft.

“Wasn’t my idea.” I told him about Melina. “Besides, it was the right thing to do.”

“It’s going to be a challenge getting that many women to freedom. Plus they’ll need clothing, shoes, and more than berries to eat.”

I smiled. “I’m sure you’re up to it.”

“Well, first things first.” He picked me up. “You lost weight.” He scowled.

“The food was awful. I’m going to write a letter of complaint.”

His scowl eased. “After you’re healed.” He turned.

“Where are we going?”

“To a safer location.”

“What about the priests?”

“They can hang out here for another day and give the women a head start.”

He carried me to a small campsite and laid me on his bedroll, then wrapped me in his blanket. Lighting a fire, Kerrick stared into the flames for a moment. The bright glow highlighted his exhaustion.

“How bad is it?” he asked.

With the energy he’d already shared, I no longer gasped for breath. My left lung functioned normally, but the right was still punctured. And my ribs... Pretty bad. “I don’t want you to deplete your strength—”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“On my own, I’d need a week to heal.”

Kerrick stretched out next to me, pulling me close. “Good thing you’re not alone.”

His magic soaked into me. The pain eased and I relaxed, falling asleep in his arms.

* * *

The snuffling of a large creature woke me. Darkness surrounded us. The fire had died. I drew in a deep breath. My right lung no longer wheezed, but my ribs protested the motion with tweaks of pain. Better than the fire that had stabbed deep with every movement.