“Wait until I leave with the enemy. If they renege on their promise not to hurt those in the main cavern, then I need you, your squad, and all the others to stop them. There are six more soldiers in the stage-one area and four in the stage-three area, although I don’t know how much they can help.”

“Why don’t we attack them now and keep you here?”

“There are too many of them and they have Sergeant Odd, Loren, and Quain literally by the throat.”

Gylon followed me to where I’d set up my bedroll near the entrance to the stage-three cavern.

“We’ll send a rescue party after you,” he said.

“Thanks, but you’ll still be outnumbered. Better to wait until Prince Ryne arrives.” I packed my things.

The sergeant talked to the four patients. Happiness swelled inside me for a moment as I marveled at the healthy color in their cheeks and seeing two of them sit up and grab their swords a mere day after they’d been on the edge of dying.

“Remember, lie low until I leave,” I said. Then I joined Danny. “Stay here.”

“But—”

“That’s an order.”

“All right.” But he didn’t sound happy about it.

I hugged him. “If Kerrick returns, tell him...”

“I will. That is, if he hangs around long enough to listen to me.”

“Make sure he waits for Prince Ryne. Even he can’t counter so many on his own.”

“I’ll try.”

I returned to the main cavern.

“Where’s the boy?” Wynn asked.

“Back with the plague patients. We isolated them.”

“All right.” Wynn made a sweeping gesture toward the cave’s entrance. “After you, Baby Face.”

I met Loren’s, Quain’s, and Odd’s gazes. Their anger, frustration, and grief was clear on all their faces. Not much I could do, I turned and left the cave. Wynn followed, but before she joined me outside, she called back to her men.

I caught two words—clean up—but it was enough to fill me with rage. Rounding on her, I said, “You promised.”

“I changed my mind.”

“Then so can I.” I lunged, wrapping my hands around her throat and zapping her with my magic.

Two soldiers grabbed my shoulders and dragged me off her. As I struggled, something sharp jabbed into my arm. I glanced down. A dart stuck into my bicep. The plague?

Wynn smoothed her shirt down. “It’s Death Lily toxin.”

Strange choice. “But I’m immune.”

“I know it won’t kill you, but it will make you more cooperative.”

Oh. As the toxin spread throughout my body, my mind disconnected and floated above my head like a cloud of smoke. If I’d been inside a Death Lily, I would have joined with the being’s consciousness, sharing thoughts. Instead, I remained intangible and unable to control my own body; however, my thoughts stayed clear—a small mercy.