We stood and stretched, unkinking stiff muscles. The blood had dried on my clothes. Kerrick had let go of my hand. He no longer blended in with the forest, but lines of strain etched his gaunt face. Thinner and paler than I’d ever seen him, Kerrick wiped a hand over the stubble on his chin.

I laced my fingers in his, feeling his magic again. Sharing my energy with him, I beamed at him. He flashed me a smile in response.

What a night. All that work and we didn’t rescue Estrid. I glanced at the POW camp. So close.

Flea noticed the direction of my gaze. “How much time do we have until they come back?” he asked Kerrick.

“The woods are crowded with patrols. Any one of them could return. Why?” he asked.

“Estrid’s in the POW camp. We could get her out before—”

“Too risky,” I interrupted. “I’m sure the camp is well guarded.”

Flea grinned. “It is, but we left a back door.”

“Oh, yeah,” Quain said. “Prince Ryne said it might come in handy someday.”

“Back door?” I asked.

“An escape route,” Loren explained. “When we hid inside during Tohon’s encirclement, we used a hidden exit to come and go without being seen.”

“How long would it take?” Kerrick asked.

“Not long to get inside the fence, but the complex has five or six buildings.”

Kerrick considered. “We have two hours until dawn. You have one hour to find Estrid, and then you have to return regardless.”

“Are you coming?” Loren asked.

“No, I’ll stay here and ensure no one sets up an ambush,” Kerrick said.

Eva offered to stay with Kerrick. “Probably safer with you guys than trying to rendezvous with the captain right now.”

Quain huffed. “You don’t know us very well.”

I hesitated. The desire to remain with Kerrick warred with the need to rescue Estrid. Duty won.

“Don’t go anywhere,” I ordered Kerrick, stabbing a finger at the ground.

“I won’t,” he said, but a haunted look clouded his eyes.

“Promise?”

“Oh, yes.” He leaned in and kissed me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.

“Uh...Avry, time’s running out,” Loren said.

Breaking away, I gazed at Kerrick. “I’ll be back.”

He smiled. “You’d better.”

I joined the others.

“Our door leads right into the training ring. So we’ll check the converted stables first, then the smaller buildings,” Loren instructed. “We’re only saving Estrid. Most of the guards should be by the front entrance, but the first sign of unfriendlies, we retreat. Understood?”