Taste of Darkness (An Avry of Kazan Novel - Book 3) by Maria V. Snyder Read Free Book Online

that led down to an underground room.
    I paused at the edge.
    He glanced up. “We’ll be more comfortable in my office.”
    Oh, no. “Your office is down there?”
    “Yes, along with a number of caverns and tunnels. We could house our entire army down there if we had to.”
    I groaned. “The mines.”
    “Exactly. And the best part is, they extend for miles in all directions. Once we figure out where they go, we can use them to move troops unseen. Isn’t it wonderful?”
    From a military standpoint, yes, but I’d rather be outside under the stars than under the ground. My visions of spending a night in a normal bed vanished. I joined him at the bottom.
    Ryne led me along a well-lit corridor. Lanterns hung every few feet and the air remained warm.
    “Up here in the living levels, there’s plenty of light,” Ryne explained, noticing my interest. “As you go deeper, the spacing of the lanterns is wider, and the ones we haven’t explored are dark.”
    “Living levels?”
    “Yes, the miners stayed here while on duty. There’s an entire cavern filled with bunk beds. It would make a good infirmary, except...”
    “Except what?”
    “I don’t want injured to be brought to HQ, they’re too easy to follow. And I don’t think navigating dark tunnels with casualties is a good idea.”
    “So where do you want to locate the infirmary?”
    “Closer to Zabin.”
    Not what I expected. “Why?”
    “I’ve just received some intelligence on Cellina’s troop movements.” He rested his hand on his sword’s hilt. “It appears the bulk of her army is retreating back into Vyg Realm.”
    “Why? Doesn’t she have the upper hand?”
    “She does. We’ve been harrying her northern flank, but it’s caused more of a nuisance, like mosquito bites on an ufa, than any real harm.”
    I considered. “Is she trying to lure you down to Zabin?”
    “Perhaps. She’s leaving a couple companies behind to guard the town.”
    “Maybe she set a trap.” Unbidden, memories of another trap played in my mind. Tohon had surrounded Zabin with his dead soldiers, encircling us. Ulany, his earth mage, had hidden them underneath the ground until it had been time to strike. A shudder of horror ripped through me. “Can she command the dead like Tohon?”
    “I don’t know. But I do know she can’t surprise us with them like Tohon did at Zabin.”
    “Why not?”
    “Ulany’s dead.”
    “Oh.” I didn’t know that. Glancing at Ryne, I wondered what else he kept from me.
    “We took her out when we rescued Estrid’s soldiers from the trap.”
    The time he left me behind, again. With good reason, but still... No, I wouldn’t go into that now. Instead, I asked, “Why do you think she’s retreating?”
    “I think she’s regrouping and taking stock of her resources. Pulling back into the safety of Vyg, Cellina can coordinate her forces and plan her next move.” He stopped in front of a wooden door. “That’s what I’d do if I was in her position.”
    “All right. But that doesn’t explain why you want the infirmary closer to Zabin.”
    Ryne grabbed a lantern from the wall, opened the door and gestured me inside. I scanned the room. Desk, armchairs, a worn couch, a single bed, and chest of drawers filled the space. This was more than just his office. The single bed snagged my attention. I wondered if Ryne had ever found that person.
    He set the lantern on the desk and sat behind it. He probably didn’t have time for anything other than waging war. Perhaps when this was all over.
    I plopped into one of the armchairs on the opposite side. Sinking into the thick cushions, I relaxed. Nice until I remembered he hadn’t answered my question. I repeated it.
    He propped his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his hands as if debating how much to tell me.
    Sick of the song and dance, I leaned forward. “Enough with all this mystery, Ryne. How about a little trust?”
    “I told you about Cellina.”
    “Not that. I’m talking about