Page 26 of Lake of Sorrow
“I don’t think the Kar’ruk are here now,” Vlerion said, “but they were here.”
Jankarr nodded. “I smell their trace too.”
“Targon thought you saw men in masks.” Vlerion looked at Kaylina and scoffed. “I knew you would not be fooled by such.”
“I appreciate your faith in me.” That was especially true since she felt like an idiot for letting that plant brand her. She would likely have the mark for life. Had it been a tattoo, she might not have minded carrying a touch of nature, admittedly unnatural nature, but the burn mark would be ugly, even after it healed.
“You two were more entertaining when you sniped at each other.” Jankarr examined the ground for tracks.
“She hasn’t called me pirate in days,” Vlerion said. “I’ve not been moved to snipe.”
“You sure it’s not because she spent the night in your room last night?”
“Lenark has a big mouth.”
Jankarr grinned, pointed out a broken branch, and headed into the brush.
Vlerion gave Kaylina a long-suffering look.
“I’m amazed Targon has kept his bedroom visitor a secret,” he murmured. “The barracks have a lot of ears.”
“I’m positive it wasn’t a secret that he had a visitor.”
“I’m also positive of that. It’s surprising that she came to the barracks.” Vlerion shook his head and joined Jankarr.
Kaylina had some experience tracking game for the Spitting Gull’s menu, but she trusted the rangers were more experienced when it came to finding Kar’ruk, so she gazed around at the trees and plants as the men searched. The night before, it hadn’t been light enough to get a good look at the preserve. Now, she looked for signs of… unusualness. Magic the druids had long ago embedded in some of the plants.
It didn’t take long to find those signs. Here and there, vines hanging from branches twitched. There was no wind.
Whenever those vines moved, the rangers glanced warily at them. Their swords were out as they examined the ground, gradually moving away from the river and back the way the Kar’ruk had come. The taybarri also searched, sniffing at leaves and the ground.
Kaylina trailed the rangers on foot, keeping an eye on the vines whenever one was close to Vlerion or Jankarr. The preserve flora reminded her far too much of the plant in the castle, though she didn’t see anything identical growing in the wild, nothing with branches and vines and star-shaped leaves.
A pitiful moan came from somewhere ahead.
Vlerion’s head snapped up.
“That sounded human.” Jankarr squinted into the forest, but the trees kept them from seeing far.
Like a woman, Kaylina thought. A wounded woman.
“Take us to her,” Vlerion told Crenoch.
He let the taybarri lead while remaining on foot. Swords in hand, the rangers followed Crenoch and Jankarr’s mount. Levitke remained with Kaylina. She gave the taybarri an appreciative pat on the shoulder as they followed the men.
More than once, Vlerion glanced back to make sure Kaylina hadn’t fallen behind, but another moan sounded, pulling him in that direction.
“That woman is in pain.” Jankarr broke into a run and took the lead.
“Watch for traps,” Vlerion warned.
Jankarr kept running.
Also worried about traps, Kaylina drew her sling. Had that musky scent grown stronger, or was it her imagination?
Ahead of them, Jankarr halted abruptly and swore. Another moan sounded, weaker than the first.
“Hold on,” Vlerion called softly. “Are there any?—”