Page 55 of Lake of Sorrow
“I don’t think I can.” Jankarr moved his head as much as he could to glance at his wrist. Not only was a vine wrapped around it, pinning his arm to the ground, but one had snaked around the haft of the axe, pinning it.
“I… could go get the others.” Maybe. Kaylina didn’t have any idea where the rest of the rangers had gone after leaving the valley. Even if she did, enough time had passed that they would be miles away.
Jankarr groaned. “I’d rather die than let them see that I got myself into this predicament.”
“If it helps, the Kar’ruk did too.”
“It does not help.”
Leaves rustled behind Kaylina, and she spun. But it was only Levitke and Jankarr’s mount.
“Can you two bite me free?” Jankarr asked the taybarri hopefully.
“Yes.” Kaylina nodded, stepping aside for them. Thanks to their fangs and claws, they had weapons the vines couldn’t steal from them.
But as soon as the taybarri approached, their maws opening, several new vines slithered into view, rearing up to strike like the cobras she kept comparing them to.
The taybarri hesitated, issuing uncertain whuffs. One snapped toward Levitke like a whip cracking.
“No!” Kaylina snarled, furious that a plant would attack her friendly taybarri mount.
Maybe it wasn’t smart, but she lunged forward and grabbed the vine, willing it to leave the animals alone. To leave Jankarr alone too.
The tip flicked in irritation. What was that word she’d blurted before?
“Sywretha!”
The vine went limp. They all went limp, and the hum of power faded.
Though surprised, Jankarr reacted before the Kar’ruk. He sat up, hefting the axe, then lunged to his knee and one foot as he slammed the flat of the blade down on the warrior’s head. The Kar’ruk had been entangled longer and half unconscious when they’d found him, so he didn’t get his arms up in time to block. Jankarr struck him again and again. It took several mighty blows with the flat of the blade before the warrior slumped back, falling unconscious.
“Wish I had some of that knock-out powder the apothecaries make.” Jankarr made sure the Kar’ruk was truly unconscious and not feigning before turning to look at Kaylina. His eyes were round as he asked, “What did you do?”
“Nothing.” Realizing she gripped the now-limp vine, Kaylina dropped it.
“That was not nothing.”
Kaylina shrugged. “I said that word before in the other ruins, and it helped.”
“What does it mean?”
“I have no idea. I’m not even sure where I heard it. Or read it.”
Jankarr stared at her for a long silent moment as if she were the strangest thing he’d ever seen. The words of her past lover, Domas, floated to mind again: What is wrong with you? You look so normal.
“Something tells me that if I’d yelled that,” Jankarr said, “nothing would have happened.”
“Probably not.” Kaylina eyed the back of her hand. “You haven’t fed honey to any plants lately.”
After checking the Kar’ruk one more time, Jankarr said, “Let’s tie up our prisoner—with ropes, not vines—and head back. Maybe if Captain Targon gets some answers from questioning this guy, he’ll be in a better mood.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll have to report to him that you… can do whatever it is you did.”
“I wouldn’t mind if he didn’t learn about this.” Kaylina had saved Jankarr’s life, however atypically. Couldn’t he keep a secret for her?
Jankarr smiled sadly. “I am, sometimes unfortunately, honor bound to report everything that’s a matter of kingdom security or safety for the rangers.”