Page 166 of Keeper of the Word

Elanna blanched.

Tolvar silently swore every curse word he knew. He glanced at Hux, who displayed a sly grin. Stars, Tolvar would never understand that infernal man.

Hux eyed his boot.

Greenwood’s men had missed Hux’s dagger.

“Let us return to camp,” Greenwood said. “Before Cattacor notices us.”

“He’s not with you?” Tolvar asked.

“Stars, nay. But he’s unknowingly assisting me dispose of Namid. I’ll thank him for that.”

They marched for about an hour until they reached Greenwood’s camp, or as was evident upon seeing it, the Brones’ camp. It reeked of the Curse of Adrienne.

Tolvar assessed the situation with the astuteness of the Wolf. Four dozen men altogether. Some appeared to be trained knights. Others were hired swords. Turas Anscom was nowhere to be found, nor was Crevan. In the middle of the camp, surrounded by a dozen guards—and were those three hags witches?—were Kyrie, Casta, and Maristel.

The toddler noticed them first and leapt from Casta’s embrace, her arms reaching. Elanna cried out at the same time Kyrie and Casta discerned them. They leapt up and promptly had spears thrust into their faces, as they stood over the stooped witches.

This would have to be fast.

They could not wait until they’d been made prisoners, and the routine of the camp swallowed them.Ifthat was Crevan’s plan. For all Tolvar knew, a sword, knife, or arrow would drive itself into his hide at any moment.

Nay, it would have to be fast. He glanced at Hux, wishing for the thousandth time he was Ghlee instead. Ghlee, who would already know what his moves would be. Gus coughed, and Tolvar found his three knights shooting him wide-eyed stares.

He nodded, hopeful he understood that they were ready to jump into action. He gave a shrug and leaned his elbow in the direction of the StarSeers.

A precarious situation at best.

Five knights and four StarSeers needed to escape four dozen guards, a pompous earl, a crazed brother under the influence of Adrienne—if he was here—and three witches.

The Wolf had seen worse.

The group was left to stand together at the edge of camp with a handful of guards surrounding them while Greenwood entered a nearby tent.

“Lanna!” Maristel cried.

“Keep quiet for the moment,” Tolvar whispered to Elanna. “Do not draw more attention here.”

Hux sneezed and bent over.

“Hux!” Tolvar growled, before he understood what the Ravyn suggested. Tolvar eyed the guards. Already, they’d loosened their surveillance on them. Two even started idly chatting. Fools.

With Joss and Barrett stepping in front of Tolvar, he crouched and retrieved Hux’s dagger. Hux then pressed his back into Tolvar’s and, working his bound hands behind him, cut through Hux’s bindings. Immediately, Hux proved why the Ravyns had been a gang difficult to detain, even if captured.

In two heartbeats, Hux used the dagger to slice through Tolvar’s bindings, all while keeping his hands carefully behind himself. Hux then turned his attention to Joss while Tolvar, back to back with Gus, worked at the knot in his rope until it’d loosened enough for Gus to slip out of it. When Tolvar had done the same with Elanna, Hux had Joss and Barrett free, and the four of them, with their hands clasped behind their back, whispered together.

Tolvar met Elanna’s eyes. “Can you help?”

She eyed the witches, hunched with pale faces and dark eyes. They paid them no heed. They appeared deeply focused on a strange glowing orb that sat in the middle of the StarSeers. “The witches hold hostage my sisters’ power. ’Tis why I have not been able to sense them. We need to break them away from the witches. We must smash the orb. But I cannot touch it. None of the StarSeers can without midnight gloves. I know not if Kyrie has hers.”

Tolvar nodded. “But can you help?”

Elanna scanned through the canopy of trees. “Not with the stars veiled by midday.”

Stars. “Very well.”

Tolvar scrutinized the area one last time. Only three minutes had passed, but Greenwood would most likely reappear soon. The element of surprise was the only chance they had. Most of the men were having midday meals and appeared bored or distracted. These were not disciplined men.