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A smile flashed across her face. "Of course not. Assassins are taught to minimise their own scent."
I considered that for a moment. I couldn't remember Kerina smelling bad since I'd known her. Or particularly good, now I thought about it. I hadn't realised it was something she did purposefully.
"That's a fine skill to have. If that's something you can share, I'd like to learn how someday."
I suspected Viva used my scent once or twice for her own power. If she had, other witches like her could as well.
"Possibly," was all the reply Latika gave before she fell quiet.
Just as well she did. A moment later I sensed people approaching from the direction Kerina had gone. Two of them, both dressed in black, swords at their hips.
I recognised them as men who held those blades toward my throat while the witches took Viva. Soldiers, probably mercenaries; they knew how to use those swords. It seemed unlikely they had the kind of power Viva did, but I couldn't rule out that they might have the same as me.
If they did, where was Kerina?
Neither of the soldiers seemed to be on high alert for intruders, but they were obviously less lax than the guard. One stopped near the bent bush and forced it back upright. The other swept a boot over something on the ground. A footprint, perhaps.
One spoke to the other in a low voice and they moved on. Any moment now, they'd find the dead guard.
"I pulled her under the bushes," Latika whispered in his ear. "It'll take them time—"
Her words were interrupted by a shout.
Not enough time, evidently.
"Fuck," I said under my breath and rose to my feet.
"Next time, throw the body off the side of the mountain," Kerina said as she stepped toward them, shining wet blade in hand.
"Where—" I shook his head. "Never mind. What did you find?"
"A tunnel. I suggest while they're distracted, we make our way inside." Kerina pushed her hood back, turned and disappeared back into the trees.
I nodded to no one and followed.
22
Bain
"Areyou certain this is the right place?"
I frowned at Kerina's question. "This was where the woman pointed."
"Can you sense Viva?" Kerina still held a knife in her hand, but her posture was loose, almost casual.
"No. There's no one here. Her or the others. It's—" I shook my head "Too empty."
"There must besomethinghere," Kerina insisted. "Why send us here in the first place?"
"Misdirection?" Latika suggested.
"Or the tunnels lead somewhere else." I squinted ahead. Cracks offered dim light here or there, enough to see a few metres ahead where the tunnel widened.
"We can't rule out the possibility they were hunting tigers," Latika said.
"There's no tiger minds here," I said. I took a few steps forward. "No cubs. No cat smell. Bat, maybe, but if they were here, they're gone now."
"There's not even a spider's web," Kerina pointed out.
