Catching glimpses of Valek through the trees, I shouted and called to him for help. But thick vines from the jungle had ensnared his torso and legs. He hacked at them with his sword, but the vines continued to wrap around him until they covered his arms, as well. I pushed toward him, but a sharp pinch in my thigh stopped me.

The viper had wrapped around my leg. His fangs dripped Curare. Blood welled from the two small holes in my pants. The drug spread through my body. I screamed until the poison froze my voice.

“Yelena, wake up.”

Someone shook my shoulder hard.

“It’s just a dream. Come on, wake up.”

I blinked at Leif. A frown anchored his face. His short black hair stuck out at odd angles, and he had dark smudges under his eyes. I glanced at Tula. Propped up on one elbow, she looked at me with concern in her brown eyes.

“Is Valek in trouble?” she asked me.

Leif’s gaze jumped to Tula. “Why are you asking about him?” he demanded.

“Yelena was trying to help him when she was bitten by the snake.”

“You saw it?” I asked.

She nodded. “I dream of the snake every night, but Valek’s new. He must be from your dreams.”

Leif turned back to me. “You know him?”

“I…” I closed my mouth. Choosing my words with care, I said, “As the Commander’s food taster, I saw him every day.”

Leif blinked. The red flush of annoyance drained from his face. “I know nothing about your life in Ixia,” he said.

“That was entirely your choice.”

“I don’t think I could stand the extra guilt.” Leif turned his face away, staring at the wall.

“You shouldn’t feel any guilt now that you know I was kidnapped. There was nothing you could do,” I said, but he refused to meet my questioning gaze.

“Isn’t she your sister?” Tula asked into the silence. She wrinkled her nose, squinting in confusion.

“It’s a long complicated story,” I said.

Tula settled her head on the pillow, and then squirmed around under the covers as though she were seeking a more comfortable position. “We have plenty of time.”

“We have no time,” Irys said from the doorway. “Leif, are you ready?” “Yes.”

Irys took a step inside the room. “Then go help Cahil with the horses.”

“But I was going to—”

“Explain what is going on,” I demanded, sitting up.

“No time. Bain will fill you in.”

Irys and Leif turned to leave.

Fury bloomed in my chest. Without thought, I pulled power and directed it toward them. “Stop.”

They both froze in place until I released them. I slumped in bed. My outburst had sapped what little strength I had.

Irys returned to my bedside. An odd mixture of anger and admiration on her face. “Feeling better?”

“No.”

“Leif, go,” Irys said. “I’ll catch up in a moment.”

He shot me a rueful glance on his way out. Leif’s way of saying goodbye, I guessed.

Irys perched on the edge of my bed and pushed me back onto the pillow. “You’ll never get better if you keep using magic.”

“I’m sorry. I just can’t stand being so—”

“Helpless.” A wry smile bent Irys’s mouth. “It’s your own fault. At least, that’s what Roze keeps telling me. She wants me to assign you to a season of kitchen duty as punishment for rescuing Tula.”

“She should be rewarded, not punished,” Tula said.

Irys held her hand up. “Advice I won’t be taking. In fact, I believe that your current situation is bad enough that you’ll think twice next time you’re tempted to use more magic than you can handle. And being stuck here while Cahil, Leif and I travel to the Avibian Plains to visit the Sandseed Clan is sufficient punishment.”

“What happened?” I asked.

Irys softened her voice, her words just louder than a whisper. “Last night Leif and I asked Bavol, the Zaltana’s Councilman about the Curare. It did come from your parents. They made a large batch and had it delivered to the Sandseed Clan.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Why?”

“According to Bavol, Esau had read about a substance that paralyzes muscles in a history book about the nomadic tribes of the Avibian Plains. So, Esau traveled to the Sandseed Clan and found a healer named Gede who knew a little about this substance. In the Sandseed Clan, information is orally passed down from one healer to the next, and sometimes knowledge is lost. Esau and Gede searched the jungle for the Curare vine and, once found, they had Perl help them extract the drug. It’s a time-consuming process so Gede returned to the plains, and Esau promised to send him some Curare as a gift for helping him.” Irys stood. “So, now we are going to find out what Gede did with his Curare since Councilor Harun Sandseed didn’t know.”

“I must come!” I struggled to sit up, but my arm refused to hold my weight.

Irys watched me impassively. When I stopped, she asked, “Why?”

“Because I know the killer. I’ve seen him in Tula’s mind. He might be with the clan.”

She shook her head. “We have Dax’s drawing and Leif caught a glimpse of the man when he helped you connect your mind to Tula’s.” Irys reached out and smoothed my hair from my face. Her hand felt cool against my hot skin. “Besides, you’re not strong enough. Stay. Rest. Grow strong again. I have a great deal to teach you when I return.” She hesitated, then leaned over and kissed me on the forehead.