Page 32 of Lost

Her voice was unexpected—pleasing and sweet, like the shade of an old oak on a hot Oklahoma day, but also filled with a strength that had the bare branches of all of the nearby trees shivering in response.

“I apologize. I don’t mean to bother you,” Kevin said quickly.

“You misunderstand. I do not complain. I only wish to show my surprise. We have not been awakened in many ages. The children have enjoyed themselves this night.”She lifted one hand, palm up, cupping the ice so that it coated her dusky skin, turning it from velvet to smoky quartz crystal.“Though water might have been over exuberant.”She shook the ice from her hand and arm, and it rained around her, sparkling in the wan moonlight.“And they did so appreciate the taste of Native blood, diluted though it may be.”

Kevin heard his g-ma’s derisivehurmpbehind him, but he kept his attention focused on the sprite.

“Your children saved us tonight,” he said. “Please thank them for me.”

The sprite cocked her head, birdlike, studying him.“You have already thanked them, Redbird Boy, with your blood. You needn’t have called us for that.”

“That’s not the only reason I called you. I was hoping you could help me again.”

Her eyes, dark and almond-shaped, sparkled with what Kevin decided was a mischievous light.“What further service do you require, and what payment do you propose, Redbird Boy?”

“Two things,” Kevin said. “One, we really need this cave to be bigger and better. You know, so, about…” He hesitated and glanced at Dragon, then whispered softly to the Warrior. “About how many people need to fit in there?”

Dragon just stared at him, still open-mouthed, but Anastasia stepped forward quickly. “It would be lovely if the cave could hold one hundred of us.”

Kevin thought that sounded like an awful lot to ask, but he turned his attention back to the tree sprite and spoke with way more confidence than he felt. “It would be great if it were big enough to hold about one hundred people.”

The sprite didn’t so much as blink at the number.“And the second service you require?”

“What your children did for us tonight—hiding us from the Red and Blue Armies—well, um, could you keep doing that? Please?” When she didn’t respond, he added, “We have our own children and other innocents who need a safe place, and this ridge would be perfect if the cave were bigger. I promise we’ll respect the ridge. We won’t build anything else on it, and we’ll totally pick up after ourselves.”

“Ah, I see. You request permanent sanctuary.”

Behind him, Anastasia whispered urgently. “Stop, Kevin. You’re asking too much.”

Kevin ignored her. He’d already thought about whether he was pushing his luck with the sprites, but he rationalized that he had two gifts to offer—so he might as well ask for two services.

“Yes. I’m requesting sanctuary—in the form of a new cave, and your protection—but not permanently. I only request it until we restore the balance of Light and Darkness in this world—then we will no longer need to hide.”

“And what do you offer as payment for these services?”

Kevin quickly lifted the medicine bag from around his neck, and then held it and its twin out to the sprite. She moved forward—not exactly floating, but her bare feet didn’t stir the ground over which they strode. She came so close to Kevin that he could smell her—she was all the scents of autumn: the cinnamon of falling leaves, the sharp freshness of the first cool day of fall after a long, hot summer, the richness of thick roots reaching far down into fertile earth. Realizing he was staring, he mentally shook himself as she took the bags from him.

The sprite lifted them to her face, sniffed them, and then her tongue flicked out, tasting each of them. She blinked in surprise.

“These are from two different worlds.”

“They are,” he said. “Two different world payments for two different services.”

“Your payment is more interesting than powerful. Let us see if interesting is enough.”

The tree sprite turned her back to him, facing the others who had gathered at his call in a loose semicircle around the front of the cave. She spoke quickly to them using the strange language that was more music than words.

In response one sprite stepped forward from each of the different groups, speaking a series of very similar-sounding whistles and clicks. When they’d all had their turn, the tree sprite bowed her head slightly before turning back to Kevin. When she spoke her voice fell into a sing-song rhythm that reminded him of the voices he’d heard when the other sprites accepted his blood earlier, only this time the power in this sprite’s voice pressed over his skin like the threat of a thunderstorm.

“We accept this payment—this magick from worlds numbered two

Formed from ancient wisdom and given with love to you

In return—

Earth shall be moved

Air shall listen