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As I jerked my head up, she laughed.
“Yes—I know you have him with you. I am grateful you were able to save him. He was always a good servant and playmate for Grieve. And take your friend Peyton. She can help you through the woods. Do not take your cousin or the vampire lackey. I do not fully trust him, and your cousin is too unpredictable in her powers yet. Chatter can run camouflage, you and Peyton can shift into animal form . . . both factors may save your lives.”
“I suppose I’d better be quick about it. When should we leave? If we wait till tomorrow morning when the Shadow Hunters are sleeping off their pain, will it be too long for Kaylin?” I didn’t want to go into the woodland at night. I really didn’t want to face Myst’s people when they were awake and hunting.
But Lainule dashed my hopes. “No, you must leave soon. Go as soon as you’re home. You may have enough time before nightfall to make it to the portal. I wish I had more help to give, but any additions to your party will call attention. Tell Chatter I entrust your life to his care.”
And then the Queen of Summer leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “My kiss will not protect you, but may it gird your heart and when you are afraid, remember, the Court of Rivers and Rushes believes in you. I believe you can do this, Cicely. I have faith in you.”
As her guard led me away, I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see Lainule reach her hand up to catch a sunbeam. It traveled down her arm, bathing her in light, and for a moment, I stood, entranced, watching the glory that was the heart of the Golden Wood. And then the portal opened and I stepped back into the snows of winter.
Rhiannon shook her head. “How can she ask you to do this? To send you directly into Myst’s clutches? You’re insane to even think about it. Who cares what Lainule wants?”
Chatter flashed a surprised look at her. “She is the Queen of Rivers and Rushes. The Queen of Cicely’s people, of her father’s people. How can Cicely disobey her? And mind you, this is not for Lainule’s greater good—but your own. Our own. Kaylin is a powerful ally and you call him friend. How could you let him drift forever in the mists of his mind?” He sounded almost hurt.
I held up my hand. Peyton had stayed, and now she, Rhiannon, Chatter, and I were sitting around the kitchen table. Leo had gone back out—Geoffrey’s errands couldn’t be tabled. And that was fine with me, because I had a feeling he’d object even more than Rhiannon. Leo would want to go to Geoffrey for help, and this was something I didn’t want the vampires to know about.
“Enough. I’ve already promised. Chatter, you will come with me?”
“Of course, Miss Cicely.” He smiled softly and quietly set his hand near mine. “I’ll do whatever you need me to.”
“Peyton? It’s your decision. You are under no obligation to go, but Lainule seems to feel that you would be an asset during this journey.”
“Hey, how can I open a magical investigations company if I don’t take some risks? Count me in. I’ll call Mother and let her know I’m going to be gone for the night. I won’t tell her what we’re doing, though—I just have a feeling she’ll be happier if she thinks I’m just hanging over here with you guys.” She slid out from her chair and headed over to one corner of the kitchen, flipping open her cell phone.
Rhiannon was pissed, that much was obvious. She headed for the sink, fuming. I leaned against the counter, next to her, trying to think of a way to calm her down as she filled the teakettle. When she was thirteen, she’d thrown a temper tantrum, accidentally starting a fire that killed a young girl trapped in a car. Traumatized and eaten by guilt, she’d repressed her powers until recently, when they’d flared again. Anadey—Peyton’s mother—had been helping her learn to control them.
“Rhia,” I said softly. “I have to do this. We need Kaylin. He’s your friend; I’m surprised you’re so against this. He’ll die—or worse, become a vegetable—if we don’t help him.”
Her eyes blurred with tears as she clutched the saucer in her hand. “I lost my mother. I can’t lose you, too.”
I took the saucer from her and put it in the rack. “I won’t let anything happen. I’ll come back with help for Kaylin. I promise you.”
She leaned against the sink, hands clutching the porcelain, shoulders shaking. “I’m just so scared. I miss my mother. I hate what happened to her and I don’t want that to happen to you. What would I do without you?”
I slipped an arm around her. “That’s not going to happen, but if by chance anything does, go to Anadey and ask her for help. Listen to what she says. I want you to promise me.”
Rhiannon’s face crumbled, but she nodded. “I promise. I’m not as strong as you are, Cicely. In some ways, Krystal’s lack of care prepared you to handle all of this better than Heather’s love ever did me. I’m frightened, but I’m trying to learn to be strong. For so long I hid from myself. I felt tainted. Now, I have to learn how to use my powers and learn fast.”
“We’re all learning. We’re all learning how to survive. Rhia . . . more than just our personal lives rest on this. Myst is draining away Lainule’s power. Summer will fade and the winter will settle in if we don’t stop her. And to stop Myst, we need Kaylin.” I took her hands in mine and gazed into her reddened eyes. “I have to do this. I’ll take Chatter and Peyton with me. You and Leo keep watch over Kaylin and the house. Okay?”
She let out a shuddering breath and hung her head. “I guess we don’t have a choice.”
“No, we don’t. Because even if we run, Myst has other colonies out there, and they will be edging into other towns, and bringing the winter with them, and their hunger . . . no place is safe. Magic-born, Were, vampire, yummanii, we’re all on the hit list.”
Rhia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Very well, what do you need from me? What can I do to help?”
“That’s the Rhia I know and love!” I kissed her cheek. “Can you throw together sandwiches that we can eat on the move? I’m going to change into something warmer.” As I headed toward the stairs, Rhiannon moved to the refrigerator and started taking out bread and ham and cheese. Though her lip still trembled, her chin was set and she looked resolved.
We set out a half hour later, armed with whatever weaponry we could find. Chatter had raided Kaylin’s closet and was wearing a pair of white jeans, a black-and-whitestriped turtleneck, and a black Windbreaker. He looked oddly out of place in the clothes, but they would provide both camouflage and warmth.
Peyton and I wore jeans with sturdy hiking boots. I’d layered a sweatshirt over a light V-neck sweater, and then topped it off with one of my aunt’s Windbreakers. Peyton had borrowed a jacket from Leo’s closet—it fit her broad shoulders better than anything Rhiannon or I owned would have.
We climbed in the car and Rhiannon drove us down the road about three miles, stopping at a turnout by the side of the road. Chatter had taken into account the location of the trail we needed to intercept. If we started from this point, the Shadow Hunters—if any were braving the pain caused by the light and were out and about—wouldn’t see us coming from the house. And neither would their spies who were watching our borders.
We climbed out of the car. I hugged Rhia and she silently lifted a hand in salute as we headed off the road, picking our way over a rather large snowbank, to enter the thick of the forest.
The sky was overcast with heavy white clouds as the snow lightly floated down, flakes dancing on the currents. Ulean swept around us, trying to ward them off, until I asked her to stop. No matter what, we were going to get wet, and the currents she swept up in trying to blow away the snowflakes were colder than the snow itself.
