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“We’d best be off again. Let’s move.” He turned and took the lead once more. Chatter gave me a sad smile, then swung in behind him. I followed, Rhiannon and Kaylin again bringing up the rear.
After a while, Grieve held up his hand and we paused. He turned. “We’re coming to the glade your father mentioned.”
I nodded, so cold I could barely think. The snow kept falling, the flakes thin and small, but they were adding up, and they crusted my eyelashes and chilled my nose and melted against my lips when they hit.
The streambed swerved to the left, as the trail continued right and we were now walking between stands of the stalwart conifers. The next moment we entered a wide glade, ringed by a circle of tall trees. We were still getting our bearings when Grieve shouted as a sudden force knocked him back. I raced forward, looking for what had hit him, and then I saw it. Skidding to a halt, I almost fell face-first into the snow.
A tall bipedal being, glistening and translucent, stood there, towering over me. The face was smooth, no sign of eyes or nose or mouth, and its limbs were angular and ribbed like icicles. An Ice Elemental.
“What the hell? The Ice Elementals usually don’t even notice us!” Chatter warily circled the creature, who stood silent, like a robot, waiting.
“I was thinking the same thing. I have no clue.” I stared at the Elemental and took another step forward. It moved, ever so slightly, raising one arm. I put my foot down, and it paused, waiting.
“They seem to be intent on keeping us out of this meadow.” Kaylin slowly walked forward, stopping at my side.
“They?”
“Look.”
I followed his nod, squinting through the ever-falling snow. Several other Elementals were in the meadow, and they were all looking our way. Cripes. What were we going to do? We couldn’t fight them—they were too strong.
Ulean? What do we do? Why are they even noticing us?
Ulean whirled past me. She swirled, the skirts of her breeze whipping up the snow to cloud my vision. After a moment, she whispered in my ear. They are under Myst’s bewitchment. I think they are guarding this area for the very reason we are headed through it. Myst knows Lainule’s heartstone is somewhere nearby and she is searching. We either fight them or go around.
Then they must be programmed to fight if we cross a certain boundary. I wonder if we stick to the borders of the meadow, if we skirt the trees…will we be safe? I scanned the boundaries of the lea, but none of the Elementals seemed to be next to the treeline.
That I cannot tell you. You must find out for yourself, but I will be here to do what I can, should they move to attack.
I turned to the others, slowly so as not to arouse the Elemental who was standing far too close for comfort. “They’re being controlled by Myst. I’m thinking if we skirt the border of the glade, we might be able to get around them. But we have no way of knowing if they’re programmed to attack that far out. What do you think?”
Grieve considered the creature. He’d crawled back toward me before standing up and now, a wary, feral look crossed his face. “Myst controls them. I wonder if she can see through their eyes?”
“I don’t know, but it’s daylight. Did she escape the plague?” I prayed he would say no. The last thing we needed was for Myst to be able to tolerate light.
But Grieve shook his head, resting my fear. “No, she is caught by the light-rage, too. So I truly doubt she’s keeping watch. In fact, that may be why she enchanted them—to guard during the time her people cannot walk abroad.”
“Ulean thinks it’s because we’re near the…you know.” I didn’t even want to speak the words aloud just in case there might be someone listening behind a bush or under a snowbank or on the slipstream. Lainule’s heartstone was too valuable to put at risk because of an overheard whisper.
Chatter rubbed his chin, then looked at Grieve. “She could be right, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t also correct. Two birds, one stone.”
“Whatever the case, we need to cross this meadow to the other side and enter the copse beyond. It will take longer to circle round, but we’d better give it a try. Stick close to the trees and if the Elementals start after us, dart into the woods. My guess is that they’ll stop at the border of the forest.” Grieve paused, looking back at me.
Out here he seemed stronger, no longer broken, but in tune with the snow and the winter, and I realized that he could weather this journey more easily than any of us because of his connection with Myst. His biggest weakness was also his greatest strength.
I smiled at him and held out my hand. He took my fingers, slowly raising them to his lips where he kissed them, slowly drawing his tongue over the ends, and then let go. He turned and—once again, as we took up our marching order—led the way toward the edge of the forest, all the while cautiously watching the Elemental nearest us.>Holding his gaze, I didn’t want to defy him. “I won’t take it with me this time, but when I come back…”
“You choose a dangerous path. You are no longer one of Myst’s people. You are part Cambyra and part magic-born this lifetime. But the blade responds to the memories in your soul. Who knows what long-term use will do to you?” My father crossed his arms. “You will act as you choose, of course, but I have a feeling this can only lead to tragedy.”
“I have to take that chance. But we can discuss this after we return. We’d better get moving. It’s almost eight, and we have a long journey. Considering what happened last time we went down the rabbit hole, we may be home in a few hours or a few days. If I don’t return tonight, go to Lannan’s and tell him that we’re on a mission for Lainule.”
I slowly approached my father. “We’ll do our best,” I whispered as I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him. He squeezed me tight and kissed the top of my head, and as I looked up into his face, I saw the worry carved in the faint lines under his eyes.
“Be safe, my daughter. Come back to me. I rather enjoy being a father.” And his eyes crinkled with a smile, even as he frowned.
Stepping back, I turned to Peyton. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. She was driving us to the woods, and we’d call her when we returned. Without another word, we headed out the door. Lainule’s life…or her death…rested in our hands. I intended to return with her salvation, even if everything in my world had to change because of it.
