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While I was waiting for them, I glanced around, looking for any sign of day-runners, but there were no footprints in the snow, no sign that any mortal had walked these woods for as long as it had taken the snow to pile up. I did, however, see a deer meander by, stopping to eat a few leaves off one of the fern fronds peeking out from the white that blanketed the area. And a fox raced past, chasing a mouse. My instinct to hunt stirred in my belly—the mouse looked like good pickings, but I repressed the urge, letting the fox have his dinner.
Finally, after I was certain there were no dangers that I could sense, I flew to the ground and returned to my normal state. As I stood, shaking my hair back, a noise made me whirl. How the hell had anybody managed to sneak up on me? I had been keeping a close watch.
No person stood there, but an Ice Elemental. It bowed to me, stiffly, and tilted its head, as if it were waiting. And then I saw yet another join it, and I realized they were drawn to me because I was their Queen. I ruled their world. Wiping my eyes, I wondered how I might communicate with them. How could I talk to them? And could they help us?
As I was hesitating, unsure what to say, a rush of wind encircled me. Ulean had returned.
The others are on the way. What have we here?
How can I speak to them? Do they know I’m their Queen?
Yes, they do. I suggest you speak into the slipstream. Focus on the meaning, not the actual words. They may be able to understand you, because it is your nature to communicate with them. Ask them to guard the area against the Shadow Hunters—Myst is surely not that far away.
With that thought, I hesitated no longer. As I spoke into the slipstream, I tried to focus on the meaning behind what I was saying.
My friends…I would have you guard this wood. I would have you keep the Shadow Hunters at bay. Here I visualized Myst and tried to force the essence of her cruelty and the vicious nature of the Shadow Hunters into my thoughts. Do not let them enter these woods. Destroy them if you see them. They bring death to our people.
Stopping, I waited to see if they’d react. And react they did. They gave me another short bow and turned, gliding off into the woods again, seeking, hunting the Hunters.
Will they tell the others of their kind?
Yes, I believe they will. But Strict can instruct you better in their ways than I can. You have much to learn, Cicely, but a lifetime in which to learn it.
At that moment, the others burst into the clearing. I pulled out my phone and glanced at the time. 3:05. “We have a little over an hour left. There are the caves; let’s get a move on.”
Ulean, can you go inside, see if you can find Geoffrey and Lannan?
I’m on my way.
I told the others what she was doing, and we cautiously navigated along the stream bed. The creek wasn’t terribly deep, but it ran along as far as we could see, with boulders peeking out of the frozen water that covered its surface, curving and bending to fit the topography of the forest.
The last thing we needed was for someone to crash through the ice. Finally, finding no way over without crossing the surface, I instructed Check and his men to carry the other women across. Rhiannon and I could walk atop the ice, along with the rest of the Cambyra Fae.
Once over the ice, we hurried to the entrance of the cave. Ulean was waiting for me. Agitated, she blew this way and that, which told me there was trouble.
What’s going on?
I found the way to their chamber, where they sleep in their coffins. They’ve been here before, Cicely, that much is obvious. But there is a problem. The way is barred and you will have to fight through.
We have thirty guards with us, what could withstand our force? Surely the day-runners can’t fight us off.
Not day-runners. If only it were so easy.
Then who is in there guarding them?
Ulean howled. Shadow Hunters. They have over a dozen of Myst’s people in there—although I cannot find the Mistress of Mayhem herself. But the Shadow Hunters look starved, and they are scuffling for blood. The bloodlust runs thick and harsh, and I can feel them aching for the kill.
I stared at the cave. Shadow Hunters! Had Geoffrey made some sort of alliance with Myst after all? But no, they were at war.
How…what the hell do you think is going on, then?
They are chained, with plenty of give to the chain. I think he captured them and is holding them like a pack of wild guard dogs.
As I reluctantly turned to the others and told them what we were facing, my heart sank. Shadow Hunters…we had come through so much already in the past couple of days, and while I knew we would soon be facing Myst again, I’d hoped not to have her people along for the ride this time.
“Then the guard goes in first. Your Majesty, you and the Summer Queen must stay out here. We will fight this battle.” Check was doing his best to sound firm, but I shook my head.
“I know that’s probably smartest, but I cannot allow my men—and they are my men since I am the Queen—to go into battle against the Indigo Court without me there. It’s unthinkable.” I held up my hand. “No arguments. But know this: We take no quarter from them. Kill every Shadow Hunter in the place that you can lay hands on. And do it quick and clean. I don’t care if they might know where we can find Myst. We don’t have much time. We need to mop this up.”
