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Her eyes swirling, the Snow Hag cocked her head and smiled faintly. “When a certain Queen-to-be takes the throne, they will fall under her command, but for now, yes, they still run at Myst’s command. One would caution to be careful on a journey back to the Barrow—there are dangers lurking, and even with guards, a certain party would be dangerously put to fight them.”
And with that, she vanished into the snow as quickly as she had come. I stared after her, wondering at how strange my life had become.
Grieve rested a hand on my shoulder. “We should be off. There is a hike to go, since you cannot yet run as the full-blooded Fae do, and noontide approaches.”
I nodded, and we set off again, and with every rustle along the way, I stiffened, wondering just what enemy lay behind what tree.
We had almost reached the Twin Oaks when a growl raced along the slipstream. I jerked around, looking in the direction from which it came. And then a high-pitched howl followed, echoing Grieve and Chatter dropped to the ground. I pressed my hands to my ears, the pain knifing through my head.
Be careful, Cicely—they’re coming! Run, get back to the Barrow!
Ulean’s warning broke through the pain, and I didn’t wait to see what was happening but took off toward the Twin Oaks, slogging through the snow. A shadow swooped low behind me and, as Kaylin shouted, something caught me up beneath my armpits and carried me aloft. I screamed, kicking my feet against the air, not sure what the fuck was going on.
Cicely—you have to use your powers. Call on the winds!
What’s happening? What’s going on? Everything was a blur as I struggled against the tremendous force buoying me up. Everywhere, there was a haze—white and gray and blue. I blinked, trying to clear my sight, and realized that I was in the middle of…
Fuck.
Yes, a rogue Wind Elemental has you. I can’t engage them without putting you in danger. You are on the plane of wind, and if it drops you, you will free-fall. I don’t know if I have the strength to catch you and return you. If you engage the Winds, you can probably break away and I can lead you home. I think.
But Lainule…I promised…
There is no other way.
Frowning, I stopped struggling against the pull of the Wind Elemental and began to focus on summoning control of the winds. There it was, a little wisp…glowing, growing. I nurtured it, invoking the power of the air to rise within me, to swirl up and out, cloaking me with its strength. As it began to fill me with that rush, the sense of power grew and I leaned my head back, staring up, and at that moment, I could see what had hold of me.
The Wind Elemental was nothing like Ulean, who reminded me of sparkling lights and Faerie dreams. No, this was dark and cold and chaotic, with flashes of black and silver synapsing through the cloud that held me tight. There was a flare to the left as I struggled against its hold, and then, irritated, I whispered, “Gale Force,” and the winds shot through my body, catching me up and away and blowing through the Elemental.
It grunted—I could hear it on the slipstream. I whirled around, staring. We both hovered there, in the midst of the clouds, and then I thrust my hands toward it and let the fury of the storm loose. It pummeled through the Elemental, punching a hole in its center. It began to reform but seemed more cautious.
Enough, now you can follow me out of here.
Ulean’s voice was distant, and I paid it no mind. Caught in the thrall of the winds, out on the Elemental plane of Air, I wanted nothing more than to stay here, to race, to feel the freedom. The gale swelled within me, rippling out like concentric rings on a pond, and I let out a laugh—hearty and low and rich with the pure joy of the strength echoing through my body. I reared up, looming over the now-cowering Elemental, and took aim, turning myself into an arrow of wind and storm and raw force.
The Elemental turned, looking to flee, but I dove, ignoring the faint call as Ulean tried to rein me back. I was ready to fight, ready to spar, ready to prove my power, and I coiled and turned, spiraling down toward the wind spirit who had kidnapped me. Never again. Never again would I let myself be caught unawares. Never again would this freak of nature be allowed to harm anyone else.
As I penetrated its body, the Elemental let out a long shriek. I ravaged it, tore it to bits, split it asunder, using the fury of my twisting vortex of winds. A keen howl echoed through the slipstream as I played Cuisinart, like a propeller blade. The life force of the Elemental floated before me for a moment, and I found myself sucking it up, pulling it into myself, strengthening my storm as I absorbed its power.
Cicely! Cicely! Stop! Get off this plane, now. You are in grave danger!
Ulean’s voice was urgent, but I refused to listen. And then, as I turned, looking for more prey, there was a brilliant flash—like lightning against thunderclouds—and I found myself falling, spiraling through the air, the power of the winds suddenly sucked away. Frantic, I twisted head over heels as I realized the ground would soon approach.
Shift into an owl, Cicely. Ulean was beside me, urging me to transform.
I’m still in my clothes—I can’t get them off. I’ll get tangled in them if I do.
And then, from somewhere in the distance, I heard a voice as beautiful as the night—as dark and rich and melodic as a rose garden on a summer’s evening. I couldn’t make out the words, but they were old, and vibrant, and coiled around me, and the next thing I knew, my clothes had drifted away—somehow I’d gotten them off. And I realized my free fall had slowed considerably and I was almost drifting on the breeze.
Now, shift! Don’t question it, just shift.
Without wasting time, I shifted. Arms to wings, fingers to wing feathers, body shortening, feet to talons, and then, I was aloft, pulling up and out of the spell that had kept me from crashing to the snowy ground below. I circled the tree line. We were only a short ways from the portal.
Ulean, I will fly to it, because I have no idea where my clothes are. Can you tell Grieve and Chatter so they can tell the others?
Of course, Cicely. Go now.
And so, I flew directly to the Twin Oaks, never so happy to see two trees in my life. I lightly touched down on the ground, loosing my balance on the snow, and as I transformed back, I fell forward, into the icy banks of white. I scrambled to my feet and raced for the portals. Two of the guards had sped along, and they were there. One of them handed me his cloak, without a word, affixing it around my shoulders, and they took my hands and jumped through the portal with me, back to safety.
