Thirty Four: Shadow of Ice

DuVarick.

He was still coming after us, even out of the Wyldes.

I knew in my heart that he would. We destroyed the most vicious parts of Icehold. The places where his army honed their viscious talents. The training yards, the armories. The gauntlet.

The madness that drove him to both love and hate Lark still drove him to want my destruction. The madness surrounding his own daughter was still powerful as well, but I would never let him lay a hand on Schula again. Even Nassir was still on his mind after all this time. Bur of course he was, Nassir was his triquetram. He should have been treasured as a piece of his own soul. Instead, he was trapped away.

I clenched my fists. DuVarick. How could he keep his own triquetram hostage like that? Malnourished and weakened and blinded. Close enough to reap the benefits of a triquetram, but isolated enough that all but the oldest fae had forgotten his existence.

And this agent he sent after us. How far had this fae followed us? Was he in Sulls? The sands? Or did he pick up our trail later?

Schula still had a hand covering her mouth as she took a step back. Nassir was handling it better, but he was still upset under his calm facade. I had a much different reaction to the news. Rage.

"How dare you?" I took a step forward and something in me snapped. The hairs on my neck stood up, the magic in the air crawled up my spine and down my legs. Hot. My legs felt hot. My eyes flicked down and back, just long enough to register that the flames that danced around my steps were an entwined mix of purple and red. Both halves. The Wyldes, and the witches.

To his credit, DuVarick's fae flinched at the sight of me before regaining his composure. Or, as much composure as he could recover since he was trapped to his chest in limestone.

"DuVarick has more fae," he spat. "You can kill me, but more will come. I've left trails, markings. You can't escape him."

"Stop it!" I cried, flinging my arms in front of me. Fire erupted. My fury erupted. The flames licked at the fae for a heartbeat before an icy chill put them out.

"N-no, Wren," Schula said softly. "He can't talk if we kill him."

My flames licked higher, almost to the ceiling before calming back down. I stuffed them back inside myself, quelling the anger. Schuila was right. And if I were in my right mind, I would have been ashamed at such a violent thought as killing him.

I shivered. I had killed before. The image of Asher's last moments in the maw of the creature under the crater lake flashed in my mind. With the rage mostly knocked from me and the worry over the blood on my hands, I took a step back. Nassir and Schula were both far older than me, and they would be better suited to handle this.

"Your king is mad," Nassir said, stepping forward. "You do realize this, don't you?"

"My king's mind is brilliant. You can call him mad, but he will lead his court to radiant victory!" The fae spat.

"What do we do with him?" Schula asked.

"If he's right and someone is on our trail, we need to move as soon as we can," Nassir said.

"But... how to fix the barrier..." It almost came out as a whine.

"I know," Schula said. She entwined our fingers together, holding my hand but still looking at the captured fae.

We had been here for a month, waiting for the chance to ask at this gathering for any witches who know about it. If we left now, then it would have all been a waste of time.

"First, we should get back to the valley," Nassir said. "I have a suspicion that the cave behind us will not appear the same way now as it did when we came a moment ago."

I looked over Nassir's shoulder, and sure enough the cave turned a different way. Branches of new cave tunnels broke off in every direction, making the trail back a maze.

"I'll see if I can find the birds." I walked over to a wall and began placing my hand in different spots, waiting for one of the glowing birds to appear.

"That won't be neccissary." From the direction we had just come, Jana and Nann were walking through the cave. Nann held a bowl of light. It didn't flicker, it wasn't flame, but I couldn't tell what it was either.

"Hello again," Nassir said. "I suppose we made a bit of a scene in the valley."

Jana's mouth hitched up at one side. "You could say that. Your bird is who brought us here. Once some of us reached Gelwyn, the raven went berserk. He's flying in mad circles at the entrance to the cave right now."

"Mila was worried for you," Nann added. "She told us to follow the bird."

My heart clenched. I hated to worry Mila. She had already lost a friend in my mother, and to lose me too could be rough on her.

"We will come back now then," Nassir said. "I believe the guidance of your people would be much appreciated in dealing with this... intruder."

Jana scowled at the fae trapped in stone. "The elder witches will judge him. Come, I can show you back."

With Nann's bowl of light, it would be even easier to see our way back. The biggest obstacle would be transporting the captive fae. Luckily, Jana had a good length of rope with her as part of her scouting kit. We bound the intruder's hands and arms to his chest, and for added measure, Nassir scooped handfuls of limestone underfoot as though it were clay and he slapped it over the rope to secure it even more.

The fae spat curses at us nearly the whole way back. The progress started out slow, thanks to DuVarick's fae dragging his feet. I sped that up with a little petty fire under his heels.

My stomach churned. I was mad about the situation. Distressed that our time here would have all been for nothing if we have to leave. Bitter that Gelwyn couldn't have just called a meeting of the wisest witches for me so we could have solved the problem and been on our way weeks ago.

We left the cave, the sky beginning to turn the grey of pre-dawn light. Puko had been sitting on a bush, and as soon as I emerged he flew over to sit on my shoulder. I reached op to pet his head.

"Good bird," I whispered. He had earned quite a treat as soon as I could find him something.

Down the slope but not too far off, a group had been gathering. A couple dozen witches, anyone who was nearby when the commotion started. Probably a couple that I had woken up on my mad sprint to see what Puko was calling about as well.

As we drew close to the group, the witches nearest to us gave a wide berth so we could pass to the ones in the middle. Mila was there, and so were a few other elder witches that I hadn't met yet. Gilly was with her too.

"Wren," Mila sighed. "This is the one?"

"Another fae," one of the witches said darkly.

Me, Jana, and Nann broke off from the group and approached Mila and the rest. Schula and Nassir stayed back with DuVarick's scout.

"This is the one," I answered Mila. "And there is more I need to tell you."

Mila nodded slowly. "Gelwyn is incapacitated. We would appreciate it if Nassir would pay her a visit."

Mila looked over my shoulder to where the others stood behind me. I turned my head in time to see Nassir nod, and begin walking down the hill to the healing lodge.

"What's going on, Mila?" Someone from the crowd called. Murmurs of agreement rippled around us.

"That is for the valley keeper to explain, since it was her who decided it would be kept secret," Mila said flatly.

"Let's take this to the center square," an older witch with long braids and a simple dress said. "I have a feeling we will be summoning the gathering early this moon."

"You should lead the group, Noda. At least until Gelwyn can join us," Mila said.

The group made their way down the slope to the bottom of the valley's bowl. The fading moon and rising sun shone a dim glow over the stone floor and benches of the square. The closer we got to the valley center the more witches came out of their cottages to join the commotion.

"Nann, will you run and let Gelwyn know where we are?" The witch named Noda asked.

"Of course." Nann handed her bowl of light off to Jana and took off in the same direction that Nassir had when we began walking.

"Wren," Mila said, holding onto my elbow. "Tell me what happened."

I looked around nervously. Schula still had a good handle on the fae, who had gone silent and took to scowling at everyone around him. The onlookers though, they didn't need to hear this.

"He came for us," I whispered in her ear. "Supposedly he left markings to follow. We're being tracked, and we probably need to leave the valley."

Mila's face darkened. "That is not a problem for right now, child. We will discuss it after Gelwyn awakens, but do not underestimate us. These caves hold more security for us than you know."

I nodded, my mouth a grim line. I hoped she was right. I had no choice but to trust Mila. But in my mind I kept seeing the power of the fae. How strong DuVarick and his warriors were at Icehold. The thought of other powerful creatures like Thain and Eberon. And who knows how many more like them there were out there.

I gripped the pendant under my clothes tightly. What has been going on in the Wyldes while we've been away seeking answers? Thain would be okay, right? And not just him, but Eberon, Mama Flori, Wairen, Caldon, Krissiph. All the people I've met so far.

"What's going on, Noda?" Someone asked from the gathering crowd.

"Where is Gelwyn?"

"Is that a fae?"

The witches were pouring out of their homes now, making their way to the valley center and calling out questions as they arrived. Noda, Mila, and a few other older witches took to the crowd and began calming them down. I stepped back out of the way and went over to hold hands with Schula and keep an eye on the intruder.

"Maybe we can get our answers sooner rather than later?" Schula suggested.

"I hope so," I said quietly.

"Quiet down!" Noda demanded of the crowd. Someone had helped her to stand on a stone bench so she rose above the heads of the other witches.

"Noda! What is going on?" Someone demanded. "Where is the valley keeper?"

"Settle down!" Noda insisted. "Answers will be here shortly when Gelwyn awakens."

I watched Mila wave a hand to Noda, catching her attention. Noda leaned over to hear her better over the mumbling witches. Noda nodded once, then rose again.

"All will be answered within the hour, but for the moment we must begin the calling. Reach to your sisters, the gathering begins tonight!" Noda cried.

I looked at Mila in surprise.

"Can they do that without Gelwyn?" Schula asked.

"I'd say they just did," I answered.

And we watched a very organized scramble of witches as they dashed off to their cabins.

The gathering had begun.