Fire and Ice (23 page)

I shook my head slightly, but he continued to stare, watching as my injuries slowly healed.

“I really am sorry,” I repeated, still feeling guilty for my impulsiveness. Because of me things were suddenly far more complicated. And they were already too complicated to begin with.

“Haven't we already been through this?” His voice softened, sounding more like his normal self. “It will be okay. Are you sure you still want to continue with this senseless quest?”

I gave him my patented, raised-eyebrow stare.

“I know, I know,” he said. “You
have
to. But things are far more difficult now than when you left. No one would fault you for changing your mind.”

“I can't,” I said softly.

“Then you should hold on to this.”

Withdrawing it from its ornate jewel embedded sheath, he handed me a gold-hilted sword, very similar to his.

My mouth dropped. I frowned, shaking my head, but he cut me off before I could add words to my protest.

“If you're going to survive this, Lorelei, then you need protection.”

“But I could never use it.”

“You may not have to. Or you may find you have no other choice. Already it could have come in handy, and you've barely even started this journey. Take it.”

His gaze narrowed when I folded my arms in refusal. “I forged it myself especially for you,” he added.

That melted my resolve. A sword he'd made himself, for me… Reluctantly I held out my hand to take it. I hated weapons and any kind of violence that went with them. Yet there was an undeniable awe about something he had created from metal and fire into an object of such deadly beauty. I felt a strange surge of power holding it, and it unnerved me. With a squeeze of uneasiness I sheathed it and let him strap it on to me. “Thank you,” I said finally. “I appreciate the thought.”

His eyes fell to the gemstone necklace dangling from my neck. I'd managed to escape the Redcap ordeal with it intact, and forgot I was still wearing it. A shadow crossed his face and then he reached out and carefully tucked it inside the collar my shirt.

“You should keep this somewhere safe and unseen,” he said, avoiding my gaze. Everything about his arrival here was cryptic. He still hadn't explained how he found me. He looked up, as though hearing my unspoken question. My thoughts were probably an open book to him right now. I was too exhausted to keep them hidden.

After a long moment he finally smiled. “Alright,” he sighed, moving away from the ruins. “Then we better get moving.”

I grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “Adrius, I appreciate the save… again.” I was losing track of how many we were up to. “But you're not obligated to go with me. Nothing has changed.” It wasn't my intention to put him in danger because I'd made this decision. “I don't have a choice in this, but you do.” My hand fell away as I saw the look in his eyes harden into something else.

“Funny,” he scoffed. “You actually believe that, don't you?” Picking up my pack he handed it to me, ignoring my silent confusion.

He exhaled a tired sigh. “It would be just your luck that in order to save your life we have to take you into the land of death.”

Every inch we traveled toward Noctria grew colder. We'd been riding for hours. Or at least it seemed like that to me. My legs and thighs screamed in agony, making me wish I'd been one of those spoiled rich kids who'd pressed their parents for riding lessons. Like Brianne. I pictured her side-saddled in thigh-high boots and a mini skirt, instead of precariously straddled, clutching the reins for dear life.

Adrius pulled on the reins and the steed came to an abrupt halt.

“What is it?” I frowned, not liking the fact I was only one in the dark. The panic attacks I'd been trying to ditch since middle school rose up again, as my unicorn slowed and trotted next to Adrius. With his usual swift agility, he dismounted, unsheathing his sword.

“Stay here,” he commanded.

Naturally, I ignored him and slid to the ground to help search for the threat. It was such a strange feeling, being trapped in a place where you were both revered and hunted at once. Neither one felt justified.

He peered into the trees with the keen eyes of a hunter, as though expecting something to emerge at any moment.

I held my breath. Everything fell silent. Even the breathing of the unicorns seemed to stop. The tightness in my chest eased up. Whatever it was we heard, was obviously nothing.

Adrius returned from his post, glancing back once more, and sheathed his sword. But as he stepped toward me, he froze.

“Lorelei. Don't. Move.”

He said it so calmly I might not have panicked, but the strain on his face gave it away a second before I felt the foul hot breath on my neck. Gobs of sticky liquid dropped onto my shoulder and slid down my arm. I sucked in a breath of air, powerless to turn and face what lurked behind me.

I stared at Adrius with bulging eyes unable to move, too petrified to look. Almost in slow motion, I watched his hand glide to pull an arrow from behind his back, positioning it in his bow with stealthy skill.

Then it hit me, a full throttled roar erupted next to my ear, blowing hair across my face. I let out a scream that measured on the Richter scale and ran with all my might toward Adrius, barely missing the arrow that whistled past me and plunged into its intended target with a sickening sound of piercing flesh. He managed to send a second and third zinging through the air before catching me in his arms and pushing me behind him. From there I was finally able to get a look at what he was firing at.

A creature completely foreign to me, especially in its crumpled form, was on the ground spewing black ooze. In the dim light and behind the protective wall of Adrius, I could make out twisted, elongated horns on the body of what looked like an aberration of a wild boar, with the stature of a bear, the horns of a gazelle, and the beard of a goat on a body that seemed eerily human, though nothing but skin and bone.

“What is it?” I exhaled, my heart still racing as Adrius lowered his bow.

“It's a Pookah… but not your typical variety.”

His composure amazed me. “What does that mean?” I said, watching the creature twitch in the pool of dark liquid spreading beneath him.

“They are not usually so brazen in their approach. It's unnatural. They can shapeshift into differ
ent forms and are usually more cautious,” he said, scanning the forest. “Octãhvia has spelled the creatures coming after you.”

I studied the beast a little closer. A twinge of guilt rippled through me. This was an innocent, living thing, before Octãhvia ta
mpered with him. And now because of me it was dead… Or soon would be.

Adrius approached the beast and withdrew his arrows. The suctioning noise made my stomach heave. Between the sights, sounds, and smells, I was certain what was coming. I raced to the edge of the forest arms clutched around my middle and threw up.

Warm hands brushed my neck and gently pulled my hair back away from my face. I continued to empty the contents of my stomach, which fortunately was fairly empty to begin with. Adrius helped me to my feet, handing me a cold cloth. I was too woozy to even mutter thanks.

I looked up, with an unspoken apology in my eyes. As though reading my mind, which he probably was, he gave a warm smile.

“Don't worry about it,” he soothed. “Not many have the stomach for this.”

I didn't. And I wanted to keep it that way. Killing, death, violence… they were concepts as far removed from my existence as imaginably possible. I'd been brought up on the opposite… the preserving of life. I hated fighting and, well, my reaction to the first sign of blood was legendary. But he didn't seem to mind. It didn't faze him in the least. Guess that was to be expected after hundreds of years of battling in wars.

He handed me a leather sack with a bottled neck. “Drink this. It will help,” he said, smoothing my hair. I sank to the ground, relieved not to have to bear my own weight for a while, and drank what tasted like water with lemon and ginger. Grimacing, I swallowed another sip, not sure if the taste was any better than the bile.

“Thanks,” I managed, my breath coming in shallow gasps. “So is this what it's going to be like… The entire trip. Me being attacked by beings possessed by the Ice Witch and you having to kill them in order to save me?” It was too much blood on my hands. I didn't want to be the cause of so much death and destruction.

Adrius frowned, and I could feel his gaze penetrating me, trying to understand whatever he saw on my ashen face. I didn't try to stop him.

“The Nevermore has always been wild, Lorelei. Your presence here doesn't change that.”

I nodded, peering up through heavy lids. How I wished that were true. But it was painfully obvious my being here changed
everything
. Lives were at risk because of me. And nothing he could say could rationalize that away.

We rode a while longer that night in silence. Every snap and crack caused my heart to jump, as we mounted a hill in an open space among the trees. On its grassy slopes, between the trees, lavender, deadly night shade, and snowdrops bloomed. The top was crowned with a dense ring of trees, beyond which a winding river meandered down the other side.

Toward the center of the ring, I could make out the largest waterfall I'd ever seen in the distance. It flowed in tumultuous cascades down the face of a rocky cliff. And once again I was reminded of how incredible this place was. Finally his velvety voice broke the eerie silence.

“You've got something on your mind. I can sense the weight of your uneasiness and it's wearing me down. What exactly are you afraid of?”

“Death,” I said without hesitation. “But not mine… Yours.”

He chuckled. “You are a strange girl, Lorelei. Only you would waste energy fearing for the life of an immortal.”

“But… you can die, right? I mean elves and fey have unnaturally long lives, but you can be killed.”

He paused as though choosing his words carefully.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “But it won't be tonight.” He gave a tight smile and pointed to a small clearing beyond a group of weeping willow trees. “We can rest there.” When he saw my hesitation, he added, “Don't worry. We'll both be safe.”

At the edge of a small stream I refilled our water sacs and picked wild blackberries — the only berry I recognized in the forests of the Nevermore — returning with my arms overloaded with fruit.

Faster than any camping trip I'd ever been on, Adrius had assembled shelter, a tent lined with fur throws and blankets, and a roaring fire, above which a pot simmered slowly.

“Where did you get all of this,” I asked mesmerized by the array of items that seemingly had come from his average-sized pack.

“Never under estimate the advantages of magic.” He smiled.

“Ahhhh. Of course… Magic. What else,” I said, fingering a blanket so light and soft, it felt like a down feather. Up until now I had only been introduced to magic's darker aspects. Guess it did have some usefulness.

“So with all this magic available, why is the Ice Witch such a threat? Couldn't Hawthrin, I don't know, vaporize her or something?”

He gave a dark laugh. “Magic doesn't work like that. It has its uses, yes, but what it can and can't be used for depends extensively on the wielder… And their bloodline.” He threw a log onto the fire, watching the sparks leap. “Dark blood equals dark magic. Spells are extremely specific, and witches and wizards are limited to their coven's grimoire.”

I blinked in confusion.

“Book of spells,” he clarified. “No sorcerer can undo another's spell without access to their grimoire.”

“Sounds easy enough.” I gave a sarcastic shrug, certain it was anything but.

“None of us are omnipotent. Even the darkest magic has its limitations. And every wielder of magic has their weakness.”

“I've seen you and Julien summon magic with your swords, and the healer who came to my room… she used magic also?”

“Yes and no. Healing is a gift. It is not something that can be bestowed. Our swords however, are spelled, as is yours. It helps in battle.” Throwing his head back to chug from his leather water canteen, he splashed some over his face and hands. Then poured tea into a wooden cup and handed it to me with a chunk of bread.

“Elvish magic is elemental,” he explained. “Working with wind, water, fire, and plants. The Shadow fey have much more range, because of their link to the dark arts. They have an advantage when it comes to healing, and the use of glamour, which in the Unseelie Court makes it easy to get away with murder… Literally.”

I stared into the fire. Then suddenly like a cold touch on my heart, I thought of Zanthiel and shivered.

“But not even a wizard of the high order can counter dark magic with light magic,” he continued. “They would at best come to a stalemate, and in the end, dark would prevail.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“Because light has the power to endure, but dark has the power to dest
roy. Light would win in the end. But there would be nothing left worth saving.” He knelt next to the fire, stirring whatever it was that smelled so delicious in the pot, and then poured himself some tea. “That is only part of what makes Octãhvia so dangero
us.”

“More dangerous than the Unseelie fey?” I asked, nibbling my lower lip.

Adrius glanced up at me, his eyes questioning. I focused on my hands, evading his gaze.

“Centuries of persecution and death by trial created pure hatred in the hearts of the witch
es. It's a hatred that seeks not only revenge, but retribution in the form of total annihilation of the Elsarian Realm and enslavement of all beings responsible for the atrocities. Octãhvia is not just evil. She believes she is right, that her actions are
justified. And that makes her far more dangerous.”

As I mulled over his words, wondering how I could possibly be of any use against so much hate, a memory resurfaced.

“Adrius, what were you and Hawthrin talking about that day, when I first woke up here in wonderland.”

He looked up quickly. “You heard that?”

I nodded. “I was a little out of it thanks to Nurse Ratched, but it sounded like a pretty intense conversation.”

“It wasn't. We were discussing the prophecy and everyone affected by it.”

“Does
everyone
include me? Because I heard my name mentioned.”

“Yes, Lorelei. You are a part of everyone. The information I learned was not meant to get out, but once I knew, I couldn't pretend I didn't know. It's another reason why I don't want you to do this.”

“You're sort of speaking in riddles, you know that, right?”

He sighed and focused on the ground. “There was another part to the prediction, a part not made public knowledge. Hawthrin told me about it when he thought I might be falling for you.”

My heart jumped, then pounded wildly. When he looked up at me I wondered if he heard it.

“I told him we were friends,” he said gently. “And that I was coming to find you to keep you safe.”

I frowned as my excitement faded. Friends had never sounded so second rate before. “Well, what did the rest of the prophecy say?”

He rubbed a hand over his jaw, calculating his response. Watching him as often as I did, I'd become accustomed to his gestures. I could tell he was carefully formulating his answer.

“You will defeat the Ice Witch, stop the war, and in the end… you will be killed.”

“Um, that seems like an important part to leave out,” I said as my stomach twisted. It was one thing for the Fates to conspire in my favor. It was another entirely to know certain death was also part of the prediction.

“Unfortunately, that is the nature of the prophecies in our realm. They are handed down to a very select few, and only when the deities have given word, are those few permitted to share the knowledge. It sometimes comes in random puzzle pieces. I think, because as things change, the course of the future must change also. It's why I've never put much stock in them. Until recently.

“So you believe in this prophecy?”

His eyes darkened for a moment, and he studied his hands before returning his gaze to me. “I refuse to believe all of it,” he said with determination in his voice. ”Hawthrin once told me we can't pick and choose between which prophecies will come true. He's annoyingly right most of the time, but this time he has to be wrong.”

“Lorelei. I don't want you to worry. That will not become your fate. I won't let it.”

I nodded, suddenly feeling a total loss of appetite. Why hadn't I given more thought to the potential perils of this? If I died, then all of this would be for nothing. Saving my mother, finding my father… Yet, it was too late to turn back. If I did nothing, I would still die alongside countless others at the hand of the Ice Witch. I had to do this. Or at least try to get to Faery to see if any of the magic they claim I have in me can be found. That was the plan. It sounded like such a long shot, only a fool would bet on it. And yet here we were, betting the lives of thousands against the impossible odds.