Part 18 (1/2)
”I've been thinking,” he murmured against her hair. ”All of the powers of the elven lords meet at this place, which means Breden of Dewhame's magic is a part of it.”
”So there will be water within?”
”Just so. You will have a weapon to command.”
”If we don't get roasted to ash, first.”
Giles glanced up and kissed the top of Cecily's head. ”You have already called to it.”
River water flowed toward her, translucent bands of pale blue curling and twining with the movement of her fingers. ”Just a bit. Enough to protect us from that black flame, if we need it.”
”Then we are as prepared as we can possibly be.”
He set her behind him and strode toward the towering forest. His sword began to tremble, but he did not need the warning. When Giles reached the first line of trees he unclenched his fists with relief. They hadn't disappeared into a flame of black fire. Yet.
Cecily touched his shoulder. ”Look, Giles, to the left.”
”Keep behind me,” he ordered before looking in the direction she pointed. A small orb of light danced a merry jig above a path bordered with craggy roots. ”It could be a trap.”
”But Thomas appeared in a ball of light, remember? Perhaps he's only strong enough to send this smaller one.”
”You truly want to follow it?” A sliver of water slipped around his neck and tapped his cheek, as Cecily used her magic as easily as she used a finger.
”Which other path would you choose?”
She was right. Giles stepped into the woods, ignoring the water that trickled down the front of his s.h.i.+rt. He'd become used to Cecily's magic, just as she had become accustomed to his sword. What an unlikely pair they made. No, what a likely pair they made.
”You're right,” he agreed. ”None of them look very promising-are those vines slithering across the ground, or snakes?”
She stood so close to him he felt her shudder. ”Do you see those red eyes staring at us?”
”Follow the ball of light, then.” And he turned and headed down that path, making sure he stayed in front of Cecily to meet any danger first.
They circled around trees whose girth easily measured the height of three men, the canopy so far above them that it seemed as if it would take hours for a single leaf to hit the ground. An eerie silence haunted the forest and Giles stepped lightly, avoiding the crackle of leaves or the pop of a dry branch. His ears p.r.i.c.ked at the slightest sound from within the twilight of the woods: a low growl, a shuffling footstep, the shriek of some small dying creature. His gaze searched between bush and bramble for enemies but he could not see farther than a few yards. Vines swayed from above, curious blue growths attached to them that spread from one vine to another like the sails of a s.h.i.+p. A green mist swirled about the bushes that fought for s.p.a.ce between the trees, and each time the mist s.h.i.+fted the plants appeared to change shape.
A limb reached out to touch him and he squinted to discern its shape, for it looked for all the world like some desiccated arm with tattered clothing for leaves and a hand of twiggy fingers. It tried to touch his hair, and his devil-blade jumped into his hand and he swung. A shriek filled the silence and the severed limb fell at his feet.
”Giles?”
”Yes?” he panted.
”Where are you going?”
He turned, suddenly realizing he could no longer feel Cecily holding on to the back of his coat. She stood on the path, the ball of light impatiently bounding up and down.
Giles stood between two scraggly bushes. ”I swear I saw the path veer in this direction.”
Cecily clutched her shoulders and hugged herself. ”This is such a strange place, Giles. I do not know how Thomas has lived in here for months.”
He sheathed his blade and leaped to her side, enfolding her small body in his arms. ”Do not worry, we will rescue him. But I think this wood is purposely trying to make me lose my way. I will keep my eyes on our guide instead of the path, and we will not be separated again. You stay by my side from now on.”
She nodded and he let her go, but caught up her hand and kept it securely within his own.
The orb had waited for them, pulsing with a soft glow, but quickly shot ahead as soon as they started to follow again. They walked in silence for a time, until Cecily began to lag behind him.
Something cold tickled the back of Giles's neck and dripped down his back. ”How much is it tiring you to trail half the river in our wake?”
”It is not a great use of my power and I should not feel this tired. I have gotten used to being away from the ocean and the wealth of water in Dewhame. I think... I think it is this place fighting my magic, for I have to struggle to keep the water in its shape.”
Giles glanced behind them. The cl.u.s.ters of liquid lacked their usual sleek form, distorted about the edges and leaking in their wake. Perhaps a third of the water she had called from the river still swirled behind them.
And then his blade trembled on his hip and Giles turned, pus.h.i.+ng Cecily behind him. Something approached them from down the path, in the shape of a human but not walking with the stride of one. Giles drew his sword and waited, for they would not turn back.
”Could it be Thomas?” Cecily asked, stepping to his side but keeping at least a bit behind him.
”I do not know. But do not rush forward, and let me handle this.” He remembered his battle with the fire demon. ”Do not use your magic unless you have to. Agreed?”
”I do not make the same mistakes, Giles.”
He could not help but grin at the offended tone in her voice, but the expression soon faded as the... creature neared them. Giles smelled it first. The stench of rotting meat hit his nose like a solid wall and he swallowed against the urge to retch, like Cecily began to do beside him.
Giles took a step forward. ”Stop.”
The thing grinned at him. Green blotches covered a misshapen face and its teeth looked more like an animal's than a man's. A tattered black uniform hung on a ma.s.sive frame, fur springing between the tears. The creature held up its hands as if to strike, claws sprouting from the tips of stunted fingers.
Its eyes looked human. But they held the gleam of madness and Giles did not hesitate.
He leaped forward and swung, his devil-blade singing as it whipped through the air. The creature swiped at Giles but he easily dodged it, dancing away from its longer reach. A look of confusion crossed that monstrous face and it clutched its gut, looking down at the blood that spouted between its claws. It grunted and lunged forward, one long arm taking a last swipe at Giles before it fell.
A claw scratched Giles's cheek.
As soon as his blade absorbed the blood, Giles sheathed it and strode back to Cecily.
”Do not look at it,” he said, holding out a hand to her. ”It is no longer human.”
”Did he... did it have gray eyes?”
”No, Cecily. It was not Thomas.”
Her breath hitched with relief, and then her eyes widened. ”It hurt you.”
”'Tis but a scratch. I did not expect that it could move as fast as an elven, and it got lucky.”
She lifted a hand, those delicate fingers moving gracefully as she called a tendril of water. He stood still and allowed her to wash the scratch, even though he knew his elven blood would probably heal it by the time she finished.
She cared for him. He remembered that Cecily had been the one to help him when he had fallen from battle in the village. If only he had realized sooner how much time he had wasted with other women. None of them seemed to satisfy, and he now knew it was because only one woman had been meant for him.
”Cecily.” He had breathed her name out loud.
She smiled, the brilliant one that made her blue eyes dance and her cheeks apple.