With the grief of Russit’s death, her power came more readily, and she was surrounded with intense heat that she forced downwards. With such sudden intensity, anything would crumble to nothingness.
Suddenly the ground fell away and Samantha dropped, deep down through the crumbling stone. Her feet hit solid ground again and she stumbled and recovered,
Looking up, she gasped at the daylight coming through the hole that continued nearly two metres above her. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins, and she turned and ran down the secret tunnel she had hit, still carrying the dead weight of Russit.
Samantha paused only to send a wall of fire behind her to hinder any pursuers. She prayed to Minaeri that her route would not be blocked, and continued to run through the darkness.
The tunnel began to rise, and the roof was so low that Samantha had to stoop. She could feel the beginning of exhaustion as her legs felt unsteady and she couldn’t tell if it was her heart that pounded so noisily, or the running feet of soldiers behind her.
Ahead, shafts of sunlight pierced the darkness of the tunnel and Samantha gently lowered Russit’s body. She lifted her hands up to feel the slats of wood, they creaked and gave way as she shoved harder.
Still inside the city, she came up in a tiny backyard that wasn’t far from Billamaur’s inn.
Samantha couldn’t remember the last time she had been so thankful to see the sky, even though it swirled with heavy grey rain clouds.
Back at Billamaur’s inn, the atmosphere had changed from nervous anticipation, fear and hope to a sad and depressing silence. Old Bill’s family had quickly vacated the small room where Saxton Marsh sat, his head in his hands. He had not moved since he returned and made no sound other than an occasional deep sigh as he tried to order his thoughts and emotions.
Jemma stayed in the room with him. Although inside and safe from attracting attention, she kept her hood up, letting it hide away the tears that refused to stop and her reddened eyes. She had never known anyone die before, and to have dear little Russit murdered so cruelly before her was more than she could bear.
Angrud stood at the doorway, ready to protect them, or to stop them running away if necessary. The young man refused to meet anyone’s eye, and was being uncharacteristically professional.
There was the sharp noise of someone coming through the main door of the inn below. Everybody jumped to their feet, grabbing the closest weapons, as footsteps raced up the stairs. There was a sigh of relief when Samantha appeared.
“Mr Marsh, sir.” Samantha cradled the lad against her chest as she crossed the room, before setting him down carefully next to his father. “I am so sorry. I brought him to you. I couldn’t let Hrafn bring him back, making a brave young Gardyn into a slave for his army.”
Saxton lifted his head and gazed unseeingly at his son.
“He shall be wrapped and prepared to travel with you, so you may bury him properly.” Billamaur spoke quietly and respectfully, then left to fetch some cloth.
Samantha followed the innkeeper and touched his elbow gently. “There is something else... I doubt the fact that I fled here will stay quiet for long. I have put you all in danger. You and your family must leave with us at once.”
Billamaur shook his head, “Bein’ Gardyn – every day means danger. Look, ‘ow many ‘osses you ‘ave anyway?”
“Five, but...”
“An’ with that poor bairn to carry too. Take me sons an’ daughter-in-law. Us old ‘uns will stay. We aint afeared of death no more.” He held his hand up to her arguments. “That’s that. Just get yerself back to the forests. You ‘ave given Enchena hope, now see it through.”
Samantha shook his hand, and went back to find her companions. She caught sight of Jemma, huddled in a corner, hiding in the shadows.
“Jemma, are you alright?” Samantha asked softly, realising this might be the young girl’s first taste of this terrible reality.
“I warned you.” Jemma sobbed. The younger girl lifted her head and shrieked, “I said there were archers. Why didn’t you stop them?”
Jemma stood up, the movement causing her hood to fall back, her face and hair showing similar shades of red. “Why?” She shouted.
It hit Samantha that maybe... with that warning the outcome should have been different. “Oh, Jemma...” She murmured quietly, more to herself than the crying girl.
Jemma was fighting with herself, her muscles tensed, wanting to expel the fire of grief. Exerting control over her sudden flare of anger, Jemma turned to the wall and slouched down again in sullen silence.
The journey back through the tunnel was slow and silent. Samantha and her team had failed; even though they led Billamaur’s family to freedom, everyone knew that freedom had a price.
When they reached the end, Samantha clambered desperately over the boulders and collapsed into Tobias’ arms, taking comfort in his presence and forgetting all the anger she had felt towards him.
With hardly a word, Tobias’ camp was hurriedly dismantled, and they all mounted, doubling up on the horses.
Tobias climbed up onto the white stallion Legan, then pulled Samantha up behind him. Samantha was too exhausted to argue, and wrapped her arms around his waist. They set off at a steady pace, and Samantha leant against Tobias’ back, allowing the motion of the horse to soothe her ragged nerves.
She could see Jemma and Angrud riding together; Billamaur’s family sharing two horses; their depression tangible. Saddest of all was Saxton, who cradled his dead son, wrapped in a pale cream cloth.
No one spoke.
The first gasp of pain was heard by all.
Samantha and Tobias stopped and turned their horse back to the group, to see Jemma slumped in Angrud’s arms.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Angrud said, panic in his voice, “She was fine, and then she just...”
Jemma was vaguely aware of the voices around her, but she couldn’t really understand them. She was standing at the edge of a pool, its waters the darkest blue and peaceful. There was the now-familiar background of trees, as the forest stretched away from this idyllic place. Jemma knew this was a vision and looked around, waiting for something important to happen. But nothing came. Growing slightly impatient with this vision that Minaeri had sent her, Jemma began to walk the length of the pool, finding her footing on the wet rocks and mud.
She eventually came up against a rocky tor that blocked her path.
“Look.”
Jemma thought she heard a voice, and froze. What was she supposed to look at?
Not sure what on earth she hoped to achieve, Jemma started to climb the rocks in front of her, the rough surface cutting into her soft fingers, and the minimal footholds causing her to slip. But she climbed upwards, until she came to the very top, where a solitary tree clung to a rocky ledge.
The view was incredible, Jemma could see the Great Forest roll out before her like a roiling green sea, as the trees followed the contours of the land. Bringing her gaze closer, Jemma looked down. Once she had gotten over the dizzy height, she noticed movement to the right. Where the rocks had stopped her access, there was obviously some way in, as several creatures moved beneath the canopy. Jemma glimpsed a pearly horn and realised that these were unicorns! She had only ever seen Alina and Sundance when they first came back from Caelum, and it was a shock to see the many brown, chestnut and black coats that were well-camouflaged in the forest.
Watching the majestic animals, Jemma noticed a dark shadow on the horizon, moving steadily closer. It was oil, it was poison, and it seeped through the trees and the rocks until it was within the unicorn’s sanctuary. From her high perch, Jemma could see the calm break, and the unicorns started to panic, fighting the black cloud. Their screams drifted up high, making her shudder, and one-by-one they fell.
Jemma willed herself to wake up, unable to watch any more of the horror, and with a great struggle she jerked upwards.
Jemma noticed that she was curled up like a child
in Angrud’s lap. Trying to hide her embarrassment over that fact, Jemma looked around at the ring of worried faces.
“Sorry.” She muttered, “I still can’t always control it.”
“Never mind that, did you have a vision?” Samantha asked.
“Yes, it was about unicorns.” Jemma replied, taking a moment to recall what had happened. “There was a herd of them, and they were attacked by something dark, something evil.”
Samantha exchanged a quick look with Tobias, before questioning the girl again. “Was there a fine chestnut stallion in the herd? Where were they?”
Jemma closed her eyes to concentrate on the fading images, “It was hard to see through the trees, but yes, there was definitely a unicorn that had a fiery coat. I didn’t recognise where they were, but I had the feeling that it was safe. They never expected that danger could find them.”
“Wentra.” Samantha muttered to Tobias, then turned to Jemma, “Do you know what attacked them?”
“No, it was just darkness and death seeping through the rocks.” Jemma said, shuddering at the very real memory.
“I have to warn them.” Samantha said. “Angrud, get these people back to the Valley, they are your responsibility now. Tobias-”
“I’m coming with you.” Tobias countered before she had a chance to argue. “Legan can carry two.”
“Fine, let’s go.” Samantha snapped, desperate to find Autumn before Jemma’s vision came to pass.
Eighteen
Deep within the Great Forest there was the unicorn sanctuary of Wentra.
Autumn paced about his herd, his graceful movements hiding the fact that he was anxious. He couldn’t pinpoint why he was worried, and tried to logically dismiss it – they had never been away from the Valley this long, and it was natural to feel nervous. Since the humans had wrestled their way in, and gradually taken over, Autumn had decided that enough was enough. He had to stand up for the rights of his herd, before they were treated as nothing more than glorified packhorses.
Moving to Wentra had been a sacrifice, but it was a necessary one. The only problem they had now, was that Wentra was not designed as a permanent residence for the unicorns. A lot of the younger herd-members felt cooped up; but constant travel to and fro only risked the secrecy of their hideout. Plus, the cold weather was only a few months away, and Autumn didn’t know if Wentra could adequately feed his herd for another winter.
Autumn moved between the unicorns, noting that the herd had an edge of nerves to everything they said and did. It was obvious that it wasn’t just their leader who was worried as another evening descended.
Autumn was surprised to see the young human Samantha running through the secret passage, her male companion leading a familiar white stallion behind her.
“Samantha, Alina had told me that you returned from the other land. We appreciate your visit, but shouldn’t you be with the other humans?” Autumns words were civil, but the meaning clear. She no longer belonged with his kind.
“I’ve come to warn you... about danger...” Samantha stopped and caught her breath, leaning against the nearest tree until she could get her words out in the right order. “We have an oracle, one that can see the future. She saw darkness and death invading Wentra.”
“Impossible.” Autumn stated, “There is nowhere safer, only those trusted to know the way can enter. We can stay here and wait for whatever danger you’ve invoked to wash over us and fade.”
“Autumn... I don’t know what is coming; but I do know that Jemma has seen the death of your herd. You need to get them to safety, then we can argue over whose fault it is.” Samantha snapped, before the tension drained from her. “I’m sorry, Autumn, it’s been a rough day. I don’t want to lose you, too.”
The chestnut stallion snorted, lowering his head a little, but his ears still back and showing his displeasure at her presence. “Some in my herd would say that you are trying to draw us into your battles again. How am I to calm their suspicions?”
“Some? You mean Tân and his friends?” Samantha remembered the stubborn bay stallion, and shrugged. “Nothing I can say will persuade him to trust me. Just... see if the herd is willing to move out of Wentra for a few days. It might save their lives, and if nothing bad happens, you don’t have anything to lose.”
Autumn was about to reply, but paused. He raised his head, ears pricked. Behind him, the rest of the herd were suddenly on alert too.
“What’s wrong?” Samantha asked quietly, not wanting to startle the great stallion.
“Hush, young one. Can’t you sense the stillness?”
Samantha looked around, not a single unicorn moved. Beyond that, the birds and small creatures were silent, the forest eerily quiet without their rustling.
“Only mallus, and unicorns belonging to the Dark Being have this effect. Danger must be near.” Autumn’s thoughts tumbled out, as he strained to hear or scent anything that could tell him more.
“We need to leave now.”
“And walk straight into the monsters that wait for us?” Autumn snorted. “We will be safer here.”
“Autumn, please, I am begging you to trust me once more. I swear by Minaeri and Praede that Wentra will not protect you now; but I will. Whatever is out there, I will do everything in my power to protect your herd.”
Autumn met Samantha’s eye, uncertainty still hovering in his thoughts. But he lowered his horned head in assent. The stallion gave a low whinny to his herd, and with a river of thought too intense for Samantha to follow, the unicorns started to move towards the way out.
“You’re a stubborn bugger when you want to be.” Tobias commented, as he led their horse back through the rocky passage.
Samantha didn’t spare him any notice, and jogged along, until she was back out in the forest. Night was starting to roll in, and the shadows lengthened and merged into one. There was no evening chorus from the birds, it’s absence now very noticeable.
Samantha peered between the trees, not sure if she could see movement, or not.
Autumn emerged, leading his herd from their safe haven. He stepped up beside Samantha, his eyes locking onto the darkness.
An unearthly scream split the air, and the shadows started to move.
Samantha’s breath caught as she saw a familiar black stallion approach, his horned head scything wildly. She had only had the misfortune of meeting the Dark Being once, but she quickly felt a stab of fear at seeing him again.
The black stallion wasn’t alone, behind him his dark herd shifted, forming limbs and hooves and sharp teeth from the shadows. They had come for the sole purpose of destroying Autumn and the other unicorns. Nothing could persuade them to stop.
Autumn ordered his herd to head towards the Valley, but a few hung back, stepping up to protect their leader.
Autumn’s ears flattened as he noticed Tân hovering at his haunches. “Go to the herd, Tân. You’re not fit enough for this fight.”
The bay unicorn narrowed his eyes and his thoughts were very clear on the matter. His leg had never fully recovered from the filthy mallus’ attack, and his limp affected everything. Grudgingly, he backed away, and disappeared after his herdmates.
Autumn turned to face the Dark Being and his kind. The bright chestnut unicorn rushed forward, a single flame against the darkness; beside him were two brown shadows, as Billan and his mate galloped towards the enemy.
Samantha watched the unicorn’s brave actions, but for all their bravery they were outnumbered. The unicorns probably knew the sacrifice they were making for the rest of the herd, but it was a price that Samantha didn’t want to pay.
Samantha tried to find the trigger for fire, but despite the fact that Russit’s death was still painfully fresh, she felt empty. At the sickening sound of hooves against flesh, she looked up. Autumn was dodging the Dark Being, but Billan was surrounded by the dark herd, being attacked from every angle.
Billan’s mate screamed and, forcing a dark grey unicorn to back down from her vicious hooves, she rac
ed to her mate’s side. The two of them fought side by side, and held their own to begin with, but began to falter. They disappeared in the crowd of unknown unicorns, who soon moved back from their unmoving victims.
Samantha forced away the panic that threatened her, and focussed on the grief that fuelled the fire that finally sparked and sputtered into life. Samantha looked in the direction of their enemies, and set the forest ablaze. The fire spread quickly across the dry leaves and bushes, forming a searing barrier between Autumn’s retreating herd and the dark ones.
“Let’s get out of here!” Tobias yelled to Autumn, as he leant down and pulled Samantha up onto their white horse.
“Wait, I can stop him!” Samantha protested, but she could already feel her power starting to slip and fade after using too much earlier.
Autumn span away from the Dark Being, lashing out with his powerful hindlegs, catching the unicorn one last time. He raced for the last clear path to safety, the fire licking at his heels. The fire continued to take hold and spread, even without Samantha’s magical assistance. The unicorn gave them a brief glance to make sure his old friends were alright, then cantered close by, heading away from Wentra.
Gripping onto Tobias with all the strength she had left, Samantha looked behind them. The fire lit up the black stallion and his followers. For a fleeting moment, Samantha swore she could see Sundance’s golden coat...
The night had fully descended, when the Valley was flooded with unicorns for the first time in months. Some, like Captain Philip, were thrilled to greet their old friends; but many of the Gardyn had only ever seen glimpses of Alina. Now, they came out of their camp to witness the whole herd.
Autumn came trotting in last, alongside Samantha and Tobias. The chestnut stallion snorted, his ears twitching back as he saw how the humans had taken over so much of his old home.
Alina rushed over, taking time to breathe in Autumn’s scent and take comfort in his presence. Her soft muzzle moved over the new, deep cuts that adorned his fine coat. “It is good to see you safe.”
The Oracle Page 16