I was first to climb over the edge of the well. I dropped into the portal, feet first. There was a whoosh and a biting wind, and, when my vision finally cleared, I still stood in a field, but there were mountains all around me. The air was cool and thin, which made breathing slightly more difficult than normal.
I shifted over as my friends materialized beside me.
“Everyone okay?” Cerys asked, inspecting each of us.
“We can do magic here, right?” Bryn asked, hugging herself. “Because I need to warm up.”
I pulled out my wand. “Do it now, before we head further into the village.” I inclined my head toward signs of life at the edge of the field. We conjured our cloaks and I wrapped mine snugly around my shoulders.
“I have a question,” Bryn said. “Why is it illegal to have personal portals? It’s not like Davish put them there.”
“He’s using unauthorized portals for commercial gain,” Cerys said. “That’s strictly prohibited. It’s too hard to regulate.”
“What about for fun?” Bryn asked. “Could I make a portal to my vacation spot and use it if it’s only me?” She paused and smiled. “Well, Gray too.”
“Portals are incredibly difficult to create,” I said. “You’re single-handedly forging a connection between two places. That’s not straightforward magic.”
“Is it dark magic territory?” Bryn queried.
“Possibly,” I said. “I mean, I couldn’t begin to tell you how to make a portal. That’s seriously sophisticated stuff, which is why Davish can command a high price for his natural ones.” And, thanks to Peter, we didn’t need to pay anything at all.
“Do we need anything in the village or are we heading straight to Geir Pointe?” Mia asked.
“I figure a local villager can tell us the best route to get there,” I replied.
Bryn’s gaze lifted to the mountaintops. “Good, because the path looks a bit steep for my taste.”
The first house we came upon was a tidy cottage with a huge barn set back in the distance. Flower boxes adorned the windows and the smell of fresh bread wafted in the air.
“May as well start here,” I said, and approached the door. Before I had a chance to knock, the door swung open.
“Spell’s bells,” a woman exclaimed. “Four of you on my doorstep? It’s enough to give an older woman a heart attack.” The middle-aged woman wore a plain, homespun dress and held a pail of water in one hand.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “We didn’t mean to frighten you. We’re hoping you can give us the best route to Geir Pointe.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “You mean to go on foot? The four of you?”
Mia and I exchanged wary glances. “That’s the plan,” I said. “Unless you think that’s a bad idea.”
The woman gave us all the once-over before bursting into laughter. “Yes, it’s a terrible idea. You don’t even have appropriate shoes. How do you expect to manage it?”
“We have our wands,” Bryn said, waving hers. “We can fix the shoe issue.”
“Wands will only get you so far,” the woman said. “You need more.” She stepped through the doorway and shut the door behind her. “Larsa will help you.”
“Who’s Larsa?” I asked.
The woman frowned. “That’s me.”
Oh. “Nice to meet you, Larsa,” I said. “I’m Dani, and these are my friends—Bryn, Mia, and Cerys.”
Larsa angled her head. “Follow me to the barn, witches.” She paused to eye us. “You are witches, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I said. I offered to take the pail for her, but she refused. We walked together to the barn and she chattered on about the fjords and their majestic beauty.
“That all sounds nice, but we’re not here as tourists,” Bryn said.
“Oh, no?” Larsa asked. She pushed open the heavy barn door and I heard Bryn gasp. There were six huge stalls in the barn and each one housed a pegasus. “You’ve never seen a pegasus before?” Larsa sounded surprised.
Bryn stood at the ledge of the first stall and gaped at the amazing creature. “Not me. I was raised in Terrene.”
Larsa pulled a face. “Is that so? Why would your parents do a fool thing like that?”
“My mother was human,” Bryn said. “It’s a long story.” And I knew she wasn’t about to tell a perfect stranger that she was the daughter of Volans Moldark.
Larsa poured the water from the pail into a trough and faced us, hands on sturdy hips. “You seem like nice witches. How about this? Larsa will let you borrow two pegasi to get to Geir Pointe. It’s the fastest way to the cliff.”
“Why would you do that?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Why not? We’re all women and this is not an easy route to navigate. We must look out for each other, mustn’t we?”
I warmed all over. “Yes, absolutely,” I said firmly. “Thank you. We promise to return them safely.”
Larsa smiled. “Yes, you will. Larsa’s tea leaves told her so this morning.”
My brow lifted. “You saw this?”
She wiped her hands on her dress and moved to retrieve a few golden apples from a basket hitched to the wall. “Larsa has the Sight.”
“But you were surprised to see us when you opened the door,” Bryn said.
She laughed. “The tea leaves don’t specify the time of arrival. They only say that you will come. And here you are.”
“And we borrowed the pegasi in your…vision?” I asked.
Larsa nodded. “And returned them safely.”
“Did we come back with anything else?” I asked, trying to remain as vague as possible.
“No injuries, if that’s what you mean,” Larsa replied. “None that the tea leaves revealed anyway. You know how the future works. It’s a spider web, not a crow’s path.”
Bryn vibrated with excitement. “I’m really going to ride one of these?”
“You can ride with me,” Cerys said.
Larsa tossed Cerys and I each a golden apple. “Feed them one of these first. Make friends.”
“May I?” Bryn asked, plucking the apple from Cerys. “Do I just hold it in my palm?”
“Yes,” Larsa replied. “They’re gentle creatures. Matthias won’t nip you.”
“His name is Matthias?” Bryn asked, stroking the animal’s head. “Hey, there. I’m Bryn.”
We fed the apples to our mounts and Larsa guided them out of the barn. “Matthias is the more obedient one,” she said. “Jax has a tendency to try to lead. You just show him you’re the boss and it’ll be right as rain.”
“I’ll handle Jax,” I said.
Larsa grabbed two blankets from inside the barn and handed one to me and one to Cerys. I threw mine over Jax’s back and climbed on. The pegasus jerked its head and I made soothing noises in his ear. Once he seemed calm, I gripped Mia’s hand and helped her up to sit behind me.
“Jax, Matthias,” Larsa began, “take these witches to Geir Pointe and home again. Do you understand?”
The pegasi whinnied, seemingly in agreement.
“Thank you for your kindness,” Cerys said. “If there’s any way we can repay you….”
“No repayment is necessary,” Larsa said. “This isn’t a favor to be returned. It’s Larsa’s gift to you. Now, this long pathway is the perfect takeoff point.” She gestured to the path between the house and the barn. “Stay safe and good luck with your search.”
“Thank you,” I called. Jax took flight first, and I clung to his neck. My thoughts turned to Peter and the pegasus we’d ridden to the top of the Jade Pool Mountains for the Peento Banquet. I remembered how it felt to be close to him, how secure he made me feel. I didn’t want to push him away. I only hoped to maintain a safe distance for both of our sakes. What would happen to him if—gods forbid—I ever followed in my grandmother’s footsteps? I’d destroy him the same way my grandmother had destroyed my family. I cared too much for Peter to inflict that kind of suffering on him.
Be all the magic.
; Be the best.
My resolve strengthened. Peter wasn’t my priority. Right now, it was finding the other half of the sword. We had to beat Luke to the blade. I only hoped we weren’t too late.
“Dani, this place is magnificent.” I’d never heard Mia sound so awe-stricken. Jax seemed clear on his route, so I took the opportunity to admire the view.
“A waterfall!” Cerys shouted.
I didn’t know why the image of water cascading down the mountainside was so breathtaking, but it was. I could have stared at it all day, but there was work to be done.
“If I were going to be hidden away somewhere for eternity, this would be an ideal place,” Mia said.
“No kidding,” I replied. Even the air seemed fresher. I inhaled deeply and let it fill my lungs. It wasn’t easy to draw breath here, but the result was worth the effort.
“How is it so ice blue down there?” Mia asked. “It doesn’t look real.”
“It’s a glacier,” Cerys called.
“Between the water and the natural landscape, those two are going to be pumped full of magic here,” Mia said.
“Good,” I said. There was a chance we’d need the excess power. I hoped not, of course. I was the reason we were here and I’d be the one responsible should anything bad happen.
Up ahead, a long slab of rock jutted from the mountaintop and I recognized it as Geir Pointe. An occasional rock plunged to the fjord below and disappeared in its depths. This area was one of the most dramatic landscapes I’d ever seen.
“I could stay up here forever,” Mia said. “It’s exhilarating.” No surprise that the air witch enjoyed the wind whipping through her hair at this altitude.
We soared to Geir Pointe and Jax made a graceful landing. Matthias appeared alongside us and I noticed Cerys’s relieved expression. She was clearly happy to be back on solid ground.
I dismounted and rubbed Jax’s nose. “You’re going to wait for us, right? No shenanigans because it’s a long way back to the village on foot.”
Jax whinnied in response. His wings settled and he and Matthias moved to explore the lush greenery of the mountain. I continued to stand near the edge, gazing in wonder at the view.
“I’ve never seen anything like this place,” Bryn said, coming to stand beside me. “It feels magical.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” I said, taking another deep breath. “You can’t see any evidence of civilization from here.” One good reason why it made sense to hide the other half of the sword here.
“It’s completely unspoiled,” Cerys said from behind us. She stooped to place her palm flat on the giant rock. “There’s power here. I feel the energy.”
“Use it if you have to,” I said, although I saw no sign of danger. Still, we couldn’t be too careful. “My guess is, if the blade is here, it’s further into the mountain.”
“I agree,” Bryn said. “They’re not going to stick the blade in the tip of Geir Pointe and call it a day.”
We moved away from the end of the natural platform and closer to the mountaintop itself. I was surprised by the presence of healthy vegetation at this height.
“All I see are rocks and plants,” Mia complained.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Cerys responded.
I laughed. “There is when you’re here to find a blade.”
“I don’t even see a path to climb down from here,” Mia said, scanning the area. “Is the only way to get here by pegasus?”
“Or some other method of flight,” I said. She was right, though. I only saw steep rock formations and lush greenery around us. No wildlife to speak of, not even a lonely mountain goat. I began pushing aside the plants and brush to see if they hid any secrets. The back of my neck prickled and I jolted upright.
“What’s wrong?” Bryn asked.
In the distance, I heard the distress call of the pegasi. “I think we have company,” I whispered.
“There was no sign of anyone else,” Mia said.
“Not when we first arrived,” I began, “but someone’s here now.” I closed my eyes to listen more intently. I felt movement in the air and yelled, “Run!”
The witches bolted, just as the rocky wall behind us exploded. They dodged the debris that blew in all directions, while my body was pelted with tiny rock fragments. I crouched in the brush, covering my head.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” a familiar voice said.
I dropped my arms to my side and looked up at the woodcarving satyr. “Luke? You brought explosives to a mountain?” That seemed like a very bad idea. Was he unfamiliar with the concept of an avalanche?
“I brought a little firepower in case of obstacles like you,” he said.
“You’ll need more than explosives,” I began. My voice faded as a birdlike woman appeared beside him. Her black wings peeked out from behind her shoulders.
“As you can see, I got more than explosives,” Luke said.
“A harpy,” I murmured. That explained how he got here.
“You need to go,” Luke said. “I ain’t interested in hurting nobody, especially as you still owe me for my carvings.”
“I’m not leaving without the blade,” I said firmly. At least their presence here confirmed my suspicions about the blade’s location.
“You will regret that decision, fire witch,” the harpy said. Her beady black eyes glittered with malice. A loud squawk punctuated her remark, causing more rocks to tumble from the mountainside.
The air began to swirl around Luke and his harpy friend and I realized that Mia was building toward a mini-tornado. The harpy lifted a decorated wooden stick and used it to slash through Mia’s spell. I gaped at the unusual weapon and the harpy’s lips parted in a dangerous smile.
“You have never seen a spellbender, I take it,” the harpy said.
I hadn’t, but I wasn’t about to admit it to her.
“That’s a handy gadget,” Bryn interjected, forcing their attention to her. “How does it handle water magic?”
“Ha!” Luke said. “Do you see any water up here?”
Bryn frowned. “No, but there’s a comically large glacier down below. You do know what a glacier is made of, right?”
The harpy’s wings spread wide and I sensed she was ready to pounce.
I let my roommates continue to distract them while I inched away from the scene in search of the entrance to the cave. There had to be an opening to the mountainside somewhere along this wall. A gale force wind blew past me and I knew Mia had rejoined the fray. I hoped the spellbender wasn’t a problem for the witches. If they attacked at the same time, I doubted the harpy would be fast enough to use the weapon against all three of them.
I crept along the wall and ignored the thorns and leaves brushing against me. Thankfully, the cloak protected me from cuts and scrapes. I parted the plants as I went, searching for any gaps. Finally, I spotted a crack up ahead between two bushes. At first glance, I thought it would be too small, but once I was directly in front of it, I realized that I was thin enough to fit if I turned sideways and maneuvered at an uncomfortable angle.
My heart thumped wildly as I pushed my body through the narrow crevice and entered the cave. Once inside, I could rise to my full height. The interior was dank and too dark to see my own hands. I illuminated the tip of my wand and held it in front of me to light my way, but my vision was still limited. I continued forward, steadying my breathing as I went.
A noise behind me spurred me forward. I worried that I’d be trapped in here with the harpy. I’d have to find the sword and fight my way out. Although it wasn’t ideal, I was willing to do whatever it took to keep the blade from falling into the wrong hands.
Under my feet, I heard the crunch of broken glass. I continued on, kicking away fragments as I went. My heart sank when I saw the source of the glass. A broken case.
A broken, empty case.
“Are you in there, Dani?” Cerys called.
“The goat boy and the bird lady have taken flight,” Bryn added.
>
Relief washed over me at the sound of my friends’ voices. They were safe.
“Any sign of the sword?” Mia yelled.
I craned my neck to peer at them in the darkness. “We’re too late. It’s gone.”
Chapter Sixteen
As frustrated as I was to be back at the academy without the blade from Halse, I was relieved to see Professor Mayweather waiting for us in the field for our elemental magic lesson. I could not have handled Professor Langley today, not in the foul mood I was in. I was accustomed to doing everything well and, lately, it seemed that the only thing I did well was fail.
“As you can see, I’m back in charge today,” Professor Mayweather announced. “I’m so sorry that I had to subject you to Professor Langley for an additional hour, but sometimes such changes are unavoidable.” She took a huge step back and raised her wand. “Because we’ll be dealing in fire magic today, I thought a change in environment would be best.”
The field around us morphed into individual cages of ice. Thick icicles formed bars around me. Professor Mayweather remained safely outside the multiple enclosures.
“You want us to use magic to escape?” Bryn asked.
“I would like you to only use fire magic to make your escape from the ice prison that your enemy has constructed,” the professor said. “I will not advise you on the best way to do that, however. The way you summon and use your fire magic is entirely at your discretion.”
This would be a walk in the park for me. I rubbed my hands together, warming them. After my recent string of failures, I needed an easy win, if only to boost my eroding confidence.
I called my magic to me. My body temperature rose as heat filled my veins. I was a walking flame. I set my hands on two of the bars and wrapped my fingers around them. It took less than thirty seconds to melt the ice and step out of the personal prison.
“Professor, could I have something more challenging?” I asked. My whole body throbbed with energy, wanting more. I watched my classmates struggle to ignite their wands with fire. Only Bryn seemed to be managing it, albeit slowly.
Outfox: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Sentry of the South Book 2) Page 15