Jordyn clung on with her thighs. She shaved into the silver, throwing sparks.
Cern whinnied and kicked, and Rowdy dodged her massive legs and hooves, reaching up to stab her shoulder, attempting to get some attention off Jordyn.
Rose swooped out of the sky, cawing.
It was useless. Cern shook Jordyn off and ran into the hills, her horn damaged. They saw its light fading as she ran.
Jordyn landed with a thud on the ground. She yelped in pain. Granny burst into white shards of light and emerged in human form at Jordyn’s side.
“I’m okay.” Jordyn groaned. “Ondag is hurt.”
The trio ran swiftly to the dwindling fire at Ondag’s side. Rose came down and landed on Rowdy’s shoulder. They were quiet as Granny inspected him.
“Liathroids,” Granny said. “Go quickly!”
Chapter 14
Breaking Spells
The mouse, the snake, and the crow flew back to the crease of light in the blackness at the top of a tall tree on the fringes of Sionnin.
As they travelled, they could feel the temperature rising around them. They flew through the window and tumbled onto the table. Hurriedly they transformed and rushed across the room.
“The spells are breaking,” Jordyn said as she and Rowdy divided the liathroids into three vases to carry back to the delta.
They looked at Rose, wondering when she would be a human again.
She nodded knowingly and changed into her human form.
“There’s only one way to find out, Aunt Rose,” Rowdy said, walking to the window.
“Stick your hand out.” Rose approached the window doubtfully. She looked at her nephew for reassurance. He grinned at her.
She stuck her arm out the window, expecting it to become a wing, but it didn’t. Her eyes widened and filled with tears. She stuck half her body out and still remained her original self.
She screamed her delight to all of Sionnin, making Rowdy and Jordyn giggle and cheer. She looked at them with her black eyes dancing and her cheeks rosy.
They picked up their liathroids and bumbled clumsily down the tree, relieved when they reached the bottom. The ground was melting under their boots.
They trekked through the darkness with the glowing liathroids lighting the way.
“Rose, how do you know your way?”
“My sense of direction came with my crow form. I feel I am losing it already. This will be my last trip of just knowing.” She hummed and sang then, finally released from her spell.
Rowdy and Jordyn walked behind, enjoying the midnight hour, the stars in the sky, and the promise of spring.
They arrived to Granny and Ondag just as the faintest hint of dawn light was appearing. Granny hastily poured the liathroids over Ondag’s dying body to restore his strength. She pulled her Spring Preparations out of her pocket and dusted some of the ground powder over the bear’s body, chanting spells over and over again. The liathroids glowed and hummed. They grew warm, bathing the beautiful beast in healing energy.
They watched as other liathroids emerged from the ice and snow, rolling toward Ondag through the twilight. A spring breeze blew warm and fresh around the group.
Granny chanted around him, putting drops of water into his mouth that hung open with his tongue flopped out, and dusted the Spring Preparations in a design over him and around him.
Jordyn and Rowdy curled up close together, watching the dawn emerge with all of its surprises.
The sounds of the meltdown were growing louder. Rowdy heard trickling streams, dripping water, and cracking ice. The fire in the Great Mountain had burned out for lack of fuel, but the stench hung thick in the air. The body of Conan lay in a heavy heap, growing soggy with the melt.
Rowdy walked to it and kneeled in the bloody water beside him. He looked at the beast up close now; he looked at every detail, trying to overcome his fear of him.
Even in death, the size of the body was alarming, and the daggerlike teeth and claws were bone chilling. Even in death, there was nothing gentle about the wolf.
Rowdy observed with awe the length of the wolf’s back feet. He noted the coarseness and thickness of the fur that now grew soggy in the mud.
“We will burn him in a ceremony. We will burn them all,” Granny said behind him. He could smell wildflowers, even in the thick smoke.
He looked at the field, now visible in the morning light. The bodies lay in the thousands. A vast herd of helpless goats that had fallen victim to Cern’s spell, many of them destroyed by his own blade. He felt a lump forming in his throat and hung his head.
“Their sacrifice will be honored,” Granny assured him.
“Are there any left? Is their kind completely gone?” Jordyn asked, joining the somber companions with Rose at her side.
“Time will tell,” said Granny. She smiled at her daughter, now free of her spell. There would be time for celebrating later. For now, there was still much to be done.
The sun came out, and warm breezes blew. Trees shed their ice and snow. Streams collected and became rivers that ran to the sea. The waterfalls on the Great Mountain thundered, adding to the orchestra of the awakening world.
By noon the birds could be heard. The sun was warm on their faces.
Granny told them to go home. She would stay, restore Ondag, and complete the burial ceremonies.
“Beware of Cern. She will be lurking.”
She drew a map for them in the mud and made them recite a long list of landmarks they were to follow. The land looked very different now.
“I can take you to the edge of the first forest.”
They followed her glance to a far-away fringe of trees.
“My dad’s amulet,” Rowdy stated, meeting her crystal eyes. She nodded solemnly, assuring him she would do her best to find it.
Then she became a unicorn and kneeled gently for the trio to climb up. Rowdy marveled at her size and stunning beauty, then held tight to the streamers of silver that were her mane. He felt as though they were flying or rolling on the sea as she galloped.
In a blink they were dismounting. Again a lump formed in Rowdy’s throat. He put his face close to the unicorn’s massive soft snout and inhaled wildflowers and fresh air. He felt a hot tear forming. It clung to his lower lid and then toppled over, down his cheek.
“When will we see you again?” he asked. Granny stepped forward and nuzzled her grandson.
“Come now,” Rose said, taking his hand and guiding him away.
He choked and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Jordyn touched his arm and cried softly with her head hanging down. He turned to see a silvery-white unicorn thundering swiftly down a soft field with her tail and mane shimmering silver in the sun.
The warriors were exhausted in every way. They followed Rose doggedly, unable to fully enjoy the wonder unfolding around them.
The air grew warmer and noisier as the animals slowly thawed from their frozen spell and chattered with excitement.
Rose kept a diligent watch on their surroundings for Cern, not knowing what form she would appear in. She followed Granny’s instructions and guided the exhausted youth home.
Rowdy had not had an adult take on adult responsibilities for so long he felt overwhelming gratitude for Rose. He followed her tall, slender frame without question, feeling a deep bond between them.
When they at last arrived at the base of the tree, it seemed an impossible task to get to the window. Rose helped them up and cheered them on as they surmounted the last step of their journey.
They climbed into the safety of the headquarters. As Rose reached to shut the window, a terrible cackle could be heard. They froze and peered through tired eyes down to the forest floor. A witch stared back with hollow eyes. She was dressed in black. She smiled and pointed her finger at them.
She cackled again and again.
Rose shut the window tight and closed the curtain.
“Regular world, quick n
ow,” she instructed, and they quickly morphed back.
They jumped when they heard a hard banging on the downstairs door. They looked at one another, wide-eyed.
Rose led the way down the stairs and into Granny’s kitchen. It was bright with early evening sunshine. Someone was banging frantically on Granny’s front door.
Rose frowned and opened it. In burst Jessica with wild hair, angry eyes, and a red face. Jordyn and Rowdy raised their eyebrows.
“Where in the heck have you been?” she shouted at Jordyn, blowing by Rose, who calmly closed the door.
Jordyn blinked at her frazzled friend, speechless.
“Do you know how many lies I’ve had to tell to save your dumb butt!” Jess’ eyes were filling up with hot tears.
“I…We were with Granny…” Jordyn stammered pathetically.
“Excuse me?” Rose said coolly. She extended a hand to Jess. “I’m Rose, Rowdy’s aunt.”
Jess turned her red face to Rose and furrowed her brow. She didn’t shake the hand that was offered. Rose put it back to her side.
“You see, Granny had an emergency. This is my fault. I asked Jordyn to help. I should have been more considerate.”
“Well, a fat lot of good that will do us now!” Jess exploded again, glaring at Rowdy and Jordyn. There was an intense silence. Then Jess relaxed a tiny bit.
“Well, is she going to be okay? Granny?” She looked down the hallway at the closed door, trying to collect herself.
“She’s on the mend.” Rose nodded. “Get your things now, Jordyn. I will walk you girls home and explain things to your parents.”
Jordyn flushed with relief and put on her jacket and shoes. She looked at Rowdy, who winked at her. He smiled sleepily at Rose and Jess. Jess glared at him and shook her head. She turned and stormed out with Jordyn on her heels.
Rose’s eyes sparkled at Rowdy as she swung the door closed and followed the bickering girls.
Rowdy had a glass of water. His stomach was grumbling with hunger, but his fatigue took precedence. He walked like a zombie to the couch and fell asleep until morning.
* * * *
He awoke the next morning sore and ravenous. It was the first day in May. The birds were chirping. The sun was pouring in through the windows. He stretched and blinked. His mind raced to catch him up on the previous day’s events. Then he sat up with a start when he realized it was a school day.
Rose appeared, looking refreshed. Her long glossy hair hung down as she placed a steaming cup of coffee and a pile of biscuits and jam on the table beside him.
Rowdy was so happy to see her he grinned from ear to ear.
“I let the school know you wouldn’t be going in today.” She sat on a chair close to him and watched as he ate his breakfast greedily. He slurped his coffee, feeling warm, safe, and refreshed.
“The girls?” he asked.
“Solved.” Rose took a sip of coffee. She smoothed her long skirt.
“Awesome.” He dabbed the crumbs off his plate with his thumb and licked them off, then snuggled back into his warm blanket. His mind went over the details of his journey again.
“Any word from Granny?”
Rose shook her head.
“My dad?” He propped himself up on his elbow and looked into her dark, mysterious eyes.
“Ah, yes,” she said. “His spell has been broken.” She sipped her coffee thoughtfully.
“Rose?” he asked her, still propped up, now intense. She looked at him and waited for his question calmly. She seemed poised as a human, whereas her crow self was always a little bit on the nervous side. Rowdy hesitated, but his curiosity got the better of him.
“How old are you?” His aunt seemed ageless to him. She carried herself as though she was very old, yet she had a playful side that he had seen so many times. Rose chuckled.
“I am forty this year.” She stared wistfully out the window, her mind churning with her own private thoughts.
“What now? What of the time gone by?” Rowdy was interested. He couldn’t pretend to understand what it would be like to be under a spell for so much of a lifetime. Rose took her time in answering. It was something she had thought about for a long time.
“I missed out on my education,” she began, smoothing and re-smoothing her long skirt. “I had always wanted to marry…to have a family…to have children.” She looked at him and chuckled again. “A person your age could not understand such things.” But it was more of a question than a statement. She watched his face for a response. She wasn’t used to speaking her personal thoughts.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Rose. Forty isn’t too old to find romance.” He smiled impishly at her and ducked under the blanket. They giggled. He peered back out at her. They stared at each other lovingly in the quiet of the living room. Rowdy perked up again. He had an idea.
“Let’s make a pact,” he suggested. She nodded curiously. He got out of bed and moved close to her. “I need a mom, and you need a child. Let’s be that. Let’s be the family we have both lost.”
Rose stood then, her lips trembling, and wrapped her arms around him. She squeezed him tight and kissed him on the top of his bedhead.
“I would like that very much, Rowdy.”
There was a soft knock on the door. Rose winked at him and went to open it. He followed her to see who it was. It was his dad.
“Oh, hello,” Dad stammered, offering his hand to Rose with confusion. She smiled gently and shook it. He entered the house, looking at Rowdy, then around the empty house.
“Hi, son. Where’s Granny?” He looked at Rose with confusion.
“She’s in Sionnin,” Rose said. “Come in. Coffee?”
Rowdy’s dad frowned and looked at him.
“Sionnin?”
“Yes, Dad.” Rowdy grinned. “The beautiful land behind the curtain upstairs.”
His father took a chair at the kitchen table and watched Rose pour him a coffee as the light gradually dawned on him.
He looked at Rowdy. He looked at Rose. He shook his head.
“Sionnin?” he said again. He turned and looked down the hallway at the closed door.
He ran his fingers through his thinning hair.
His eyes grew wide, and his mouth dropped open. He stood and faced Rose.
“Rose?” he whispered. Rose nodded, her smile twitching with delight.
“Billy?” It was what she had called him as a kid. She had been the only one he had allowed to call him Billy instead of Bill.
“I thought you were…” He went to sit down again, but Rose embraced him. They cried silently, his father’s shoulders shaking as his memory broke through the bonds of the spell. Rowdy turned away, feeling shaken up by the emotion.
His dad pushed his sister back and looked at her in wonder.
“You’re so beautiful!” he whispered. He studied her face and touched her hair while she studied her younger brother, both of them overwhelmed with memories of so long ago.
The brother and sister hugged and cried until their coffees were cold.
Rowdy brought out the leather belt and blade.
“This belongs to you,” he said, putting the worn leather into his father’s trembling hands. He gaped at it, speechlessly, and ran his fingers over and over the soft leather.
“Wizard Boc…” he began, crinkling his brow as he searched into the past.
“Much has changed in your beloved Sionnin, Billy,” Rose said gently.
They tucked into a memorable morning of biscuits, coffee, and questions upon questions, many of which could not be answered. They wanted to catch him up and gave him every detail they could think of.
“Where is my amulet?” his dad wanted to know.
Rose and Rowdy shrugged.
“Can we go to Sionnin?”
The answer was no, not until Granny had taken care of Cern.
“When will Granny return?”
Again, Rose and Rowdy could only shrug.
Granny didn’t return that night. There was no word from Jess and Jordyn. It was decided that Rowdy and his dad would stay with Rose at Granny’s house until she returned.
Rowdy would go to school the following day while Rose spent time with her long-lost brother.
Rowdy fell asleep on a makeshift bed of blankets that night beside the couch, where his dad would be sleeping. He listened to the sound of his father and aunt talking. He could hardly remember the last time he had seen his father so happy. Just as he was drifting off, he felt his father’s hand on his forehead.
“Thank you, son.” His dad bent down and kissed Rowdy on the cheek. Rowdy smiled and drifted off.
Chapter 15
Magic and Science
“Son?” he heard his dad whisper to him; light was coming through the window. Rowdy felt his back was a bit sore from sleeping on the hard floor. It was morning. He blinked.
“Huh?” he answered sleepily. He heard his dad shuffle around on the couch.
“I’ve been thinking for hours,” his dad said with a louder voice. “How did you accomplish all of this, and right under my nose? It’s incredible!”
“It was all Granny’s doing,” Rowdy replied, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.
“But how did it begin?” He scratched his balding head, waiting with anticipation for Rowdy’s answer.
Rowdy struggled to find one. He couldn’t remember how exactly it all began. He didn’t know how to sum it all up.
“Well…Granny made me soup…” he said stupidly. His father laughed.
Rose swept in quietly, placed two cups of coffee on the little table, and then left to give the father and son their privacy.
His dad reached for his cup and blew on the top of the coffee, watching a sleepy Rowdy. He reached out and pressed on Rowdy’s springy cowlick.
“Tell me. From the start.”
Rowdy sighed and reached for his cup, tucking his knees up under the blanket. He started at the start but only made it partway before he had to run off to school.
“I am so grounded,” Jordyn told him as he arrived at the bus stop that morning. She was grinning though. Her green eyes were refreshed and bright. She was wearing shorts, and her legs were white and slender. The morning sun sparkled on her skin and hair.
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