by Amber Carew
"If I knew that, we would be there now."
He watched Randalph march back and forth, nervous energy spinning from him in all directions. Randalph hadn’t liked having someone invade his mind, but more than that, Nyte was sure he was worried about the content of the message. He was probably afraid he might have to lower some of his well-erected barriers and open up to Nyte in order to understand it.
"There must be other things we can try," Randalph insisted.
"Name one."
Randalph stared at him for several long moments.
Nyte returned his stare with a quiet authority. "Randalph, like it or not, this is the only clue we have. Without it, we could be searching for energy disparities for days and still be no closer to finding Lucinda."
Finally, a look of acceptance settled on Randalph’s face.
"All right. Where do you suggest we start?" Randalph gestured toward the path leading to his house. "Should we fetch some books of poetry from my library, or do you think we could find a Hallmark card that could do the trick?" A cool edge of sarcasm edged his words.
"I doubt that’s the way to touch your heart," Nyte responded. "You’ve never been the sentimental type."
Randalph’s expression hardened and Nyte silently cursed his use of words. He might have learned sentiment over the centuries, especially after losing the two people closest to him.
"Remlin certainly isn’t the sentimental type. I’m sure he had a more direct approach in mind."
"You mean, he actually wants you to touch my heart?"
"Something like that."
Nyte approached him and Randalph watched warily. Nyte stopped about two feet away and pointed at his chest.
"He probably means the energy around your heart."
Randalph’s features relaxed as understanding dawned. "Sensing the heart chakra."
"Exactly." He gestured for Randalph to sit down on the fallen tree and, after he’d done so, Nyte held his flattened palm about two inches from Randalph’s chest. "May I?"
Randalph stared into his eyes. "You truly believe this is the only way to find Lucinda?"
"I do."
He hesitated, but finally nodded agreement.
Nyte stepped closer and rested his palm over Randalph’s heart. He remembered when Lucinda had done the same with him, before he’d recovered his memory. She’d felt his energy and sensed the pain within. The pain he now knew stemmed from Randalph’s betrayal. He shoved that thought aside. Right now they had to work together. They had to find Lucinda. He couldn’t let anything, even something that had caused scars that deep, distract him.
He focused on Randalph, on the place where his hand met Randalph’s body. A pool of energy quivered beneath his palm, drawing him into its depths. Ripples marred the surface of the pool. Chaotic. Disruptive. And cold.
As he followed the energy deeper, he felt cold against his palm. Currents of other energy clouded the way, all related to painful experiences, but Nyte followed the cold. Deeper. Colder. More intense.
Ice cold like the bitter winds of the Arctic.
Where had that thought come from? It didn’t quite feel like his own. Had it been planted by Remlin? Another hint?
"You have a deep emotional pain that goes back a long time."
"What a surprise." Sarcasm frosted Randalph’s words.
"It’s buried beneath a lot of other issues."
His bushy white eyebrows arched upward. "Do you think that means he’s hiding her underground somewhere?"
"No, I think it has something to do with somewhere cold. Arctic cold."
"To find Lucinda, Nyte must touch your heart, then follow the compass of your soul." Rand repeated the words, excitement edging his features. "Compass. Don’t you see? A compass always points north. He must be keeping her at the north pole."
Nyte smiled. "Or, more likely, magnetic north. It would be easier to draw power from the Oracle to another natural source of energy."
He turned toward the path to Randalph’s house. "Come on. We’d better dress warmly."
* * * *
Remlin returned with a nice, tall diet Coke, ice cubes tinkling against the side of the glass, bubbles dancing across the dark surface. He handed it to her and she wrapped her hands around it. The cold reminded her of the bitter temperatures outside and she shivered. Maybe she should have stuck with her request for coffee. Or hot chocolate.
She sipped her drink, the fizz tickling her nose.
"I think we’re making progress," Remlin said.
Her attention diverted to the crystal ball and she saw Nyte and Rand entering the back door of Rand’s house.
Had Remlin already given them whatever clue he had in mind?
He glanced from the ball to her. "The entertainment will be arriving very soon."
Which meant she had to make her move very soon. Now, if only she could figure out what that move should be.
The scene around Nyte and Rand, now dressed in warm-looking parkas, changed from Rand’s living room to a barren, snowy plain.
* * * *
The bitter cold wind blasted in Nyte’s face as he and Rand trudged across the frozen ground searching for something other than ice and snow. The thick treads on his boots helped him keep his footing and the heavy parka and thick layers of clothing he wore kept him warm, but made walking cumbersome.
Nyte sent out a sweep of energy and immediately felt the turbulence as it flowed around an obstruction. That must be Remlin’s hiding place. Distance, or lack thereof, had made all the difference in finding it. Being thousands of miles away, when they weren’t even certain of the direction, had made it nearly impossible to sense this disturbance.
Elation swept through him like a tropical breeze at the thought he had found Lucinda. Or, at least, where Remlin had taken her. Now, he had to find a way to free her from Remlin’s hold, which would not be an easy matter.
"It’s about thirty miles that way," Nyte said, pointing to the northwest.
"Yes, I feel it." Randalph’s heavily mittened hand pulled the hood of his parka closer to his face. Ice crystals had formed on his bushy eyebrows and the shadow of whiskers on his face.
Together they teleported across the icy landscape to their new destination, appearing in front of what appeared to be a large mound of snow. Nyte sent energy at it, and sure enough, the energy swept around its contours rather than through it. Upon closer inspection, Nyte could see that the sheer edges of ice were not ice at all, but cleverly concealed windows.
"Shouldn’t we try to hide our presence?" Randalph asked.
"I’m sure Remlin has been monitoring our activities all along, so there’s really no point."
Nyte trudged closer to the building, then leaned forward and pressed his face close to the largest window. He knew Lucinda was inside and he hoped to catch sight of her. He needed to reassure himself she was okay. Unfortunately, the glass was glazed and the only thing he saw was his own worried face peering back at him preventing him from seeing the interior.
* * * *
"And here they are."
Remlin stared over her shoulder as he smiled broadly and waved. She twisted around and saw two figures standing outside the window.
"Don’t worry, they can’t see inside."
Nyte stepped close to the window and leaned forward to peer inside. The sight of his face, so close yet outside her reach, sent tremors through her. Love swelled in her heart and she knew she would do anything to protect him from Remlin.
"What do you intend to do now?" she asked.
"Wait until they figure out how to get inside."
"And then?"
"Then I have some very special plans for them."
She shivered and tucked the blanket snugly across her lap. She had no time left. She had to take action. But she had no idea what. She took another sip of her Coke, then placed it on the table.
She pushed herself to her feet with a vague plan of getting out of Remlin’s sight, hoping once she was alone some brilliant id
ea would come to her.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
His gaze shifted to her. "Do you need help?"
Her back went rigid. "I’m sure I can manage on my own."
She took a step forward--and faltered. The room around her seemed unsteady, swaying slightly from side to side, and the floor seemed to bob up and down a little. She felt a firm grip on her arm and realized Remlin had moved to her side to support her. He led her down a short hallway to a door.
"The light switch is on the left. I’ll leave you to it. Shout if you need me."
She nodded and slowly stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. The sun must have set because everything was rapidly turning shadowy. She switched on the light and her eyes widened in awe at the luxurious bathroom surrounding her.
A huge, black marble tub, set in the corner, took up half of both mirrored walls. It was oval and looked as though it would fit at least two people. A pedestal sink, also black marble, made an elegant silhouette against the dove grey, speckle-patterned wallpaper. Jade towels and flowering plants added bright splashes of color around the room.
She walked to the tub, keeping her hand on the wall for support, then sat down on the step.
This is terrible. I can hardly walk, let alone teleport anywhere.
She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating on drawing energy from the cosmos. Tentatively, she tried to push her way past the boundaries of the house, testing if she could teleport beyond the protective shell Remlin had erected. It was possible he had set it up to stop magical energy one way only. By keeping the energy focused outward, he could set up a stronger barrier against Nyte and Rand.
She pushed aside the thought that, if she succeeded, she’d be totally exposed to the elements in a very inhospitable environment. She shivered at the thought of the sub-zero temperatures freezing her into a lump of ice.
Hopefully, she would find Nyte before that happened.
Her first try, like pushing on a marshmallow, didn’t get her very far. She let more energy flood through her and she shoved hard, but still she got nowhere.
She leaned against the wall and opened her eyes, breathing deeply. Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her.
Rats, how would she ever get out of here? She didn’t want to just sit and wait for Nyte and Rand to fall into Remlin’s trap.
She shoved herself to her feet and stepped to the sink. She leaned against it as she splashed cool water on her cheeks. The face staring back at her from the mirror looked pale and drawn. Drops of water trailed down her chin as she reached for a towel from the rack beside the sink. As she patted her face dry, the reflection of the wall behind her gave her an idea.
Escape might be easier than she’d thought.
Chapter 18
Nyte was certain Remlin watched them from inside the house, probably smirking at his superior position in this game he had initiated, and for which he had set all the rules.
Once he got his hands on Remlin, that smirk would shrivel quickly enough.
At least if Lucinda could see him through the glass, the sight of him should reassure her, knowing he’d come to rescue her.
Not rescue, he corrected himself. Help her escape. Lucinda would never accept that she needed rescuing. She was too independent for that. She must feel frustrated at being trapped against her will. Again.
He longed to hold her in his arms, to calm her frazzled energy, to stroke away her stress. As he imagined her soft body pressed close to his in a comforting embrace, images of what that closeness could lead to heated his body despite the frigid temperature around him.
"What now?" Randalph asked, staring at the house. "I can sense a strong barrier spell around the place, so we won’t be able to teleport in."
"We’ll have to pool our energy and try to break through."
Randalph’s expression turned skeptical. "You really think we can fight it, given the resources he’s got?"
"We could just go and knock on the door, if you prefer, but I doubt he would answer." Nyte pointed to large window. "It will probably be easiest to break through the glass. It will be weakest at the center point."
Nyte shifted his feet to face the window squarely, then concentrated on centering himself. "On the count of three, send a bolt of energy right at it. Don’t use any kind of light energy, like lighting, because it will reflect back at us."
Randalph scowled deeply. "I’m quite aware of that fact. I’m no apprentice, you know."
True, but Nyte had to constantly remind himself of that fact, since he had known Randalph for a good many years as an apprentice.
"One."
Nyte stretched his arm toward their target.
"Two."
Randalph grunted, but followed suit.
"Three."
Heat quivered from Nyte’s fingertips, pulsing against the surface of the glass. He could sense similar energy pouring from Randalph. It seemed as though they were seeing the window through ripples in a pond, as their energy combined and battered against the glass.
After several minutes of continuous effort, with no visible effect, Nyte gestured for Randalph to cease. This had been too obvious a target. There had to be somewhere else they could try.
"I’m going to scout around the perimeter of the dwelling to see if I can find any weak spots," Nyte said.
He trudged through the snow in a large circle around the building. Randalph plodded in the other direction until he’d moved to a position out of sight of the window, then he sat on a large, icy rock to await Nyte’s return.
As Nyte moved around the house, he sensed a continuous field of energy. Powerful. Definitely boosted by some means, such as the Oracle. Remlin may have called on superior magical technology to help him, but Nyte was determined to win this game and retrieve Lucinda from his clutches.
The thought of Lucinda, probably frightened and feeling helpless, scraped at his heart. He knew she was a strong woman, but she was in a weakened state and that would make it all the worse for her.
He longed to hold her in his arms, to hear her lovely voice say his name.
Nyte.
He spun around. Had his longing been so strong that he’d imagined he actually heard her calling his name? It had been so faint.
Nyte.
It sounded even fainter this time. Like the whisper of a soft wind. Or a child lost in the night. A lonely, forlorn sound.
He glanced around, but saw nothing except the snowy terrain.
Then one more time, he heard the cry. Fainter still. The only reason he had heard it at all was because he’d been listening so intently.
He continued to stride around the house, determined to find the source. As he curved around the side of the building, he caught a glimpse of red in the snow. Blood thundered through his temples as he rushed toward it and saw a small, prone figure lying on the ground, her blonde hair cascading in waves against the stark white snow, the golden strands glittering with crystals of ice.
"Lucinda."
The red was the turtleneck sweater she wore, not blood as he’d feared. Thankfully, he saw no sign of injury.
This close to her, he could feel the connection between them. It had been overrun by the power of the force field bombarding his senses, and the weakness of Lucinda’s energy.
Behind her he saw a trail carved through the snow. She must have crawled, or dragged herself, along the ground. About ten meters back, it had been a dotted line of footprints. She must have stumbled and, in her weakened state, not been able to rise again.
He knelt down and swept her into his arms. She wore no coat or gloves, or any other kind of protection from the Arctic weather. Only the red sweater and blue jeans she’d been wearing the last time he’d seen her.
Her skin was very pale and her lips were turning blue, but they were trembling and a cloud of breath fluttered from her nostrils.
"Lucinda, are you all right?"
She opened her eyelids part way, the glaze on her pupils worrying h
im.
"Nyte?" The whisper of a word barely formed a cloud of breath.
"I’m here, sweetheart. Everything will be fine now."
Her shivering fingers clutched at his parka, trying to grasp the fabric. "Got to get away. Don’t let him hurt you."
He didn’t know how she’d escaped from Remlin’s hold, but he should know better than to be surprised by anything Lucinda did. Now that he’d found her, the dominant thought in his head was to keep her out of Remlin’s hands. He didn’t know what game Remlin was playing, but Nyte knew once he started to play, he played to win.
As soon as Remlin discovered she was gone, he would drag her away again. Nyte had to get Lucinda somewhere he could protect her. Somewhere Remlin couldn’t steal her away from.
His house by the ocean.
Remlin hadn’t kidnapped her until after Nyte had dropped the barrier he’d used to keep Lucinda there. Remlin would not be able to penetrate that barrier. The energy he drew from the Oracle would help him boost protective spells, but not offensive spells.
As he teleported her to safety, he realized he’d forgotten all about Randalph.
* * * *
The dreadful cold seemed to cling like damp snow to woolen mittens, but Lucinda could feel warmth slowly penetrating the edges of her consciousness.