The Forgotten Spell (Legends of Green Isle Book 1)

by Constance Wallace

  “Morrigana was correct, my friend. Bera has placed a spell over the land. The cold and winter are taking over.” Keltrain scraped at the ground with his boot. “There’s no more life in this land.”

  “Hey. Look. Over there. It’s the marker from the map. The willow tree,” Matt said, pointing to a broken road on the left. A white willow, large and glistening with ice crystals, towered above the other trees. They quickly walked the remaining distance.

  “I’ve never seen a tree like this.” Miranda parted the drooping branches. “It’s so big. I bet Momma would’ve liked to have seen it.” Her hands pushed against the curtain of ice. The movement created a rustling, the sound like small chimes as the ice crystals collided with one another. She passed into the willow’s shelter and disappeared.

  “She doesn’t seem to be alive anymore. Very sad. Very sad indeed,” Chester commented. “I remember coming here with my father and gazing on her majestic structure, sometime before I went into the Queen’s service.”

  Matt touched one of the ice-covered branches. He felt a great sorrow and didn’t know why. The tree stood lonely, a dark carcass against the setting sun. She was a sorrowful reminder that a once beautiful land was now decaying and dying.

  “Is this the path, then?” DaGon questioned the wizard as they joined Miranda under the canopy of branches.

  Before Keltrain could answer, Matt heard a female voice. “The path you take is the path to destruction.” It came from inside the limbs of the tree. Along with the words, he also heard the sound of a tinkling bell.

  “Sonya? Is that you?” Miranda queried softly.

  The cat materialized. She sat upon the lowest branch, with something beneath one of her paws. “I believe this belongs to you,” she stated, as she pushed a mangled object onto the ground. A hollow clang rang out as it hit the ice.

  “Sonya, how could you do such a thing?” Miranda yelled. “We needed Quert for our journey.”

  Keltrain bent beside Miranda. “This definitely puts a damper on things. Without that owl, the spell can’t be read within the tomb, and we’ll have no way in which to retrieve the sword.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  DaGon grabbed the cat from her perch on the willow tree and clasped her tightly between his talons. Matt knew the dragon was angry. He could see the scowl on DaGon’s face and the wild look in his eyes. Sonya gurgled and managed to speak a couple of words before the dragon squeezed harder.

  “What did you say?” Keltrain asked. His tone suggested he wasn’t too happy to see the cat either. “Let her loose so I can hear her,” the wizard commanded.

  “I said it wasn’t me, you idiot. The Fir Darrigs found him. I was watching from the cliffs when you cast the spell and all of you escaped in the mist. They found him after the dust settled.”

  “You’re in league with them,” DaGon said bluntly. “This is all a dramatic act to save your life. I should eat you just to settle it.”

  “They’ve been stalking you since last night, you stupid dragon. I can’t believe you didn’t smell them,” she sneered. “You’re losing your touch.”

  Keltrain held his hand up, motioning for DaGon to hold his anger. “If they know we’re here, then word is already on its way to those on Black Isle.” He began to pace. “Which will be worse? The Slaugh, the rat men, or Babda? I know she was in the ruins, too. I wonder how long it will take them to catch up to us.”

  “Then what should we do?” Matt asked. He frowned at the cat. He knew she must have been close behind them. He remembered seeing the paw prints in the dust at the Keep. He just didn’t understand why she remained invisible. Maybe DaGon was right and she was spying on them. He reached in his tunic to pull out his dagger to join in with the dragon’s assault on the feline, and then remembered he had lost it in the ruins.

  “There’s only an open valley before us and it’s starting to snow. How far will we get if the conditions worsen?” the dragon asked Keltrain. “I should just eat her and be done with it, and we won’t have to worry about her spying.”

  “My dear DaGon, is that really a solution?” Lily asked softly.

  “Staying here may mean our lives,” the wizard replied. “And going forward may mean our lives. Either way, we’re facing a dire circumstance of being discovered.”

  “Maybe you should create a diversion,” Chester said. “Perhaps a magic spell of some sort or another.”

  “What should I do with this thing?” DaGon’s contempt wasn’t masked as he held the cat up by the scruff of the neck, her fur soiled with snow and mud. “Just say the word and I’ll eat her.”

  “I could help you find the sword,” she hissed. “I know the ancient language and can read the spell to obtain it.”

  “Don’t think for one instance I’ve forgotten the betrayal you heaped upon the Fomorians.” Keltrain glared at Sonya. “I don’t trust anything you say.”

  “My master taught me much, including the language,” she whispered. “I know more than you think. Release me and I pledge my allegiance to you...again.” Sonya’s tail swished anxiously as she waited for the wizard’s response.

  Keltrain remained silent. Matt watched him glance at the circle of companions, his eyes finally resting on Lamfada. “Leprechaun, what do you say? Do we push forward or stay here tonight? Should we trust taking this...this feline with us?”

  Lamfada stuck his pipe in his mouth and lit the end. He puffed several times, pulling the air through the stem, until the tobacco flared. Blowing a few rings, he tilted his head as he studied the cat, contemplating the wizard’s words before removing the pipe from between his lips. “If she be tellin’ the truth, then staying here is waitin’ for our deaths to be upon us.” He chewed the end of the pipe in thought. “If word is on the run to the Winter Witch and her master, then we must be runnin’ also.” He drew another breath on his pipe before continuing. “And I don’t be seein’ any other way but to be lettin’ her come, especially bein’ Quert is like a pile of pony dung. Mind ya, she needs to be bagged and kept tight.”

  Matt felt deflated. He hated Sonya and didn’t want her with them. He watched as Miranda gently picked up the mangled owl and cradled it.

  The wizard turned his back to the cat and began unloading some of the supplies off the packhorses. “DaGon, restrain her,” he commanded.

  “Gee whiz, what are you doin’?” Thomas demanded. “We need those things, ya know.”

  Ned bent and picked up the leather-wrapped morsels Keltrain had thrown on the ground. The younger boy held them in his arms. “We don’t really need these, Thomas. Remember the pork chops? And mashed taters? Keltrain can take care of us. He’s got secret pockets full of stuff.”

  “You must understand the gravity of our situation. We need to travel lightly and quickly.”

  “Gee, but do ya have ta throw out all of our supplies? I mean, whatda we gonna eat?”

  “We’re being hunted now, and speed is needed to keep ahead of whatever is tracking us. We’ve got to ride the horses. I’m going to condense some of this into my pockets, and put some in a small pack. We’ll be okay. I promise.”

  Matt drew a deep breath. For some reason, the images of the nightmares plunged his mind into overload. It was coming. Something was coming, and it was coming for him. He could feel it, but he didn’t want to tell the others, especially Miranda. He glanced at her, his heart softening. “Do you want to put Quert alongside the saddle?” he asked.

  “Yes. Thanks,” she replied, and placed the bird in a piece of felt. “I feel sorry for him and all, even if he was only a magic contraption.”

  “I know. I just don’t know whether to believe that cat or not.”

  “Don’t be too hard on her. She isn’t like what you think. I can feel her heart. It’s in the right place, even if she does talk mean sometimes.”

  Matt pulled a wisp of her hair away from her eyes. He brushed his thumb on her cheek. “That’s what I like about you, ya know. You never see anything bad in anyone.”

  Th
e sound of breaking jolted Matt and he turned around to see Keltrain pulling the large packs from Ned’s horse. “Lamfada, you need one of your ponies to travel on, so please start condensing and shift your gear to one of the others,” the wizard commanded. He closed his eyes and whispered a small incantation. Digging into his pockets, he pulled forth six white wool cloaks with hoods. “These will keep us warm as well as hide us within the snow. Should Babda and her raven clan be searching from above, we will be well hidden.”

  Matt was thankful for the cloak. He chuckled, realizing that he could have just asked the wizard for a replacement when the Bodach took his. The man’s pockets seemed to contain an endless supply of things. His friends quickly exchanged their dark cloaks for the white wool just as the snow began to fall harder.

  After he helped Miranda up onto his horse, he climbed up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back into him, and it made him feel strong. Whatever was coming for him, he would never allow it to get her. He would make sure of that.

  Keltrain quickly transported to the dragon’s back. “Lily, no orb tonight. Ride in the folds of my coat.”

  Matt could see something was troubling Keltrain. His eyes, sad and watery, gazed at the elderly horse with remorse. “My old friend, I’ve a grave task for you,” the wizard said.

  “Whatever you need,” Chester replied bravely.

  “It may mean you’re doomed.”

  “Then it’s my time,” he answered without hesitation.

  “I’m going to cast a spell that will hide our footsteps. But the spell needs someone to take our doppelgangers with them. It will provide confusion, so you will have to travel the opposite way of our journey.”

  Matt watched as the wizard murmured several sentences. In an instance, their mirror images stood next to Chester. With each move he made, they moved with him.

  “You’ll have to guide them down another road. We need time. Hopefully this trick will give us the extra edge.”

  Lily darted to the horse and whispered something in his ear.

  “Yes, Lily I will,” Chester murmured quietly as the fairy kissed his nose and caressed him with her tiny hand, a single tear falling down her cheek.

  DaGon bent low to the horse. “We’ll meet on the other side of Gwyllion Mountains. I, for one, don’t believe it’s your time. Don’t let those mangy Fir Darrigs take you. You’re faster than those rats.”

  Chester threw back his head and rose up. He pawed the air, and so did the doppelganger horses. His neigh, loud and mournful, carried in the chilly air as he settled back to the ground, snorting. He stood for a Moment and gazed wistfully at DaGon and Lily before turning and galloping away. They watched his form, and their mirror images, fade away into the distance.

  “We must make the tombs in Gwyllion Mountains before the sun rises,” Keltrain said. “And hopefully go unnoticed during the night.”

  Matt was glad to see that the dragon had placed Sonya in a sack around his neck. He didn’t trust her at all and would have been even happier if they just left her behind. When she began to howl loudly, screaming of her discomfort, the dragon quickly flicked the bag with his talons, quieting her pleas before breaking into a run. The others followed him. Soon, they were headed into the dead forest. But before the darkness covered them, Matt thought he caught a glimpse of a small black shape emerging from within the shadows of the willow’s limbs. He couldn’t be sure, though, and before he could confirm what he saw and tell the others, the snow quickly became a storm and covered them in a blinding veil of white.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It was morning before the snow dissipated. Matt was glad to see the light creeping above the horizon. When the darkened sky finally melted into a rosy pink, he felt relief and relaxed his grip on the reins. He was even happier when he saw the sun’s rays touch the fringes of the rocky peaks of Gwyllion Mountains. The eerie silence that fell on the landscape, though, disturbed him.

  Keltrain had urged the group through the blinding blizzard, driving them as fast as he could in the howling wind. They hadn’t rested much, afraid of even stopping for a short time to eat a few morsels in the safety of a small cave. Matt had continued to look for the dark winged being. He knew he saw a dark shadow at the tree, and could feel in his mind the presence of...something.

  When they reached a grove of hardwoods at the base of mountains, DaGon slowed his pace. “I don’t know how deep the drifts are and we can’t chance the horses breaking a leg or toppling their riders,” he said quietly to the wizard. “We must stop and discuss how we should precede in this mess. And it might give me an opportunity to plead my case...again...in favor of eating the cat.” He blew a stream of fire, melting a patch of snow in front of him.

  “Unfortunately, we need Sonya. The tombs aren’t much further. Let’s keep going, my friend. I can see the entrance on the mountain face from here.” Keltrain pointed up to an ancient structure on the rock.

  Four pillars were chiseled into the cliff face, similar to those at the Keep. They guarded massive granite doors, their whiteness and decay a distinct contrast to the black surface of the rock. Large stone stairs, weathered and eroded from the elements, led to the doors from a ceremonial platform that encircled the tomb entrance. He was glad they had finally reached the second leg of their journey. The sight of the tombs was comforting in a strange way. During the night’s journey, he continually thought of his mother and father, wondering how his absence affected them. Had they given up searching for their sons?

  Aching from the cold, he adjusted himself on the saddle and peered up at the silent pillars. He straightened his back, trying to ease his throbbing muscles, and urged his steed closer to DaGon and the wizard. “Do ya think those rat things took the bait and followed Chester?”

  “I’ve thought about him all night,” Miranda said quietly. “I wish he didn’t have to do that.” She tried to stretch, too, but it was difficult with both of them on the saddle.

  “We can only hope that my trick worked,” Keltrain replied. “If not, then we may have a nasty surprise waiting on us when we get up there.”

  “Gee whiz, I hope he made it. I really liked Chester. I don’t want anythin’ to happen to him.”

  “So did Toby,” Matt murmured under his breath.

  “Aye, it would be a shame, a fine friend like that, bein...” Lamfada shook his head unable to continue. He cleared his throat.

  “The road seems to be clear enough. We shouldn’t have too much trouble making it.” Keltrain gestured to a path cut through the trees up to the platform.

  “It be a steep climb up the ice. The lads don’t have much horse sense, in me opinion.”

  “I can clear the way. My fire will melt the snow,” DaGon offered.

  “When we get up there, let me look at the door first. There’s a trap at the entrance. If you spring it by mistake, you’ll end up somewhere in the bottom of the mountain,” the wizard warned. On his signal, the dragon cleared the path for the others. Within minutes, they all stood on the outstretched platform in front of the pillars. A broken flat rock lay before the granite door, partially barring their way.

  “What’s that?” Ned inquired as he jumped down from his horse. His feet landed on the frozen snow with a crunchy thud. “Why would some big ole flat rock be out here?”

  “It was used to hold the coffins before burial. We’ll need to move it out of the way in order to get to the doors,” Keltrain replied. He threw his leg from around DaGon's neck and pushed himself off. “Tie the horses here.” He pointed to a large root sticking out of the ground. “Thank you for the ride. I appreciated your back, my friend, especially in the storm.”

  DaGon nodded. “You’re welcome.”

  Matt could hear Sonya growl deeply as the dragon removed the bag from around his neck. He dropped her on the ground without too much care, and for some reason it made him smile. He wished he could just kick the bag over the side of the mountain, and be done with her. However, for Miranda’s sake, he held ba
ck his desire.

  “Watch it,” the cat howled. “You clumsy oaf. You’re going to kill me with all this banging and throwing.”

  Dismounting from his horse, Matt helped Miranda down. He stood for a Moment studying the tomb entrance and watched as Keltrain took a pouch from his upper pocket. The wizard took a pinch of green dust from inside and flung it at the broken ceremonial stone. Chanting briefly, he aimed his palm towards the rock. A cracking sound echoed in the valley below as the stone vibrated and then levitated from the frozen terrain. Keltrain moved his hand and the stone moved, too. Thrusting his palm forward, he pushed the large pieces over the side, where they crashed downward through the trees.

  “If we needed to be quiet to avoid detection, we’ve missed our objective,” DaGon commented. He arched his brow.

  “Sorry, my friend. I didn’t sense any presence here. We should be fine,” the wizard replied.

  “Hey. How are we supposed to get in here? There’s no handle or anything on these things,” Matt asked as he studied the granite doors.

  Keltrain leaped up the steps and quickly tore at the dead vines that had twisted in a protective wall over the stone. “There’s a secret opening here; I’ve just got to remember where it is.” The wizard continued to clear away debris from the inscriptions and then bent over the Fomorian carvings. “It’s been a long time since I created the locking mechanism. I was waiting for the casket of King Balorn to be brought here, when Prince Finley called me away. He asked that I help gather the remains of what was left of their library. It was unfortunate that I never saw the tombs completed. Perhaps Finley didn’t want anyone to know where he was going to hide the sword.”

  “It be a sad and terrible day when King Balorn was brought here for his final restin.’”

  “Maybe it was best that I wasn’t here. King Balorn and I were close friends. His death affected me deeply.”

  Matt hovered behind the wizard. “Do you remember how to disarm it?” He regarded the aged door with doubt. He certainly didn’t want to fall into the bottom of the mountain.