by Cate, Marnie
“What do you think the ring is for?” I questioned, taking it to examine it closer. “Do you remember what she said when she gave it to you?”
Frowning his brow, he said, “Mara, that was almost twenty years ago.”
“Elliott,” Essie said, running her fingertip along his cheek and up along his forehead. “The ring must be significant since you have always carried it with you.”
With a look of surprise, he said, “I got it. She would say eight legs of blood, darkness and death. Fear no more. The serpent protects.”
Rubbing his forehead, he said, “How did I remember that?”
You did that. You brought back his memory.
Essie nodded but said nothing on the issue. This was one of those conversations for later I guess.
“Let's eat,” she said, handing me something rectangle shaped wrapped in a pink metallic wrapper.
I inspected the strange package. Unwrapping it, I found a strange mash of items in a bar shape. It had nuts, seeds and what looked like red raisins.
“What is it,” I said, sniffing it. “It smells sweet.”
“My mother called them blessing bars but my father used to call them birdseed biscuits,” she joked. “Try it.”
Taking a smile bite, I said, “It is really good.” Giving Kai one of the bars, he thanked her.
Offering the food to the men, she said, “You must be hungry.”
Dunn held out his bound hands to accept when Cerin slapped it onto the ground. “Do not take what she offers. Don't you know what she is?”
After we finished eating, Essie went to the dune buggy I had driven and brought me the bag that she had packed for me.
“Put the clothes on that I have packed for you,” Essie said.
Inside the leather bag were long black pants, black socks with flat soles and a long sleeve shirt to match. As I ran my hands over the silky fabric, it warmed to my touch. I put the cap back in the bag and began to dress.
When we were all ready, my father directed the men to take us to Cole. “With the protection of the Goddesses, we will find Cole,” he said.
“No,” I said to my father. “Not all of us are going. Kai and I will go alone. You need to go back to Meg and Miles. They need you.”
“I am not letting you –”
“Trust me, please. You need to keep them safe.”
Relenting, he kissed me on the cheek. “I can't protect you from all the darkness in the world, Caterpillar. Bring Cole home.
Watching my father and Essie leave, I wondered if this was the last time I would see either of them.
Chapter 30
The crimson forest floor was covered with a spongy moss, coated in the sticky ooze. We trudged through the forest, trusting that we were being led to Cole. The men stopped in front of an enormous tree that had a trunk at least twenty feet wide and over a hundred feet tall. The top of the tree was thin and had twisted downward. Its long branches weaved together, creating the illusion of a spider's web.
Sticking his bound hand through the tree, Cerin said, “We need to go through here.”
Recalling the vision I had of Eliza being dragged through the tree, I froze. Images of seeing Cedric trapped on the spider web as he was tortured made my blood run cold. I was not going in there again. Backing away, I bumped into Kai.
“What's wrong, Mara?” Kai said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “What did you see?”
“It looks like the tree that Blanche took Eliza too. The tree where Snowystra cut Cedric's face,” I said, my voice shaking. “It is horrible in there. There are spider webs covering the room and the remains of their feeding.”
Glaring at Cerin, my hands began to glow with fire. “Do you plan to feed us to your spiders in there?” I spat the words at him. “Or do you plan on throwing us on one of the webs until Snowystra can come to torture us?”
For the first time since we met him, Cerin looked meek. “N-n-no,” he stammered. “That was not my intention. I have no plans to face our mother. Once you find him, I plan on disappearing. You are bringing us to our death.”
“Dunn,” I said, as I lowered the flames in my hands to small sparks. “Is he telling the truth?”
With sadness in his eyes, he nodded. “He isn't lying. This is the only way to get to your…the boy.”
“His name is Cole,” I said, eyeing him. “If you are lying and this is a trick, my response will not be kind.”
“No trick,” he said, shaking his head. “I promise you. You are correct. This is like the tree that your mother was taken through but it is not it. This is just one of many portals that Snowystra has created. We will go through the dorcha spiders' room but I assure you that they will be sleeping deep underground. We will tread lightly through their area to ensure we do not wake them. Trust me.”
“Trust is earned not given,” Kai said. “Enough talking, take us to Cole.”
“The sooner we go through, the sooner we can prove that we are not lying,” Cerin said. “And, the sooner we can get away from here. Unbind us and we will be able to move faster.”
“Not you,” my father said, as he began to remove the ties from Dunn and Tynan. “You will stay like this until we are with Cole.”
“Fine,” Cerin snarled. “Dunn will lead the way. I will follow.”
I dug through my bag and pulled out the knit cap. The hat was not really a knit fabric. It was made of the same silky material as the clothes. Checking my hat, I tucked away some of the stray hairs I had missed.
“When you are ready,” Cerin said, looking around. “We will be noticed if we don't hurry.”
Again, I found myself walking through a warm, sticky liquid. This time there was a pungent scent that made me gag.
“What is that smell?” I said, covering my nose with my free hand before realizing I was covered in slime.
“It is the remains of the dorcha's feeding time,” Dunn said, as we arrived in the room. He pointed his finger to his lips.
As my eyes adjusted to the dark room, I searched the cave for the exit. The room was wall to wall with thick spider webs, covered in small wrapped things I assumed were victims. The floor was scattered with bones and the remains of animals. I saw human shapes surrounded by the silky thread.
A rustling sound came from the corner of the room. I held back a scream. We were not alone. Silver eyes glowed as a metallic green eight spider moved toward me slowly. At the end of its eight legs were silver spikes. Dorcha.
I was paralyzed by fear. My inaction was a mistake. Before I could understand what was happening, the dorcha leapt at me, knocking me down. I forced a stream of air, pushing it back but it was not swayed. It charged at me again.
Kai threw himself onto the beast. With a strength that surprised me, he ripped the leg off the spider and stabbed it into its own back. As he drove the improvised stake deeper, the dorcha shrieked and threw Kai across the room. Landing on a web, Kai was bound. Our guides watched us but offered no assistance.
“You lied!” I screamed at them.
“Quickly, finish it off,” Dunn cried out. “Others will come.”
Summoning a fire sword, I charged the spider, driving the blade into its side. Red blood gushed from the wound. I stabbed it again. An image of Snowystra came to mind and a fury built inside me. I continued my assault in a blind rage. The blade became stuck, so I punched and kicked at the spider.
“Mara, stop,” Kai said, pulling me off the lifeless corpse. “It's dead.”
Ripping the sword out of the spider, I pointed it at the three men. “Enough games. Take me to Cole.”
Dunn led us through the room until we reached a small boulder. Pushing the boulder away, he whispered, “Through here.”
The rock had been covering a dark tunnel too small to walk upright in. Dropping the sword, it sizzled on the ground and disappeared. We crawled through the tight space until it became necessary to slither along the ground. The clothing I was wearing seemed to be making it easier to slide. After a few minutes, the spa
ce widened and the ceiling above grew larger until we were able to crawl again and then walk towards the bright light at the end of the tunnel.
When we reached the exit, the light was so blindingly bright that it was difficult to keep my eyes open. Squinting to see where I had been led, my eyes adjusted and I could see a snowy tundra. Powder white snow stretched for miles and miles with no end in sight.
As the men following exited the tunnel, I threw a strong wind at them, knocking them to the ground.
“We didn't know the dorcha would be awake,” Cerin said, standing up to face me.
Throwing several fireballs at him, he screamed as he beat the fire out.
“Enough,” he cried. “We will take you to the boy.”
“Any more tricks and I will feed you to the spiders myself,” I snarled. Composing myself, I whispered to Kai. “Where are we?”
“Snowstrum,” Kai said. He was covered in the red blood. Holding my hand out, I realized I was also covered.
Kneeling down, I began to rub my hand in the snow, turning it pink as I rubbed off all of the goo. Picking up the snow in my hand, I called Fire and let it melt. I wiped as much of the sticky blood off as possible before removing the hat and burying it under the snow. Inspecting my clothing, I realized that the only part of me that had been covered with gunk was my skin. The fabric of my outfit must have repelled it.
“It is not much further now,” Dunn said.
“You missed a spot,” Kai said, as he wiped my cheek. “There you go. No more signs of the dorcha's on you.”
Shivering at that thought, I said, “Let's go.”
Crunching through the snow, my mind began to wander. Was Cole safe? Will he still love me or did he now love her? Will I be able to remove whatever spell she put on him?
I was surprised at how cold my face felt. My body was warm but my exposed parts felt like ice. Holding my cupped hands over my face, I exhaled. Sending the warm air from my body into my hands, I tried to warm my face.
“It is so cold out here,” I said to Dunn. “How do you tolerate it?”
Shrugging, he said, “Cold doesn't bother me. I find it rather pleasant.”
A warmth came from behind me and I knew Kai was close. “I forgot that your human body is not meant for such extreme temperatures,” he whispered in my ear. His hot breath danced around me, taking the chill off my skin.
“Thank you,” I said with a smirk.
As we continued our walk, Kai intermittently sent heat to me. The warm air was so strong at times that the snow melted, leaving puddles. Dunn and the other men seemed uncomfortable with this.
“Is it the heat that is bothering you?” I asked.
“No, it is his magic,” he said. “The magic of our mothers do not mix well. I am sure if I used my mag—” Abruptly, he held his hand out. “Go behind me. Play along.”
“What?” I saw a dark haired woman come out of a concealed cave. It was too late. She saw me.
“Dunn,” the woman said, as she looked me up and down. Her facial features were similar to Dunn's. I knew she had to be another one of Snowystra's children. Like the others, she had an animalistic appearance—sharp teeth, claw like nails and her chin length hair was messy and tangled. “Where have you been?” she demanded.
Cerin stepped forward. His hands were no longer bound and he was now pulling Kai. I started to question him when a dark look from Kai warned me to stay silent.
“Look who we found—Marina Stone and her Fire Elemental snooping around outside the dorcha cave,” Cerin sneered. “They are looking for mother's new pet.”
Cackling, she began to circle me. “You captured her?” she interrogated. “Didn't she kill her own mother? Are you stupid? Why is she not bound?”
Unable to control my anger, I felt the flames begin to grow on my hand and the air began blowing around me. “No one captured me. I have brought these fools to exchange for Cole,” I snapped. “I have no time for games. Bring me to him.”
Her black eyes bore into mine. “You want me to believe that Marina Stone, daughter of Eliza Drygen, is exchanging Danu's children for one man?” she scoffed.
I held my glowing hand to her face. As she shrunk away from the heat of my magic, I blew out the fire. I grabbed a fistful of her hair and leaned in close. I felt pain from the jolts of her magic pricking my skin. “Not just a child of Danu. I have brought her most devout fire elemental. I will do whatever it takes to take back what is mine.”
“Do you want to be my first victim today?” I said. “Snowystra may not like it if I start picking off her children one by one.”
Laughing, she said, “So much anger inside you. You are Eliza's child.”
Throwing her to the ground and imitating the darkness I had seen in my mother, I glared and turned to Cerin. “Take me to Cole before I do something I might regret later.”
His dark laughter startled me, “Let's find what you are looking for. Malise, join us.”
Standing up and wiping herself off, she stared at me suspiciously and then took Cerin's hand. Taking a deep breath, I let him lead me into the cave.
The temperature in the tunnel we entered was even colder than it was outside. Long icicles hung from the high ceilings. Walking slowly, Cerin guided us past several openings where I could see people sleeping on the hard floor. Everyone we saw had tattered clothes and sad faces.
Suddenly, I heard hushed voices from behind me. Stopping and turning to where the noise was coming from, I could see Tynan whispering in Malise's ear. Before I could say anything, Cerin jumped and grabbed Malise's arm.
“What trouble are you stirring up now?” he hissed.
“You should be answering that question,” she snarled back at him. “Tynan told me how you submitted to her…how you didn't even fight.”
Clamping his hand over her mouth, Cerin dragged her into one of the rooms. She clawed and fought against his hold. This room had bookshelves covered in bottles. Taking one of the glass containers filled with a black liquid off a shelf, he ripped the top off with his teeth. He poured the potion into her mouth. She sputtered and tried to spit it out. Her attempts were futile. Her eyes struggled to stay open and she collapsed to the ground.
Offering another bottle to Tynan, he said, “Drink it and live. You can blame everything on me when we escape.”
With a look of sorrow, he sat down next to Malise and drank. Moments later, he was slumped over too.
“Dunn, do you want to join them?” Cerin glared.
“No, she will be the one to bring change,” he said. His small pointy teeth glistened “I will take her to the boy if you are afraid.”
Cerin punched him in the face. “Learn your place.”
Dunn backed away. “Fighting each other never has worked Cerin.”
“Are they dead?” I asked, staring at Malise and Tynan. “What did he give them?”
“No, they are sleeping,” Kai said. “It is tumma uni. It helps them sleep and restore their magic.”
“It's a sleeping aid?” I said. “Why would you need that?”
Looking away, Dunn said, “Sometimes the death and sorrow that surrounds us is too much. When we sleep, we dream of more pleasant things. The Vetur go mad at very young ages unless they can carve out small bits of peace. Unlike the Ceithre, we are of death and darkness.”
“Ceithre?” I said.
Pointing at Kai, he said, “Danu's children. They are the lucky ones. I have seen their world. Very different than here for sure.”
Shaking off the sadness that was creeping into his eyes, he touched my hand and said, “Malise and Tynan will be fine. Don't worry. Now, let's find your Cole.”
Continuing down the hallway, I stared at the sleeping Vetur. I no longer feared them. My thoughts were more of sympathy. I had seen the world Kai lived in. It was a world of magic, elemental enchantments and light. They were happy and content. This world was the complete opposite.
I pushed my thoughts away when Dunn stopped outside the entrance of a large room
. Peeking from behind the solid ice door, I could see Cole sitting on a dark throne on a stone platform in the back of the room. It was the same room I had seen in the vision. Cole's dark hair was cut short and spiked with white tips. He was dressed in a tight black t-shirt and black pants. His dark appearance barely resembled the sweet boy from my childhood.
Chapter 31
As I watched Cole drinking and laughing with the dozens of men and women in the room, I was angered. While I was fighting to find him, he was having a party. The women around him wore skimpy black dresses. The low cut top area and short skirts were connected on the side with solid cloth but the back and front showed their snow-white skin. Several of the scantily clad women were pushing and pulling each other, trying to get closer to Cole. The one that had made it to the spot closet to him fed him and kissed him. Cole gave no objections to any of the attention he was receiving. A slow boiling rage began to grow inside me.
Dunn stopped me. “Wait,” he said.
Staying behind the door, I noticed a nervous looking woman approaching Cole. Wearing the same sparse clothing, she walked carefully towards him and stopped, waiting patiently for him. When he finally decided to acknowledge her, he motioned for the woman to come forward. Climbing the set of stone stairs and bowing before him, she handed Cole a clear goblet filled with bright red liquid.
Drinking it down in one gulp, he frowned and said, “This is not what I asked for.”
I gasped in shock as Cole threw down the glass, shattering it. He slapped the woman across the face with the back of his hand, sending her off the platform and onto the floor. This could not be Cole Sands, the man I loved. Cole was kind and considerate. He would never treat anyone with such hate and he would never strike a woman.
“Do as I ask or I will tell her that I am unhappy and that you are the cause. Clean up this mess,” he said. As she began to pick up the pieces of glass, he glared. “She will return soon. Go again and get me what I asked for.”