The Deception

by Suzanne de Montigny

  The unicorns exchanged looks of uncertainty.

  “Alright,” said Ulysees, motioning the others.

  They fell in line behind Danae, retracing their steps until they reached the steep and narrow path. Ulysees’ heart thudded at its sheerness, barely wide enough to place two hooves side by side.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” he said.

  “It’s tough going,” said Danae, “but I’ve done it and I’m nowhere near as young as you.”

  Ulysees studied the steep decline. “But what about Xavier? His hooves are gigantic.”

  Xavier let out a huff. “Do I really have any choice?” he asked. “There’s no way I’m going back there.”

  They picked their way down the slope, taking the tiniest of steps. Their knees ached and their muscles rippled in spasms. Xavier breathed heavily, struggling to maintain his balance, his large hooves digging into the edge of the mountain. When they finally reached flat land, their legs shook from exhaustion. Ulysees looked back to see if the humans had followed. Tiny figures stood high on the mountain, stranded, glowing as the sun displayed a final fury of colours before setting for the night.

  “We’ve lost them,” said Ulysees.

  “But not for long,” said Danae. “The humans will turn back to catch the trail at the pinnacle, and their path will eventually lead to yours.”

  “Then what should we do?” asked Ulysees.

  Danae pointed his horn toward the horizon. “Keep going in that direction.”

  “Alright.” Ulysees said. He stopped and faced the old stallion. “I guess it’s time to say good-bye, then.” His eyes moistened. “It’s been really good seeing you.”

  “And you, too,” replied Danae.

  “You know, you should have been the Great Stallion,” said Alannah, her voice wobbling with emotion.

  “I agree.” Téo nodded. “You’re good through and through. Someday if and when Lilia and I have foals, I want them to be just like you.”

  “Me, too,” said Ulysees.

  After their farewells, they traveled all night, stopping only for the occasional rest and feed. When they found the fork in the trail, they scouted it out for signs of humans. Seeing none, they broke into the shadow-walk while Xavier trod on soft ground. They followed the tail of the star cloud every night until one day, when Alannah let out a high whinny.

  “I know this place,” she cried. “This is the same trail we followed when you took us to meet Darius!”

  Ulysees glanced about, then whinnied. “She’s right!”

  The unicorns burst into dance, prancing and shuffling while Xavier threw up his back hooves.

  “We’re nearly home!” sang Alannah.

  Ulysees’ heart soared at the thought of seeing Darius again, of introducing him to Xavier, and sharing the news that Alannah was his mate.

  “Race you,” he challenged Xavier.

  “Alright,” said the horse. “Only I’ve got to warn you, I’ve picked up muscle and I’m a lot faster now.”

  They burst into a gallop. At first Ulysees was in the lead, enjoying the sprint, but after a while, he feigned fatigue and fell back far enough for Xavier to pass him. There was no harm in letting him win. After all, he couldn’t ride the wind.

  Xavier let out a big horsey laugh when he passed Ulysees. “Ha, not so fast now, eh?”

  “I guess not,” Ulysees called, faking heavy breathing.

  The horse galloped away, guffawing as he went. When Ulysees pretended to give up completely, Xavier slowed to a walk, throwing a grin back at him. He had only taken a few more steps when, without warning, his legs scrambled about as the ground beneath him crumpled, and he disappeared.

  Chapter 33

  The Tiny Human

  “Xavier!” shouted Ulysees.

  Dashing to where the horse had vanished, Ulysees peered down below to where he thrashed about. “The lines of this hole are too straight for this to be natural.” he said. “It’s got to be humans. Fly!”

  “No!” shouted Téo. “We can’t leave. He saved us, remember? We owe him.”

  Ulysees halted his hooves in mid-air. “But –”

  “I agree,” said Alannah, moving closer to examine the hole. “We can’t just leave him here to die.”

  Xavier struggled, pawing at the walls of the pit with his hooves.

  “Try the other side,” Alannah called to him.

  The horse twisted around, clawing at the dirt that collapsed onto him. He leapt up only to fall backward. “I can’t. It’s too steep,” he said, gasping for air.

  “There must be something we can do to help,” Alannah cried, trotting around the pit.

  “No, there isn’t,” the horse replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion. “The humans are too smart.”

  “Keep trying!” she shouted.

  Xavier pawed with renewed strength, panting hard, and leaping with what little vigour he had left, but after a time, slumped down, defeated. “It’s okay, Alannah. I’m a horse. I’m used to being owned. All I ask is that my master not be Drachen.” His face twisted at the name.

  “But …” said Alannah.

  A strange noise sounded in the distance. Ulysees pricked his ears forward. Was that a human voice?

  “Quick, camouflage!” he whispered, melting into the form of a log.

  The others blended into the landscape, but no sooner had they hidden themselves when a tiny human female stepped into the clearing. Her shoulder-length hair was silver, and she wore a rough-woven garment tied at the waist. She walked right past them, singing, as though they weren’t there, and peered into the pit.

  Ulysees’ muscles tensed.

  “Poor thing,” she said, staring down at Xavier through the soft sunlight. “You’re parched.” She pulled out a flask, took off the top, and tipped it right into the horse’s mouth.

  Xavier took large, appreciative gulps.

  When the flask was emptied, she pulled up long blades of grass and threw them down into the hole.

  Contented crunching sounds rose from the pit.

  Ulysees watched the tiny human, mesmerized. She was so different from Drachen and the others. There was something unusual about her – her voice, and … her eyes. Such eyes he had never seen before.

  Is this what you’re talking about, Darius? Is this what you mean?”

  “Who is she?” whispered Téo.

  “I don’t know,” said Ulysees.

  “She’ll never be able to get him out,” said Alannah. “She’s too small.”

  A short time later, male voices called from the woods. Ulysees’ hair rose, but he maintained his camouflage.

  “Over here,” called the female.

  Three burly humans strode out of the trees, the carcass of a large buck strapped to a pole they carried between them. They set it down and joined her.

  “A fine specimen of a horse, Mother,” said one of the males, coming up alongside of her.

  She nodded. “Yes, and he’s strong, yet gentle. I’ve already fed him. Shall we dig him out?”

  The males laid down their packs and removed long objects they used to dig a second sloping hole that connected with the pit. When they were done, the female tied a rope to Xavier’s neck and led him out.

  Ulysees’ heart pounded. Run, Xavier, run! It’s your chance! Quick! To his amazement, Xavier allowed himself to be led away with no resistance. Ulysees gulped. “Can you believe it?” he whispered.

  “Maybe those are the humans he was looking for,” whispered Alannah.

  “Then I guess it’s a stroke of luck,” Téo whispered back.

  The three watched, incredulous while Xavier followed the humans as though they’d owned him forever.

  Then from far away, they heard angry shouts. Ulysees’ heart pounded. He knew that voice anywhere.

  It was Drachen’s.

  Chapter 34

  Xavier’s Worth

  The three brothers broke through the brush that separated them from Ali and her sons, dragging their hors
es behind them. Twigs stuck out in all directions from their hair. Burs clung to their unruly beards. Their muddy, sweaty clothes hung on them, attracting flies.

  Breaking into a run, Drachen waved his arms, shouting, “That’s my horse!”

  Ali’s sons exchanged curious glances.

  “I know them,” said Shem, the eldest of the three. “They’re from the town.” He walked forward to meet them. “You’re a long way from home, my friends.” He frowned. “You’re … Drachen, aren’t you?”

  Drachen caught his breath at the recognition.

  “I remember you as a boy.”

  Drachen’s muscles tensed, ready to deny any accusations.

  “I hear you paid a visit to my mother.” Shem’s eyes were filled with mischief. “You told her you saw … a unicorn?”

  “Er, ah …” Drachen stumbled over his words. His eyes shifted for a moment, searching for Xavier’s travel companions. They had to be close by. He’d seen the droppings. Had Ali’s sons noticed them too? “I thought I did, but … it turned out to be a white stallion. That’s all. Belonged to … ah … some fella in town.”

  “Really, now?” Shem held his chin up with his right hand, resting his finger on his lip. “And who might that be?”

  “Er … Joseph.” Drachen nodded, a polite smile on his lips. “That’s right … Joseph.”

  Shem narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “But didn’t he die last year?”

  “Ah, ah …” stuttered Drachen. “It belongs to his wife now.”

  Shem exchanged knowing smiles with his brothers. “Alright, then. So why have you been following my mother around?”

  Drachen’s breath quickened.

  “We know you were because we found the remains of your camp in the woods. And Grandfather saw you peering through the trees at our settlement. Not to mention the ruckus that night.”

  “I … I … didn’t mean –”

  “You had your eye on our livestock, no doubt?” said Ali’s second son, Ham, moving closer.

  “Or possibly after the horn of the Great Stallion?” added Japheth, the youngest of the brothers. “You know you’ll never find it, don’t you?”

  “No,” said Ike before Drachen could speak further. “We were lookin’ at the ra –”

  Ike grunted as Drachen shoved his elbow into his rib cage.

  “Rabbits? So it was the rabbits you were after?” asked Ham.

  Drachen’s eyes shifted as he fabricated his story. “Um, yeah. Ya see, we thought we’d … buy some from ya.”

  “Yeah,” mumbled Ike, his hands held tightly behind his back, a fake smile spread across his lips.

  “We were hungry and hadn’t shot anythin’ in a while,” said Kayden.

  “Then why hide?” asked Ham. “We would have been glad to oblige. You know how quickly rabbits breed. There are always a few to spare.”

  “Uh … uh.” Drachen searched his mind. “I remembered we still had some jerky left over, and we wouldn’t be needin’ ’em after all.”

  “Ohhhh,” said Shem, his chin rising and falling as he stretched out the word.

  The three sons shared amused smiles.

  Then Shem walked to Xavier and took the halter from Ali. “So you say this horse is yours?”

  “Yes. My mare’s its dam.” Drachen thrust his arm out to grab Xavier’s rope.

  Xavier bolted backward at his approach, an angry neigh ripping from his throat. He reared, pawing his hooves in the air, the whites of his eyes showing, and his ears flattened against his head.

  Drachen threw his arms up, shielding his face, and backed away, the sharp hooves narrowly missing him.

  “Hoo there, boy. It’s okay.” Shem said in a soothing voice.

  The horse let out a rumble. His skin rippled, and then he grew calm again.

  “Hmm,” said Shem. “Seems he doesn’t like you. Were you mistreating him? Is that why he ran away?” He turned to Xavier and smoothed his hand over the horse’s uneven coat. “Look at the length of these scars. Did you whip him?”

  Drachen stiffened. Who was this man to judge him? He didn’t know this colt. “Ah … ah … he’s a real difficult animal. There was nuthin’ else I could do.”

  Shem eyed the now docile colt and raised his brows. His eyes wandered to where the other horses stood. “It seems your horses are packed too heavily. Perhaps the colt was revolting to the heavy burden you placed on him?”

  Drachen’s face grew warm with humiliation. Heat spread throughout his entire body.

  “Who cares? They’re just dumb animals, an’ they belong to me. I can do what I want with ’em,” he snarled.

  Tension mounted in the silence that followed until a small but powerful voice spoke. “Why don’t we buy him from you?” asked Ali, her eyes burrowing into him.

  A shiver passed through Drachen. Why did she have this effect on him? “H-he’s not fer sale.”

  Ali pressed her lips together in thought, her eyes burning with passion. “And if I gave you ten pieces of gold?”

  Drachen’s mouth dropped. No one paid ten pieces of gold for a horse. It was unheard of. He turned to his brothers. They nodded exuberantly.

  “Alright,” he said, trying to hide a smile. “Ten pieces of gold it is.”

  Ali held him in her gaze, her eyes judging, and then she opened her pouch and pulled out the shiny pieces.

  Drachen’s eyes bulged. Whoever thought this stupid, untrainable colt could bring so much wealth? He snatched the pieces from the tiny woman’s hand and shoved them in his own pouch before she could change her mind.

  “And if it’s food you need, we can share some of ours,” Ali said, motioning to Japheth.

  Japheth took fast steps to where they had dropped their buck. He pulled out his knife, sawed off an entire leg, and handed it to Drachen.

  Drachen’s mouth watered at the man’s generosity.

  “Now be on your way,” said Ali, her powerful voice commanding. “You’ve got what you want. You’ve no need to follow us anymore.”

  Leading his brothers away, Drachen turned one last time to see Ali and her sons disappear into the landscape.

  As they picked up the trail, he heard Shem say, “Mother, did you have to give him so much gold?”

  “Son,” she said, “All the gold in the world won’t help him when the time comes. He’s made his choice.”

  Chapter 35

  The Prophesy

  Ulysees couldn’t believe his eyes. Releasing his camouflage, he scrambled up. “Let’s put as much space between us and these humans as possible. Fly!”

  The unicorns leapt and caught the wind, their manes whipping like branches in a gale. Ulysees led the way, single-minded, determined. His desperate need for their safety spurred him on. From time to time, he cast a quick glance back to the weary eyes and the foamed coats of the others. He knew they were tired, but they couldn’t stop.

  When he felt they were a safe distance away, he slowed his pace to a standstill and addressed them. “Now that Xavier’s been captured, we must ensure that Drachen never finds us again – ever! From here on, we shadow-walk. Understood? There must be no tracks for them to follow. We took too many chances bringing Xavier. He led the humans right to us.”

  “But he’s our friend,” said Alannah.

  “I know he’s our friend, and we’re indebted to him, but you saw him walk away with those humans. He wasn’t even scared. We’re unicorns, and we have a legacy to follow.”

  “But –”

  “No buts. Let’s go!” ordered Ulysees.

  They traveled in silence until the sun sat at its highest point in the sky, and the familiar shores of the turquoise lake lay before them. Ulysees spied the dinosaur bathing in the distance and let out a loud neigh.

  When Darius spotted them, he dove under the water. Within a few breaths, he appeared before them, a smile as wide as the canopy of a banyan tree. “So the unicorns have returned with Alannah, safe and sound, and now she’s Ulysees’ mate. Well done, young stallion
!” He winked.

  “Thanks.” Ulysees puffed out his chest for a moment, and then furrowed his brows. “You were there with me, weren’t you? I could hear your thoughts in my mind when we rescued Alannah.”

  The giant dinosaur nodded, his eyes brightening. “I was. I saw you in my dreams and guided you.”

  Ulysees stared in astonishment at the dinosaur. “I knew it!”

  “We found Danae.” Téo said. “He’s still in the valley and has never been better.”

  Darius let out a loud chuckle. “I bet Icarus will be pretty burned up about that one.”

  “And I’m hoping Lilia will come with me to join him so we can make our escape from Icarus,” Téo said.

  “Oh?” Darius gave a knowing smile. “Good idea. You’ll be safer that way.”

  Ulysees’ ears pricked forward at the dinosaurs’ words. Was Icarus planning something that they didn’t know about?

  “I’m glad you made peace with Xavier,” said Darius. “Didn’t I tell you?” He grinned. “It’s in the eyes.”

  “Yeah, but …” Ulysees tilted his head, wrinkling his brow. “Xavier was captured by humans … with honest eyes. You told me … I don’t understand.”

  “By Ali and her sons,” Darius said like it was the most logical thing in the world.

  Ulysees stared at the ground. “But when Drachen used the healing power in Alannah’s horn to cure the diseased people, they gave him gold.”

  “Yes,” said Darius, stretching out the word. “The humans have strange ways.”

  Ulysees pressed his lips together, his mind mulling over the problem. “But we saw Ali give gold to Drachen in exchange for Xavier. Isn’t that just as bad?”

  The dinosaur shook his head. “No, Ulysees, because Ali and her sons have integrity.”

  “Integrity? What’s that?”

  “It means they’re honest folk, good people.”

  “But they captured Xavier, and then bought him,” said Ulysees.

  “Yeah, but they’ll care for him properly. They’re different.”