The Cypher Wheel

by Alison Pensy

  “Miss, we don't have much time,” Todmus reminded her.

  Alyssa nodded at the little man. “It pains me to do this, but I don't think I have a choice,” she said to Todmus before bringing the flat of her palm to Etyran's cheek. It connected with a resounding slap. “Wake up, Etyran! We need to get you out of here.”

  Etyran's head fell back, his eyelids moved and he groaned again.

  “That's it,” Alyssa said, gently slapping each cheek in turn. “Wake up, sleepy head; we need to get out of here.”

  Etyran brought his hand up to his head and grimaced. “In the name of Kernunnos,” he groaned.

  “Etyran, can you move?” Alyssa asked.

  Etyran blinked a few times until his eyes zoned in on Alyssa. “Hey, sugar. How you doin'?”

  Alyssa exchanged glances with Todmus.

  “He's going to be just fine,” Todmus said with a smile.

  “Come here often?” Etyran said, a mischievous grin curving his lips.

  “Etyran, focus!” Alyssa snapped. “I don't want to have to slap you again.” She put her shoulder under Etyran's armpit while Todmus took hold of Etyran's hands.

  “On the count of three,” Alyssa said to Todmus. “One...two...three.”

  Alyssa heaved upwards while Todmus pulled on Etyran's hands. The motion turned out to be quite successful because after a little bit of wobbling, they had the burly Lightbender up on his feet.

  Etyran had his arm draped around Alyssa's shoulders, leaning most of his weight there. He was much heavier than she'd imagined, but adrenaline must have been giving her the added strength she needed to keep him on his feet.

  She looked at him. “Okay, do you think you can walk?”

  He turned his lolling head and latched onto her worried gaze. “Did anyone ever tell you, you're gorgeous?” he said.

  Alyssa rolled her eyes.

  “You are, you know.”

  She ignored his comment and looked at Todmus. “Todmus, keep hold of his hand to steady him,” Alyssa instructed.

  Todmus gave Etyran's hand a firmer squeeze.

  “Etyran, do you have the strength to bend your light?” Alyssa asked.

  “Huh?” Etyran wrinkled his brows at the question.

  “Oh, that's just great.” Alyssa sighed. “How are we supposed to get out of this fortress without being seen? Arawn has guards everywhere.”

  “Not everywhere, miss. You forget, this used to be my home. It doesn't look like he ever found my secret tunnel because there were no guards watching it when I came in that way.”

  Alyssa's face lit up.

  It was by no means an easy task, but somehow Alyssa, aided by Todmus, managed to get Etyran up the stairs, past the still immobile Arawn and into the kitchen. They were careful not to talk on their way there. Todmus explained to her before they left the dungeon that although Arawn couldn't move he could still hear everything that was going on around him.

  Alyssa dropped Etyran on to one of the kitchen benches before her legs gave way. He slumped over and laid his head on the table, releasing another groan with the movement. He had been in and out of consciousness since she and Todmus had sat him up on the floor of the cell. She turned around to see where Todmus was, only to find him counting blocks in the wall beside one of the open ranges.

  “Three up, two over,” he mumbled, as his fingers whispered over the bister-colored stone. “This should be the one.” He put his palm flat against the wall and pushed.

  Alyssa heard a grating noise first, then part of the wall moved backwards before sliding to the side to reveal an opening just big enough for someone the size of Todmus to pass through. Her astonishment was swiftly quashed when she wondered how on earth she was going to get herself and Etyran through the pint-sized opening. What if the tunnel was that small all the way through? There was no way she would be able to walk alongside him to hold him up. Maybe Todmus's grand idea wasn't so grand after all, not for her and Etyran anyway.

  Todmus beckoned with his arm. “Come along, miss. We don't have much time.”

  “Todmus, I'm never going to be able to get the both of us through there,” Alyssa said, a hint of dismay in her voice.

  Todmus smiled and beckoned her again. “Trust me,” he said.

  Alyssa raised her eyebrows. Well, the little man had gotten them this far. The fact that he was skillful enough to disable Arawn gave him instant respect in her book. She had to admit to wondering what else he may have up his sleeve. She gave him the benefit of the doubt and lifted Etyran's head off the table, garnering her another groan from the semi-conscious Lightbender.

  “Oh, my head,” Etyran grunted. “What did I drink last night?”

  Alyssa wrinkled her eyebrows at him and shot a questioning look at Todmus, who was waiting by the secret tunnel.

  “Sounds like he's getting better,” Todmus remarked.

  Alyssa raised her eyes heavenward before tucking her shoulder under Etyran's arm and bolstering him up from the bench; the exertion forcing a grunt from her, too. When she had dragged Etyran over to the hole in the wall, her heart sank. They were easily head-and-shoulders taller, and one person-too-many wider than their escape route. How she managed to keep Etyran upright at that point amazed her, because suddenly all the wind was knocked from her sails and she felt very weak and defeated.

  Todmus was standing inside the tunnel waiting for her.

  “You go, Todmus,” Alyssa said, leaning over so she could see him. “I'll find another way out.”

  “Nonsense,” Todmus replied, not looking the least bit fazed that they were much too large for the opening. “Put your hand in.”

  Alyssa looked at the dwarf as if he'd gone mad.

  “Trust me,” Todmus repeated.

  Alyssa took her free hand and stuck it in the hole in the wall.

  Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she watched her hand shrink down to half its size. She drew her hand back sharply and moved it around in front of her face, allowing her to inspect it from all angles. As soon as it was out from the hole, it was normal size again.

  “The tunnel is enchanted. It will shrink those who wish to use it down to the size they need to be,” Todmus explained, then he added when he saw the look of abject terror on her face, “Don't worry. You will return to your normal size when you get out the other end. I wouldn't want you ending up like me, now, would I?” He winked.

  “Guards!”

  Alyssa spun her head towards the door. Her heart nearly stopped at hearing the roar of pure fury that traveled down the corridor and into the kitchen. The spell had worn off. Arawn was mobile again.

  “Now, miss. You have to move now!”

  Alyssa shoved Etyran into the hole first, marveling at the way his body shrunk as he went into the tunnel. The now miniature Lightbender slumped onto the floor beside Todmus. Alyssa jumped in next scrunching her eyes closed in anticipation of pain. Surely, if your body shrinks there must be pain attached to the transformation. To her surprise there was none. She opened her eyes, relieved that she was still in one piece; albeit a much smaller piece, of what she once was.

  Todmus pushed a stone that was jutting out of the wall and the secret door slid across and sealed them in, not a moment too soon. A second later, Alyssa saw a spark, and a torch that Todmus had pulled off the wall burst into flame, lighting up their surroundings.

  They heard the muffled anger of Arawn's voice as he and some guards charged into the kitchen.

  Alyssa and Todmus held their breath.

  “Search under every pot if you have to!” Arawn yelled. “I heard them come this way. They couldn't have gone far.”

  The sound of multiple footsteps faded as the guards went off in different directions. Alyssa was just about to say something, but Todmus put a finger over his lips, silencing her.

  The sharp sound of clattering metal made Alyssa recoil. Arawn was still in the kitchen. He must have swiped his arm along the table and knocked all the saucepans that were stacked there onto the floor
. She didn't dare think what would happen if she had spoken and he discovered they were standing behind the wall just a few feet away.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  The trio inside the tunnel gave themselves several minutes before they moved, or even dared breathe for that matter, just to be sure that Arawn was no longer in the kitchen.

  “That was close,” Alyssa whispered, leaning up against the dusty wall and resting her head against the cool stone. “We owe you our lives, Todmus. How can we ever repay you?”

  Todmus smiled. “We are not out of the woods yet, miss. And I mean that quite literally. Arawn will have his men scouring the woods, and we have to make our way through them to get to the cave. I was hoping to make my escape on Aesti but...” he looked down at the unconscious heap that was Etyran. “That will not be possible now. So, I guess we have to turn to plan B.”

  Alyssa followed Todmus's line of sight to the crumpled person on the floor and sighed. “What is plan B?” she asked.

  “I don’t know yet, but I'm sure I'll think of something.” Todmus reached up and rubbed Alyssa on the arm when he saw the dismay on her face. “Come now, miss. Everything will turn out just fine, you'll see. Now, we really must be going.”

  “Who is Aesti?” Alyssa asked.

  “All in good time, miss,” Todmus replied.

  Alyssa pulled Etyran into a sitting position, his back leaning up against the wall. She crouched in front of him and took a moment to look upon his features. They looked peaceful in sleep. She knew what she was about to do would bring him pain again. His face would twist when the agony of his sore head bore down on him. She leaned forward slightly. “Forgive me,” she whispered before slapping him across his cheeks with her open palm.

  “Wake up, Etyran!” Alyssa barked. “We have to keep going. I can't do this without your help.” When the only response she got was a barely discernible moan, she slapped him a bit harder. “Come on, Etyran, we're nearly there,” she lied. “Then you can sleep as long as you need to.”

  Etyran opened his eyelids slowly. His bloodshot eyes were unfocused until they landed on Alyssa's worried expression. He pulled his head away from where it was resting against the wall. It lolled back and forth a couple of times, but all the while, he tried to keep his gaze fixed on Alyssa.

  “Where are we?” he mumbled, after he was able to successfully balance his head on his shoulders.

  “No time to explain. Can you get up?” Alyssa asked.

  Etyran looked around, saw Todmus standing to one side lighting their way with his torch, and frowned. He looked back at Alyssa. “Is that Todmus?” he asked.

  Alyssa looked at Todmus then back again. “Yes.”

  “Huh,” he said, closing his eyes again.

  “Oh, no, you don't,” Alyssa said, tapping his cheeks lightly to stop him from slipping under again. She put one of his big arms over her shoulder. “Come on you big lump. I need some help here.”

  Thankfully, as she pushed herself up off the floor, Etyran managed to take most of his own weight himself. When he was standing, he used Alyssa to steady himself but tried to walk as best he could under his own steam.

  Todmus started down the tunnel in front of them. The warm glow of his torch dancing off the walls, highlighting the odd cobweb that hung from the ceiling.

  “I know I've taken quite a crack to the noggin, but, is it me, or are we the same size as Todmus?” Etyran asked after a few minutes of following the dwarf down the tunnel.

  Alyssa chuckled. She had to admit it was a little odd being the same size as Todmus, and she'd only known him for a short while. It must seem even odder to Etyran who had known him a lot longer and towered above everyone who was of normal stature, let alone those who weren't.

  “It should be just up ahead,” Todmus said as they rounded a corner in the tunnel.

  “See, I told you we were nearly there,” Alyssa said to Etyran, the bright smile she shot in his direction looking just a little too bright.

  The look he gave her was scrutinizing. “Nice try, Blondie. I may not have my wits about me at the moment, but even firing on half cylinders I know it's a long way back to the cave.”

  Alyssa lowered her gaze. She watched each labored footstep Etyran made as he scuffed through the red dirt that made up the floor of the tunnel. The heavy weight of him on her shoulder reminded her just how vulnerable he still was.

  “Do you think you'll be able to make it?” she asked.

  “Well, I've got two choices.”

  Alyssa brought her eyes up to meet his, creasing her eyebrows and tilting her head in question.

  “Either I will or I won't,” he replied to her unspoken question.

  “We'll think of something. Can you bend the light yet?”

  Etyran looked ahead, concentrating on the glow of Todmus's torch. His body flickered like a dysfunctional television set. He looked down at himself and sighed.

  “Doesn't look like it,” he said.

  Alyssa didn't say anything, but her heart felt heavy. What if that knock to the head had destroyed his gift? What if he could no longer bend the light? She pushed those thoughts to the back of her head and tried to think of a way they could get back to the cave without being discovered by Arawn or any of his guards, or even worse, the erchyll. Although most of the way back to the cave took them under the cover of the forest, there was a short distance in which they would have to travel across a meadow to get to the forest where the ovate's cave was hidden. Alyssa had no doubt that Arawn would dispatch the creatures to cover the open areas. Although Arawn didn't know where the hideout was she was sure he would cover all bases around the castle.

  She remembered walking past the hideous creatures most of her days in captivity. They were kept tied up in the castle grounds when not in use. She tried not to show them that they scared her and, even though they gave her the creeps, she felt sorry for most of them. One of them even let her get close enough to run her hand down its scaly skin. The haunted look in its eyes saddened her even more as she whispered soothing words to it. It was, after all, just another prisoner like herself, kept on a tight rein to do Arawn's bidding. She shuddered.

  They would, at least, have stood a chance of escape under the cover of trees but there was no better creature for observation and retrieval over open areas. If Etyran couldn't wrap the light around himself, Alyssa wasn't big enough to hide them both, and certainly not Todmus, as well. A black cloud of gloom wrapped itself around her.

  ***

  “Where are they?” Faedra said, pacing back and forth along the dirt trail where they had left Etyran and Alyssa before venturing to Azran.

  “They will be here soon, I am sure,” Faen said, trying to sooth his charge's ruffled feathers.

  She stopped her pacing, contemplating his response for a moment before folding her arms across her chest. “No, something's wrong.” She started pacing again.

  Allora, who was residing in Vivianna's body, stood on the side of the trail watching the Custodian with wary eyes.

  On the next pass-by, Faen put out his hands and rested them on Faedra's shoulders, effectively stopping her in her tracks. She looked up into his eyes and saw the irrefutable belief he had that Etyran and his new companion were just fine. Faedra closed her eyes for a long second, trying hard to push the uneasy feeling away with the heavy breath she released. It didn't work. The foreboding awareness she was trying desperately to disregard as nonsense, was not disappearing without a fight. As much as she knew Etyran could handle himself, she also knew her senses were becoming more and more indisputable.

  Faedra brought her hands up and covered Faen's. She curled her fingers around both of his hands, brought them down from her shoulders and placed them against her heart.

  “I feel it right here, Faen. I can't explain it, but I know without a doubt, they are in trouble.” Her eyes pleaded with his to understand.

  Faedra could see the contemplation in her Guardian's eyes. After a long moment, he gave her a warm smile.
r />   “Okay. If it will make you feel better, I cannot see it will do any harm for us to make a detour towards Arawn's castle. We will probably meet up with them along the way,” Faen said, his eyes sparkling with compassion.

  “Thank you,” Faedra said with a smile, then reached up and placed a tender kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for believing in me.”

  “I will always believe in you. And besides, your power is manifesting so fast, it would be silly not to listen to it. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my friends and I was armed with the knowledge to prevent it,” Faen said.

  Faedra nodded in agreement.

  Faen put his arm around Faedra's shoulder and they both turned to Allora. “I hope you do not mind, my lady. We are going to walk in this direction for a while. I'm sure we will meet up with our friends in no time,” Faen explained.

  “Young Guardian, it is no trouble. To be honest, I have been locked up for so long now, it will be nice to stretch my legs, long as they now are.” She looked down the length of her taller than usual frame.

  Faedra couldn't help giving Allora an up and down glance. She was fighting hard with having the body of her evil half-sister flaunted in front of her, even though she knew the soul that inhabited it was one of the kindest gentlest souls she'd ever met. But every time she looked at Allora, she saw Vivianna. Her brain was having trouble distinguishing between the two. She was sure she must have given Allora some filthy looks on their journey from Azran, for which she was constantly apologizing. Allora had been very gracious up to this point, but Faedra knew if someone kept giving her dirty looks, even though she knew they weren't really aimed at her, it would wear very thin very quickly. She was finding the best thing to do was not look at Allora at all. She decided it was the lesser of two evils. Better to be impolite rather than downright rude.