A slight chill fell over the three. Gharet’s clothes began to flutter; the air above him turned and twisted, spiraling downward until he was consumed. The gusts weren’t too strong but Sarah could feel their force, the magic in the air.
And then he was elevated, just slightly lifted from the ground before his pale skin became translucent. His clothes faded, as well, and soon there was only air.
Gharet had transformed. He whirled in between the trees surrounding them, then twirled around Thobias and Sarah.
“Yes! Great job, Gharet.”
“That’s perfect.” Sarah clapped her hands and beamed.
Gharet moved away from them and spun around, picking up stray leaves and twigs as he formed a small twister. Gradually, the wind faded. Gharet reappeared and stepped back onto the forest floor.
His pink eyes were large circles and his mouth a gaping hole. He stared at himself, then met his friends’ gazes.
“I did it,” he breathed. “I did it!”
Sarah surrounded him in her arms. She felt Thobias’ soft strands tickle her cheek as he joined them.
“Thank you both,” Gharet whispered. “Thank you both so much.
Sarah fell back on the hut floor, sprawling her limbs out and shaking her head.
Kwe and Bo appeared above her. They exchanged glances.
“We’re sorry, Auntie Sarah,” Kwe said. “Cousins Ellen and Emma didn’t even tell Mother which direction they were going.”
“Ethereal Quests never have a destination, Auntie Sarah,” Bo added. “Not until you’ve spoken with your ancestors and nature.”
Sarah looked beyond them, focusing on the slanted ceiling. Her one clue had been dashed to the wind. Ellen and Emma were their only hope of locating Alex and Serwa. Except they were missing, as well.
“Ethereal Quests are an old practice,” Gan said. “Serwa doesn’t support many of the old ways. I’m surprised she’d encourage it.”
Sarah sat up, tossing her curls to one side before saying, “If Serwa didn’t support it, then Ellen and Emma must have decided themselves.” She turned to the twins for confirmation.
They both bobbed their heads.
Skuntz stepped inside from the hut entrance. He continued staring out at the village, before spinning on his heels and facing the group. “There has to be another way to locate them so they can locate Serwa and Alex. Did they leave any hints? We at least know they’re together.”
Raising his hand, Kwe said, “I think I might have an idea. Dwarves are connected to the earth. Father said they could speak with it. Maybe if the dwarves speak with the earth, they can tell us where Ellen and Emma are?”
“You’re a genius, Kwe!” Sarah surrounded the young boy with her arms, and squeezed him.
“Well, I try.” He smiled at his own humor and Skuntz sent him a wink.
Sarah glared at the elf. Less time together for those two I think.
“Oh wait, I have something too, Auntie Sarah!” Bouncing on her knees, Bo raised her hand. “The grumpy, old dwarf who visited Mother and Father. What was his name, Kwe?”
The boy shook his head but Sarah knew exactly who she meant.
“Abelard. You mean Abelard.”
“Yes!” she squealed. “Abelard can help find our cousins, then they’ll find our parents.”
“Thankfully, we know exactly how to find dwarves.” Gan smiled.
Sarah raised a brow. “Don’t they live underground?”
The old elf wigged her finger at Sarah. “There is one thing dwarves always come above ground for. Sunflowers . And plenty grow in the woods.”
“Go where the sunflowers are and we’re bound to find a dwarf.” Skuntz nodded. “Easy enough. We should leave as soon as possible.”
“The sooner the better,” Bo replied.
Slanting her brows, Sarah stared at the child. “Bo, you…you and Kwe can’t come.”
“What?” they both shouted. Kwe wrenched free of Sarah’s hold and moved beside his sister.
“Why can’t we?” he asked.
“We can fight,” Bo retorted. “We’ve shown we can take care of ourselves.”
“Both of you are more than capable, but Serwa and Alex trusted me for a reason.” Sarah shook her head firmly. “You have to remain here with the others. I have to keep you safe.”
“But we will be safe,” Bo pleaded. “Safe with you.”
“No, it’s too risky. I can’t put your lives in danger.”
“You’ll protect us.”
“Bo, I—”
“No!” The young girl shot to her feet. Her eyes had become that bright crimson, and her fangs protruded from her mouth. “They’re our parents and we’re going. You’ve been gone since before we were born. Why should we listen to you?”
Sarah’s mouth felt dry. She lifted her chin. “B-because I know best. What if you get hurt? Your parents would never forgive me.”
“We’re not anyone’s children. We’re know how to fight,” Kwe added. “We can help you, Auntie Sarah. Let us go.”
“You’re not going and that’s final.” Sarah gave them a flat stare.
Bo’s shoulders bunched up by her ears and trembled. She stomped her foot, screeched, then stormed outside the hut. Kwe followed behind her.
He looked back at Sarah, his fists their own balls of tremors.
“You didn’t even ask us, Auntie Sarah,” he said. “You didn’t even give us a choice. They’re our parents.”
With those words, he disappeared behind Bo.
Sarah blinked. Her eyes remained locked on where her niece and nephew had stood only a moment ago. Words raced through her mind but only one seemed appropriate.
“Ugh!” She slammed her fists on the dirt floor and pulled at her hair. “I cannot believe she’s so upset. I’m trying to protect them. Don’t they understand? I’m trying!”
A gust of wind shot through the space.
“Calm yourself, Sarah.” Gan rubbed her back. The corners of her mouth were tugged up into a smile. “Children often cannot see beyond what is right in front of them. Their needs and wants are immediate.”
“But I need for them to be safe, Gan.” Sarah rubbed her eyes. “Why can’t they see that?”
“Because they need their parents,” she replied. “If it helps you, I believe you are making the right decision.”
Skuntz plopped down across from Sarah and his grandmother. His eyes were trained on her.
She matched his stare, straightening her back and narrowing her eyes. There was no time for weakness. Not in front of anyone.
Skuntz cleared his throat. “The plan is to return Alexander and Serwa. However, we need a backup, as well. Kwe and Bo are the backups. If we cannot save Alexander and Serwa at least their heirs are safe. You’re doing the right thing, Sarah.”
Refusing to make eye contact, Sarah gave him a small nod. “Thank you, Skuntz.”
“Of course. Now, I say we rest for today, pack with the sunrise tomorrow, and leave before noon. How does that sound to you?”
“That all sounds fine except Kwe and Bo are not going to give up easily.”
“You think they’ll follow us?”
She nodded. “I’m certain. We should prepare tonight and leave as the sun rises.”
Skuntz crossed his arms and stared at the floor. He released a hard exhale. “Fine, but they are Serwa’s children. I’ll make sure they don’t follow us despite when we leave.”
Gan chuckled. “Do not feel guilty, Skuntz. It is for their own good. I’m sure they’ll forgive you.”
He huffed. “I’d hate to trick them. I don’t think I really have a choice though…”
Sarah raised a brow. Glancing between Gan and Skuntz, she narrowed her eyes. “What exactly are you planning to do to them?”
Dusting his pants off, Skuntz stood up. “Trap them.”
Chapter 15
The sun had begun to peak over the forest, casting the sky in a beautiful hue. Sarah and Skuntz made their way north toward where the dw
arves tended to venture. It was the part of the forest with the most sunflowers.
The two had said farewell to Gan, and left the village when the sky was still dark. Kwe and Bo had followed them.
Sarah had to admit she was impressed. The twins did a good job of keeping themselves hidden. Still, with a good ear and a little magic, they were easy to spot.
She chanced a peek at Skuntz, hoping he’d initiate whatever trap he had planned. He didn’t even give her a glance.
She held in a sigh. They couldn’t let the twins follow much longer or—
“Here’s good, I think. Try to keep up.”
“What?”
Skuntz was already several yards in front of Sarah and gaining distance by the second. Temporarily amazed at his speed, she stumbled after him, before finally running at full speed herself. Still, Skuntz was taller than Sarah, and his legs longer. And he was more familiar with the forest.
She panted behind him. Why were they running?
Sarah tried to pick up the pace and, to her surprise, the distance between her and Skuntz lessened. Soon, they were at each other’s sides again.
“Now, at least I know how fast you are.”
“Excuse me?” she huffed.
“Not bad. I’m going to need you to be a little faster by the time we end this war though.”
Sarah’s fingers tingled. She had never wanted to punch someone so badly.
“You’re more intolerable than a spud muncher,” she hissed.
He raised a brow. “A what?”
“Nothing. What are we even doing?”
“This.”
Skuntz pulled Sarah to the right. She could feel herself falling past him but he held tight onto her arm, keeping her steady.
“No!”
Sarah looked behind them. Where there once had been earth, there were now two large holes.
“Let us out!”
She turned back to Skuntz, tilting her brow. “Is that Bo?”
He nodded, before releasing her arms and approaching the holes. He leaned over one and waved.
“Hello, Kwe.”
There was silence.
Skuntz groaned. “I know you’re mad at me now. I promise you’ll forgive me later.”
No response.
Sarah followed Skuntz and peered down at her nephew. He didn’t have the same seething glare his sister or mother could conjure. Instead, he had mastered what Sarah’s mother called “puppy dog eyes.”
She had to turn away.
“Auntie Sarah, I want you to let me and Kwe out right now.”
“I’m not going to do that, Bo,” she said, walking over to the other hole. “This is for your own safety.”
“If you don’t help us, we’ll just climb out and track you. We’re going. No matter what.”
“Not likely,” Skuntz said.
He reached into his satchel and pulled out a glittering net. It looked like regular rope with bits of shimmer all over it.
“Fairy dust?” Sarah offered.
“Exactly. The strengthening effect has faded some. It’s been a while since their last coating. I still think it’ll do the trick. Can you grab the other end?”
Together Sarah and Skuntz nailed the rope nets over the traps. Despite Bo’s yammering and an attempt to climb over the edge, they managed to finish the job.
Placing her hands on her hips, Sarah examined their work. She nodded. Even if Bo and Kwe climbed to the top, they wouldn’t be able to cut through the nets. Skuntz had already told Gan to pick them up for lunch. They’d be fine.
“Alright, Bo and Kwe, we’re leaving.”
“I’m never speaking to you again, Auntie Sarah!”
She sighed and turned to leave. “Let’s go, Skuntz.”
The tall elf was still leaning over the trap that had captured Kwe. He ran a hand through his hair.
“Can you at least say goodbye, Kwe?”
The boy remained silent.
Skuntz huffed. “This isn’t easy for me either. Listen, just wait for my grandmother. We’ll see you when we return.”
With those words, Skuntz turned on his heels and marched past Sarah, deeper into the forest. She gave the traps a final glance before following after him. The elf’s brows were creased.
“I thought you agreed leaving them behind was the best option?” Sarah asked.
He nodded. “I do. I also said I hated that I had to trick them. Kwe’s going to be upset for a while.”
“Hm. I thought you’d be more concerned with Bo,” Sarah offered. “My niece doesn’t seem the forgiving type.”
Skuntz mouth turned up at the corners. He tucked his chin and chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Sarah asked, eyeing him.
He shook his head. “Unforgiving isn’t the word. Once, when Serwa brought the twins by for a visit, a few of the village children were teasing Bo. One boy made a very un-elf life comment about witches.”
A chill ran through Sarah. “Um…what happened…is he okay?”
“What? Oh yes, of course. We managed to break them up while he still had some hair left.”
The shock must have shown on Sarah’s face because Skuntz tossed his head back and laughed. His brown hair caught in the sun, lightening it to a glossy caramel complexion. His shoulders tensed and loosened with each chortle.
Sarah’s gaze moved over him. Her heartbeat quickened.
No.
She faced forward, gripping her satchel and keeping her eyes ahead of her. Did he notice?
Skuntz smacked a hand on her shoulder. Sarah knew the blush was spreading across her face.
He said, “Well, if you think that’s shocking, wait until you hear Serwa’s stories about Bo and Kwe. Those two tend to leave quite the impression.”
“Mhm.” Sarah moved her hair over her left shoulder, covering her face. “Let’s find these sunflowers, hm?”
With those words, she walked ahead of her companion, her entire body as rigid as a plate of syrup in winter.
Skuntz followed silently behind her.
Sunflowers on Lyrica were smaller than those she had seen on Earth. While the tallest ones she had seen were from pictures in library books, the sunflowers on Lyrica were closer to the size of tulips.
Gradually, these small flowers began to appear all around the forest, hidden in the little crevices of tree roots, or among the blades of grass. But they were there and as Gan said, where there are sunflowers, there will be dwarves.
“Want to wait here?” Skuntz gestured around them. “There are enough flowers here, I think. We don’t need to walk into an entire field.”
“I wouldn’t mind that at all,” she whispered and placed herself beside a tree.
Skuntz plopped down on the tree’s other side. He leaned back against the trunk and kicked his feet up.
The forest was a light chorus surrounding them. The quiet sounds of rustling leaves, birds chirping, and claws scratching against the earth filled the background. The bushed tops of the trees provided a wonderful shade with only small splotches of sunlight breaking through the thicket.
Sarah leaned back and listened. She closed her eyes, her heart calmed as she took in slow breaths. Even the air on Lyrica smelled fresher somehow.
She’d barely had time to process it, barely had time to fully understand that she had returned to her second home. An easiness settled over Sarah. Her skin was a comforting cool, much more enjoyable than the blistering heat of the eastern plains.
She shook the thought away.
The children were safe, they had a plan to rescue her friends, and she wasn’t going into battle blind. This time, Sarah would be ready.
An energy moved nearby. Sarah opened her eyes. She looked at Skuntz.
“I heard them,” he said. “Dwarves aren’t known for their stealth.”
There was someone else. Sarah shook her head. “Skuntz, they’re—”
A short man jumped from the tree where they rested and landed bottom first on the elf. Skuntz flailed to th
e ground, sprawled out like a blanket.
The dwarf stroked his beard and laughed. “Want to say that again?”
“I think his mouth might be too full of dirt,” said another dwarf, emerging at Sarah’s side. The short man bowed. “Good noon, miss.”
Sarah returned the favor. “Hello. Good afternoon to you, too.”
The dwarf in front of Sarah had a long black beard along with a perfectly bald head. He twitched his pinched nose while giving her a hard top-to-bottom stare.
“You were waiting for us?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes, we—” she gestured to Skuntz who still had the other dwarf on his back, “both were. My name is Sarah. This is Skuntz. We’re not here to fight.”
The dwarf scoffed. “I know that much. Your friend there hasn’t moved an inch since Calvin landed on him. If that’s fighting, I’ve got fairy dust pouring from my ears.”
The two men laughed and, finally, Calvin stood up from Skuntz’s back. He offered the elf a hand, which Skuntz took.
“Alright,” Calvin said. “You know me. This is my brother, Basin. Now, what can we do for you? If it’s asking about joining the war again, you’ve already convinced a few of our young folk. The rest of us have made up our minds.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes. Does Abelard know Serwa and Alex have been taken? He’d never miss an opportunity for a good fight.
Skuntz placed his hands on his back and pushed forward, cracking it. He sighed. “Not this time, but we do need your help.”
Calvin—who had a full head of blond hair with two plaits on either side—crossed his arms. He sucked his teeth, then tapped his foot.
“If it’s not about the war, what are you in need of?” he asked.
“And make it fast,” Basin added. “We’re here to pick our sunflowers and go about our business.”
Sarah moved beside Skuntz, so she was standing directly in front of Calvin. She put on her best smile.
“We’re looking for two friends,” she replied. “But we’re not sure where on Lyrica they could be.”
The dwarves nodded.
“And we hoped to ask the dwarves for some help. Actually, I want to ask Abelard. Not sure if you know him.”
At the mention of her old friend’s name, the dwarves hung their heads. Short, dry sobs escaped them and a fear gripped Sara’s heart. She wanted to ask the question yet her mouth had dried.
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