by Mari Mancusi
Suddenly Ashley screamed, and stopped so abruptly that Stu almost ran into her. He looked down and his eyes widened in horror.
The cavern had opened up again.
But this time there was no ground.
At least not anywhere near their feet.
Stu gaped into the abyss below them, so deep he could barely see the bottom. There must have been a cave-in or an earthquake or something that had caused the ground to collapse, leaving a chasm behind. It was too steep to climb down and back up again, he realized with dismay. And there was no way he could see to walk around it. His eyes traveled to the far end, meeting up again with the passageway they’d been following. A sign that read MORGAN LE FAY’S CASTLE—200 METERS AHEAD hung above it, as if mocking them.
“Oh no!” Sophie shook her head. “No, no, no!”
Ashley put a hand to her mouth, staring down into the pit. “What are we going to do?” she asked. “Do you think we need to turn around?”
“No way. If we go back out there, the goblins will spot us.” Stu rubbed his chin with one hand. If only there was some sort of bridge…
A loud groaning sound interrupted his troubled thoughts. He looked up, shocked to see a long rope bridge—exactly like the one he had just been imagining—unfurling across the canyon, stretching all the way to the other side.
“What on earth?” he whispered. Had it been there all along and he hadn’t been able to see it? Or had it only appeared once he’d wished for it?
“Did you do that?” he asked Sophie. Maybe she’d used some magic?
She shook her head, her eyes never leaving the bridge. “No,” she said in a small voice. “Definitely not.”
“Well, whatever. Let’s just go,” he said, deciding not to look a gift bridge in the mouth.
He made a move toward the ropes, but Sophie grabbed his arm. Her face was stark white and her hands were shaking. “No. No freaking way.”
It was then that Stu remembered her paralyzing fear of heights. There was no way she was going to be okay walking across some random magical bridge that hadn’t been there five seconds before. She wouldn’t even ride the Ferris wheel at the Topsfield Fair.
He racked his brain for a solution. “Can you fly over it?” he asked. “You know, turn into a bird like you did in Vegas?” After all, she seemed to do better with heights while in winged form.
Sure enough, Sophie looked visibly relieved. “Oh. Right. Good idea.” She reached into her pocket for her spell book. Then her eyes widened with panic. “Oh no!”
“What’s wrong?” Stu asked worriedly.
“My mom’s spell book. I must have lost it when I was dancing.” Her eyes welled with tears and Stu’s heart ached at the devastation he saw on her face. He knew how much that book meant to her. Not only for practical purposes, but because her mom had given it to her….
“You know, you should really make a backup of those spells,” Ashley broke in. “I mean, at least take photos of them with your phone? Then you’d always have them and—”
Stu shot Ashley a warning look. “Not. Helping.”
“Sorry,” Ashley mouthed.
Stu placed his hands on Sophie’s shoulders. “It’s okay,” he tried to assure her. “We’ll deal with that later. Right now I need you to close your eyes and hold on to me. I’ll lead you across.”
Sophie’s jaw quivered. He could tell she thought this was the worst idea ever. And hey, maybe it was. But at last she gave a shaky nod.
“Fine. But I’m really hoping this isn’t one of those cases where I have to tell you ‘I told you so.’ Because that’s going to be difficult to do when I’m dead at the bottom of a Fairyland ditch.”
She choked out a laugh. But Stu knew it was only half joking. Which he supposed was fair, given the circumstances. He walked over to the bridge, stepping on it and testing its weight.
“It feels sturdy,” he assured Sophie. Well, as sturdy as a magical rope bridge leading across a fairy abyss could possibly feel, but he didn’t think it was necessary to add that out loud. While he stepped aside, waiting for Sophie to make her way over, Ashley practically leaped onto the bridge and began skipping across it. Evidently, she had no fear of heights whatsoever. Stu watched, feeling a little nauseous as the bridge swayed wildly under her steps.
“Slow down,” he scolded her. “You’re making the whole thing shake.”
Thankfully, Ashley obeyed and the bridge eventually settled. “See? It’s fine,” Stu told Sophie. “Look! Ashley’s already halfway across.”
Sophie looked as if she wanted to debate his definition of “fine,” but instead she just clutched his arm, white-faced. Stu shot her a valiant smile, then steeled his nerves and stepped onto the bridge, trying not to look down as it shifted again under his weight. The last thing he needed was to catch a glimpse of how far they had to fall if they lost their footing. Sophie was counting on him. He couldn’t let her know he was scared, too.
He took another step. Sophie followed, her whole body shaking like a bobblehead figure in an earthquake. He had to steady himself to prevent her from accidentally knocking him off-balance.
“Don’t think about it,” he instructed her.
“Um, what else can I possibly think about?”
He considered this, racking his brain for the memory of a good day. A day when they had both been happy. A day when there had been nothing to be afraid of. Which actually wasn’t that hard to do. After all, there’d been so many good days since they’d become best friends. Days, he realized, he hadn’t fully appreciated at the time. Mostly because he had no idea they were numbered.
At last he settled on one. “Remember that amazing snow day back in December?” he asked. “The one after the big nor’easter?”
“The day they told us not to go outside? And yet you waded through three feet of snow to get to my house before the plows did?”
“Yeah, well, we were out of hot chocolate at my house. So, you know.”
“And I had it waiting for you when you stepped through the door.”
“With extra, extra marshmallows. Just how I like it.”
Stu took another step across the bridge, a warm feeling washing over him. “And then we ran up to your room and locked the door and did nothing but play video games the whole day.”
“And I finally hit level eighty on Camelot’s Honor.” Sophie’s grip on his shoulder loosened as she took another step. “Remember that silly dance we made up to celebrate?”
“That was a terrible dance!”
Sophie smiled. “But a great day.”
“Come on, slowpokes!” Ashley cried, some ways ahead. Stu watched as she grabbed the rope railings and swung her legs back and forth, as if performing a gymnastics stunt. Show-off.
“We’re coming!” He took a few more steps, realizing he and Sophie had almost made it to the center of the bridge. And Sophie didn’t look half as panicked as she had at the beginning. Maybe they’d make it after all.
“I hope we get lots of snow days next year,” Sophie declared. “We could do that every time. Maybe even swap houses sometimes. Though you’d better stock up on hot chocolate. And marshmallows. Maybe even some whipped cream.”
“Um, yeah,” Stu stammered, reality suddenly smacking him hard across the jaw and ruining the moment. “I, uh, love whipped cream.”
But there would be no more whipped cream, his mind taunted him as icy-cold air whipped across the bridge. No more snow days, either. No more walks to Sophie’s house. No more lazy days of video gaming. When they got back from this trip, everything was going to change.
And Sophie had no idea.
He had to tell her. As soon as they crossed the bridge he would. No matter what.
“Come on,” he said. “We’re almost there.”
“This bridge is so insane!” Ashley called out, her voice echoing over the chasm. She’d reached the other side and was leaning against a wall, examining her fingernails. “Totally reminds me of this swinging bridge I crossed in Califor
nia once. It was the coolest thing.” She walked over to one of the end posts and leaned on it casually. “Oh my gosh, Stu!” she exclaimed, as if the greatest idea ever had just occurred to her. “You should totally check it out when you move there!”
Stu froze in his tracks.
Oh no.
Sophie fell into him, letting out a startled cry. She fumbled for the railings for support. He turned to try to help her regain her balance…but she yanked her hands away.
“What did she just say?” she whispered, somehow managing to look alarmed and horrified and confused all at the same time. Which gave Stu a pretty good idea that she had heard Ashley just fine.
“I, um…I…” he stammered, unable to form words. Unable to do anything but stare at her. To watch her face go from pale white to bright red as his heart slammed against his chest like a jackhammer.
“Nothing!” Ashley shouted at them with way-over-the-top cheerfulness. “I didn’t say anything! Boy, this bridge is super cool, isn’t it? Now hurry up so we can find the fairy queen! I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Like, literally!”
Stu clenched his teeth. His heart pounded in his chest as his mind raced to find options. His first thought was to deny Ashley’s words. Or tell her she misheard Ashley somehow—or at least misunderstood what she meant. But that would only make things worse in the end. After all, she was going to have to find out at some point.
He just really wished it wasn’t in the middle of a creaky rope bridge high above a fairy abyss. Like, pretty much anywhere else would be better.
This is all your fault, he scolded himself miserably. If you had just told her from the beginning…
He swallowed hard. “Come on,” he said, beckoning. “Let’s just get off this thing.” He reached out for her hand. But she clamped it down on the railing. Hard.
“No,” she ground out.
“But—”
“But nothing. I’m not budging until you tell me what’s going on. Are you moving to California?” Her voice cracked on the words.
“Well, um, I don’t…” He raked a hand through his hair, glancing down at the pit below them. There was no escape.
“Oh my gosh, you are! You’re moving? To California?” Her voice was high-pitched, squeaky. “How long have you known? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to!” he blurted out. “I was just…waiting for the right moment.”
This, however, was not the right moment. In fact, this was pretty much the worst moment ever.
Her lower lip wobbled. “But you told Ashley?”
“No! She already knew. Lucas told her.” His stomach felt like tossed salad. He wanted to vomit.
“So this is why you’ve been acting so weird,” Sophie said woodenly. “I knew something was wrong! Why wouldn’t you just tell me? I thought I was your best friend.”
This was bad. So, so bad. If only they were somewhere else. If only they weren’t on this stupid bridge.
A loud creaking noise interrupted his thoughts. He looked up, just in time to see the bridge—which he possibly had willed into appearing—now disappearing before his very eyes.
With them still on it.
He shoved Sophie in front of him. “Run!” he cried. “Run now!”
She looked past him. Her face went white. Then she turned and ran across the bridge as fast as her legs could carry her. Stu dove after her, his heart in his throat. When he dared look back, he saw the bridge dissolving only a few feet behind him, as if it were being eaten by an invisible monster. If they didn’t get off quick—
Sophie hurtled off the bridge, landing hard on the ground on the other side, her hands skidding across the rocky ledge. Stu let out a breath of relief. At least she was safe. That was something. Considering this was likely his fault and—
“Stu!” Sophie screamed. “Jump! Now!’
He leaped, the bridge disappearing completely under his feet seconds after he left the ground. His arms shot out, clawing at the edge of the ravine. His body slammed into the rocky cliff face—so hard it knocked the breath from his lungs. He tried to pull himself up, but he was losing traction, his grip slipping fast. The ravine below seemed to weave in and out of focus—stalagmites grinning razor-sharp smiles as if inviting him into a deadly embrace.
Tears slipped from his eyes. Was this it? Was it game over for good?
“Help!” he squeaked. “Please! Help me!”
Suddenly strong hands gripped his own. He looked up to see both girls—each one holding one of his hands with both of theirs. They yanked him hard and the momentum helped him scramble up to safe ground. Once there, he collapsed, struggling to breathe.
“Are you okay?” Sophie asked, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was shaking like a leaf.
“I…think so….” With effort, he pushed himself up to his feet, brushing himself off. His heart was still racing a thousand miles a minute, but he didn’t think anything was broken. Just really bruised. He pulled air into his lungs. “Okay. I take it back. You were right to be afraid of that bridge.”
Sophie nodded grimly, but didn’t look him in the eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she mumbled.
“I’m glad you are,” he said honestly. He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but she stepped out of his reach, staring at the rocky wall so hard he wondered if she would burn a hole in it. Stu swallowed hard, watching her not watch him, feeling as if his heart would shatter with fear—and this time not from a near-death experience.
“Sophie, I’m so sorry,” he tried. “I am so, so—”
“Guys! Guys! Come quick!” Ashley shouted over him. “You’ve got to see this!”
Sophie and Stu ran down the passageway toward the mouth of the cave. Sunlight streamed in, almost blinding Stu with its intensity. He blinked a few times, trying to adjust his eyes.
Then everything came into focus.
“We’re here,” Ashley whispered. “We made it to the castle of the fairy queen.”
Back at the druid village, Nimue and Emrys watched the knights clink their cups in a toast as Merlin sat motionless, trapped in his block of ice. Fear crawled down Nimue’s spine. Was he still alive in there? Was it even worth trying to set him free? And if so, how were they going to do it?
She broke from the window, stalking around the small hut, her steps eating up the distance between walls. “This is terrible,” she moaned. “What are we to do?”
“At least Morgana’s gone,” Emrys reminded her. “It could be worse.”
She stopped pacing. “It is worse! She’s on her way to Faerie. What if she finds the others and freezes them, too? Or kills them outright?” She thought back to the screams of her sisters and bit down hard on her lower lip. Sophie, at least, was a Companion, and surely knew the risks of her role. But her friends shouldn’t even have been involved.
It had been all she could do to stop herself from following Morgana after she left the druid village. But she knew it would be a fool’s mission. And dead, she was no good to the Grail. As long as she lived, she could still hold out the hope of saving it.
She looked down at the dragon. A small hope, anyway.
As if hearing her thoughts, Spike blinked at her. Then he belched a small ball of flame, which shot out and set the hem of her robe on fire.
“Argh!” she cried. “Emrys, help!”
Emrys grabbed a pitcher of water from a nearby table and poured it down Nimue’s front side. Thankfully, it doused the fire. Though she was left with a gaping black hole at the bottom of her robe. And she was soaking wet.
She scrambled to the window to peek outside to make sure her cry hadn’t alerted the knights. Thankfully, one of them had pulled out a lute and the other was singing tunelessly to a bawdy tavern song. She turned back to Spike, trying to wring out the water from her gown.
“Is it not enough for you to destroy the world?” she grumped at him. “You have to destroy my clothes, too?” She reached for Ashley’s hair bands. “That’s it. Your fire-breathing
days are over.”
Suddenly Emrys jerked to attention. “Wait,” he cried.
“For what? For him to burn down the entire hut?”
“No.” Emrys shook his head. “It’s just—Merlin. He’s trapped in ice.”
Nimue’s heart quickened as she realized what he was saying. “You think Spike could melt it with his fire?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Hmm.” Nimue mulled this idea over. “But what about the guards?”
“I could distract them,” Emrys replied. “I could steal one of their horses. They would have to come after me.”
“At least one of them would. Though I could probably find a way to deal with the second.” Nimue considered. “But then…I don’t know.”
“What?”
“Well, Spike isn’t exactly a trained dragon. We could tell him to free Merlin while we’re both distracting the guards, but who knows if he’ll understand? What if he flies away once we set him free? We might never find him again.”
“That would be bad,” Emrys conceded.
“It would be end-of-the-world catastrophic.” She gave him a rueful look. “I’m sorry. Truly, it was a good idea. If he were a trained dog like Damara, I’d definitely give it a try.”
Then an idea hit her. “Although…”
“What?”
She turned to Emrys. “Damara could help.”
“Um, dogs can’t breathe fire.”
“No. But they can be awfully distracting,” Nimue said with a smile. “If she and I can lure both knights away, you could take Spike to Merlin.”
A spark of hope lit Emrys’s face. “That could work. At least it has a chance to.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Nimue asked, lifting her chin. “Let’s melt Merlin.”
Emrys’s heart was pounding hard in his chest as they snuck out the back door and around the hut, tiptoeing so as not to be overheard by the knights. Thankfully, the men were making quite a bit of noise themselves, still singing tunelessly as they slugged their tankards of mead and argued about whether or not they should make a fire. The redheaded knight, known as Sir Kay, believed it would be fine. The black-haired knight, Sir Agravaine, worried that any heat source would melt Merlin’s block of ice. Emrys’s eyes caught their swords, lying on the ground, a few feet away. Too far to grab them, unfortunately. At least they had taken off their armor. That was something, he supposed.