Page 23 of An Honored Vow

If I didn’t get there in time, Gwyn was going to die.

CHAPTERNINE

GERARDA AND ELARAN HAD THE SENSEto grab horses while I ran on foot to the north side of the lake. Old portals had reawakened when the last seal broke. I only hoped that Gwyn had not taken the time to learn the new paths and that we could catch up with them before they did anything foolish.

Gerarda and Elaran charged at full speed toward two twin rocks that stood touching each other at the top. Gerarda pulled a vial ofwinvrafrom her pocket and pulled the cork out with her teeth. She dropped the reins of the horse meant for me, and I leaped onto the saddle mid-run, galloping behind them as they ran through the glowing water and into the snowy mountain tops along the southern ridge.

“This way,” I shouted, pointing along a winding path that continued south. It was the opposite direction of Gwyn and Fyrel, butat the end of it was a portal that opened along the northern shore of theFaelinth.

We just had to reach it before dusk.

I used my fire powers to melt the snow so our horses could run as fast as possible along the mountainous terrain. It was cold, but I used my magic to divert the winds. Our limbs were not completely turned to ice under our clothes.

Orange streaks painted the sky. If we didn’t reach the portal soon, I would abandon Elaran and Gerarda and fly through it on my own.

“The scouts reported the beast making a nest along the eastern foothills. The note mentioned a cave,” Gerarda shouted over the steady rhythm of hoofbeats.

I knew of it. I hadn’t had a chance to visit every rebellion safe house, but Tarvelle’s maps had only marked one location this far north. A small cave they would use to rest in while ferrying Halflings across the northern channel instead of through the Burning Mountains.

But as far as I knew, it was glamoured. Gwyn and Fyrel wouldn’t know it was there. They wouldn’t be able to run to it if they needed to hide.

My stomach was a hard rock, tugging at my ribs with every step my horse took. Then a large stony arch came into view. It was made of the mountain itself, no seams or cracks along the stone, a relic of an earth wielder’s magic from long ago.

The veil of water shimmered in the light of the setting suns. We only had minutes until the portals changed from their sunlit paths to their starlit ones.

I yanked on the reins, and my horse slowed to a walk. I tossed enoughwinvrainto the water for us all to pass. I held up a fist and ran through first.

Salt filled my lungs. A cold and briny wind passed through the Elder birch trunks. They were thinner here than in the southern parts of the Dark Wood. Even with the new foliage covering the ground, you could see far into the wood.

There was no sign of Gwyn or thewaateyshir.

I slipped off the saddle and tied my horse along one of the lower branches. The others did the same, our horses happy for the rest after running so long. I called the warmth of my healing magic forward and let it run over each of them, soothing the aches in their legs until all three were happily grazing along the ground.

I pulled out my blades and nodded south. “We will come to a glamoured cave. I’ve never been there, but Riven told me it opens like a mouth along the edge of the mountain. That should be enough for the glamour to break.”

Gerarda and Elaran nodded. The latter took her bow and walked thirty paces to the right of me while Gerarda did the same on the left. We marched forward as a unit, crouching and checking the skies every few feet.

The first stars dotted the deep blue skies. The only light left was along the horizon, but with the coverage of the forest it was already dark.

Dark enough for thewaateyshirto fly.

We came to a small hill and the salty breeze went dead. I could no longer smell the ocean at all. Only sulfur and ash. I looked down at my boot and the white sprinkling of snow had turned dark. The shrubbery was burnt and black like a fire had blazed through this part of the forest.

Thewaateyshirwas close.

A piercing cry split the air. I no longer cared about being cautious. I ran over the hilltop and saw the shadowy creature stretching its long neck and taking flight.

“Gwyn!” Panic shredded through my voice. “Fyrel!”

I was answered by a scream. It wasn’t a shriek of fear, but a battle cry.

On the other side of the burnt grove, a small flame grew. My shoulders stiffened, my blades suspended midair, as I realized what it was.

Fyrel ran at full speed with a flaming torch above her head. Behind her were the flapping wings of a secondwaateyshir.

Fyrel did not look back but charged forward. She didn’t even shift direction to evade a potential attack.

She wasn’t using the torch to defend herself. The shadowy beast wasn’t chasing her. She was luring it.

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