Page 74 of The Howling
“Typical Bluecap, doesn’t want to get his wings wet,” she grumbles.
“What if he was in on all of this? What if he didn’t come to warn us like he said?”
“Bluecaps are many things.” Lilburn brightens a little. “Assassins, insanity engines, dangerous, but the one thing they are above everything else is loyal.”
“Yes, but where do his loyalties lie?” I mutter as Lilburn approaches one of the smaller stones and chants an incantation.
The small jewel, now around my neck and tucked in my clothing, has a presence I can’t quite shake, as if it’s waiting for something.
It can wait a long time as far as I’m concerned. I’m a human without magic, and I cannot pluck whatever it holds to wield it for myself.
I’d prefer to have Lorelei instead.
There’s a swishing sound which rises behind the largest of the standing stones and the world around it ripples.
“Looks like the Faerie didn’t mess with the portal.” Lilburn grins at me. “Are you ready?”
“No, but I doubt that makes any difference.”
Lilburn links her arm in mine. “Then it’s time to go.”
She marches me forward, directly at the stone. I keep pace with her, and as I think I’m about to walk straight into it, bracing myself for the impact, I’m turned upside down, inside out, and then spat out.
It causes me to lose the meagre amount of food I ate earlier in preparation.
“What thehellwas that?” I growl, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“You really don’t do well with portals, do you?” Lilburn offers me her paw and helps me to my feet.
My stomach rolls.
“Please tell me we don’t need to go through any more,” I groan.
“You’ll do anything for your mate, but you won’t do any more portals, is that it?” Lilburn chuckles and hands me a water pouch.
I swill my mouth out and spit again to get rid of the taste while glaring at her.
“You could have warned me.”
“I could. But I didn’t,” my mischief sprite companion says.
“When this is over, we are no longer friends,” I grumble.
“Too late. Once you’ve made a friend of the Hedley Kow, you will never be rid of me,” Lilburn says, taking the water pouchback from me. “And if we want to make it to the Vindolanda before dark, we need to get moving.”
I get to my feet, the last of the wooziness leaving me, and see there is a rough track heading between two featureless grassy mounds.
Lilburn strikes out ahead, and I have to up my pace to catch her.
“Is your plan really to hand yourself over to Lord Soulis?” she asks.
“I know you saved me from him once,” I reply with a smile, “and despite the loss of consciousness, I do appreciate it. It’s given us an advantage.”
“What? In being slaughtered?” Lilburn snorts. “Don’t forget I worked for the Faerie. I know what they’re capable of.”
“And I don’t?”
Lilburn’s face darkens. “What you saw in the dungeons was nothing compared to what they do elsewhere, like in the Night Lands.”
