Not now.
Not ever.
Prophetic Words and Eerie Silence
AILEANA
“They’re alive?” Maiela asked eagerly. She seemed to have forgotten the pain of having her magic pulled from her as she stared at the Spirit of the Woods. “You’re certain?”
Myhhena raised a leafy shoulder, her eyes shining in the near darkness. “As certain as I can be,” she replied.
“Why can’t I See them?” Maiela frowned, rubbing her temples. “Where are they?”
The Spirit of the Woods paused, rolling a ribbon of golden magic between her fingers. “I can sense their presence, and I know their souls remain on this plane. As for your Sight,”—she canted her head, her eyes darkening until they were so green, they were almost black—“the balance is broken.”
Xander groaned, and I reached over, taking his hand in mine.
“We are aware,” I said to the Spirit. “That’s why we’re doing this.”
Everyone was tired of hearing about the broken balance.
Myhhena nodded. Her mouth pressed in a firm line and her countenance was one of exhaustion as she turned in a circle, meeting each of our gazes. “Until what was destroyed is restored, there shall be no normalcy. Darkness has overcome the light. Things of old have risen. The harbinger is here, and the Sunwalker has been Made.”
A chill ran down my spine and I shivered, pressing myself against Xander as the Spirit of the Woods continued. Her voice was quiet, and yet, each word reverberated through my entire body. “Take heed, for there may not be another warning. The gods are watching, and none are pleased. What was to come no longer is. The shift has occurred. That which was once light is now dark. Illness is spreading through the Four Kingdoms. The Wasting is here, and the fate of all hangs in the broken balance. Be cautious in your movements, take care to trust no one, and be quick.”
Leaves swirled around Myhhena, and a gust of wind blew through the mountain. “Continue to follow the path,” she yelled. “Your friends will meet you once again. Hurry!”
When the breeze settled, the Spirit of the Woods was gone. Not even a leaf remained behind. The air was heavy, and my heart thundered in my chest as the meaning of Myhhena’s words settled upon me.
Kysha twisted her hands in front of her. “Myhhena seems… odd.”
“Untrustworthy is more like it,” Xander snapped. Clenching his fists at his side, he shook his head. “We can’t trust her. She only acts when it suits her.”
Maiela looked up. “We may not have to trust her, but I think she’s right. This morning when I woke up… I felt different. Still empty but… Daegal is… I would feel it if he were dead. He’s my twin.” She rubbed her chest in a circle. “I don’t… they’re still here. Somewhere. I think.”
Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair. It hung past my shoulders now, and despite my efforts to keep it braided, several knots had formed. Untangling it as best I could, I plaited my hair before standing.
“Trust or not, we have to move.” Reaching into my well of power, I scooped up a few green ribbons, letting them flow from my hands. They slithered down the cobblestones, into the empty city. “Whatever those creatures were, I don’t want to be here if they return.”
* * *
A somber moodsettled upon our group of four. Leaving this place without Daegal and Ryllae felt wrong, even if Myhhena said they were alive. No one spoke as we pulled on our cloaks and packs, checking our weapons before Xander brought out the map.
My dragon shifter tapped the smaller of two mountains, separated by a river. He pursed his lips, tilting his head to one side as he studied the map. “If this is where we are, then we need to get out of here and cross this river.”
Kysha peered over his shoulder. “You mean the one that appears to be made of fire?”
“Let’s hope it’s not actually fire,” Xander said, returning the map where it belonged. “That would be… interesting.”
“Difficult,” I corrected, my tone coming out harsher than I had intended. My mood had been on edge since dealing with Myhhena, and my emotions were far more erratic than normal. “Interesting implies something that might be pleasant. I don’t see how a river of fire could be anything but difficult.”
Xander narrowed his eyes. “Are you feeling alright, Sunshine?”
No. I was not alright. Our friends were missing—although missing was better than dead, all things considered—and everything hurt. Myhhena had pulled magic out of me and it had been painful, and now my stomach was churning once more.
But that was too much for right now. “I’m fine,” I grumbled, rubbing my temples. “I’m just ready to get out of here.”
He studied me, and I shifted beneath his sharp perusal. “I know you miss being connected to the earth. Hopefully, we will be out sooner rather than later.”