you from the bottom of my heart!” With those final words, the little king flew down off his perch and fell to hugging his son Pollo, and his second born son, Peat, who had been chosen to accompany Pollo as a bodyguard.
The army of cats, let out a soul shattering battle cry, and Hissaphat grinned with pride, although most of the people and creatures gathered in the clearing covered their ears, wincing.
Then, without further ado, the small army moved forward into the dawn. Sara barely had time to set her mug down and wave good-bye to her hosts before Muriel seized her arm in one bony hand, and mumbled, “Well, we’re in it now girl. Be brave, be steadfast, and for pity’s sake, remember your lessons. With any luck at all, we’ll get out of this alive.”
With those words of comfort, Sara, Nate, Chloe and a small host of magical creatures marched into the swirling morning mists of fae, in search of Timaron and the Unseelie court.
Chapter 13
The small army walked for many hours. Although Sara could tell the sun was up the fog, if anything, grew thicker. Tendrils of clammy mist wound its way around their feet and legs, coated their coats and cloaks, and dampened their hair. Curtains of cloud swirled through the air, falling in sheets like shrouds, obscuring their vision, isolating them from one another.
At first, it was depressing, then it was annoying, and finally it was so oppressive that Sara grew frightened. Heart pounding, she felt around and found Chloe and Nate’s hands. Clasping them tightly in hers, she felt some comfort even as another plume of mist covered Nate’s body like a cocoon.
“Beware, now,” Muriel murmured. “This has the feel of glamour to me.” The nymph had taken up position behind the teens and walked with Pollo sitting comfortably on her shoulder. Muriel had told the girls about what happened to the young sprite’s wings. Although it seemed to Sara that Pollo normally did just fine without them, a long journey like this one was too far to walk without either becoming crippled with fatigue, or simply left behind.
Hissaphat was usually happy to act as the little man’s steed, but he was busy now leading his own battalion of felines. He was not happy about the fearsome fog, either. All of the cat’s furry coats were sopping wet, and dewdrops dripped from their whiskers. Many of the cat soldiers hissed and spat in alarm, occasionally, as though malignant but invisible threats hid within the gloom.
This, of course, made everyone who marched nervous. The elves strung their bows, and the dwarves glowered, fingering their axes and swords. The giants split up, Fruman in front, and Shura taking up the rear. They kept their distance, both for safety’s sake (neither one of them wanted to step on the creatures they were trying to protect), and because of the noise their mighty feet made even when they tried, for stealth’s sake, to step lightly.
It was unnerving, though, when the giants started to pause more often, their booming footsteps faltering in the dim, as they tried to find their way through the impeding gloom.
Suddenly, the mist was gone. A vista opened before their eyes that was so beautiful it took Sara’s breath away. The teens stopped and stared in open-mouthed wonder. The sun shone in golden streams of glittering crystal light into a small valley filled with green grass, multi-hued flowers and a bubbling, babbling brook. Animals grazed in the fields of tall grass and fish leapt into the air amidst rainbow runnels of water. Tiny pixies rose in clouds of color and a wonderful melody filled the air. It was the sweetest, saddest music Sara had ever heard. She started walking into the valley to see if she could find the source.
She thought she heard Muriel say something, but when she turned around the nymph was lost in the fog, which had returned after giving only a glimpse of the land through which they traveled. Chloe dropped Sara’s hand, turning back
The army of cats, let out a soul shattering battle cry, and Hissaphat grinned with pride, although most of the people and creatures gathered in the clearing covered their ears, wincing.
Then, without further ado, the small army moved forward into the dawn. Sara barely had time to set her mug down and wave good-bye to her hosts before Muriel seized her arm in one bony hand, and mumbled, “Well, we’re in it now girl. Be brave, be steadfast, and for pity’s sake, remember your lessons. With any luck at all, we’ll get out of this alive.”
With those words of comfort, Sara, Nate, Chloe and a small host of magical creatures marched into the swirling morning mists of fae, in search of Timaron and the Unseelie court.
Chapter 13
The small army walked for many hours. Although Sara could tell the sun was up the fog, if anything, grew thicker. Tendrils of clammy mist wound its way around their feet and legs, coated their coats and cloaks, and dampened their hair. Curtains of cloud swirled through the air, falling in sheets like shrouds, obscuring their vision, isolating them from one another.
At first, it was depressing, then it was annoying, and finally it was so oppressive that Sara grew frightened. Heart pounding, she felt around and found Chloe and Nate’s hands. Clasping them tightly in hers, she felt some comfort even as another plume of mist covered Nate’s body like a cocoon.
“Beware, now,” Muriel murmured. “This has the feel of glamour to me.” The nymph had taken up position behind the teens and walked with Pollo sitting comfortably on her shoulder. Muriel had told the girls about what happened to the young sprite’s wings. Although it seemed to Sara that Pollo normally did just fine without them, a long journey like this one was too far to walk without either becoming crippled with fatigue, or simply left behind.
Hissaphat was usually happy to act as the little man’s steed, but he was busy now leading his own battalion of felines. He was not happy about the fearsome fog, either. All of the cat’s furry coats were sopping wet, and dewdrops dripped from their whiskers. Many of the cat soldiers hissed and spat in alarm, occasionally, as though malignant but invisible threats hid within the gloom.
This, of course, made everyone who marched nervous. The elves strung their bows, and the dwarves glowered, fingering their axes and swords. The giants split up, Fruman in front, and Shura taking up the rear. They kept their distance, both for safety’s sake (neither one of them wanted to step on the creatures they were trying to protect), and because of the noise their mighty feet made even when they tried, for stealth’s sake, to step lightly.
It was unnerving, though, when the giants started to pause more often, their booming footsteps faltering in the dim, as they tried to find their way through the impeding gloom.
Suddenly, the mist was gone. A vista opened before their eyes that was so beautiful it took Sara’s breath away. The teens stopped and stared in open-mouthed wonder. The sun shone in golden streams of glittering crystal light into a small valley filled with green grass, multi-hued flowers and a bubbling, babbling brook. Animals grazed in the fields of tall grass and fish leapt into the air amidst rainbow runnels of water. Tiny pixies rose in clouds of color and a wonderful melody filled the air. It was the sweetest, saddest music Sara had ever heard. She started walking into the valley to see if she could find the source.
She thought she heard Muriel say something, but when she turned around the nymph was lost in the fog, which had returned after giving only a glimpse of the land through which they traveled. Chloe dropped Sara’s hand, turning back
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