WinterMaejic by Terie Garrison Page B

down, especially Chase, who didn’t venture far ahead all afternoon.
    Despite the fact that I hadn’t done anything all day except sit on a horse, I was exhausted by the time Grey halted for the night. The spot he’d chosen to camp was heavily wooded and protected from the prevailing wind by a huge boulder. He helped me off Grey’s back, and as I walked around a bit, I discovered how stiff I’d gotten. I’d be sore—very sore—in the morning. Grey started a fire, and while he prepared supper, I did some stretches. He laughed when I winced in pain, and I shot him the dirtiest look I could, which only made him laugh more. I shook my head in mock disgust, imagining how I’d pay him back, if only I could. Say, a handful of snow down the back of his shirt.
    And just then, a mass of snow dropped off a branch above and onto Grey’s head. He shouted in surprise, jumped to his feet, and shook the stuff off. Chase barked in glee. I would have laughed had the coincidence been less uncanny.
    Grey looked up just in time to get a faceful of snow. A groaning sound seemed to come from all around us, and I got to my feet, ready to move away from this new threat.
    Suddenly Grey shot to my side and pulled me away from the fire, just as the trees shed their load of snow. With a huge FLUMP , the flames were out and our dinner buried. Chase barked even louder, but Grey just stared.
    “Never seen anything like that happen before,” he said, shaking his head. “But then, I don’t usually build quite so big a fire. See what I get for trying to keep you warm?”
    I looked at him in surprise, but found him looking sidelong at me with a smirk. I clouted his shoulder with a fist, then motioned to the fire.
    “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on it.” He quickly set about clearing the snow away and restarting the fire.
    As supper cooked and Grey gathered more dry wood for the night, I thought about the day. Grey seemed to have relaxed, as if outside, he was in his element. Everything had felt awkward back in the house, almost formal, as if my presence made him feel like a visitor in his own home. Out here, he was joking around with me, and I was beginning for the first time to feel comfortable around him. All in one short day.
    After we’d eaten, there didn’t seem to be much point in trying to stay awake. It wasn’t as if we could chat. I yawned.
    Grey took several heavy blankets and an oilcloth out of a saddle bag. He lay everything out neatly, then patted the bedding.
    “Time for beddy-bye.”
    I smiled and gave him a playful knock on the side of his head.
    “You go to sleep, and don’t worry about anything. I’ll tend the fire.”
    He helped me bury myself in the covers, including the cloaks and my fur. I felt almost warm enough as I drifted off to sleep.

    Word has arrived from my son. All goes according to plan. The mages have been scattered and many killed. Fortunate ones, who went to their deaths unaware of impending defeat.
    Today, for the humor of it, I tested Wals’ Cursed Book of Secret Knowledge. I forced a lowly scribe’s apprentice to try to read from it. No sooner did she set eyes to the page then she fell over in convulsions. Long she agonized. I wearied of her noise and had her carried away. They reported back that it was many hours before death came.
    How many others have performed this test? How many have failed it?

My body might have been stiff, sore, and in need of rest, but my mind churned through the night, leading me from one bad dream to another. I had that strange feeling of being aware that I was dreaming but not being able to wake up.
    I ran through a pathless forest, zigging and zagging this way and that. It was a matter of great urgency, but I didn’t know whether I ran toward something or away from it. The forest turned into clouds, and I was flying, soaring above the treetops, gliding effortlessly over mountains. Then I faltered. Down, down, I plummeted to the ground. It rose quickly, and there was