Good Night Read online

  But enough musing. The weather wasn’t getting any better, and we needed to move. We launched in record time.

  I turned whiny when the first flakes appeared not long after and my heartbeat picked up. The mountains were still a good way off in the distance. We hadn’t made it into Terra yet, and there would be no good place to shelter, not from a storm of this magnitude, until we did.

  Flakes fell faster and faster, then the wind picked up, driving them at us. It was becoming impossible to see. I squinted, keeping one eye on Kovis, who flew to my right, and the other eye focused ahead.

  The mountains disappeared in the blizzard, and I prayed Kovis knew how to keep us on course, but his stiff posture didn’t allay my fears. Harder and harder and harder the snow pelted us, and I lost sight of him.

  “Kovis! I can’t see you! Don’t leave me!” I called out in panic.

  His hand appeared a heartbeat later, clutching the fabric of my cape at the shoulder. He looked over at me. His beard and eyebrows were caked in snow. His face was red, and I spotted a blister forming on his brow—the first sign of frostbite. From the numbness in my face, I wasn’t any better off. We needed to find shelter fast.

  He gave a nod then let go of my shoulder. With his outstretched hand, he directed power at the storm. Whether it was his Ice or Water magic that helped, I didn’t care. What I knew was that he diverted the snow away so we could again see at least a short ways in front of us. That and ice crystals stopped pummeling our faces—those things stung when hurled at that speed.

  I moved closer to Kovis and grabbed his cape, even though my hand quickly froze. I wasn’t taking any chances of getting separated again.

  On and on we flew, the blizzard not letting up, intensifying, if anything. How long could we endure? My nose lost all feeling, as did my ears. I scanned the area for sorcerers from whom I might draw power but sensed none.

  Perhaps I could use my winds to propel us faster. The idea burst forth, and I acted on it in a heartbeat. Keeping one hand on Kovis, I moved the other over just a bit so my magic would propel us forward and not put us in a spin, then let it flow. Surging forward nearly ripped my grip from Kovis’s cape, but I held firm.

  Kovis’s gaze shot my direction, but as soon as I nodded, he gave a slow smile and nodded back. We still couldn’t see where we were going, but we were getting there faster. I studied the white field in front of us, willing it away, but it stubbornly remained. My stomach roiled with anxiety that we wouldn’t see the mountain in time and we’d smash into one.

  “Stop! Brace!” Kovis’s bellow pierced even the storm’s fury, and I killed my winds.

  Kovis threw both hands forward and drew a cushion of Air as gray and white rock filled my vision. It no doubt lessened the crunch, but the jolt of impact still rattled every bone in my body, and I dropped, then tumbled, head over heels. Rocks, pebbles, snow—it all swept along with me as I cascaded down a steep incline. I couldn’t cushion my fall with my winds fast enough, and my elbow found a rock that refused to give way. I ducked and tried to cover my head as my shoulder hit another large stone. How much further? My knee hit something on the next revolution. Finally, I forced a cushion of air around me and began to slow.

  I stayed tucked until I came to rest… somewhere. I infused more magic into my cocoon to deflect the storm’s winds as the blizzard raged on around me. Such a relief to be protected from their buffeting. But I had no idea where Kovis was, or if he was alive, let alone conscious.

  “Kovis!” The wind and snow swallowed my cry the heartbeat I released it.

  Ali? Are you okay? Where are you?

  They were the seven sweetest words I’d ever heard, and through our bond.

  Are you? I don’t know where I am, I replied.

  I think we made it to Terra.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. But how would we ever find each other?

  Do you have any seeds left? Kovis asked.

  Seeds? It took me only a heartbeat to piece together his plan. I opened my cloak just enough to find the pocket and sift through it. Six, I replied. Let’s hope it’s enough.

  How would these vines ever find Kovis in this desolate place? He could be anywhere. The probability I’d find him this way was remote at best. I wanted to scream but couldn’t. I needed to keep it together.

  Are you near the base of the mountain? If I at least had some idea of his general location, these little plants might actually work. I’d cling to any hope at this point. I refused to think about not finding him.

  Yes.

  A small possibility then. With shaking hands, I set our seeds on the white ground then willed them to grow, three plants in each direction, hugging the foot of the mountain. I prayed I could keep them alive long enough to find him.

  Anything? I asked several heartbeats later.

  No. Keep trying.

  The first tendril turned brown at the source not long after, reinforcing my feeling of helplessness. I infused it with more of the Wood magic I’d stored. It turned green again and continued growing. Small mercy.

  Anything yet?

  I’ll let you know.

  I was infusing life back into four of my plants when Kovis said, Got one! I’m coming. Don’t move.

  I exhaled heavily. I wouldn’t dream of it.

  I’d been so focused on finding Kovis that I hadn’t taken stock of my injuries. But with relief at locating him, my elbow, shoulder, and knee shouted, and I moaned. I couldn’t keep tears at bay, and I felt their warmth on my cheeks until they froze. Oh gods, it hurt. Good thing I could fly because I wouldn’t be walking.

  Wind and snow raged outside my wind cocoon as I waited, panting from the pain. What was taking him so long? Are you okay?

  I’m coming as fast as I can. Just a bit of loose rock to crawl over, snow drifts to wade through, boulders to skirt around, ice to keep my footing on—

  Sorry. Got it. Take as long as you need. I bit my lip. I had to get a grip. I’d been hurt in training plenty of times, and this was no worse.

  Thank you for your kind indulgence. I believe I will.

  At least the ordeal hadn’t spoiled his mood. Either that or he used humor to ease his angst.

  I expanded my cocoon a ways, and as I did, Kovis came into view. He’d erected a shelter of air around himself as well, and when it suddenly encountered no resistance from the storm, he stopped and looked up. His shoulders drooped, and he held up the brown tendril he’d been following.

  He slid on the loose rocks as he took another step. No wonder it had taken him so long. Yes, it isn’t exactly easy going.

  Clearly, he’d been listening in on my thoughts.

  He collapsed next to me, rolled his head back, and exhaled. The gesture told me everything. He’d been scared shitless.

  “What do we do from here?”

  Kovis looked over at me, and the corner of his mouth rose. “Well, fair maiden, I suggest we find shelter.”

  I rolled my eyes. I’d asked for that response.

  He eyed me up and down. I had no doubt I was a mess. “You look pretty beat up.”

  “Yeah, I couldn’t conjure a cushion until the mountain had had its way with me.”

  Kovis raised a brow, no doubt at the suggestive nature of my response, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “Well, your air still works, so what say we venture forth, but a bit slower and lower perhaps?”

  “A lot slower.”

  And so we did.

  We followed the foot of the mountain, scanning the rock face for any openings. We found one, but it proved not to be a cave, just a recess and would not provide adequate shelter from a storm this ferocious. Two more we passed on for similar reasons.

  The blizzard seemed to grow yet more fierce, and anxiety gripped me. What would we do if we couldn’t find a place to shelter?

  We search until we find one. We have no choice. Kovis’s voice in my head overflowed with determination.

  He was right. I pushed back the pain and my exhaustion and continued forwar
d, examining the rock wall. The storm forbid sight beyond what was immediately beside us and made the task doubly hard—it felt like we searched for a mare that loved.

  “But, Father, Kennan tracked them diligently. He did,” Alfreda groveled before me. She was a pathetic mess from lack of sleep. Tears stained her face as seemed to be the norm these suns. I pushed down my disgust.

  “Be strong, sister,” Velma ground out from the next room.

  I’d had my troops separate the sisters. Despite her own injuries, Velma intervened when they attempted to keep Alfreda awake with force, even inserting herself between her sibling and my guards. I wouldn’t stand for that.

  I’d told my troops not to physically restrain my eldest. Alfreda had gotten much too much sleep in the last sennight because of it. Only now was she reaching the previous levels of sleep deprivation, where I needed her.

  So a rock wall separated my daughters, and I forbid them communication. Enough juvenile, idealistic narratives—they weren’t just sickening, they could be dangerous when used in the manner she had. I would break Velma of them if it was the last thing I did.

  “Silence!” Morfran commanded from the archway between. He wouldn’t strike Velma unless I gave the order, which I didn’t. Not yet.

  “Kennan picked up Ali and Kovis’s trail in Sanis,” Alfreda whimpered, swiping a grimy sleeve across her eyes. “They wandered around for a while, but he tracked them.”

  I’d known her charge would find their trail, he couldn’t go against my wishes now that I controlled him, but I had to keep up pretenses or Alfreda—or more probably Velma—would know something had changed.

  “So where are they?” I added an impatient tone.

  “That’s just it, Father.”

  I growled.

  Alfreda cowered.

  Zagan forced her to stand up straight with a prod, then made her hold her arms at her sides once more, with only a look. Such compliance didn’t come without training, but he’d accomplished it. He’d grow toughness in her whether she liked it or not and make her into a daughter I could respect. Clearly, he hadn’t finished his task, but he’d made progress.

  “Continue,” I commanded.

  Alfreda swallowed hard. “He followed them to Croft, but their trail disappeared.”

  I frowned. “You expect me to believe that?”

  Alfreda raised her hands in supplication. “It’s true. You have to believe me, Father.”

  “People don’t just disappear, daughter.”

  “But they did. Kennan found their saddles stashed behind trees near a farm. He found their horses stabled there too. He searched until they ran him off.”

  I could always tell from their eyes if someone lied to me—if they met my gaze, they told the truth. If they looked away, they lied. I gripped Alfreda’s chin and brought it up. She narrowed her eyes and didn’t break my gaze. She told the truth.

  Unease clouded my mind as possibilities raced past. They’d left their mounts. How was that possible? What were they doing?

  “Was he searching for them in the nearest town?” Humans were notorious for being too fragile for the cold their land suffered several moons out of each annum. They had to be holding up there, perhaps waiting for milder weather. I despised guessing, which is what I was doing.

  “I don’t know, Father.”

  “Then I suggest you find out.” I raised my brow.

  “Yes… yes, Father. I will.” Alfreda’s shoulders slumped, and she loosed her wings a measure.

  This was not good. If Alissandra wasn’t there, where could she have gotten to? And how? I would force Alfreda’s human to discover them no matter if I had to kill him in the process. I’d had greater plans for him, but I needed Alissandra back if I were to ever prove my strength to my peers. I would sacrifice him if I had to. Her leaving Dream was becoming too big a blow to my reputation.

  I left Alfreda in Zagan’s capable hands and ducked under the archway to check on Velma. She rose in a heartbeat, fire in her eyes, and planted her feet. Despite her show, she looked tired.

  I chuckled then chose my words purposefully. “All this anger and energy you expend. It’s not aiding your cause, only making you tired. No doubt your… stumps… are sapping considerable strength in their healing.”

  Velma redoubled her show, clenching her jaw.

  I shook my head. “You should rest, regain your strength. Have you let my troops change your bandages?”

  “I wouldn’t let them touch me if it was—”

  I held up a hand. “Then at least allow me, before they become infected. You may be immortal, but if you get sick, that would slow your learning the lesson I wish to teach.”

  The fire in her eyes quieted a bit. Yes, she was very tired.

  “I’d prefer Alfreda do it.”

  “I’m sure you would, but that won’t be happening. You see this is not just about healing, it’s part of learning that when you are less, you don’t get what you wish.”

  Velma looked into my eyes, but the fight had left her. “Fine.”

  I nodded then called Bate to bring clean water and the salve and bandages they’d brought way out here. “Lie down.”

  Velma complied without a word, collapsing onto the moss bed and turning her back toward me, exposing her bandaged stumps. I stifled my inhale. The makeshift bandages Alfreda had bound them with—lengths of her dirty dress—barely clung to them. They were brown and stank. In her stubbornness she had refused treatment and so was learning more of the lesson of being less. She couldn’t reach them much less tend them herself.

  Velma’s back arched as I pulled them off despite being gentle. The skin around both stumps was red and swollen, and greenish pus oozed from both. I’d seen worse, but not much.

  She shuddered, and I realized she was trembling. I reached over and felt her brow. She didn’t resist. She was burning up.

  Bate handed me the supplies. I hated that my voice rose, but it couldn’t be helped. “Go get something to reduce her fever. Quickly.”

  “Yes, my liege.” He turned and was gone in a heartbeat.

  I turned my attention to cleaning out the infection. It would hurt, but this again was more of the lesson. I wasted no time, dipping the cloth in water and bringing it to her skin.

  Velma arched again and moaned as she fisted her hands.

  Despite her pain, I continued working.

  By the time I finished cleaning it out, she’d yelled herself hoarse and Zagan had needed to restrain Alfreda in the other room. I applied salve to another round of cursing—from both of them—then wrapped Velma’s stumps in the clean dressing. It wasn’t pretty, but it would do.

  Velma sighed, clearly relieved when I finished.

  I put a hand on her shoulder. She shirked it off. Very good. It seemed the lesson was being learned. She didn’t care for being less. Not like this. And the thing about being less, you didn’t get to choose when or where it happened. You were at its mercy. As she was finding out.

  “It’s okay if you hate me, daughter. I’m pleased that you are learning.” I brushed a black lock from her cheek.

  She turned her head away.

  “I suggest you take what medicine Bate brings, but it’s your choice, of course. And one of my guards will be the one to change your dressing when it needs it going forward. You see, you don’t get to decide, when you’re less.”

  Velma moved her shoulder forward, away from me.

  “That’s fine. All I care is that you learn, as it seems you are. Now get some sleep.”

  I rose and left her to sleep.

  On my way out, I stopped before Morfran. “How hard is it becoming to procure Alfreda’s compliance?”

  “Increasingly, my liege.”

  As I had anticipated. And it would become ever more difficult the more tired she became, but pretenses were critical. “If you need to stroke her wings or rub certain titillating spots—”

  “Don’t you dare!” Velma snarled, shaking a fist at me though her back was stil
l turned my way. Hardly intimidating. “If you so much as touch my sister in any inappropriate manner, I will tear you limb from limb.”

  I shook my head. Her bluster was just wearing her out further.

  Morfran didn’t react, exactly as I would have expected of my commander. “If it becomes necessary, I will see to it personally, my liege.”

  “Just remain in this form when you do.”

  “Of course, my liege. I understand.”

  “Walk me out,” I commanded.

  When we got out of Velma’s hearing, I stopped. “That last bit was for Velma’s benefit only. Do no such thing to Alfreda.”

  He turned a questioning look at me.

  “Pretenses only.”

  He bobbed his head. “Yes, my liege.”

  The elements continued pummeling us, showing no mercy as we struggled to find shelter. The wind blew so strong that flying became nearly impossible, but hurt as I was, I couldn’t walk. We moved forward at a slug’s pace, neither of us talking, even through the bond.

  All hope of finding shelter fled at some point. I was frozen like an icicle, and my fingers, ears, and toes had gone numb. No one would rescue us. We would die out here. They’d find our corpses in the spring when the snow finally melted.

  The thoughts had just crossed the void of my mind when there, on the mountainside, up a ways, I thought I saw a dark spot. It seemed different than the numerous rocks jutting from the mountain. I squinted, not trusting my eyes, and struggled to see through the driven flakes. Could it be? I looked hard, and my heart leapt when the dark spot persisted.

  Kovis!

  He looked up, and I pointed.

  Let’s go see. He’d been searching at ground level, I’d been looking higher.

  The storm’s winds made us wobble as we rose to the level of the opening, which was circular, no more than to my thigh if I’d been standing. Regardless of its size, I wasted no time debating its merits and plunged in. Kovis followed immediately.