Ashes

by C B Samet

  I hooked an arm through Coco’s, while still speaking to Joshua. I wished we could touch and hug. “I love you. I’ll be back at day break.”

  “I love you, too.”

  I activated my star tattoo and vanished with Coco.

  9

  Coco and I appeared at the edge of the Black Marsh forest.

  In the distance, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows toward the east. Coco and I hiked through dense foliage and over a log that laid across the path of a small stream. I knew the path to Orrick well, even though it wouldn’t appear to be a path to the untrained eye. The forest smelled like fresh rain mixed with freesia.

  “Who’s Mal?” Coco asked.

  “A friend of mine.”

  “You can communicate with him like you can with Baird?”

  “Similarly, yes.”

  Her gaze roamed the forest. “Eight years is too soon to be back at this place.”

  “Really? I’ve returned several times a year or so to visit.”

  “You didn’t wake up in a brownie pit.”

  “No—I woke up with my arms and legs bound, as Grey Wolf and Night Owl discussed the best way to sacrifice me so they could free Orrick from that tree.”

  “Oh. You never mentioned that.”

  “We’ve never spent time talking about the quest to help the Hunju.”

  We never spent an abundance of time talking about anything. Coco was devout in her dedication to the Queen, and she couldn’t comprehend how I wasn’t. We constantly disagreed on how my skills should be used and with what frequency. Admittedly, Coco had eased her judgment of me over the years but not to the extent anyone would consider us friendly. Today, her disposition was pleasant enough, but I suspected it was because I’d arrived of my own volition to offer help to the castle.

  As we walked, the forest grew darker—a combination of the dense trees and setting sun.

  “We should have talked about it more,” Coco said, pushing a branch aside. “Other than the battle of Marrin Beach, the marsh was my one great adventure. Everyone asks how exciting it must have been to go on a quest with the Avant Champion.”

  I snorted. “Not as grandiose as they might imagine.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Enormous, man-eating snakes, an enchanted forest, an ancient wizard restored, a civil war among giants.”

  I wondered if she’d ever forgiven me for her capture during the quest. I hadn’t predicted Windish’s betrayal. As a result, Coco and Joshua had been hostages for a night.

  “And brownies,” I added.

  She shuddered. “They’re creepy.”

  I laughed. “They’re an acquired taste. You have to get to know them.”

  “Not likely.”

  Ahead of us, yellow light lit a section of the forest.

  I felt the trip wire seconds late. I had already triggered the trap.

  “Duck!” I yelled.

  Coco and I flattened our bodies onto the ground. Above us, two large sacs of sleeping dust collided. We rolled to the side to avoid falling red particles.

  A conch sounded from the direction of the brownie village where the light emanated.

  “Our welcoming party,” I grumbled. As I stood, I brushed leaves and dirt from my clothing.

  I could hear tiny, panicked voices and urgent rustling from the leaves in the trees above. Coco and I walked into the lit opening, surrounded by the towering arbors. Above us, fireflies flew in circular patterns, bathing the forest in luminous yellow light. Dozens of small houses rested in every tree. All of the doors were firmly shut.

  “It’s Abigail,” I announced, hoping to get the words out before the brownie warriors, hiding in the trees, hurled spears or more sleeping powder at us.

  Usually intruders came to cut down their trees, so the brownies had long ago learned defensive measures. Their clever antics had made people believe the forest was haunted; and that was as much as a deterrent as their traps.

  A brownie emerged on a branch above us, standing tall and carrying a walking stick the size of a twig. He wore a gray hat woven to look like the head of a wolf, complete with black pebbles for eyes and tiny, yellow canine teeth—real teeth that I suspected had once belonged to a squirrel.

  Even with the hat, Grey Wolf stood only about a third of a meter high.

  Others emerged from the trees and shadows, whispering. “Red goddess.”

  Coco put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side.

  I stifled a groan. I had wanted to eliminate the foolish title, but the brownies clung to it.

  “Password.”

  I crossed my arms. “Grey Wolf, you know who I am—and you remember Captain Coco DeFay, I’m sure.” She’d been Lieutenant DeFay when they’d first met her … and put her in the pit. But I knew they’d remember the beautiful, tall blond woman regardless of her new title.

  Grey Wolf stood straight and stoic. “Password.”

  I bit my tongue to suppress my annoyance. “I swear by mystical moons, wizard runes, and silver spoons that I come in peace.”

  “Silver spoons?” Coco asked in a whisper.

  A few brownies snickered.

  “I’ll explain later.”

  “Welcome, Abigail the Bold,” Grey Wolf announced.

  An agile brownie dressed in black feathers swung from a rope, landing on my shoulder.

  “Raven! Good to see you.” I smiled.

  “It’s good you’ve come,” she said gravely. “The wizard is ill.”

  A lump formed in my throat. Mal’s brother had looked well when I’d seen him recently. Had the virus spread this far south already? I had no way to heal Orrick. Something about the strong properties of the forest prevented me from using my traveling star within its boundaries, which meant I had no way to easily transport him to Joshua, either.

  “Follow me.” Grey Wolf sat astride a plump, rust-colored squirrel that began scurrying across the limbs of trees above us.

  We followed, stumbling over roots with nothing but the dim light of a few fireflies to guide us. I already knew the way to Wizard Oak’s home, but Grey Wolf’s led us, increasing the sensation of urgency.

  Wizard Oak had a small, single-bedroomed abode wedged between two, large oak trees. When we reached it, the door hung open. I walked inside, my heart thudding with fear at what I might find.

  Coco followed with wide-eyed, open-mouthed nervousness behind me. I wondered if her concern were for Orrick’s health or how his condition may interfere with our mission here to gain knowledge.

  Orrick lay in bed flanked, by furrow-browed brownies. Night Owl, dressed in slate, with his decorative owl hat askew, sat on a table beside the wizard’s bed. Orrick appeared pale but resting comfortably. No rashes marred his skin, and no blood oozed from orifices. This was not the Omega plague. Was it something curable?

  I knelt beside him and took the old man’s hand, brushing a gray strand of hair from his face. “Orrick?”

  Pale, blue eyes flickered open and focused on me. He smiled. “Oh, Abigail. I was hoping you’d visit soon.” His voice sounded raspy and dry.

  My heart sank. “Of course.”

  Raven hopped off my shoulder. “Out! Everyone out!” She ushered the brownies out of his home.

  Grey Wolf turned his squirrel, gave me an acknowledging nod, and left. Night Owl walked somberly behind him.

  Coco sat in a chair off to one corner, watching observantly.

  When all who remained in his home were me, Raven, and Coco, Orrick squeezed my hand. The grip possessed strength, even though he appeared weak.

  I shook my head, hating to see how feeble Orrick seemed. How had he declined so quickly since I’d last visited? I needed to fetch Joshua to heal him. As soon as I thought the words, I remembered I couldn’t fetch Joshua. He was busy keeping those infected at the castle alive. They wouldn’t let me just waltz in and take him—not without a fight.

  Even worse, Joshua was likely to have contracted the virus himself by now, which was why he ha
dn’t touched me at the castle. If I brought Joshua here, the entire forest could be exposed. I could transport Orrick to the healing springs, but I would first need to carry him out of the forest.

  Orrick glanced around the room one more time, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Then he sat straight up in bed.

  He cleared his throat. “Oh, merciful monks. They haven’t left my bedside in days. There’s no privacy in a forest of brownies!” He gave me a wink. “So glad you came, Abigail.”

  Startled, I rocked back on my heels.

  Orrick continued speaking as he scrubbed his hand across his face. The color instantly returned to his cheeks. “I’m suffocated day and night by the entire tribe!”

  I turned to Raven, whose wry grin told me she’d kept Orrick’s secret.

  “They mean well,” he explained, “but there’s no peace in a brownie village. They constantly want my council or my blessing. I’m consulted for every childbirth, every funeral, and every full moon. At least when I was a tree, I could turn into myself and hide. I’ve taken to feigning illness just to get a moment of respite!”

  Orrick flicked a hand in the air in my direction. “Judge me all you want, young warrior. When you get to be my age, little lies aren’t the worst of your worries.”

  I let my body relax, my prior angst leaving me. “I can help you leave. Perhaps you need a drier climate to heal what ails you? We can set up a home for you somewhere else. But I can’t do that yet. There’s a crisis in Marrington.”

  “Is Malakai here?” As he asked the words, Mal appeared.

  I nodded.

  “I have a gift I want to give you, Abigail, but I need his help. Lay your left hand in mind. And Malakai is to do the same.”

  I searched Orrick’s expression for signs of more trickery but found none. Tentatively, I laid my hand on Orrick’s. With a leery look at his brother, Mal placed his hand through mine and into Orrick’s. Wizard Oak closed his eyes.

  Suddenly, I began hallucinating. Streams of light floated through us, connecting Mal and I. We appeared to be outdoors, bathed in sunlight. I could feel the heat, smell the bloom of magnolias, and see flecks of gold dancing on the breeze around us. It was all so real.

  So too, suddenly, was the connection between Mal and I. Warmth, where our hands met turned to searing fire. I gasped, withdrawing my hand and recoiling away.

  The bright light dimmed when our connection broke. I found myself back in reality—back in Orrick’s home.

  In eight years, Mal and I had never touched. I’d tried to bump elbows playfully once, and I’d gone right through him. Every object I ever hurled at Mal, whether in anger or frustration, had sailed cleanly through him.

  I always assumed we simply couldn’t touch. Had Orrick created some type of bridge? If so, I wanted no part of being burned.

  I looked around, but Mal had vanished.

  “Are you well?” Coco asked me. She sat in the only human-sized chair in the room.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Who is Malakai? He’s the Mal you talked to in the castle?”

  “Long story. I’ll explain later.” Maybe.

  “What is this crisis you mentioned?” Orrick asked.

  I looked down at my throbbing palm. A tattoo of two blue moons—one large, one small—was etched on it; as if it had been there for years. No burns marred my skin, and yet moments earlier my palm had felt scorched.

  Staring at the new tattoo, I told Wizard Oak, “There’s a plague inflicting Marrington.”

  He stared out the window, his blue eyes turning gray. “The Omega plague. Hmm. Yes. It’s not only Marrington. It spread from Kovia then worked its way through all of the major cities east to west. Unchecked, it will eliminate eighty percent of the world’s population.” He blinked and shifted his weight. “Raven, take the Captain and fetch my books. We’ll find an answer in there.”

  The small brownie departed with Coco in tow.

  Now that she was gone, I looked at the tattoo on my palm and asked, “The moons?”

  “I’ve given you the gift of moon magic and moonlight.”

  Which explained nothing. “Meaning?”

  “All in good time. I’ll show you the meaning of the moons on our next encounter.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Orrick, wondering if this was his way of ensuring I returned to rescue him from the brownies. I respected him too much to doubt his gift, but also knew him too well not to suspect mischief was involved.

  “Why did you need Mal to make it work?”

  “All in good time,” Orrick assured me.

  Raven returned with Coco, carrying a stack of a half-dozen books. She lowered them onto a table in his room.

  “I’ve been writing everything I can remember of the magic books of my days,” Orrick explained.

  I stood and leaned closer. “Magic books?” My voice was barely a whisper.

  What did I know of magic? My skills were acquired from the stone I wore. Mal had spoken of his mother’s magic and Orrick’s magic—magic not beholden to magic stones. Long forgotten, ancient magic.

  “Magic books,” I repeated, feeling a rising excitement, a wave of hope.

  “Raven, more light please.” I drew my hand across one of the brown leather covers.

  Fireflies swarmed into the room and hovered above us, casting their glow over the pile of books.

  “You’ve written six books?”

  Orrick shrugged. “I’ve been out of captivity for eight years. I’ve been attempting to document all of the magic I can recall from my mother’s books—as well as any I’ve witnessed used during the last seven thousand years.”

  I touched the spine one of the smooth, leather covers. “Which book shall we open? We need anything about cures, the Omega plague, or the Blood Stone. We need to find the answer tonight.”

  “Try the red one,” he suggested.

  An hour later, I found a passage within the book resembling the pieces mentioned in Sunny’s poem. I passed the open, red leather book up to Orrick—who’d reclaimed his chair from Coco. “Will this work?”

  Recipe for Mass Healing

  The formula has been applied in the past with success to multiple infectious outbreaks.

  Ingredients:

  Healing stone and activator

  Blood stone

  Blood of the host creature

  Bowl

  Depending up on the type of disease, the carrier vector may be animal, insect, parasite, or man himself. The blood should be fresh and in sufficient quantity in proportion to the number of people to be healed. For instance, a room full of people may only need a drop of blood—whereas a large population will need the entire stone doused in blood.

  Around the bowl, arrange the Healing Stone and its activator. Place the Blood Stone in the bowl. Add drops of blood from the carrier animal. The activators of the stones will then work the magic to heal the masses.

  Orrick looked up, blinked, and looked back at the book he held. “Yes. This one will do. But the addition of a Wind Stone will carry the healing farther.”

  I let out a breath of air I’d been holding. “Is it enough to heal a continent?”

  “The addition of a Wind Stone will carry the healing as far as the wind takes it.”

  Coco, who’d been flipping through a blue, leather-bound book in deep fascination, looked over his shoulder at the red book. “Carrier vector? What carrier vector?”

  Orrick closed the book. “A bat.”

  “A bat?”

  He stared out the window of his home, deep into the dark forest, as if it held the answers of the universe. “The Kovian salt mines. You’ll find the bats you need there.”

  “Bats in Kovia?” Raven asked.

  Orrick turned and looked at me. “You’ll need to travel to the salt mines on southeast Kovia. The mines have the bats that carry the disease. You’ll need the blood of a bat for the cure.”

  Coco tapped a book on the wood floor, simultaneously tapping a finger to her chin. “Joshua has
the healing stone, but where do we find the Wind Stone and Blood Stone?”

  “I have a book Mama Duski gave me.” I realized no one in the room but I knew the former gypsy leader. “She bequeathed me The Book of Stones on her passing. The book contains the last known location of all Che stones. I can’t testify to how accurate it is, but the stones are sacred to the Dubik gypsies, so I’m sure they made every effort to track them down.”

  “Then we have a plan?” Coco asked. “Book, then stones, then bat?”

  As I looked back over the stack of books, I nodded. “We should skim these tonight before we head back to the castle to ensure we aren’t missing anything.”

  Raven began walking toward the door. “I’ll grab some snacks.”

  “Abigail, wake up.”

  I started suddenly, clutching an object in my lap. I looked up to see Coco standing over me and then down at the red leather book in my arms.

  I blinked at the sunlight streaming through the window of the small cabin we’d slept in last night.

  Four hours was a scant amount of sleep, but it was all we could afford. My stomach rumbled. The brownies had brought us nuts and fruit for snacks as we worked our way through the magic texts last night, but those were hardly sufficient for a human-sized appetite. As I stood unsteadily, I shifted the book in one crux of my arm and exited the house. I was grateful the brownies had agreed to allow us to rest in their camp until morning.

  “Let’s go.”

  Raven swung down from a tree, landing on my shoulder. She carried a sack over her shoulder, and she gripped my ear with her free hand.

  I glanced at her without turning my head. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “With you.”

  “I don’t have time to list the many reasons that’s a bad idea.”

  “Then don’t. Accept my company.”

  I continued walking to the forest edge. “Do you have permission to leave?”

  “I don’t need permission.”