When I reached the point where I was ready to unleash the scream building in my throat, I fixed her face in my mind. I tried to recall every detail of those brief moments, her slight form, her near-white hair, the ethereal paleness in her skin… It wasn’t until I reached the recollection of her eyes that I choked. The shattered hope in her gaze splintered out around me, filling me with a new round of grief and guilt.
No matter what I had to endure, I would. At any cost, I would find every piece of her broken dreams and make them whole again.
The cart rolled to a halt. I kept still, waiting until some of the weight was lifted before attempting escape. Three bodies gone, my lungs expanded with a little more freedom, but still I waited.
The one atop my feet slid away.
A man’s voice mumbled a confused statement, and I knew my time was up. Desperate to be rid of the death surrounding me, I heaved myself up with all my strength, clinging to the carpet with one hand. The bodies falling behind me, Brahama’s father yelped in surprise, his shock sparing me a moment to leap over the side of the cart and hit the ground running. Though my legs had seen more than their share of work that day, I prayed for the strength for that one last push, sprinting away northbound as the sun lowered to kiss the horizon. I folded the carpet as best I could on the move and slung it over my shoulder, racing the dying light of day to return on time to the red feather man. My body burned with exhaustion, but I refused to give in to it. Ten minutes passed. Fifteen. Twenty.
The sky bled crimson and gold, mirroring the fire in my muscles as I propelled myself onwards. How much farther? How much time was left?
The pounding in my ears pushed me over the crest of a hill. Were those hoofbeats or my pulse echoing in my skull?
The light was fading. Long shadows reached out towards me, grabbing for my heels.
My foot caught on something— a stone, perhaps a dead root— and I fell, a confounded mess of flesh and bone as I rolled to a stop. My face ground into the dusty earth, the wind knocked out of me the moment I struck. I gasped, still clutching the edges of the carpet, clinging to the hope that I was nearly there…
A light laugh shook me from my inward focus.
“Not a moment too soon, and not a moment too late.”
I rolled and stared up at the face of the red feather man, reconciling what I saw with where I had to be. “I made it?”
He offered me his hand and helped me up, and yet again the softness of his skin surprised me. How were his fingers not as rough and dry as the land he lived in?
“All is as it should be.” He turned and walked towards the fire, his robes obscuring his feet as they swayed with the movement. He made a motion towards the seats. “Rest. Eat. Tomorrow I will fulfill my end.”
“Wait!” I scrambled after him before he could leave. When he paused, I hurried to say what I needed to. “Alida said you would help her as well. She still holds onto her hope.”
The man smiled at me and nodded. “As she should, but her story has yet to unfold. It’s not yet time. May I?” He pointed at the rug I clutched in my left hand.
Handing it over without protest, his brows drew down a little at touching it, but his pleasant mask returned quickly. “You’ve done as I asked, and done well. Not so much trouble, I think.”
My jaw sagged. “Not so much… I’ll have nightmares for the rest of my life. Have you ever lain among the dead? It’s not something easily forgotten, likely. Ask me in ten years, and I’ll tell you for sure.”
His gaze drifted up to mine, considerate. “Was it not worth it?”
“Perhaps it will be in time.” I crossed my arms, irritated. “But for the moment I’m not at all certain. It depends on whether or not I’m successful, I suppose.”
“All things have a purpose.” He fluttered his hand through the air. “Answers often arrive before we’ve even asked a question. This is no different. Goodnight, Lukas. Rest well.”
And like that, he was gone again.
* * * * *
Rubbing my eyes did nothing to clear my head. Surely it wasn’t the same carpet.
I looked at it again, then back up at the red feather man. “I’m going to what?”
He opened his palms, angling them at the red and gold weaving of the rug. “Sit. You’ll need to borrow it for where you’re going.”
“But didn’t I just… I don’t understand why…” I was growing infinitely tired of trying to reason it all out. Was it so difficult to explain things simply?
“You need it to go, but it had to be restored first. Are you not happy I’ve done so?"
I flung my arms into the air, exasperated. “Restored to what? And how does such a thing get me where I need to go? It isn’t as though it has wheels or an animal to pull it.”
“Sit,” he commanded, clearly impatient with me. “You will understand then.”
Shouldering my pack, I did as he instructed, my legs crossed on the carpet, and waited.
“You have that box still?”
“Box?”
“That which the dragon covets. She gave it to you, did she not?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Perhaps. Why?”
“So suspicious. I’ve no need for it, myself, but you have.”
With little recourse, I dug Erata’s wooden box out of the bottom of my pack, turning it over to him with only a little hesitation. He admired it for a moment, then took a few steps back. “Watch, for you will do this yourself next time.”
Before I could ask, he lifted his arms in the air, opening the lid of the small chest. The sudden gust around us instantly set my nerves on edge. More magic?
“East Wind!” he shouted. “You are mine to still!”
All at once, the wind swirled with a force greater than any blizzard I’d known. Sand blasted against me with such violence it broke the skin, but only for a brief second. The air was suddenly sucked away, leaving me breathless as I looked up to see what happened. The red feather man stood as serene as ever, the box closed before him. Gently, he handed it to me.
“The East Wind lies within, but it cannot take you to her. You will need to ask all the winds to find one who knows the way to the palace."
“Ask the winds? I cannot speak with them as Erata does.”
“You need only see them to contain them.”
I took a deep breath to steel my patience. “I cannot see the wind, either. Things blown by it, yes, but not the wind itself."
He tittered a laugh. “And there lies your next obstacle. I will send you to visit one who might help you. Now, repeat this word. Abarasé!”
It seemed ridiculous, but I obliged him. “Abarasé!”
The carpet beneath me rose into the air before I could brace. An invisible force kept me tethered to the thing, and all my surprised flailing earned me was to find myself hanging upside down, nose inches from the ground.
The man chuckled and bent to see me. “Right yourself by shifting your weight. I would not recommend traveling as you are."
My wits scattered, I tilted my hips slightly, the motion resulting in a gentle turn that gradually saw me upright again, though I corrected too much and it took a few tries to sit straight. I clutched Erata’s box against my chest. “It only hovers?”
“Say ‘indicio’ to return to the ground.” He indicated the treasure. “You must have an outside force to propel you if you are to go anywhere, however. Tell the East Wind you will release it if it agrees to take you to the Bernish queen.”
My mouth snapped shut as quickly as it opened. “A queen? Me? What—”
“You’re losing time, and winds do not like to be kept. Hold it much longer and your ride will not be pleasant.”
“But—”
“Explain to the queen who you are, and all will be well,” he said with a wave. “Oh, I’ve one more thing for you.” With a flourish, he produced a long crimson feather, its tip sharpened to a fine point. “You may find this useful later, but—”
“Let me guess. No sooner than that?”
He nodded appreciatively. “You are learning, I see. Goodbye, Lukas. Be swift, be safe.”
I turned to answer him, but caught only the tail of his robes as he disappeared behind the hut. Resigned, I held the box in both hands, doubting my own sanity. The wood hummed a little beneath my fingers.
“Er… East Wind?” I asked, tentative. “I’ll happily release you, but you must agree to take me to the…” Pausing, I gritted my teeth. “You must take me to the Bernish queen. Please.”
A moment passed, and the gentle vibration of the box stilled. Unable to hear its voice, all I could do was assume that was a sign of acceptance. Adjusting my grip, I tentatively cracked the lid open…
My head whipped back as I struggled to hold the box. The moment the East Wind was free, the carpet shot up into the air, blasting across the sky with such force that my vision darkened around the edges, my consciousness fading. Eventually the speed settled some, or I became accustomed to it, and I was able to look around a little.
Below me, the world zipped by in a blur, the desert long since far behind me. Rugged mountains passed by, as did canyons, forests, and tiny dots of civilization. For a brief moment, a large black shape kept pace in the air with us, though I wasn’t sure what sort of creature it was. I didn’t have much time to judge it, however, as it was far behind me before long. I gave up thinking about it after a while, as I reasoned my recent experience had demonstrated quite clearly that my knowledge of the world was very little, and anything it might be was nothing I could guess at.
When my knees started to ache, I tested out how much freedom of movement I had. If I moved slowly enough, it seemed I didn’t disturb the carpet’s position much, if at all. In inches, I managed to stretch, eventually coming to rest with my pack pushed up on my shoulders to rest my head. With nothing else to do, and the East Wind steering my course, eventually my eyes drifted closed. My winter coat provided a fair amount of protection from the wind, and so, comforted by the gentle bobbing of the carpet, I fell asleep knowing the spirit that carried me was known by Erata. It was a strange thing to feel connected by. Wind had always been a presence in my life, but knowing its affinity for the woman I loved somehow gave it a new meaning. If I listened hard enough, perhaps I would hear her voice carried on the breeze.
Chapter 18
Of course I’d woken to the sensation of falling before, but only ever in dreams, where reality always found me securely in my bed. Discovering myself actually in the midst of a sharp descent upon opening my eyes was another thing altogether, the result of which was a rather embarrassing scream coming out of my mouth. Fortunately, I was still too high up to be heard. At least, I was mostly sure I was.
After reminding myself where I was and how I got there, I wondered if the drop in altitude meant I was near my destination. Careful not to tip over, I scanned the land below, looking for something that might tell me where I was. As I peered over the edge, I jerked back, my face coming inches from smacking into the top of a tall pine tree. My abrupt movement sent me into a spin, barreling into a spiral as I zipped through the air, magically glued to a flying rug. Had I not been utterly nauseated by the motion, I probably would’ve found it hilarious.
Markedly slower than the rest of the trip had been, the wind skipped us across the treetops. When my dizziness subsided, I could finally see what I guessed was my stop. Beyond the forest, the mountains began, and there, a structure that seemed carved from the very rock it rested on. The massive castle easily dwarfed the Sultana’s palace in Ishtara by at least half. Six towers jutted into the sky around a seventh central tower, which was easily three times wider than the rest. It sloped with the mountain, gently curving down into streets that flowed into a city within fortress walls.
The queen of Bern’s home was truly breathtaking.
I edged forward, gripping the front of the carpet as we settled into an easy glide over the town. I noted a few battle scars in the protective walls, but overall it seemed less cramped and more welcoming than Ishtara had been. My ride curved west, angling up to follow the base of the castle. Up, up I went, noting a few surprised shouts as I shot over the battlements. No doubt I’d been spotted by watchmen and soldiers, but I had no way of announcing myself in advance. Nervous, I kept my head down and hoped for the best, even as I circled the main tower. I shot around the very top, past the flag whipping in the breeze, then took a sharp turn straight down, white knuckling the carpet as it headed to the grassy courtyard behind the main structure. At the last possible moment, it jerked up to run parallel to the ground. I wound through a hedge maze, blowing past men clad in silver armor to a cacophony of noise as they jumped. A last archway led the way out, and a grand stone pavilion loomed before me. In the center, three tables played host to a handful of women in brightly colored finery, but still onwards I went.
I braced, not daring to look at what I was sure would be a horrific collision, the alarmed cries of the ladies heralding my arrival.
The wind left abruptly, the hair sticking out from my cap settling around my face.
I’d stopped moving.
Nervous, I cracked open an eye. I was immediately greeted by several shocked faces, though likely none were as uncomfortable and horrified as I was. Three of them, however, had stayed seated, staring at me with placid, if not terse, expressions. One in particular struck me as familiar, though only slightly. It was her eyes, like Erata’s only a deeper, softer blue. Her skin had a similar enchanted paleness to it, though her face was rounder. She seemed slightly older as well, her hair a darker blonde than Erata’s, and considerably longer given the intricate braids piled on her head. The resemblance couldn’t have been a coincidence, and I sat up straighter when realization hit me. “You’re another of Erata’s sisters?”
The woman reached for something on the table beside her, lifting a pair of spectacles and placing them on her nose. She studied me through them a moment before folding and setting them in her lap.
Her gaze rested on me in utter calm. “You are late.”
The clatter of metal interrupted our conversation as no fewer than twenty soldiers rushed into the pavilion to surround me. Beyond lost, I held up my hands in surrender. With so many swords aimed at me, there was little point in any bluster on my part.
One of the soldiers broke away to kneel beside the woman. “Your Highness, please forgive our failure to—”
“There’s no need for all this, Captain,” she said with a slight smile. “Have the men stand down. We’ve been expecting this visitor, and he’s no threat.”
“But—”
She set a hand on his shoulder, her expression infinitely kind. “Your men did very well under the circumstances. Thank you for your concern and your vigilance. You’re dismissed.”
As confused as I was, the captain stood, bowed to her, and ordered his men away. I watched them retreat back through the hedge maze, wondering if they would remain close by and suspicious.
The scrape of a chair drew my attention back to the women, and I turned to see the blonde prying herself from her seat with the help of the woman on her right. By the look of her swollen belly, it was a wonder she could stand at all, so close was she to childbirth. Instinctively, I tried to stand and help, but I’d completely forgotten I was still attached to the carpet. I wound up head over feet again before remembering I needed to land. I righted myself to a round of giggles, which didn’t ease my embarrassment at all.
“Indicio,” I said, hoping I’d pronounced it correctly. When I felt solid ground beneath me and the invisible tethers gone, I leapt to my feet and away from the rug. “Blessed stars, it feels good to be off that thing finally.”
A light laugh behind me startled me. The lady grinned at me, then turned her attention to the whispering women at the other tables. “I apologize for cutting this short, but there’s something I must see to immediately. Cards afternoon?”
There were lilting responses of agreement, followed by a slew of curtsying as all but the three departe
d the pavilion. Not knowing if I should bow or beg forgiveness, I simply stood there, dumber than a stump.
The tallest of the trio approached me then, a slightly stern look about her. “Your name?”
Confused, I blinked at her. “You were expecting me, but you don’t know who I am?”
She brushed a lock of mousy brown hair away from her forehead and crossed her arms. “We know who you are, but names are entirely other matters.”
I yanked the cap off my head and bowed a little. “Lukas Tomlinsson, my lady. Of Valmyr.”
“I am Adelaide Amalthea, eldest of the seven sisters, and advisor to Queen Clarice of Bern, third eldest.” She turned slightly, and the blonde woman smiled, easily the kindest one I’d ever seen. “The last you’ll meet is Delphine, fourth eldest.”
Delphine, her dark hair spilling down her back, remained with Clarice, though she wore a look similar to the queen’s. “How is your mother, Lukas? Did she recover well?”
My mouth fell open. “How… Yes, she’s better than ever, but—”
“There’ll be time for all that later,” Adelaide said. “My sister could use a rest after all this excitement, and you…” Her nose wrinkled slightly. “We’d be remiss as hosts if we didn’t see to a bath and clean clothes for you. Perhaps a hot meal as well?”
In a week I’d been in the company of many strange people, whisked all over the world, and tossed into mortal peril on more occasions than I wanted to count. Beyond myself with questions, but well used to being shuffled about, I made no arguments with her instructions. It wasn’t as though I knew any better. I did have to chuckle to myself a little as she escorted me out, however. An ignorant mountain man at a queen’s court? Life was absurd and absolutely beyond logic.
Ride the Wind: A Flipped Fairy Tale (Flipped Fairy Tales Book 3) Page 17
