Beyond the Forest

by Kay L. Ling

  “I disagree,” Folio said over his shoulder. “I think she’ll figure it out sometime tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow! Why tomorrow?” Lana asked, completely baffled.

  Folio answered her question with a question. “When a dozen gnomes disappear from the mines tonight, who do you suppose she’ll blame?”

  “Incompetent guards?” Lana suggested weakly.

  “Gnomes have never escaped before, although they have tried, on their own and with help. Anyone who can whisk away a dozen gnomes without alerting the guards must have extraordinary gem powers—powers most would call magic. Certainly that narrows the field of rescuers.”

  Yes, that made sense. According to Raenihel, his clansmen had tried unsuccessfully to rescue gnomes from the mining camps. If a dozen gnomes disappeared one night, Sheamathan would assume that gem powers were involved. “Won’t she think you did it?” she asked Folio.

  “I’ve never intervened before,” he called back. “That, and the fact that her wolfhound is suddenly missing may be enough to indict Jules.”

  Jules said, “Lana has powers. What about her?”

  Lana considered briefly. “I don’t think I’d be her first guess. I met with her on the gnomes’ behalf, delivered their message and went home. She knows that. Her breghlin followed me to the portal looking for your knife. That was a month ago.”

  Jules shrugged. “Well, if I were her, I wouldn’t rule you out, but Elias may be right that I’m the prime suspect. Sheamathan knows I routinely check your side of the portal. I’ve seen the blight, so I know she’s outwitted her restrictive device.” He kicked a stone from the trail and frowned thoughtfully.

  Folio said, “There’s no reason to keep your part of the bargain now that she’s broken hers. Naturally, you’d try to break your enchantment.”

  Lana nodded. “You disappear, and a dozen gnomes escape. It could be a coincidence, but not likely.” They walked in silence and then something occurred to her. “Considering the camp is full of gnomes, why would someone only rescue twelve of them? Won’t Sheamathan think that’s odd?”

  “Probably. And she hates mysteries,” Jules said with a wry smile. “I almost feel sorry for her. She’s on a losing streak. She lost you before she learned anything useful about you. She lost the Challenger’s blade, which she wanted so no one could use it against her. She lost me, and now she’s about to lose a dozen gnomes.”

  Lana laughed. “You forgot another loss—Folio. He’s helping us, so she’s lost him, too.”

  “True,” Folio said. He slowed and turned to them. “I’m her only listening ear, so losing me will be a devastating loss, I assure you. Whenever I visit, she spends the first hour recounting every idiotic thing the breghlin have done since my last visit.” He put on a long-suffering expression and smoothed his gray beard. “I make sympathetic comments at regular intervals, so she thinks I’m still listening. The breghlins’ lack of ingenuity and witless blunders drive her mad, but she’s stuck with them. A more intelligent race would question her orders and rebel against her cruelty, and she’s well aware of that.”

  The group continued up the hill. The mention of breghlin made Lana think about the dungeon. The breghlin were lawless savages, but Grace, Ferdinand, Wally and the gang weren’t as vicious as some of the others. Maybe there was hope for them.

  Her legs had begun to ache from the steep incline, and it was still a long way to the mine. She stopped to massage her calves. Jules waited for her. “Do you hike much at home?” he asked. “You don’t even look tired.”

  She straightened and started to walk again, more pleased than she cared to admit that he showed an interest in her. “Yes, I like to hike. It’s relaxing and gives me time to think.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “On the other hand, maybe I should find a safer hobby. Hiking through County Forest Park got me here.”

  “One way or another, you were destined to come here.”

  “Destiny,” she said with a sniff. “I’ve never believed in it.”

  “I believe events happen to us when we are uniquely qualified to fulfil a purpose. Call it what you will.”

  She gave him a long look. She had never thought of it that way.

  “You were uniquely qualified to break my enchantment. I needed your help, and I couldn’t afford to give up, even though my attempts to speak to you as a wolfhound upset you.”

  “You’re nothing if not persistent,” she agreed, giving him a slight grin to soften her words.

  A hint of amusement crossed his face. “I can be just as stubborn as you, when I need to be.”

  When they reached the top of the hill, they found a spot to sit that was free of stones and weeds with thorns.

  “Our hike will be more difficult once we leave the trail,” Folio said brushing dust off his sleeves and pant legs, “but our object is to reach the mines before dark and assess the situation.”

  Lana opened her canteen and took a drink, glad she wasn’t responsible for their plan. They needed to spirit away a dozen gnomes as well as sacks full of alamaria without alerting the guards. Not an easy task, but Folio seemed to think they could pull it off. She ran a hand over her forehead, wiping away a film of sweat. She had hoped to include Gliaphon in this mission but she realized the more she thought about it that it would be too risky to search for him. They needed to get in and out as quickly as possible.

  “Do you think there will be a lot of guards?” Jules asked Folio.

  “Actually, no,” he said, and Lana looked at him in surprise. “Particularly not on the cliff,” he added. “Mining operations stop before sundown. Most guards go home, especially the ones on the cliff. That’s why I went in the evening to spy on the mine and collect alamaria samples.”

  “Why are there fewer guards in the evening?” she asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier for gnomes to escape at night?”

  “When you see the mine, you’ll understand. The gnomes never leave the open pit where they mine the stone. Breghlin haul up the alamaria in a large bag-like carrier made of woven rope. At the end of the day, they haul up the carrier for the last time and it stays on top of the cliff.” He spread his hands. “So how can the gnomes escape? They can’t scale the cliff, so there’s no need for a lot of guards. One or two are stationed on the cliff by the equipment, and a few in the mining camp below.”

  “So it should be fairly easy to rescue the gnomes,” she said. “That sounds too good to be true.”

  Folio waved a hand, “I wouldn’t call it easy, but it’s better than attempting the plan during mining hours.”

  “So, how do we get down to the mine?”

  “We’ll use the winch and carrier to get down to the camp, and then we’ll find our dozen gnomes and bring them up, three or four at a time. This procedure is not without its challenges. Chains and pulleys make a lot of noise.” He stood and put out a hand to help her up, as if not wanting to dwell on the dangers and anxious to be off.

  “So, the guards will hear us,” she said as she stood. “How can we keep our rescue mission a secret?” She put on her backpack and looked at him expectantly.

  “With Fair Lands powers on your end and Shadow powers on mine,” he said, and she wondered if he was really as confident as he sounded.

  Jules, who had listened silently until now said, “Someone will have to stay on the cliff and operate the winch.”

  Folio didn’t answer. He took out his pocket watch and checked it, and then he started walking. “Yes, it will take two people to pull up our cargo,” he said as he crossed the trail and started into the woods. “You and I will remain on the cliff.”

  Jules charged after Folio. “Send Lana down to the mine alone?”

  She was surprised, too, but it made sense. It didn’t take physical strength to find the gnomes, but it did to haul them up. She plowed through the underbrush, trying to keep up.

  “We will be watching from above,” Folio said firmly. “And as we know, Lana is very resourceful.”

  “Yes, she is,” Jules s
puttered, “but gathering alamaria and a dozen gnomes while avoiding capture seems like a lot to ask.”

  With a strange sense of detachment, she listened to their debate. Imagine, giving her the hardest part of the mission. Folio must have a lot of confidence in her abilities, which was nice, but a little unsettling. She would do whatever he asked. Sure, she was afraid. Who wouldn’t be? Going down there alone with no backup if something went wrong was pretty risky. They’d be watching from the cliff but unless Folio’s gem powers worked from a distance he couldn’t protect her.

  “She may only need to collect the gnomes,” Folio said. “The alamaria may be waiting on the cliff.”

  “Twelve bags worth?” Jules protested in a tone that said Folio was either wildly optimistic or delusional. “A few rocks may fall off a cart, but we need a lot more than that.”

  Lana ducked under a low-hanging branch and skirted a bush covered with thorns. Jules crashed through thistly shrubs and underbrush, without even trying to sweep them aside.

  “I’ve studied their operation,” Folio explained patiently, walking slower so Jules could catch up. “Usually, they leave the last load of the day on the ground, and the cart hauls it away in the morning.”

  She supposed her job would be easier if she only had to worry about gnomes.

  “All right. So, maybe she won’t need to bring up alamaria, just gnomes,” Jules said irritably. “It’s still dangerous. Especially alone.”

  “I don’t deny that, nevertheless, it’s the only way.”

  It felt odd to be the topic of debate. Folio had already made up his mind and it was obvious that he wouldn’t back down. Why argue?

  Jules made an exasperated noise and muttered something under his breath that she couldn’t make out. He slowed his pace enough for her to catch up and she walked alongside him.

  “Will you lend me your knife when I go?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t be angry.

  He gave her a fierce glance. “Yes, of course. But I’d rather go, myself.” He swept an intruding branch aside with more violence than necessary. It broke with a sharp snap.

  She understood his annoyance. She was about to play the starring role in yet another adventure with his knife. But she didn’t think his protests were all about male pride. The concern in his voice suggested he felt protective of her. She felt unaccountably pleased at that thought.

  They walked at least five miles through the pathless wilderness. With every mile the blight grew more severe. The forest was mostly standing dead wood, and the trees, shrubs and groundcover that was still alive looked unhealthy. It was depressing. At least Folio’s shortcut avoided the dangerous regions she had traveled with Raenihel—like the pythanium feeding ground.

  She knew they were nearing Shadowglade when there were no more trees, and miles of dry, cracked land stretched out ahead. The familiar reddish soil soon covered her already-dirty sneakers and filled every crease in her khakis. Red dirt invaded her nose, ears, and mouth, and filled every exposed pore. It felt disgusting, but on the bright side, she supposed red dirt was the perfect natural camouflage.

  They turned their backs to the wind and stopped a moment to rest. “We’ll be there before dark,” Folio advised. “There’s a grove of dead trees near the cliff. We can hide there and observe the operation without being seen.”

  Lana shook her canteen. How much water was left? Maybe a third. It would never last until they got back to the portal. With any luck she could refill it in the mining camp. If not, they would have to resort to Folio’s skill at getting liquid out of plants, which would be time-consuming. She took a few sips and handed it to Jules, but he must have noticed how empty it felt because he hesitated, looking reluctant to drink.

  “There will be water at the mining camp,” she said. “Workers have to drink. Go ahead. I’ll get more.”

  He didn’t look happy about it but he took a few gulps. “Now you’re on water detail. In addition to everything else.” He shook his head, looking frustrated, and handed Folio the canteen.

  Folio took a few sips and after resting a few more minutes started walking again. Lana followed, increasingly nervous, but determined not to show it. She went over the plan in her head. First, they had to get rid of the breghlin guarding the equipment on the cliff. Then, Jules and Folio would put her into some kind of a carrier made of ropes and lower her to the mines, probably several stories down. That would be fun, she thought with a grimace. She wasn’t afraid of heights, but being stuffed into a rope bag and dropped off a cliff wasn’t her idea of a good time. Assuming she reached the bottom in one piece, she must find a dozen gnomes and send them up in the carrier, a few at a time, without being caught.

  The sun was going down when they neared the mine. They found the grove of dead trees Folio had mentioned and hid there. Two hundred feet from their position stood the winch apparatus made of giant logs, with a ramshackle building that must be the guard shack beside it. Near the winch lay a pile of alamaria. Lana’s heart lifted at the sight of it. Folio had been right, and this would make their mission much easier.

  “What did I tell you, Jules,” Folio whispered excitedly. “There’s your alamaria—more than twelve bags full.”

  “I don’t mind being wrong when being wrong is to my advantage.”

  “Now what?” Lana asked. Her hands had gone clammy.

  “Now I make a discrete visit to that guard shack.” Folio chuckled. “I hope the guards are sleepy. They’re about to enjoy a very long nap.” He stepped from behind the tree and his form wavered, becoming increasingly transparent. The darkening sky and the ground showed plainly through the outline of his body. After a moment, all she could see was a shimmer in the air, which drifted toward the guard shack and then disappeared inside.

  “Impressive,” she whispered to Jules.

  Jules looked equally spellbound.

  “Have you ever see him do that?” she asked.

  “No. He’s full of surprises.” He looked her in the eye. “You know, you have the potential to be as great as he is.”

  “Not if it means using dark powers. I won’t go there.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, but avoiding dark powers doesn’t necessarily limit you. Most anything worth doing can be done with other gems.” He took off his sheathed blade and handed it to her. Her heart beat faster at the intensity of his gaze. “I know you’ll put this to good use. Please be careful.”

  “I will. And thanks.” For a moment she thought he was going to say something else, and then he looked away. They sat in tense silence for several minutes.

  She didn’t see Folio return, but she heard a low voice say, “It’s done,” and a patch of shimmering air took on a human outline that became transparent, then translucent, and then opaque. “Those guards won’t be troubling us,” Folio said, sounding rather proud of himself.

  Wonderful. Folio had neutralized the guards. The rest was up to her. She studied the winch with growing apprehension. Perspiration beaded on her forehead. She felt light-headed. Taking a deep breath, she unsheathed the knife, desperate to draw confidence and optimism from it. She had a job to do and Folio was counting on her.

  “Steady,” Folio said gently.

  There were times, like now, when she didn’t want him reading her thoughts. She grabbed the canteen and stood. “I’m all right. Let’s go,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

  By now the sky was as dark as it ever got here in Shadow. The characteristic silver shimmer provided enough ambient light to see where they were going. They walked toward the winch apparatus, which looked disturbingly like a giant Lincoln Log creation. Jules carried the sacks. While he and Folio waited for her to send up a bagful of gnomes, they could bag some alamaria. She smiled in spite of herself. Humor was good. For a moment her hands shook a little less.

  Tilting back her head, she looked up at the winch. Was she crazy? She was about to entrust her life to this contraption. She pressed a hand to her chest but it didn’t keep her heart from pounding.
Two gigantic thirty-foot logs formed an A-shaped support structure, braced by a one-hundred-foot perpendicular log stretching out behind the A. The other log arm would swing her out over the cliff. She studied the pulley system warily. Chains controlled an iron hook that held the woven rope carrier. She looked over the cliff and instantly regretted it. The ground was sixty or seventy feet down. She wasn’t sure she could do this.

  Folio didn’t give her time to talk herself out of it. He took her arm. “Now listen carefully. Breghlin are a predictable lot. Dinner was two hours ago and that’s when they started drinking. By now they’re playing cards or dice and they’re too drunk to pay much attention to the gnomes. One or two guards will stay sober enough to make rounds and check the shacks every couple of hours.”

  She nodded and took a shaky breath. Folio’s assessment sounded encouraging. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought.

  “Have you ever used Jules’s knife to create invisibility?”

  “Yes, but the way I do it is different than yours. If someone looks at me, my presence doesn’t register.”

  “Show me.”

  It was hard to perform on demand, especially when she was nervous, but she had managed it while escaping from Shadowglade, and she had been just as scared then. Gripping the knife firmly, she closed her eyes to concentrate and channeled its power. Energy hummed through her and she was pretty sure something was happening.

  Jules drew in a sharp breath and Folio said, “Yes! Good!”

  As soon as she stopped concentrating she felt the energy ebb. She opened her eyes and looked at Folio and Jules.

  “Put the knife away until you get to the bottom,” Folio advised, “and then I want you to use the invisibility, just as you did now, and head straight to the mining shacks.”

  Once again she looked over the cliff. She could make out ten squat, wooden mining shacks that looked big enough to bunk six or eight gnomes. A few hundred yards to their left stood a larger building that might be guards’ quarters. A structure with a steeply pitched metal roof stood off to the right, away from everything else. The front two-thirds didn’t have walls, just support beams, and it reminded her of a picnic pavilion. The shapes beneath the roof looked like tables, so it was probably a communal dining area, with a kitchen in the rear. A covered well stood next to the pavilion.