Moon Shimmers(55)

“Hurry,” Raven Mother cautioned, tsking loudly. “We are on the outskirts of the Deep, and we must make haste. There are creatures around here that would not hesitate to attack a large party, although with me at your side, they will not dare. But I must be off soon and will not be able to accompany you to the mountains.”

Thistlewyd Deep belonged to Raven Mother and was far darker than even Darkynwyrd, which was a shadow land in itself, filled with primal creatures and those who lived between the light and the dark. The forest was the incarnation of magic, alive as any one of us and even more so. As frightening as it could be to strangers, to those who ran with the Hunt—like me—it fit like a glove. The energy was joyously feral, and as I watched the treeline in front of us, the shrubs and undergrowth shook as if a giant wind swept past them.

“Saddle up, my friends.” Raven Mother held out the reins of a horse with a star on its forehead. “Camille, I picked this one for you. She will lead you well, and you can trust her to find her way in the dark. She is used to fell folk, and will not startle in battle. The others are also acclimated to swordplay. The dwarves have a time fending off those who would steal from them. Their beasts of burden must be stalwart as well.”

I patted the horse on the head and she nuzzled me. One look in her eye and I knew we were going to get along fine. “What’s her name?”

“Dwarves don’t tend to name their horses,” Trillian said, coming up behind me. He helped me to fasten my staff to a holder that was connected to the saddle so I wouldn’t have to hold it. The horse didn’t seem to mind it there, parallel to its body. “They aren’t very sentimental.”

“Well, everybody should have a name.” I patted her muzzle again and she whinnied, as though she were enjoying it. “I’m going to call her Annabelle.”

“Let me help you up onto Annie’s back, then.” Trillian held the stirrup as I placed my foot into it, then grasping the horn of the saddle, I swung myself up. I adjusted my skirts so they weren’t trapped between my legs and the saddle and was immediately grateful I’d put on tights.

Delilah and the others mounted their horses, although as Smoky and Shade neared their mounts, the horses shifted nervously. They could probably smell dragon scent. Once we were all seated, Bran rode to the front. He turned, handling his horse like an expert.

“I know Venus needs to direct where we’re to go, but for now, we need to get away from the borders of the Deep and into the forest. We don’t know if we’re being followed.” He lowered his voice and looked directly at me. “The demons watch you and your sisters. For all we know, they could have seen you walk into the bar this morning, and not leave. We can be sure they know the spirit seals have all been found. Shadow Wing’s intelligence agency is clever and cunning. Best not to take chances. We’ll ride to a safe place my mother has prepared, and there the old shaman can give us our coordinates.”

Without another word, he turned back to the path and led us into Thistlewyd Deep as Raven Mother watched from behind. I glanced back at her. She said nothing, but raised one hand. I decided to take it as a blessing on our journey.





Chapter 10





THISTLEWYD DEEP ENVELOPED us like a glove enveloping a hand. It sucked us in, closing away the world outside. The outskirts of the Windwillow Valley had been alive with the sound of droning bees and bird song that flickered through the air. The hum of summer reverberated through the valley, but the moment we passed into the borders of the Deep, the sounds changed. Oh, it wasn’t silent here, not by any stretch of the imagination, but the birdsong changed to echoing calls, haunting and lonely. And bees still skimmed the bushes and flowers, but their hum was drowned out by that of the forest itself. The magic ran so thick here in the Deep that it tattooed its own beat, low and resonant, through the woodland.

Delilah nudged her mount over toward me, so we were riding side by side. She hadn’t ever been to Thistlewyd Deep, although she had been through Darkynwyrd, which could easily be a wooded nightmare of its own.

“The forest makes me uneasy. I feel we’re being watched,” she said in low tones.

“That’s because we are. We have a couple days’ ride to get through this part of the Deep so you might as well get used to it. This is where I felled…” I stopped, glancing ahead at Bran. If he could hear us, he made no indication. “The Black Beast. Within this wood.”

“The forest practically reeks with Raven Mother’s energy. Everything feels chaotic and topsy-turvy. I wouldn’t want to live here.” She shuddered, but when Bran gave a quick glance over his shoulder, she fell silent.