“Is this ever going to stop?” Shawna whined from Mira’s back.
They had been traveling for days, and it had been raining ever since they’d reached a small valley winding between the mountains. A lovely river capered through it, and every tree wore its best shade of green. The trees fluttered their leaves proudly in the gusty wind, but they were the only ones enjoying their afternoon shower. Lula tried charming the raindrops into mist, but a small cloud soon formed around them and Mira couldn’t see. So she tried a different charm. But instead of deflecting the rain it just turned into pink snow. With a glare scorching enough to melt her faulty spell, she irritably took refuge in the backpack.
Antares was the least happy of them all. He kept lunging from tree canopy to rocky overhang, trying to avoid the rain. Shawna didn’t realize she was laughing out loud until he shot a frightening snarl at her. She immediately bit her lip, even though he looked ridiculous trying to dodge between raindrops, which of course, didn’t work at all.
She looked down at her sword nestled in her lap. It was beautiful, clear as water, and light to hold, yet strong at the same time. The iron hilt was the most amazing part of all. It was as if Antares, Mira, Capella, and Lula had been shrunk and frozen into the handle, curling up it in intricate poses. The tiny life-like reliefs were so perfectly placed that the grip was comfortable and easy to hold. It looked like a piece of art, not a weapon. Vine-like swirls twisted between the reliefs, then turned into spiraling vines at the cross-guard. Even as she was examining it, something was appearing in the core of the blade. It looked like dark smoke. She gasped. It was a small perfect carving of Kryos leaping upwards towards the point. The smoke solidified into an iron statue of Kryos within the crystal.
She had almost forgotten everything around her until– “There,” said Mira, stopping a moment to point her horn towards a dense clump of trees where the ground was fairly dry. “That’s the best we can do for now until this storm passes.”
All of them were so wet and miserable that anything seemed better than walking straight into the storm. Antares was first under the thick canopy and sat shaking and licking his wet fur. Mira finally kicked a back leg at him and scolded him for shocking her every time he shook himself. Lula flew off to find some sweet flower nectar and something for Shawna to eat since wilderness-survival had not been an option in high school. Mira lay down, steam rising from her sides, and Shawna huddled between her hooves against her warmth.
“Mira,” she said.
“Yes?”
She sat up and looked straight into a dark purple eye. “Tell me exactly why I’m here.”
“There is a great task you must do.”
She sighed, exasperated by her continually un-answered questions.
Mira just looked kindly at her. “Because,” she said, “by some fate you were born to hold a power stronger than any other, and you must face that fact whether you want to or not.”
“Why do I have no choice, why is it ‘my fate’? What if I don’t want to do it? Ever thought about asking me?”
Mira tilted her head down, arched her chin to her neck, and closed her eyes for a moment.
She’s shrugging. Shawna was proud of herself at becoming better at reading Mira’s ‘horsey’ gestures.
“Do you want to do this?” Mira asked.
Shawna nearly jumped to her feet. “Wait, you mean I do have a choice? I can go home if I want? Right now?!”
“Of course. No one is forcing you to do anything.”
“What? Yes you have! You brought me here. You said we have to do this quest, or whatever. You said I’m needed.”
“Did I pull you onto my back that night?”
“Yes, well,” Shawna stuttered. “No, I guess not exactly, but what choice did I have?”
“Exactly. What choice did you have?”
“Go with you or…get eaten by monsters.”
“So you made the best choice you could in the moment, which is still a choice, correct?”
Shawna glared at her. She hated it when others talked her into a corner of obvious logic, making her feel stupid, which then made her feel mutinous.
“Did I also,” continued Mira, “drag you from Capella’s cottage?”
She was surprised Mira didn’t burst into flames under her searing gaze.
“No,” she mumbled. “But why would I stay at her hut and do what, make tadpole stew?”
“I suppose you could have if that’s what you had chosen, though I don’t think she likes tadpoles.” Mira’s eyes were smiling at her.
Shawna frowned back, not because she disagreed with what Mira was saying, but because she did agree. “What if I say ‘take me back right now’ and give up on this whole thing? Then what?”
“Then we may all soon know the consequences. Every choice you make, every path you follow or create, has consequences. In the end, however, it is always a choice.”
“Not all the time,” she said, refusing to lose the argument. “You can be forced to do things you don’t want to.” Like live with loony parents that hate each other and lie to you your entire life.
“That is true,” said Mira while Shawna crossed her arms. “Yet, were you forced just outwardly, or did you also relent inwardly. Physically forced to do something is not as powerful as being forced from within. When your mind and soul are also shackled by outside forces then you have truly been defeated.”
Shawna rolled her eyes. “So glad I didn’t choose to climb a mountain to hear wisdom from a guru-corn quoted at me.”
“No, just forced to.”
She tried not to but a little grin played across Shawna’s face, and Mira pushed her with her nose.
“Geez,” she protested, sitting back up and wiping dirt off her hands. “A little more gently please. Your head is huge, you know.”
Mira nodded her head up and down gleefully then looked at her.
“Whatever you choose, I am here. I would never let anything happen to you. No harm will touch you while I am by your side.”
“You’re going to make me puke.”
“Am I?” She perked her ears forward and seemed genuinely concerned.
“No, no, it’s just a saying.” Shawna waved her hands. “Never mind. It’s just, why me? Of all people.” She yawned. “I always thought unicorns were for riding on rainbows, granting wishes, stupid things like that.”
She didn’t see how much Mira wished that to be true.
“This just isn’t fair. I’m not special or powerful.” She laid her head on Mira. “I’m afraid that you’ll all be pretty disappointed.”
“Are you afraid of disappointing yourself?” Mira asked softly.
Shawna shrugged. “I don’t know.” She closed her eyes from exhaustion, and the overwhelming fear of disappointing herself and everyone else. Mira rested her head over Shawna’s shoulder, and under the protective warmth, Shawna fell fast asleep.
It felt like she’d been asleep for seconds when faint noises tugged at her dreams. Like trying to wade out of a tar pit, she finally opened her eyes. The rain had ceased, but Mira and Antares were gone.
“Where are they?” she said to the early morning air, rubbing her eyes and laying her hand upon the cold sword.
Lula flew down from her tree-top perch. “They caught someone following us.”
“What?”
“He’d been following us for awhile, I guess. They’re coming here now.”
“That man? The one Kryos warned us about?”
“I think it’s someone else.”
“Someone else?”
She heard snarling and soon saw a young man, a little older than herself, appear and walk into their haven, closely followed by Antares and Mira. The first thought that came to her mind shocked her even more than the second. He’s so handsome. She shook her head and gripped her sword. Shut up! He could be dangerous. She mustered all her intimidating confidence and glared at him as he stopped in front of her. His dark eyes stared straight back at her, and her c
onfidence felt feigned. She looked away, strangely hoping he was anything but an enemy.
“Now, tell us who you are, and of this message you spoke about.” Mira lowered her horn to his heart. “I will know if you speak truth, boy.”
“Let me speak with her,” he said, staring back at Mira.
“Speak one more word about her and my horn will be through your throat. You see she exists. Now, answer, boy. How do you know Capella?”
Capella? Shawna looked at him, and he glanced back.
She wondered what he had done or said to be brought here, and why Mira hadn’t gutted him already.
“Speak.”
The young stranger with dark hair looked calmly at death only inches from his chest. A bow and arrow were slung over his leather attire along with a short sword and a pack of supplies. He also wore a leather belt laden with pouches, knives, and a coiled black whip. He smiled at her, and Shawna couldn’t help but blush.
“My name is Orin. Capella sent me to warn you about Adhara’s plans and to aid you along the way.”
Mira snorted, but didn’t move her horn. “Do not lie.”
“I do not lie,” he spat back.
Shawna admired his confidence and bravery, finding it even more difficult to dislike him.
“She sent the bat to find me with a speaking-rune.”
“So you claimed.” Mira’s horn pressed against his chest. “I have yet to see.”
Just then, there was shrill squeaking. Something furry and pink swooped under the trees, and everyone looked up in surprise.
“Sparkle?” said Shawna.
The bat flew down and ungracefully flopped onto her shoulder, looking terribly pleased. She patted his little fox-head, now fully convinced of Orin’s innocence. Sparkle squeaked, and she saw that the symbol on his little rune was aglow.
“Breathe on it.”
She looked up at Mira. “What?”
“Breathe on the stone. It’s a speaking-rune. There should be a message from Capella.” She lifted her head, but laid her ears back at Orin. “If he speaks truly.”
Shawna raised an eyebrow, then blew onto the rune and immediately Capella’s voice floated into the air.
“Is this thing working?” they heard her disembodied voice say. “Chester, stop croaking, you little turd! The stone can’t catch my words while you’re making that racket!” The croaking stopped, and they heard Capella clear her throat and spit. “I hope you’re all still alive and not ripped into bloody pieces yet because you might be soon.”
Antares huffed through his whiskers, and red lightning sparked down his spine.
“That dratted sorceress has sent someone after you and he means to Chester!” There were a serious of loud knocks and thumps like objects were being thrown around. “What was I saying? Oh, yes, he means to get that necklace which you better not have lost, you stupid girl.”
Shawna frowned and glanced up at Lula whose eyes were tearing up from trying not to laugh.
“Whatever you do, do not let him get the necklace. Dying would be unfortunate, but if it means keeping those stones out of his hands then by all means do it.”
Tiny snorts of laughter issued from the branch above.
“You must reach the five realms first. If you don’t—” There was a moment of silence. “Just get there before he does. If he’s powerful enough to find them, then he’s powerful enough to give you a really bad day. So hurry up, you spoiled brat. Don’t make me regret giving you my tea!”
There were some more scuffling sounds, one last croak, then the stone dulled again.
“Why did she send you?” said Mira. “She didn’t mention you.” Her ears were plastered against her skull.
“To protect her, of course.” Orin gestured towards Shawna, then stared back at Mira.
Shawna was the one who gave a sound of surprise, and Orin glanced at her quick betrayal of composure. She tried to pretend she hadn’t been taken off guard by standing up straighter. He looked away, grinning.
“Adhara knows where you are,” he continued, “and she’s already sent someone after you; a very powerful sorcerer named, Gavan. He’s not far behind. It’s my fault for not finding you sooner.”
Antares stopped swishing his tail as Orin continued.
“He and one other”—Mira swiveled her ears forward at this—“I don’t know who the other is. All I know is that they are trying to destroy the realms before you reach them and, if that fails, Gavan will try to take the necklace from you.” He looked at Shawna, and she laid her hand over the single sapphire. “He will get the stones from you anyway he can, even if it means killing you.”
She felt sick to her stomach. Kill her? Why was everyone out to kill her? She didn’t deserve that. Then just as quickly as the fear had flared up, anger overwhelmed it. How dare someone believe her life was worth taking! She touched her throat. The thought of tearing the necklace off, throwing it over her head, and demanding to go home crossed her mind. She glanced up at Lula, who smiled back, and she dropped her hand from the sapphire. She wasn’t alone now, though. There were those that cared for her, that were counting on her. The necklace began to grow warm as it had when she had faced Kryos. Everyone, especially Orin, was looking at her. All the stones started lifting from her chest like before, but just as she began to tense up, the necklace floated back down, cool to the touch.
“Why do they do that?” Lula asked.
Shawna just shrugged her shoulders, and looked around at everyone else. No one seemed to have anything to say about the stone’s behavior, not even Mira. They all turned their eyes back to the newcomer.
“Why are they trying to destroy the realms?” Mira asked.
“Adhara knows what you’re trying to do, unicorn.”
Mira flared her nostrils. Orin stood his ground a few more moments, then got down on his knee in front of her. He unsheathed and laid his sword on the damp grass, fists on the blade, then hung his head.
“This I promise you,” he said. “I was sent by Capella to warn you, and I am sworn to protect the girl.”
“Why did Capella never mention you ever before?” said Mira.
He looked straight at her. “You sought me yourself, if you recall, but my parents hid me deep in the Agonian Range after the prophecy was told. I am ready now to face what I must.” Shawna hung in his gaze when he looked at her with intense eyes. “I see I can no longer run.”
No longer run. She felt a warmth grow in her chest towards his words. I’m not the only one running.
“Your parents?” said Mira, narrowing her eyes. “I was told they were—”
“Protecting me!” He flung the words like a shield. “Whatever you were told, it was to protect me. I ask you not to question me. Not here. Not in front of her.”
Shawna was staring fixedly at Orin like it would help her read his mind. Who was this man? Was he the other ‘brat’ that Capella had spoken of? She sure hoped so. Without realizing it, she was smiling while biting her lip at this thought until Orin glanced over. Embarrassed, she quickly rearranged her face to what she hoped was serious and indifferent. Mira still said nothing while she stared at him. Without warning, she touched her horn to his forehead, and his eyes rolled back. Shawna almost ran to catch him, but he did not fall to the ground as she had. He swayed a few moments, then gasped and threw out his hands when he came back around.
He touched his brow, and looked up at Mira, his jaw clenching as he stood tall. “Believe me now?”
Mira inclined her head. “The memories were fragmented, but I see what you say is true.” She cocked one ear back and one forward. “If you betray us my horn will be quick to find your heart on the end of it.” She pawed the wet turf, laid both her ears back, and arched her head high.
While Shawna was watching the exchange, her hand unconsciously tightened around the crystal sword. What is it he doesn’t want me to know? He suddenly looked straight at her, like he had heard her thoughts, and she couldn’t break away from his eyes. The
longer she fell into his gaze, the less important the goal of their quest suddenly seemed. This handsome stranger entranced her.