FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE leaving home, Anwen actually felt awake, even though it was still such an early hour. True to her word, she was ready to go, sitting out front on the bottom step of the inn's porch. The day’s attraction was closer than their previous adventures. As such, they planned on hiking instead of catching a ride.
Anwen kicked her boots against the stone step, making sure they were securely tied. She wasn’t the best hiker. The trek up the Mountain had proved that. But since they would be following the course of the river, she hoped she was up for this. Both Courtney and Tyler had assured her the path wouldn't be too strenuous.
Tyler watched Anwen from across the street. He’d debated on bringing the pendant with him, giving it back to her, along with her ring, but decided against it. With Courtney there, he didn’t want to take any chances. After all, he wasn’t sure about her motives, and knowing what she was capable of made her dangerous.
He felt it most unfortunate that Courtney had decided to insert herself into his plans. It was almost like she was somehow able to catch a slight glimpse into the future, though he doubted it. He knew who her family was and doubted fortune telling was in the cards, so to speak.
Despite that, she definitely showed some talent in other areas, which he hoped wouldn’t be used. He still wasn’t sure if she’d unleashed them on Anwen, by accident or design, on the Mountain. It was hard to tell when extreme fears were put to the test. That was part of what made it so dangerous.
Deciding he’d made Anwen wait long enough, Tyler moved out from the shadows, and walked towards the inn. He was halfway across the street when Courtney came running from the opposite direction, waving. With a mental sigh, Tyler vowed to be on his guard and hope for the best. If nothing else, she was determined. But at least her friend, Daphne, wasn't coming along. They'd managed to evade that bullet. And it was just as well.
Daphne was an okay sort of girl, but not one Tyler wanted on a trip like this. She'd probably bring Josef along with her, and he definitely did not want to see that. The two usually had their faces stuck together as much as possible. It was hard to get a good read on the girl, though he wasn't sure why. At least she didn't seem as petty as Courtney acted.
Anwen saw them coming and left her step, walking down the sidewalk to meet them. Once more, she had her carryall swung over one shoulder, filled with sandwiches and a thermos of water. She noted that both Courtney and Tyler had their own packs as well. “Morning,” she said.
Courtney returned the greeting with a bright smile. She wore more practical clothing today, something fit for a hike in the woods, though still fashionable. “Morning, Anna. You ready, Tyler?” She snuggled up to their guide, hanging off his right arm.
With a sigh, Tyler extracted himself from her embrace. “Morning,” he greeted. “Looks like it should be a fair day. All the same, we should get going and not waste too much time, especially not if we’re going to explore the area a bit once we get there. After all, exploring is half the fun, don't you think?”
Anwen agreed. The longer they waited, the more Courtney would try to tie herself in knots around Tyler. That was something she definitely wasn't in the mood to see. Even though Tyler had discouraged her advances, she wasn’t sure if he did that because of appearances or for other reasons. It was hard to tell.
Courtney didn’t seem put off by Tyler’s lack of affection and bounced at the opportunity to get going. “Yes! Let’s go. The Old Mill is best seen in the early afternoon.” She tried to hold Tyler’s hand as they moved around the inn, heading towards the river. Once they’d struck the path, it became impossible to walk side-by-side so she had to abandon her attempts.
Walking behind both locals, Anwen maintained a small distance, just in case. She was glad the path was easy going, at least so far. With the river on one side, it made getting lost next to impossible. But with trees growing near the water, it also made it difficult to dodge various branches and other growth.
At one point, she was almost whacked in the face by a branch Courtney had pushed out of the way, only to release at the last possible moment. Anwen somehow managed to avoid being hit. Biting back a retort, she ignored the obvious discourtesy and trudged along behind them.
Before too long, the village dwindled from sight and the trees increased in number. The change made walking more hazardous, as the low branches made for more potential back-lashing projectiles.
Anwen developed a habit of walking around any trees with low-lying branches. That way she could avoid getting hit by the branches pushed out of Courtney’s way. She could have sworn, during one of those times, she saw Courtney look back and smirk, though she couldn’t be sure.
After about a half hour of steady hiking, and ducking, Tyler called a halt. The river bent towards the mountain peaks, rushing on its way to Lake Wyvern. He looked towards the sky, one hand shielding against the glare, despite the tree cover. “Looks like we’re making good time,” he said.
Despite recent events, Anwen was keeping up quite well, he decided. If it weren’t for Courtney, she’d likely be doing better, but it couldn’t be helped.
Courtney all but danced up to Tyler and offered him her water bottle, which he refused. “Shouldn’t be too long,” she smiled, deciding to head towards the water. She didn’t need the break. Looking back at Anwen’s sweating face; it was easy to guess the reason for their little stop.
Anwen grew uncomfortable in the long-sleeved shirt she’d worn. She was grateful for it when the occasional brush tried to attack her arms of its own volition, or due to outside help. But the heavy fabric also made her quite warm. And despite the easy pace, she was feeling the effects. “I’m good,” she assured when Tyler looked her direction. It didn't help that it was somewhat muggy.
Giving them a few more minutes, Tyler watched the swirl of the river. Seeing Courtney trying to flirt by playing in the water was a bit distracting. But he was able to catch a glimpse of Anwen as she pretended to be okay.
After Anwen's vision at the Shrine, he still felt a bit of a lingering connection with her, though he knew it would fade over time. He just wished it would give him a better idea about her and what she was thinking. Unfortunately, all he could determine was her general soul energy levels. And even that connection was fading from his Insight.
Courtney gave up trying to catch Tyler’s attention. Instead, she decided they’d waited long and headed back down the path. “Come on, slow pokes! At this rate, we won't get there before nightfall!”
Tyler almost said something but held it in check as Anwen fell in line and passed him, ducking under a vine hanging from an older tree. He took up the rear, lost in thought.
Was she the one? Even after the vision, he still had a few doubts. If she was indeed what she was supposed to be, she should have had the key with her, but hadn’t. And yet, Kern had come to her and shown her these mountains, told her she already had the key. Of course, it was possible he was speaking figuratively. But he was more sure of that than he was about other things.
With an effort, Tyler moved to catch up with the others. He barely missed being hit by a bit of falling debris as they moved closer to a rocky shelf. Looking up, he didn’t see anything that could have caused the slight rockslide and wondered. Courtney had behaved herself relatively well, but might still be tempted. Perhaps he was right to keep an eye on her.
Seeing their surroundings, he realized they’d come further than he’d thought. The river carved its way down into the rock. It made a sort of cave-like alcove, except the top was open. The river was a bit more boisterous as well, leaving the wide ledge they were walking on now, to delve a bit deeper into the rock.
Anwen paused to look around, noting the tree roots clinging to the rock walls. It was almost like something from a fairytale, like walking the path of fairies or gnomes. Except she knew they weren’t real.
Noticing Tyler watching her, she moved on, trying to catch up with Courtney. The blond-haired girl was trailing her fingers along the tun
nel's side. It reminded her of a child keeping contact with a wall as he walked down a long hallway, just for the fun of it.
Tyler moved closer, reducing the gap between the other two. They were coming up on some small waterfalls. Even though the path would veer around the falling water, it sometimes still became damp from the spray. The last thing he needed was for either girl to slip and fall into the rushing river.
The sound of crashing rocks caught his attention, leaving him only a moment to rush ahead and push Anwen out of the way. Heavy stones came cascading down where she’d just been standing. Looking up, he saw Courtney turn, a knowing smirk on her face.
Glaring at her back, Tyler realized the girl had given him a slight peek of her hand. He doubted she knew who Anwen really was. Her downright pettiness told him this was more out of a sense of jealousy than anything. He didn’t feel like he could say anything outright, unable to prove a thing. Besides, how could he explain to Anwen that they were in the company of a dragon mage, albeit a fledgling one? She wouldn't believe him; even if he went further to explain something he suspected about her.
Anwen blinked in surprise. One moment she was following the path, admiring the rush of the river. The next moment she was on the ground, her face almost smashed into the dirt. Hearing the thud of rocks falling around her gave her an idea of what had happened. Unfortunately, the sudden thrust forward had done her head no favors. She tried to roll over and caught sight of Tyler crouching protectively over her.
Courtney turned and hurried back towards them, her expression one of concern. “Oh no! Are you okay?” Her tone oozed with insincerity, or perhaps it was only Tyler’s imagination. But then he had just seen her use the sacred dragon mage powers for tomfoolery. Those powers, passed down from the Nurrim to the mortals, should not have been used in such a manner.
Anwen shook her head and shivered. “Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks to Tyler. How did you know the rocks were going to fall?” She slid to a sitting position as Tyler moved to one side.
Giving a wry smile, Tyler helped her to her feet. “I looked up,” he replied. “Guess the storm a few nights ago knocked something lose and it just came down.”
Anwen frowned. His excuse seemed too convenient, but she shrugged it off. At least it hadn’t been her dropping from the ledge above them. “Probably,” she agreed and moved ahead, brushing past Courtney. “I think I’d like to be at the head of the line for a while, if you don’t mind. The path doesn’t go off in different directions, does it?”
Tyler shook his head. The path was fairly easy to follow from here down past the falls, where they could stop for another rest. He was a bit surprised Anwen didn’t want to take a moment to recover, but it was just as well. With Courtney between them, he could keep a better eye on her and hopefully counter any further ill intentions.
Courtney seemed amused but shrugged her consent. “Fine by me.” She was done with her antics. For now.
Taking up the lead, Anwen walked briskly at first, slowing down when the path turned into a tunneled stairway off to one side of the river. One side of the stairway gave an open view of the falling water. A rock outcropping separated the flow from the stone stairs, blocking part of the view. She kept close to the far wall, nearer the least damp part of the path, and went down with great care.
Anwen didn’t pause to admire the view. She just wanted to get as far ahead of the others as possible. At least for a little while. Things were getting more than interesting, with trees whacking her in the head, or trying to trip her. And now there was the incident with the rocks. It was almost too much and she needed some time alone, time she wouldn’t get if they were all cramped up in the same tunnel.
Having descended a good fifty feet, the path finally leveled back out, coming into the open once more. The trees thinned out as well, giving way to more lush undergrowth that lined the pathway.
The occasional wildflower poked its head through the fauna near the river water. Several logs had washed ashore, looking like beached whales. They made some climbing necessary to get over them.
Anwen waited at the base of a rather large tree that had fallen into the water. It was still alive, the roots half out of the ground. Having gotten ahead of the others, she took the extra few moments alone to catch her breath and drink some water.
Glancing at her watch, she noted it was just after ten in the morning, though it felt like it was much later. Finding a convenient knob of wood, she took a seat, leaning against the giant tree’s trunk.
By the time Tyler and Courtney caught up, they found Anwen with her eyes closed. She appeared to have fallen asleep, but as Courtney moved forward, she broke a twig underfoot and the girl opened her eyes.
“I wondered when you’d catch up,” Anwen said with a smile. “But I have to admit the extra minutes alone were nice.”
Tyler let out a silent sigh of relief to see her only a little out of breath and still in one piece. He had kept a close eye on Courtney, but hadn’t expected her to do anything else. At least not for some time. Hopefully she would leave well enough alone from here on out, though he doubted it. “I’m sure they were,” he responded with a smile. “It’s always nice to commune with nature.”
Quick to agree, Courtney picked a perch just above Anwen’s and sat down. “That was quite the view, wasn’t it Tyler? I hear it’s one of the most romantic spots in the area.” She batted her lashes, much to Anwen’s annoyance, though she didn’t seem to get much for her efforts.
Tyler took a swig from his water bottle and wiped at the perspiration on his brow, refusing to rise to her bait. He hoped Anwen would do the same.
A lone bird sang its sweet song, the notes echoing back in the crisp mountain air. Now that they were on more level ground, a slight breeze had picked up. It caused tree branches to sway as they took the opportunity to catch their breaths and relax.
Having had more time to rest than the others, Anwen was the first to stand. “About how much further is this mill of yours,” she asked, peering ahead. The path took a bend with the river, moving out of sight.
Tyler mentally traced the path ahead before answering. “I’d say maybe another ten minutes’ walk? It shouldn’t be much further.”
“Well, then, what are we waiting for? Nothing like getting something done and over with, right?” Anwen dusted off her pants and continued on down the trail, not bothering to look back. Either Courtney would make a move on Tyler or she wouldn’t. After all, that’s what she was up to, wasn’t it? Trying to catch Tyler?
After several seconds, Tyler followed her, leaving Courtney to trail behind them. Using his long legs to his advantage, he easily caught up with Anwen, then moved to match her pace.
“Mind telling me what that was all about back there?” He looked behind, to make sure Courtney was out of hearing distance.
Anwen didn’t pause. Instead, she quickened her pace. “Nothing. I just figured you two could use some privacy. That and I want to feel like I’ve contributed. Know what I mean?”
Tyler moved a few paces ahead and turned to look her in the eye, now walking backwards. He still somehow managed to keep pace without tripping over the undergrowth. Or hitting any of the low-lying branches. It was almost like he had eyes on the back of his head.
“You figured that, did you? And how did you come to such a conclusion?”
Anwen pushed a branch aside, which Tyler somehow managed to evade. How was he able to miss something he clearly couldn’t see? “Nothing.” She paused for a brief moment, shook her head, then surged ahead with greater vigor. “Courtney just seems intent on catching your interest. That’s all.”
Readjusting to her pace, Tyler turned to face forward once more as they walked, avoiding yet another branch.
“Did it ever occur to you that she can try all she wants but won’t get anything for her efforts?”
Anwen came to a dead stop, Tyler moving a few steps further before he too stopped and turned around. She placed her hands on her hips, ignoring the sweat ru
nning down her face, the pounding of her heart, and her quickened breath. “And why not?”
“I should think that obvious," Tyler rolled his eyes. "For starters, she’s not my type. Not to mention she pretty much has every boy in the area wrapped around her little finger. I’m not the kind of person who likes a partner who isn’t willing to commit oneself to just a single individual.”
Mouth open, Anwen couldn’t help but stare like an idiot, giving Tyler reason to laugh. “Don’t look so surprised. If you paid any attention, it would have been obvious,” he chided. “After all, my name says it all.”
Brow wrinkled, Anwen closed her mouth as she tried to understand what he was saying. “What does your name have to do with anything?”
Tyler stepped forward, grabbed her hand and led her back into a steady walking pace. Somewhere behind them, only a dozen or so yards back, Courtney was catching up. And was seething if he knew anything about her.
“Durand. That’s my last name. Remember? Durand means Enduring. And that’s the kind of person I am. I like things that will last and aren’t just transitory. Courtney doesn’t understand that. All she sees is a prize for the winning. I’m not the type to be caught, but, rather, the kind that will give myself to one and one alone.”
Anwen blinked, almost stumbling over a root, but corrected her steps. “Oh.” She managed to avoid an overhang of rock as the path swung under a partial cave then back into the open.
Smiling, Tyler dropped her hand, content to follow a few steps back now that she had something to mull over. He glanced back and noticed Courtney was finally catching up to them, a scowl on her face as she quickened her pace.
“Looks like we're back to our full number,” he observed.
Anwen looked back, but, by that time, Courtney had replaced her expression with one of long suffering. Deciding it was better to stick together at this point, Anwen stopped, letting her catch up. “I guess we’re almost there, right?”
Tyler grinned. “That we are. In fact, it should be just around the next bend.” He took up the lead, tuning his senses for the slightest imbalance behind him. If Courtney was going to do anything else, now was an ideal time.
Courtney moved closer to Anwen. Slowing down a bit, she grabbed Anwen’s arm to make her match her pace. “So,” she oozed, “what were you and Tyler talking about?”
Anwen ran a hand through her hair, separating the strands damp with sweat. “Not much. He just thought I was mad or something and wanted to know why.”
“Guys can be so stupid sometimes,” Courtney observed, flipping her hair as they walked. She let go of Anwen's arm, leaving a slight imprint of her fingers behind. “They never learn to not meddle with a woman's personal affairs. Am I right?”
Looking ahead, Anwen shrugged. “Yeah. Sure.” She noticed Tyler walking towards an outcropping of stone. The path bent around it as he disappeared from view. Whatever was behind the rock was well hidden and she hoped he'd been right about their destination being on the other side. Quickening her pace again, she moved ahead. She just hoped she wouldn't regret the unusual amount of activity she was getting.
Courtney let her companion leave her behind, deciding to hold back for a while. Either this tourist was stupid, or thought she had a serious chance. Or didn't care, which was less than likely. Tyler was the epitome of the perfect male. At least as far as she was concerned.
She knew Anwen was lying about what Tyler had said to her. But she also knew that Tyler was overly protective of this girl, for whatever reason. She would have to tread lightly and bide her time.
Anwen had almost reached the outcropping where Tyler had disappeared, heart pounding for more than one reason, when she decided to slow down. She glanced back just once, seeing Courtney moving at a much more leisurely pace, leaving her half a dozen or so yards behind. Sure the blond wouldn't bother her for at least a few minutes, she closed her eyes, letting her guard down.
All of the sudden, she felt something cover her eyes, an arm snake around her waist, pulling her backwards. She let out an exclamation of surprise and tried to struggle free.
“Relax,” Tyler said from behind her. “I'm not going to do anything to you. Just be still.”
Images ran through Anwen's head. Headlines. Grotesque images splashed on the front pages of newspapers. Stories on the nightly news.
“Let me go,” she protested, trying to wiggle free of his grasp, but was unable to do so. Something in her blood whispered to trust him.
Tyler continued to hold on, letting her wear herself out in whatever manner she wanted. When she'd finally subsided, something that didn't take long, he led her forward a few steps. He then pulled her back against the rock into a hollowed out section. “Please don't say a word or make a sound,” he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.
Anwen couldn't help but shiver, though she wasn't sure if it was from fear or attraction. Not being able to see heightened her hearing. From somewhere in front of her, she could hear the sounds of someone walking along the dirt path. Shoes scuffed on various rocks and debris. Somewhere in the background, the river had calmed down as it flattening out for a stretch. And further still, she detected the slight rush of water over a drop of unknown distance.
When Anwen tried to shake her head, Tyler's restraining hand wouldn't allow it. Pressed against his body, she could feel his pulse, which thudded more quickly than she thought the hike warranted.
The footsteps continued on, fading into the rush of the water. Overhead, a bird of prey cried out. And, from somewhere in the trees, came the sound of something moving around, maybe a wild animal.
Tyler continued to hold Anwen, staring out into the clearing where the river widened. Across the water, something moved in the woods. Whatever it was, he knew it was not a wild animal, even if it looked like one.
Thankfully, he'd sensed it in time to hide Anwen away. He'd concealed her with a spell, one that almost literally made both of them appear to be part of the rock they huddled against. But the spell would only work as long as neither moved. It wasn't the most effective of enchantments, but it had been the quickest.
Courtney had passed by without so much as disturbing the creature, which told him it wasn't looking for her. She would likely wonder where they were before too long, but that didn't matter. He just hoped she wasn't the one who had summoned the beast.
The creature looked like something between a wolf and a boar. It continued to sniff around, tracing some scent from upwind, the way they'd just come. Standing on its haunches, it let out a haunting howl. Then it launched itself towards the village, racing along the course of the river. It gradually faded from sight and hearing.
Even with it out of sensing range, Tyler waited a few more minutes before removing his hand from Anwen's eyes, breaking the spell.
Anwen inhaled like someone who'd been stuck too long under water. She would have stumbled if it hadn't been for Tyler's supporting hand still around her waist. Magic, he knew, could be quite disorienting.
Turning in his arms, she looked him straight in the eye. “What in the world was that all about?”
Tyler's expression was serious, and not in a good way. He didn't meet her gaze. Instead, he focused back on the path they'd just followed, making sure the creature had not decided to double back. “I'd rather not tell you now,” he answered with a grim expression. “It might frighten you, but it confirms everything I've already learned about you.”
She just stared at him. “What do you mean it confirms everything? I want to know what you're talking about and I want to know now. No more games. No more riddles.”
Closing his eyes, Tyler counted to ten before looking back at her. “I promise to explain everything. But not here. Not now. Believe me when I say the less you know right now, the safer you are. Please, just trust me. I'm only trying to protect you.”
Anwen put her hands on her hips. “Protect me from what?”
“I can't tell you.” He looked back without expression.
; Looking into Tyler's eyes, Anwen felt as though she were being swallowed up in their depths. Once again, she caught a glimmer of gold in the irises. It was like looking at molten metal floating around a storm of blue that reached deeper and deeper. “But you will,” she whispered, sure of her words.
Tyler put one hand on her shoulder. “Soon,” he agreed.
Anwen blinked. When she opened her eyes, he was gone. She whipped around, somehow sure he'd just slipped behind her, but no one was there.
eleven