TYLER HOPED TO ALL THE deities he could think of, that this last corridor would finally lead him in the right direction.
Ever since the slab had cut off his access to Anwen, he'd tried to remember every detail of the maze-like structure. But even with that knowledge, he'd made more wrong turns than right ones.
After what felt like forever, he found the right direction, but before he could reach the chamber ahead, the ground shook violently beneath him. The violent motion of the Mountain threw him off his feet and slammed him to the ground, jarring his entire body.
Somehow, he managed to roll, keeping from doing any more damage. Stiffly, he moved to a kneeling position and shook his head to clear his vision.
Ahead, a blue glow shown faintly. “Anwen!” he half yelled as he got to his feet. Before he could even think about caution, he was running towards the light, hoping beyond hope that he would find her unharmed.
The words of the prophecy rang through his head. Fire and Water, Earth and Air. He ran faster, almost skidding on some loose stone.
Coming to a stop, he realized the glow was coming from underneath a layer of dust and debris. Quickly, he began to brush the dirt away.
After several sweeping strokes, a crystal blade protruded from the pile. It was a blade he recognized.
“Please,” Tyler breathed, not sure if he dared to hope. Moving with greater care, he began to shift more of the rubble away, uncovering the sword's hilt and the hand that held it.
Anwen's skin was beginning to grow cold.
Almost frantic now, Tyler dug like a dog, throwing great clods of broken rock in any direction he could. In a matter of minutes, he'd uncovered most of her body. But even with his efforts, he hadn't done as much as he'd have liked.
She was still lying partially under what might have once been a stone column, now sheered smooth on one side. It would have completely crushed her if it hadn't been for the boulders holding it up.
“Anwen,” Tyler pleaded, pulling her out from under the pillar. Her face was covered in powdered stone and blood, her torn clothes sticky with more blood.
“Anwen, answer me. Please,” he begged. His heart constricted at the sight of her tattered body.
Gently, he set her down just past where the landslide had stopped. Sending a light orb into the air, he tried to assess the damage as his tears wet the ground like rain.
He couldn't feel a pulse.
Trying to return some measure of the warmth she was losing, he pulled her into his arms. “Anwen, don't you dare leave me. You hear me? Don't you dare!”
Tyler tried chaffing her wrists, pounding on her chest, but to no avail. Finally realizing he was fighting a losing battle, he cradled her broken body against his chest.
“You can't leave me,” he wept, his tears flowing like a river. “I love you too much to let you go. Please!"
A thought niggled at the back of his mind, a dangerous thought. It was almost as if someone whispered in his mind. He tried to reject it, knowing it broke many of the ancient laws. But that thought gave him hope and his heart wouldn't let it go. It was reckless at best, but he had to try.
“Hang on,” Tyler whispered in Anwen's ear. “I won't let you go without a fight. Just hang on.”
Finding an inner resolve, Tyler arranged Anwen on the ground, arms slightly spread from her sides, legs prone on the floor.
Tyler closed eyes and pulled on every particle of his being until he began to glow with the energy. Feeling as if he would explode at any moment, he moved one hand towards his heart.
He touched his chest just above the cavity where his heart rested. Making a grabbing motion, he pulled something from his body, holding tight. It flowed like quicksilver between his fingers, shooting out even more brilliant rays of light.
Being as gentle as possible, he moved his hand towards Anwen's chest.
“What the Mountain gave to me, now I give to you,” he intoned as he placed his closed fist, fingers forward, on her chest. Slowly, he opened his hand, palm now flat against her, releasing the light into her chest. It traced every vein in her body, almost dancing with its radiance.
Anwen gasped, her back rising from the ground as she inhaled then coughed violently. Flecks of blood flew from her mouth. Even with the violent spasming of her body, her eyes did not open.
A partial smile touched Tyler's lips as his eyes rolled back into his head. The glow coming from within him began to fade as he slumped over. He hit the ground with a low thud, his shoulder taking most of the impact. Then everything went black.
The afternoon sun filtered down through the gargoyle window of the Dridi Inn. It cast long beams of light across the hardwood floor.
Inside, all was quiet as Madame Millard dozed in her chair behind the front desk. With little to occupy her, since her only real tenant had checked out, she didn't have much to do. In a couple hours, the dinner hour would break and various locals would come for food, but that was about all.
Ever since her niece had gone off on her own, Matilda Millard had felt a smug sense of satisfaction. Daphne was one of the best in the Circle.
It was Daphne who had learned of that Porter girl's true identity. It was unfortunate that Courtney Willis had sided with the Keeper girl and that boy, Tyler Durand. She had her suspicions about him.
In a haze between sleep and waking, Madame Millard dreamed of dragons. She'd often dreamed of them, watching them bow subservient to her whims. It was a game she liked to entertain from time to time. And, given time, she felt sure it would become a reality. But the quality of her dreams was different this time. Instead of the usual sniveling husks of scales bowing to her, one dragon shot into the air like a silver fish seeking air.
Her dream disturbed, the portly woman grunted in her sleep. She turned slightly in the wooden chair and return to a more acceptable dream.
There was no way a dragon could escape her once she took control of Tarragon. A slight smile formed at the corner of her mouth. Just as she was getting comfortable again, the ground began to shake.
Startled from her sleep, the proprietress almost fell from her chair in a state of alarm. It took her only a moment to realize something had changed. Standing, she quickly moved to the window facing the Mountain and peered out the shutters. A slight trail of smoke appeared to be coming from that direction.
“Husband!” Matilda yelled, turning to face the back room. “Husband! Come now!”
The ground rumbled again, causing the overhead lights to swing as Mr. Millard ran from the back. His face showed the same alarm she'd felt upon waking. He looked expectantly at his wife; sure some command would follow.
A gleam filled Madame Millard's eyes as she gave him a tooth-filled smile. It made her look somehow sinister.
“Call the Circle,” she ordered. “Tell them to make ready. Someone has opened the Mountain and we're going to take full advantage of that.”
Mr. Millard didn't so much as nod as he moved to the door to sound the alarm.
His wife steepled her fingers in anticipation. "Finally, our time has come. They won't know what hit them."
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