White Witch, Black Magic

The next day, Crayonta sends us on our way.

He doesn’t just chuck us out unprepared, though. True to his word, he gives us a guide. She’s a beautiful young unicorn, only a few years older than Alycea and Aldain. Like Atlanta and me, she has purple eyes. Her fur in a pretty chestnut color and her horn is a tarnished silver.

I hope your trip goes well, Crayonta says.

Thank you, I answer.

I’ve figured out how to make thought specific to a person or animal, or how to make them reach multiple. I still have trouble staying out of conversations, however. Jake started calling me the ultimate eavesdropper. Then I started calling him the “Accidental Thief”, so he stopped.

“You can listen to everything they’re saying—uh, thinking—and they won’t even know!” he said last night.

“Maybe I don’t want to know, either. Eavesdroppers rarely hear good things about themselves,” I told him.

Now, though, I’m kind of glad I can listen in.

Neverard, she’s no good for you…dirty rotten humans…you stay away from her, do you hear me? Atlanta doesn’t want Neverard to leave again.

Sorry, Myita, but I belong with them. I have to go.

You most certainly do not. You are staying here.

No.

Yes.

Myita, please. They need me. I’m Bonded to Emma. I can’t just let them run off without me.

Yes you can.

Myita! I’m not staying.

Neverard, I’m waiting for you by the entrance, I call out, interrupting Atlanta.

I’m coming, Emma.

Atlanta emerges from the trees with Neverard. He looks excited, but she seems angry. But since Neverard and I are Bonded, she has to let him come. Bonding is rare, since it can only happen between a person a half-breed (an animal half magical and half normal), but it’s also very strong. Neverard is mine for life. Similarly, I am his.

Alycea and Aldain canter up to us and prance around.

Goodbye! Alycea says.

See y’all later! Maybe.

Aldain, don’t scare them.

What? They need ta know there-er crazy things in that forest.

We already know, I tell them. We faced down giants and ogres, and even a dragon.

Wow!

Man, why do the cool cats always gotta leave so soon?

Doesn’t Nyra count as cool? I ask.

No.

She’s here all the time, so we’ve gotten used to her, Alycea explains.

Speaking of Nyra, here she comes, Aldain says. Don’t tell her what I said!

My myita wouldn’t like me talking about Nyra like that, so be careful what you think. Bye!

Have a safe trip! Have some cool adventures; don’t get ate-en by a dragon.

Aldain!

Leece!

Don’t call me that!

I laugh as the two of them prance off, bickering.

“What’s so amusing?” Nyra asks.

“Alycea and Aldain. They remind me of Avaysia and Jake. He calls her Vay, and it drives her nuts.”

Nyra smiles. “I hope you have a safe journey.”

“Me, too. Somehow, I doubt we’re done with all the monsters.”

“Kitara is fast and sure. She will take you to Flumen without trouble.”

“Yeah, I know it’s supposed to work like that, but…”

“But what?”

“I have this funny feeling about it. Do you know what I mean?

“No.”

“All done saying goodbye?” Jake asks, coming over.

“Yes,” I say. “You?”

“I don’t have anyone to say goodbye to. Except Nyra, of course. Goodbye, Nymeria. It was a pleasure meeting you and staying in your…uh…tree.”

“Fare thee well, Jake.”

Jake turns back to me. “There. All done. Now come on, Emma. The others are ready to go.”

I’m about to leave, but Nyra stops me. She wraps her thin arms around me in a hug. I’m completely stunned. Nyra, who’s so cryptic and mysterious, is giving me a hug. I return her embrace without hesitation.

Goodbye, I say.

She nods. Then Jake and I join the others at the mouth of the cave. As we descend into the dark, I hear Nyra’s flute ringing out through the still air. She plays a song for us, but I’m the only one who understands it.

The last note rings out as we come out from behind the waterfall. Then the music fades away, carrying Nyra’s goodbye with it.

I look around and take a deep breath. The Land of the Unicorns gave us a brief reprieve, but now we’re back in the Sylvian Woods. I half expect creatures bent on killing us to come jumping out from behind the trees.

But nothing does.

It’s eerily quiet. The greenish darkness I’d become so accustomed to is now a little freaky. I had adjusted to bright sunlight in the Land of the Unicorns. I wonder what it would have been like to stay there with Nyra forever.

Not a chance, Emma. We have a princess to deliver, remember? And your family needs rescuing still.

I know, Neverard. It was just nice to be at peace for a while.

I get it. But you would never be happy there. Too many unicorns, and my mother would forever be breathing down your neck, trying to make you go. Imagine, spending the rest of your life in Big Oak with only Nyra for company.

I’d have the birds and squirrels. And you.

True. You’d turn into a nutter just like Nyra.

I laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Jake wants to know.

“This half-breed is making me laugh,” I tell him. “He’s telling jokes.”

“You can talk to him, now, too?”

“Of course.”

“I thought it was just birds and squirrels.”

“And unicorns,” Wren adds.

“Well, can you ask Neverard if I can hitch a ride? I’m exhausted,” Avaysia says.

“You just started walking!”

“So?”

I sigh and shake my head. What about it, Nev?

Nev?

Neverard is so long. Don’t you like it?

I think you’re already turning into a nutter.

Can Vay ride?

Sure. As long as she promises not to wear pointing shoes. I hate it when she pokes me with those things.

“He says he doesn’t mind, so long as you don’t prod him with pointy shoes.”

“Good. I’m all out of pointy shoes anyways. Between falling in a river, getting stuck in the mud, and being tossed about in a thunderstorm, I only have one pair of shoes left.”

Are they pointy?

Look at her feet, Nev. Do they look pointy to you?

Not really.

Well, there you are then.

If I may make a suggestion, Kitara says. I can carry two, and Neverard could take the other three.

Why do I have to have more passengers?

Because you’re bigger and stronger.

And handsomer.

Even though that’s not a word?

That just makes me that much cooler.

Kitara laughs. I smile with her, and I realize that the others must have been party to the conversation because they’re smiling as well. So we all board the unicorn and half-breed, trying to distribute the weight fairly. Jake, Bella, and I ride Neverard, while Kitara takes Wren and Avaysia.

We haven’t been going long when Avaysia give a huge yawn.

“I’m tired,” she says.

“Why don’t you take a nap? I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

Wren is blushing furiously as he says this, and Avaysia is smiling to herself. I wonder if she’s actually tired, or if she’s faking it. My bets are on the latter. Avaysia settles herself against Wren’s chest and he wraps his arms around her. I know I’m not the only one whose eyes are rolling.

“She’s so full of it,” Bella whispers so only Jake and I can hear.

“Oh, you have no idea. She put on such a show for him when we first started our trip, before either of you showed up. She’d burst into tears and tell Wren how mean and evil I was being. Then he’d console her. She’s such a little faker.”

“There has to be a better way to go about showing each other affection.”

“Well, Wren can’t exactly bring her flowers anymore,” Bella points out. “You made it into such a joke last time.”

“That was so funny,” I say. “Except for when he dropped me.”

“Sorry.”

“He dropped you?” Bella asks.

“When he first saw Unicorn Grove he was so surprised he let me fall.”

“Ouch.”

“Yep.”

“I said I was sorry.”

“And I told you it’s fine,” I say.

Avaysia gives a pretend sigh and snuggles into Wren. He’s looking at her with an expression that reminds me of my parents.

Yuck, Neverard thinks.

You got that right, buddy.

“Bets on a kiss before we get to the castle in Flumen?” Jake says.

“We don’t have anything to bet,” I remind him.

“Whoever wins gets bragging rights.”

“Deal. I don’t think he’ll kiss her.”

“No?”

“No. He couldn’t make saying goodbye that much harder. Especially when she’s getting married to that jerk, Alex.”

“Maybe she’ll kiss him.”

“Okay,” Bella interrupts. “New topic, please.”

We discuss other things for a while. Wren shoots several birds to eat for lunch. I find that I’m less inclined to eat the meat now that I can talk to the animals. But once it’s cooking, hunger takes over, and my share is gone in a flash.

We rotate riders and keep going. Jake now sits behind me on Kitara, while Neverard carries Wren, Avaysia, and Bella. I don’t know if changing up riders makes any difference to our mounts, but it makes the trip more interesting for us.

A little while after lunch, the trail splits. The path that leads straight seems like the correct one. It’s the same as the one we’re on now. But the path veering off to the left is smaller and harder to see. I think it might be a deer trail.

We need to go this way, Kitara says, turning to go down the smaller path.

“Are you sure?” I ask. “This way looks better.”

Trust me. I know these woods. This is the way we want to go.

Kitara, are you sure? Neverard says.

Positive. You have to trust me. I’ve made this trip before.

You have?

Well, it was Montanum to the Sharp Peak Mountains, but I took this trail for part of it. I’m certain.

Okay.

“What’s the hold up?” Jake asks.

“Was that conversation not public?” I say.

“I didn’t hear anything. What happened?”

“Kitara wants to take that little side trail.”

“The deer path? I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“She says she’s made this trip before, and that’s the way we need to go.”

“I’ve studied maps about this trail,” Avaysia says. “They aren’t very well charted, but one thing is clear: stay on the path.”

It is a path, Kitara tells us. Just a smaller one.

“Smaller and more dangerous?” Wren asks. I guess they can all hear Kitara now.

No. Smaller and safer. Trust me. Crayonta wouldn’t have sent me with you guys unless he knew I could lead you safely.

“I guess so…” I say.

It’s settled then. Come, Neverard.

We set off down the deer path. I still don’t think it’s a good idea, but Kitara seems very certain. She’s supposed to know the way best, though, so I trust her judgment, even if it seem illogical to me.

We’re a good ways along the path when I see it. The black cat. The one that’s been there whenever something bad happened. The one Bella said might be a witch, who was either trying to help us or hurt us. The one that turned into a girl after Winter bolted.

I want to shout for us to stop. We need to go back right now. We can’t trust Kitara. She’s one of them, one of those girls that turn into horses and cats. I don’t how many of them there are, but I’m certain they’re trying to do us harm.

My mind whirls, trying to think what to do. If I say something, who’s to say that Kitara won’t bolt the way Winter did? She wouldn’t do that, though, because she’s after Avaysia. Or is she?

I try to remember exactly what happened each time we were attacked. The giant had said he was after the ‘witchy pincess’, which could be either her or me. The ogre just wanted to eat all of us, but the vines were enchanted to counter-act magic. And the burns we sustained when we touched them varied in severity, depending on how long the person had been around magic. And the dragon…hadn’t she tried to carry me off? Didn’t Winter keep running even after Avaysia was off her back?

I bite my lip. So these girls, whoever they are, want me. What for? What do I have they what?

I need to talk to someone about it, but Kitara will hear me. I’m not sure if my link with Neverard is safe. Maybe Kitara can tap into the telepathic system the way I can. So I say the only thing I can that will give me a good excuse to get off Kitara.

“I have to pee,” I announce, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

“Really?” Wren asks. “We just stopped! Why didn’t you go then?”

“Because I didn’t have to go then. But I have to go now.”

Jake drops his head back and groans at the sky. “I want to get to Flumen soon. If we keep pausing every five minutes, we’re never going to get there.”

We’re never going to get there following Kitara, either, I think. I’m careful to keep the thought to myself though, so Kitara doesn’t pick it up.

“Sorry, Kitara. Looks like I’m going to have to go in the saddle.” I try to keep my voice light-hearted, the way it would sound if I weren’t trying to figure out how to save our lives.

Please don’t.

“Talk to the others.”

I’m stopping.

“Wise choice.”

Kitara come to a standstill and I slip from her back.

“Just be quick,” Jake says.

“I’ll do my best.” I flash him a smile, thinking that’s what Kitara would expect, but my eyes are begging him to get my silent message.

I don’t think he does. I’m going to have to risk talking to Neverard, because I don’t know what to do. I slip into the trees and hide behind a large one.

Neverard?

Emma? Hurry up so we can get going.

Nev, is Kitara listening?

No.

Are you certain she isn’t eavesdropping?

Emma, what’s this about?

Are you certain?

Yes.

She’s leading us into a trap.

Who?

Kitara!

You must be mistaken. She would never do that. Crayonta wouldn’t have sent her with us if she couldn’t be trusted.

He was wrong. We all were. I saw the black cat again.

So?

That cat isn’t a cat! It’s a girl pretending to be a cat, just like Winter was actually a girl pretending to be a horse.

Emma, you’re nuts.

No, I’m not. Listen to me, Neverard. I think I can get inside the others’ heads, but I need you to make sure Kitara doesn’t butt in. Make sure she isn’t listening so I can tell them what I told you.

Emma—

Please, Neverard.

Oh, all right. But I think you’re wrong.

I’m not.

I take a deep breath and focus on my friends. I’ve never projected my thoughts into their heads, and I’m not sure if I can do it.

Jake, Bella, Wren, and Vay, can you guys hear me? Don’t answer out loud. If you can, scratch you left ear. I realize too late I won’t be able to see them respond. Neverard, can they hear me?

Yup.

Okay, guys. I think that Kitara isn’t a unicorn but a girl pretending. She’s trying to lead us into a trap. If you think I’m correct, pop your knuckles. If you think I’m wrong, play with your hair.

There’s a moment of silence, then Neverard says to me, They think your wrong.

I tell them about the cat. They still don’t believe me. Then I hear Kitara join the conversation.

What’s going on? You all are awfully twitchy and quiet. Did I miss something? Where’s Emma?

“Still going pee, I guess,” Jake lies. He sounds so believable.

“Emma!” Wren calls. “Hurry up!”

“I’m coming!” I shout back.

I’m going to prove you wrong, guys, I warn. Play along.

Or you’ll prove yourself wrong, Neverard says.

I thread my way back through the trees and to the deer path Kitara took us down. They’re all calmly waiting for me. My friends are staring at me, trying to read my mind. I know they must think I’m nuts.

“Hey Jake?” I say.

“What?”

“Come here for a minute.”

“Why?”

“I want to show you something.”

Neverard, can I tell him I don’t want him on Kitara when she flips out? Or is she listening in? I wish I could tell!

She isn’t going to flip out.

Is she listening?

No.

I see Jake sigh when I deliver my message. He rolls his eyes, but dismounts and comes over to me.

I take a deep breath and prepare to confront Kitara. Moment of truth, I think.

“Kitara?” I say.

Yes?

“Are you friends with a black cat?”

Excuse me?

“Are you friends with a black cat? One that happens to not be a cat at all, but a girl pretending? Do you know Winter, Avaysia’s horse? Because she’s also not what she seems, but a girl pretending.”

Emma, what are you talking about? Are you feeling okay?

“I’m fine and you know it! Now, tell the others what a horrible, lying, sneaking person you are!”

If you’re so certain that I’m a person, do you have any guesses as to what sort of person I might be?

“Are you admitting guilt?”

I can’t admit to guilt when I’m not guilty. I would, however, like to hear your speculations.

“Well I don’t know! Why don’t you tell me?”

Emma—

“Quit pretending! Just show us what you really are.”

Fine. I have more power in my original form, anyways.

“Did you guys hear that? She admitted it!”

“Emma, all we can hear is you raving at Kitara. None of us know what she’s saying to you,” Jake says.

“What’s happening to her?” Avaysia says, pointing at Kitara.

She’s glowing. The glow gets brighter and brighter, until it’s blinding. I put up my hands to shield my eyes. When the light dies down again, Kitara the unicorn is gone. In her place stands a girl with brown hair and purple eyes. They’re almost as dark a color as mine.

“Oh my God,” Bella says. “You were right, Emma. You were right!”

“Of course she was. I’m not a unicorn. Never was, never will be. It can be fun to pretend though, right, Avaysia?”

“I’m not pretending.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Kitara’s voice is harsher, but otherwise the same out loud as it was in my head.

“Who are you?” Wren asks.

“I am Kitara. But I’m not a unicorn. I’m something much better. Emma knows. Maybe she’ll tell you.”

I want to say I have no idea what she’s talking about. That I can’t possible know what makes her turn back and forth. But I do know.

“She’s a witch. Like Winter and the cat. Like me.”

“Yes, quite. Jardaine found out about you Emma. She wants to talk to you, but you’re very stubborn about not coming. But now I’m going to make you!”

Kitara lunges for me, fingers alight with some horrible spell she plans to cast on me. I react without thinking. I cross my arms in front of my face, making an X. Then I slam my fists down towards the ground. I draw my hands up, place them together in front of myself, and push them towards Kitara.

Her spell bounces off an invisible wall that protects me. It ricochets towards Avaysia, slamming into her. She falls off Neverard, but is otherwise unharmed. Of course she is. She has the necklace Atlanta gave her.

The wall is rippling, but still transparent, creating an interesting effect. I will it to curve around Kitara. It does, forming a box with her inside it. She screams and yells, but we can’t hear her. She releases a spell, but it bounces off the box and rebounds from wall to wall.

“Let’s get out of here!” I cry.

Wren pulls Avaysia back onto Neverard and they prepare to take off, waiting for Jake and me. I hold my hands out, palms down, and sweep them in a half circle. I clench them into fists, and pull my arms into my sides. This turns the air into a little platform, just big enough for the two of us. Jake and I climb on and shoot off after Neverard.

l l l

None of us talk until we’re safely back on the main trail. I know the others must be as confused as I am, maybe even more so. The image of Kitara trapped in that box haunts me. What if we leave her there and she dies?

No, I think. That cat was hanging around. She and Winter will get their friend out of there. Then the three of them are going to come after me.

“Who’s Jardaine?” Avaysia asks.

“I don’t know,” I say. “They’re leader, maybe.”

“How did you know Kitara wasn’t what she seemed?” Jake asks.

“I told you. That black cat showed up.”

“So?”

“That cat is around whenever something bad and/or magical happens. Then, after Winter bolted, I saw both cat and horse turn into girls and run off.”

“I remember you saying something about that,” Wren says. “We all just thought you hit your head one too many times. Then when you didn’t mention it again, I guess I just assumed you realized it was foolishness.”

“But I didn’t. And it isn’t foolishness.”

“You were right.”

“What do we do now?” Jake says.

“Follow the trail—the real trail—to Flumen. I don’t know how long I can sustain this floaty-air-cloud thing, so we might be walking.”

“We’ll take turns,” Avaysia says.

“I do believe that’s a first. Avaysia is willing to work to help out others,” Jake comments.

“Be nice to me, or you can walk the whole way. I just wasn’t accustomed to having to share horses on a road trip. I generally ride in a carriage. Of course, I don’t usually travel in the first place.”

After that, we don’t talk much. Jake and I ride the floaty-air-cloud thing while the others ride Neverard. The trail heads in a fairly straight line, so I don’t have to worry about steering the thing. I’ve made it wide enough for us to sit on, so the trip is fairly comfortable.

Jake wants to name it. I can’t come up with anything, but’s he’s full of ideas.

“What about Cloud Rider?” he says. “No? Air Rider? Cloud Demon? It could be a witch’s platform.”

“Whatever you like best, Jake,” I say. I’m too tired to bother with names. It’s amazing how exhausting these woods are.

“I can pick it?”

“Sure.”

“Even if it’s Fart Cloud?”

I laugh. “Okay, please not that. Something reasonable. But really, I don’t care that much. If you’re intent on calling it a Fart Cloud, go for it.”

“Naw, I was just testing how much I can get away with.”

“Mmm.”

“I like Air Rider.”

“Then Air Rider it is.”

“We should name your wall thing-ma-bob, too.”

“And what do you suggest we call that one? The Wall Of Hardness?”

“I was thinking something more like ‘The Impeneratrable Wall Of Toughness’.” Jake grins. “What do you think?”

“I think this trip would be a lot less fun if you hadn’t tried to rob us.”

Jake flashes me his crooked smile. “You know I’m the best person in this whole escapade.”

“Hmm. Don’t get too big a head, there, buddy, or I might just have to pop it.”

“So…we keep our eyes open for that black cat?”

“Yeah. Pray you don’t see it, but if you do, tell us right away.”

“What’s so bad about this cat?”

“I told you!”

“Tell me again.”

“Do you have short-term memory loss?”

“Sorry, what are we talking about?” He gives me another grin.

“Ja-ake!” I say, dragging out his name and playfully swatting his shoulder.

“But seriously, why does this cat matter?”

“First of all, it’s not a cat. It’s a girl who sometimes looks like a cat.”

“Right. But why does she matter?”

“Because she’s an omen of bad luck. Whenever she shows up, something bad happens. She was there when the giant attacked us, and when the ogre tried to eat us, and when the dragon showed up.”

“That all?”

“No. She was there when Winter bolted, too.”

“And Winter isn’t a horse? She’s a human girl, also?”

“Right.”

“Was the cat there when you, Vay, and Wren turned into bunnies?”

I laugh. At the time, becoming a rabbit had been terrifying, but looking back, it’s hilarious. “I don’t remember.”

“I would have liked to see you as a rabbit.”

“I’d like to see you as a rabbit.”

“No thanks.”

“You’d be chocolaty brown, like your hair.”

“How’d you know that?”

“Because I was black and Wren was light brown.”

“And Vay was blonde?”

“The Blonde Bunny. First of her kind.”

Jake snorts. Avaysia turns around on Neverard and sticks out her tongue. They must be listening to us.

“Why don’t you three start your own conversation, rather than listen to ours?” I say.

“Because we’re more interesting,” Jake tells me.

“Ain’t that the truth!”

Jake laughs, and I smile with him.

“The sun is going down. We should stop for the night soon,” Wren says.

“Aww, but we were just starting to have fun.”

“Well, since you two are so wide awake, why doesn’t one of you take first watch?”

“No thanks,” I say.

“I’ll do it,” Jake decides. “I don’t mind.”

We stop and set up camp quickly. Wren strings his hammock up between two trees. The unicorns gave us four grass mats when we left, so the rest of us stretch out on those. They’re surprisingly comfortable.

The night is quiet and I drop off to sleep right away. When Jake wakes me for my turn on watch, I barely manage to get through it without falling asleep. I hand it off to Bella and crash again.

In the morning, there’s more bird for breakfast. Jake brings us some berries that I’ve never seen before, but he say’s they’re safe. He eats them without worry, so I guess the must be okay. They’re juicy and sweet.

“How do you know they’re okay to eat?” Avaysia asks.

“When I first started roaming the woods, I nearly starved to death. I came upon some of these berries and decided that, if they were poisons, they’d put me out of my misery faster than starving would. Turns out, they’re quiet good.”

“I thought you knew how to hunt?” Bella says as we head down the trail.

“I was a poor hunter back then.”

“How’d you get better?”

“Lot’s of practice. It’s amazing how many rabbits and birds a person can eat. I wasn’t here long before you guys showed up, anyways.”

“What was your life like before you moved into the forest? You can’t possibly have lived here your whole life,” Avaysia says.

I know Jake’s story, and I wonder if he’ll share it with them. He must decide he doesn’t want to, because he says, “That’s a long, sad tale.” And leaves it at that.

“What about you, Bella? Tell us more about your New Yorkie Land,” I say.

Bella giggles. “New Yorkie Land? It’s called New York City. It’s as different from here as it’s possible to get. There are almost no trees, and it’s right on the ocean. It’s one of the biggest cities in my world, and the biggest one in my country.”

“It must be huge.”

“It is. And every inch is stuffed with people.”

“But you can only put so many people in one space.”

“Yes, but they live on top of each other. Like, literally, on top of each other. They have apartment buildings, which are like small houses stacked up towards the sky.”

“How tall are they?”

“Some of them are pretty darn tall. And the languages—my God! There are so many different ones spoken in New York City.”

“Like what?” Avaysia wants to know.

“English, Spanish, German, French—”

“French?” I say.

“Yeah. Weren’t you and Nyra talking about speaking French?”

“Yes. And we were trying to figure out how a language from your world ended up in mine. Or vice versa.”

“Two languages, actually. French and English. Where do people speak French here?”

“It’s not used very much. A sprinkling of people here and there. The most are up in Holz. Supposedly, that’s where people started speaking it.”

“Hm.” Bella chews her lips thoughtfully.

Next to me, Jake starts sniffing at the air. “Do you smell that?” he asks.

I lift my nose and inhale deeply. “No.”

“Yes,” Wren says, his brown eyes going round.

The girls look just as confused as I am, but Jake and Wren are both sniffing the air madly. It would be comical if we knew what was causing this. Knowing the Woods of Death, nothing good can come of this.

“What is that?” Jake asks.

“I don’t know, but I plan to find out.”

Wren leaps off Neverard, who stops walking immediately.

Uh, Emma, what are they doing?

I don’t know, I say as Jake hops off the Air Rider.

It tilts dangerously, and I almost flip off. I bring the Air Rider to a halt, climb off it, and let it dissolve back into nothingness.

The boys are going nuts, but the other girls and I still don’t smell anything. Then, off to the left, a twig snaps. Six heads swivel towards the sound. Finally, I catch a whiff of something. The most intoxicating thing I’ve ever smelled. I know the others must smell it too. Avaysia has a dreamy look on her face, but the boys are practically jumping up and down.

Another twig snaps. We’re all transfixed now, even Neverard. We wait for a few moments, and when we see what is making the noise and aroma, we aren’t disappointed.

A tinkling laugh sounds, and from between the trees comes the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.