Indebted to Faerie Page 13

  "As usual, there is no need to apologize, Sophie." Graulfv's smile betrayed his pleasure at my apology. "I'm here to serve you in whatever way I can."

  "I am but a humble servant as well," said Ken. "Don't worry about anything you say to me. Be sure that I've heard worse."

  I pursed my lips. "That doesn't mean that you shouldn't be apologized to," I said, patting an area that I decided was the slug version of a shoulder. "Nobody deserves to be treated like shit."

  I saw a hint of a smile as Ken glided away, presumably leading us to the next trial. I felt a small sense of pride that I would be responsible for freeing him from the control of some arrogant Seelie king when I stole that mask.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Tour guide Ken led us away from the lavafall. I thought I detected a subtle shift in his demeanor, but it was hard to read the expressions of his rock-like exterior.

  "The next trial is a little more hands-on," he said, peering back at us.

  We passed through a section of forest, following his burn trail. While we walked, I spied a few fiery forms flitting through the bracken, lighting it on fire as they passed. A small lizard darted out and ate some of the flaming foliage, stopping the blaze from spreading.

  The ecosystem wasn't like anything I'd seen before. If it weren't for being stuck in the service of The Morrigan, I might have stayed and observed it. As it stood now, I had to keep myself from urging Ken to go faster. I needed to get this job done.

  Ken drew to a stop at the entrance to a small cave.

  "I don't suppose you can tell me anything before I head into the darkness?

  "I can, actually." Ken nodded toward the dark interior. "You have one task before you. You have to last eight seconds with him."

  "Are you going to be more specific than that? Who him? And what do you mean 'last eight seconds'? In a fight?"

  Ken gestured me forward. I exhaled loudly, exasperated with this whole thing. The last time I'd gone through a bunch of trials, I'd gotten stuck with the Fleece. I didn't have any patience for this crap. I pulled out both Haiku and Epic before stepping into the cave. I took a defensive stance while I waited for my eyes to adjust. Once I could see in the dim light, I found a black horse prancing in the middle of a circular corral. Its mane and tail were made of flickering flame that shifted through shades of blue, white, and orange as it moved. "But it's so beautiful."

  Ken chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't kill Bernie. You have to ride him for eight seconds. It's not likely that he'll kill you, though you might wish you were dead by the time he's done with you."

  "Bernie?" asked Graulfv, his eyebrows raising. "Really?"

  "Yeah, it's a little on the nose for me too," replied Ken. "But some people never get tired of fire jokes and puns."

  "Bernie," I said to myself, my brow furrowing. "I don't know about your time on Earth, but these days that's a fairly average human name for a horse."

  Graulfv barked a laugh. "Think about it. Burn-y. Bernie is a horse who is on fire and likely to burn things."

  I finally caught up with the punny name and smacked a hand to my forehead. "Oh, that's awful." I walked into the ring and my apprehension grew with each step. Bernie was much larger than I'd previously realized. "All right, let's get this over with."

  "Before you begin," said Ken, "I must warn you that you will only be given three attempts. You may only touch the rope around his chest with a single hand. The other must remain in the air."

  I vaguely remembered watching a rodeo on television a couple years ago. It wasn't my choice, obviously. Phoebe had been watching it purely to drool over the way the cowboys looked in their tight jeans. All I remembered was that eight seconds seemed like a short time. It couldn't be that hard.

  "I think I should try this one," said Graulfv, his eyes flicking back and forth from me to the horse. "Do you have any experience with horses?"

  "Don't start underestimating me now." I stepped up to the horse. He was beautiful. Up close, the fire still looked like hair waving in the wind. The armor made me immune to the fire, so I stroked his neck. "We've done tougher stuff than this together."

  Graulfv nodded. "Of course, Sophie. Be careful."

  "Will he allow me to get situated before he starts trying to throw me off?" I asked Ken. "I remember the horses being locked behind a gate on TV when I saw this."

  Ken barked a laugh. "Bernie is not a dumb Earth animal. He doesn't speak, but he understands. Just tell him when you're ready and make sure that you are."

  The horse looked me up and down and sidled up to the fence. I was grateful. He was so tall there was no way I could have gotten on his back otherwise. It took me a couple of minutes to make myself comfortable on his broad back and get my hand situated around the rope that encircled his barrel of a chest. "All right, Bernie. I'm ready."

  The first jump was so smooth I hardly knew I was moving until his hooves hit the ground with shocking force. My body snapped back and slammed into his rear end before rebounding and bouncing off his neck. Somehow, my hand stayed gripped around the rope and my shoulder stayed in its socket. Three rapid-fire bucks from Bernie's rear legs bounced me forward, then I was falling. I barely tucked my head toward my chest in time to avoid breaking my neck. My shoulder took the brunt of the impact.

  I rolled away from the bucking horse, afraid of being trampled by his clomping hooves. I shouldn't have worried. As soon as I was off, he went back to being as sedate as he was when I entered the corral.

  "How long?" I asked, my face splitting in a wide grin. It had been difficult, but I had to have held on for at least ten seconds.

  "Four point five seconds," said Ken, his eye stalks pointing to glowing white numbers floating to my right.

  "What?" I gaped at the flashing sign announcing my failure. "That's not possible." My stomach sank. I'd barely made it over halfway. The thing about a challenge like this was I didn't think I'd get better at it, but worse with more attempts. The Fleece was nudging at me, alerting me to the fact that if I would just embrace its power, we could influence Bernie to stay still for the whole eight seconds and this thing would be over. What the Fleece didn't seem to understand was that the way I could clearly tell that it was frustrated with me and regularly got such clear impressions and thoughts from the crown was exactly why I couldn't accept its help. If I was ever going to be rid of the Fleece, I had to stop bonding with it. Ignore it. Whatever I did, I couldn't continue to feed into the link between us. It's just a horse, I thought at the Fleece. Yeah, that's how we ignore it, Sophie.

  Graulfv cleared his throat and looked down and to the side, careful not to meet my eyes. Probably so I wouldn't find any smugness there as he informed me, "I've been riding horses for hundreds of years." He cleared his throat again. "In that time, I've broken many Earth animals. That kind of work involves riding a lot of bucking horses."

  I looked from him to the giant horse behind him. At the very least, his size would make it a little easier for him to grip it with his legs. "We do only have three chances," I said, musing aloud. "Fine. This doesn't mean I couldn't do it with more practice."

  He nodded solemnly. "Of course. It's a skill to learn just like anything else."

  I walked back over to Ken and waited for Graulfv to make his attempt.

  "I'm surprised you attempted it at all. I think you're the first that didn't make one of their attendants do it for them." He observed me curiously from the corner of his eyes. "They usually kill any that fail them.

  "If I said that surprises me, I would be lying." Graulfv spent a minute getting ready. The only preparation he made was to stand in front of Bernie and press his face to the snout of the horse. As I watched him connecting with the horse, calm and confident, it occurred to me that I'd possibly underestimated Graulfv in much the way I'd accused him of underestimating me. Actually, underestimated didn't cover it. I'd not considered him at all. Loud enough that I thought he probably heard me, I said, "Graulfv won't fail."

  In one fluid motion, Grau
lfv pulled himself atop the horse. He looked amazing on the black beauty, lit up by the flames of his mane and tail. Also, a little scary. I would have hated to see him bearing down on me in battle with his axe in hand.

  "I'm ready," he said, holding his left hand aloft.

  Bernie jolted into motion, starting with the large jump I remembered from my time on his back. It went much faster from my point of view as a spectator. In no time at all Bernie was moving into the rapid-fire bucks that had tossed me off. Graulfv hung on and then the horse began to spin and move from side to side. My finger came to my mouth so I could bite nervously at the nail. I wasn't sure why I'd thought the rodeo was boring when I'd seen it with Phoebe. This was incredibly exciting. Then it was over. Bernie switched directions of spin and Graulfv went flying.

  My eyes immediately went to the timer. "Seven point two seconds. Damn!"

  Graulfv scrambled to his feet and brushed himself off. "Well done, Bernie," he said, genuine admiration in his voice. "You are quite a warrior, but I will win this contest." He turned to me as if to ask permission.

  "Go for it. You beat the hell out of my time. You're our best shot at getting through this."

  Graulfv beamed. "I've got it this time." He climbed back atop the horse and a couple seconds later said, "Ready."

  Bernie launched into motion, his moves almost identical to what he did the first two times. Graulfv didn't flop around like a ragdoll the way I had. Despite the intense motion of the horse beneath him, his back stayed almost perpendicular to the ground. It was impressive. When the spinning started, I held my breath. The timer read six seconds. Almost there. Rather than spinning the opposite direction like he had the last time, Bernie went into a huge buck, all four feet leaving the ground and hitting with a thunderous boom.

  Graulfv still clung to his back, one hand in the air. A buzzer sounded. Bernie stilled almost immediately and let out what sounded like a satisfied snort.

  The timer had disappeared. "Did he do it?"

  Ken smiled down at me. "He did indeed." His smile disappeared. "It is time to move on to the final trial."

  "This one isn't going to be fun is it?" I asked.

  Graulfv stepped in beside us as we left the corral. He rubbed his right shoulder and grunted quietly. I could still feel the after effects of my single ride on Bernie, so I couldn't imagine how he felt. I'd have to find a good book that he hadn't read as a reward when we were done.

  "It all depends on your definition of fun," replied Ken. "Most people do find this to be the most difficult of the challenges, though some who have the right type of magic in hand find it the easiest."

  I quirked a brow at Ken. "Did you just give me a hint?"

  If a lava slug could pretend to be aghast, I assumed it would look like Ken's expression in that moment. His eye stalks bounced in alarm. "I don't know what you're talking about. Telling you anything about how to pass a trial is strictly forbidden. I was simply making an observation."

  "I like you, too, Ken."

  "That is not my name," he said.

  "A nickname is a sign of affection."

  "All right, death baby."

  "Death baby?" I crinkled my nose.

  "Raven killer?"

  "I've never killed a raven in my life," I told him. "And because yes, I know what it is you meant by that, I feel you should know I'm a crow."

  "Is there a difference?"

  "Is there a difference?" My voice might have squeaked. I waved a finger at Ken. "You need to work on your nickname skills, buddy. Did you notice how I just shortened your name? Stick to something simple, Ken."

  He looked amused enough that I thought he was catching my humor. A lot of people didn't. "If I wasn't an impartial observer, I might hope you live through this, death baby."

  "If you hadn't just called me a raven killer I might have something nice to say to you, too, Tour Guide Barbie."

  "What does that mean?"

  I smiled over at him. "You should give me more clues for how to win this thing, sli—" I cut myself off before I called him a slimy volcano to his face, though I knew now that I'd thought it, I was going to have a hard time avoiding it in the future. "You'll never find out what it means if I don't live through this."

  "I don't think I've ever wanted any of the guests to live before," he said. "It's a peculiar feeling."

  "How sweet?" I laughed. But honestly, it kind of was.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Ken escorted us to another cave, this one like a miniature version of the main cavern. It was full of foliage with small paths winding through it. On the ground at the entrance was a red line of dirt. "Once both of you cross that line, the trial will begin. It is a fight to the death. That is all I'm allowed to say."

  Graulfv pulled his axe from his back, and I drew both of my swords.

  "Let's get this over with," I said, stepping across the line.

  "Agreed," said Graulfv, crossing over right behind me.

  There was a soundless pop, and then a faint buzzing from the mouth of the cave. I waved my sword in that direction and was greeted with electrical popping and a shower of sparks.

  "Oh yes," said Ken, sounding mortified. "I almost forgot that if you should attempt to leave before the end of the trial, the magic here will kill you."

  "Not like I didn't already expect that, Ken." I gave him a soft smile. "You can make it up to me by looking in the direction we should go."

  I watched him think it over to see if it violated the restrictions he was under. After a moment, his eye stalks pointed toward the right.

  Graulfv took the lead, and I almost called him on it. I didn't want him putting himself in more danger just to protect me. Then I thought about it, and decided it would probably be better to have his imposing form in front. I was better sneaking off to the side when the threat presented itself.

  As we waded through the dense leaves, I realized I was thinking like my old self, and put away Haiku, the smaller of my swords. This was a fight to the death, I should have one hand ready with a death light. There was no more hiding my magic and using it only as a last resort. That ship had sailed. I might as well embrace it.

  The attack hit us at the ankles. I'd seen a few lava snakes slithering through the forest since we'd entered Derinia, but they behaved more like regular snakes, moving away long before we got near. The snakes that lunged at my shin were definitely not of that variety.

  "Snakes!" I shouted to Graulfv, but he was already swinging his axe like a golf pro, sending the reptiles flying off in pieces. "Why does there always have to be snakes?"

  Thankfully, we were immune to fire because there were a couple dozen little bastards darting around. There was no way we would be able to dodge them all. At least they weren't that large. Each snake was the angry red of fresh lava, and about two feet long.

  I hacked away with Epic, lobbing off two heads in quick succession. Even while I did so, one snake climbed my leg. I jerked so convulsively, I probably looked like I was being electrocuted. The snake wasn't bothered by my panicked movements, it continued on its trek up my body without slowing. I wanted to grab it and pull it off, but I knew those disproportionately large fangs would still hurt like hell even if they didn't burn. My panic hit its peak when the thing reached my upper thigh.

  A moment of clarity, and a vision of my leg spraying arterial blood stopped me from swinging my sword at my own body. I took a deep breath and pushed the panic down long enough to take stock of my options. Clearheaded, I hit it with a death light.

  The orange glow faded, and the living rock quickly hardened into regular rock. One flex of my leg was enough to crack it, and I flung the pieces into the forest. "Gah!"

  Graulfv came up beside me and gently took my arm. The gentleness was smart because if he'd grabbed me with any force, I probably would have taken his arm off. "There's a clearing just up here. Come on!" He tugged me forward while the snakes trailed after us.

  As soon as we stepped into the clearing, the leaves on the other si
de parted to reveal a tall female figure, her red hair waving in a wind I didn't feel. She observed us for two heartbeats, and drew a long sword from a sheath on her back. It glinted blue in the light of the burning jellyfish that lit the clearing. She waved it in a fluid arc in front of her, and a trail of mist floated behind it.

  "Damn it," I said through clenched teeth. Ken had said it would be easy if we had the right magic. It seemed we'd brought in exactly the wrong kind of magic. "Her sword is enchanted with ice magic. Stay clear, or the cold will wreck your armor."

  "Got it," replied Graulfv, sidestepping in an obvious attempt to draw the woman's gaze to him.

  I darted the other direction, one eye on the snakes at my feet, though they seemed content to hiss and feint in the presence of their master. If they started fighting again in earnest while the woman came at us with a sword, things would get messy really quick.

  "Let's see how you deal with this," I said, flicking a death light at the woman.

  She didn't even flinch when the white light exploded into her chest. Or, exploded just in front of her chest. I caught a faint flicker in the air as the last of the magic from my orb fizzled out. "Shielded," I spat. "Figures."

  Between one heartbeat and another, the redhead chose me as her target and darted into action. She moved across the clearing with supernatural speed. I took a fighting stance and let her come.

  With each lightning fast step, her form became clearer. The light gray of her skin I'd written off as bad lighting appeared to be living stone. What I'd thought was a wild shock of waving red hair was in fact a writhing bunch of lava snakes. She wasn't just some fae swordswoman, she was a fiery version of a gorgon, like the mythical Medusa.

  Unsure of how much this gorgon had in common with the legend, I averted my gaze to avoid being turned to stone. It was going to be hard fighting someone I couldn't look at.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a brilliant red flash. A half second later, a beam of red hot energy shot past my head, close enough to singe my hair, had it not been protected by my armor. "So, laser eyes instead of a stone glare. That works out better for me."