Lone Star Magic (26 page)

He placed the remainder of the plant on the
ground beside her and retreated to the other side of the fire.
“You’re welcome.”

Conscious of him watching her, she ignored
him. When she’d finished coating herself, she said goodnight and
grimly set about the business of trying to get some sleep.

She’d barely closed her eyes when she heard a
familiar sound. “What’s that?”

Alrick cocked his head. “Barking. Probably
some ranch dog.”

Listening hard, she heard the bark again.
“That sounds a lot like Kayo. Really like Kayo.”

More barking, closer this time.

“That really could be Kayo.”

“But how can you be sure?”

“I can’t.” She worried her bottom lip with
her teeth. “If that’s not Kayo, do you suppose the Warlord…?”

“Gained control of some dog? I doubt that.
Besides, this is only one dog, not an army of them. How much damage
could one dog do?”

Evidently he’d never seen
Cujo
. She
sighed. “If Kayo’ back, I wonder if the boy will be with him.”

Bark, bark, bark.

“I’m gonna go check it out.” Dusting off her
hands on her shorts, she pushed herself to her feet and started
forward, wishing she had a flashlight.

“Wait.”

Turning slowly in the direction of his voice,
she waited. He came around the fire and crossed to her side, moving
catlike and sure-footed in the darkness. “Take my hand.”

“What?” She squinted up at him.

“Take my hand. We’ll search together.”

She looked back over her shoulder, even
though she could see nothing but their small fire. “The
horses?”

“They’ll be here when we return.”

The barking came again. Two short barks, then
silence. She slipped her fingers into his. “Hey, you said you can
understand animals. If that’s Kayo and even if it’s note, what are
the barks trying to say?”

Alrick’s short laugh was low-pitched. “I
didn’t say I could
talk
to animals in their own tongue. I
merely said we understand each other.”

“Semantics.” Disappointed, she tugged them
forward towards the sound. “Can you see anything at all?”

“No, I—.” Alrick stumbled, nearly wrenching
her arm. Somehow, she held on and was able to offer enough support
to keep him from falling.

“Are you all right?”

He mumbled a definite curse.

The barking came again, this time one long
series of barks, joyful, excited, happy.

“Kayo!” Carly wrenched her hand free and ran
blindly forward.

“Wait!” Alrick gave another muffled curse.
“Carly…”

“I’d know that bark anywhere,” she called
over her shoulder. “It’s Kayo! Come on.”

A gurgled sound came from the darkness behind
her.

“Alrick?”

No answer.

Carly felt the first prickling of uneasiness.
In her rush to find her dog, she’d run a good distance from
Alrick.

In this all-encompassing darkness, that
wasn’t good.

Stupid. He was right. She’d wait for him to
catch up and they’d go together. “I’m here, I’ll wait.”

Nothing.

“Alrick?”

Silence.

“Alrick?”

This time, the barking came again, louder
this time. Closer too.

“I’m positive that’s Kayo,” she said. “Quit
playing games and come with me to go get him.”

“He’s not playing games.”

Carly jumped, a small scream escaping her.
The boy from before stood a foot from her, the same boy who’d taken
her dog to begin with. Carrying a small lantern, the light cast a
pale glow around him. As he had before, he looked eerily
familiar.

She stared, speechless. Then, barking
joyously, Kayo bounded up, jumping on her and leaping. With a
strangled cry, Carly wrapped her arms around his wiggling body.
Then, she focused on the boy. “What do you mean Alrick’s not
playing games?”

“He’s in trouble.”

“Trouble?” The gurgling sound. “What do you
mean? What kind of trouble?” She turned circles in the darkness,
still unable to see. “How? Where?”

“The earth has eaten him,” the boy spoke
gravely. He whistled and her dog ran to sit at his feet.

“That doesn’t make sense. No.” She shook her
head. “That’s not possible. So there’s no way…”

The boy shrugged. “I don’t ever lie. Please,
come with me. We must help him. He’s in grave danger.”

“How do you know this?” she demanded.

“I just do.” He turned his back to her,
carrying the lantern out before him. Though she couldn’t see him
clearly, she heard confidence in his solemn young voice. What the
hell – since this journey had started, she’d seen stranger things
than the earth swallowing someone. For all she knew, there could
have been a sudden mudslide.

“Take me to Alrick. I’ve got to help
him.”

When the child slipped his small hand into
hers, she felt an unexpected rush of familiarity. Brushing the
sensation away and holding tight, she allowed him to lead her
through the darkness. Kayo, bounding alongside, gave her a
confidence she hoped wasn’t false.

“Listen,” the boy said, stopping.

Carly did as he asked. She heard nothing save
the harsh sound of locusts mingling with the ever-present crickets.
Normal night sounds.

“I don’t—.”

The boy ignored her. “Come.” Tugging on her
hand, he pulled her forward. Finally, she heard running water.

“A stream? This is too far. I didn’t run this
far from him.”

“No, but magic clouded his mind.”

“Magic?” Her voice sounded sharp. “From the
Warlord?”

“No. This was my fault. The magic I used to
come here made him go the wrong direction.”

“Magic brings bad weather.” Frantic, she
peered around. “There’s no telling what will happen now. The
weather always reacts.”

“Not the weather.” He continued to tug her
along. “The earth. She reacts now.”

“Either way, something’s bound to
happen.”

“Something already has. That’s what’s
happened to Alrick.”

“How do you know his name?”

Instead of answering, the boy pulled on her
hand. “We have to cross the stream.”

She continued to resist, fear stabbing her.
“What’s happened to Alrick?”

“We have to cross the stream.”

Kayo barked, running swift circles around
them.

“Your dog knows. He is trying to make us
hurry.

The whole setup stank, reminding Carly
uncomfortably of the old “have a piece of candy little girl”
switch-and-bait tactic. But was this real – or not? She had no
choice. “Let’s go,” she said.

Splashing through water, they followed Kayo,
Carly clutching the small hand. The plain truth was she didn’t
trust him not to run off, leaving her in a trap, though her
instincts made her like him. Something about him was imminently
likable. Never mind that he’d stolen her dog – something she fully
intended to discuss later – she fought to keep from liking him. For
all she knew, he could be the Warlord’s henchman.

And it was so damn dark. She still couldn’t
see more than a few feet in front of her.

“Stop.” Alrick’s voice, muffled. “Don’t come
any closer.” Carly instantly froze.

“Look.” Holding out his lantern, the boy
pointed towards the ground.

Alrick. Buried up to his neck in what had to
be quicksand. And sinking fast.

“STAY BACK, where it’s safe.” Alrick grimaced
as he struggled to keep his chin above the muddy sand.

Kayo even seemed to sense the danger,
remaining cautiously at the edge of the oozing, bubbling mud.

“Use magic,” Carly told him. Seemed simple to
her. “Say a couple of words and you’ll be out of trouble.”

“I would if I could.” Alrick dashed that
hope. “There’s a counter spell here – it kept me from sensing the
quicksand and won’t permit any magic at all to work.”

“Damn. The Warlord is getting better. Not
good.” Frantic, she peered around her, dropping to her knees and
crawling into the underbrush, blindly groping in the

darkness.

“Carly, what are you doing?” Alrick made a
strangled sound. “Help me.”

“A stick. I need a stick. Then I can pull you
out. I’ve seen this in the movies.” She tried to project
confidence, but her voice cracked.

“No sticks,” the boy said beside her. “I
already looked.”

“No sticks. Okay, then a rope.” Pushing to
her feet, she took off in the direction they’d left the horses and
ran blindly into the darkness. God, she hoped they had some sort of
rope somewhere in their supplies. The lead ropes. Those would have
to do.

Suddenly the boy was running with her, his
bobbing lantern lighting their way. They made it in seconds. TM and
Merry lifted their heads curiously, but didn’t spook.

She grabbed the lead ropes from their
halters. Not very long, but they’d have to do. Turning on her heel,
she tore back to Alrick. The boy kept pace.

From his position at the edge of the
sinkhole, Kayo barked once to warn them.

“Catch.” Carly tossed Alrick the rope. He
struggled, but managed to bring one hand out of the mud to catch
it, then grabbed on with the other.

“Ready.” He spat mud out of his mouth.

Stepping back, she wrapped her end around her
hand. Then, using both hands, yanked hard.

And felt herself sliding towards the
quicksand.

“Slowly,” Alrick told her. “Back up and pull
slowly.”

“Let me help.” Positioning himself behind
Carly, the boy grabbed a length of rope.

They pulled in unison.

Alrick’s shoulder came out of the quicksand.
The mud sucked at him, attempting to keep him.

“Again.”

They pulled again. This combined strength
finally won. Inch by stubborn inch, he moved free of the quicksand.
Finally, he pushed himself forward, up and out, before he let go of
the ropes, collapsing on safe ground.

“I’ll take these back and check on the
horses,” the boy said, snatching up the ropes and backing away.
Without even glancing at Carly, Kayo followed.

Correctly interpreting Alrick’s quick look,
she shrugged. “My dog sure likes him.”

“So I see.” Breathing heavily, Alrick rolled
over onto his side and up to a sitting position. He looked like a
refugee from a mud treatment at a fancy, Austin spa. “The beast is
a good judge of character.”

He grinned at her, mud cracking on his face,
no doubt thinking of how well Kayo had liked him too. “Plus, there
is something about this boy…”

Surprised, she stared. “You feel it too?”

“Yes. Maybe it’s his eyes. They remind me of
yours.” He shrugged, not an easy task covered with so much drying
mud. “Whatever the reason, he seems okay. And I don’t sense any
evil around him.”

“Do you think…,” Hesitant to ask, she had to
clear her throat before continuing. “It’s possible my son might
travel through time as well?”

Alrick met her gaze, his own sober. “Anything
is possible with magic.”

She caught her breath. “We need to ask his
name.”

“We will.” He pushed himself to his feet,
slightly unsteady.

Barking, Kayo dashed out of the trees. Close
on his heels ran Merry and TM – with the boy perched on his
back.

Alrick looked at Carly. She stared back.
After a moment of stunned silence, he laughed.

The boy brought TM to a stop and hopped down.
“What?” He looked from one to the other. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” Carly shot Alrick a glare. “He’s
having delayed shock from his near-death experience, that’s
all.”

That
was the best she could come up
with? He shook his head. “And I need to get this mud off.” He
picked at his chest. “It itches like mad.”

The boy pointed. “Hey, we crossed a stream
earlier. The water’s warm. You could wash there.”

“I’ll do that, in a minute.” Alrick crooked
his finger, motioning the boy over. “Come here, lad. It’s past time
we talked.”

Obediently, the boy slid from TM’s back.
Panic flickered in his eyes as he looked from Alrick to Carly. Even
Kayo sensed something, sidling up to the boy’s side. Ears back, he
bared his teeth and growled.

“Growling? At me?” Using the old tongue,
Alrick chastised the Border collie. But, though the dog fell
silent, he appeared unrepentant, taking a seat at the boy’s
feet.

The boy
. Alrick was tired of calling
him that. “What’s your name, lad?”

Instead of answering, the boy backed away,
shaking his head. “Can’t…”

The air crackled with energy. The hair on the
back of Alrick’s neck rose. The boy’s image wavered and then poof –
flickered out.

Gone. Again. And like before, he’d taken Kayo
with him.

“Damn,” Carly cursed. “I might as well give
that dog to him, whoever he is.”

With a resigned grimace, Alrick looked around
the small clearing. “We’d better get ready for the weather.”

“Great.” Carly sighed. “I suppose it’s
inevitable. Let’s see, what
haven’t
we had? You know, it’d
be nice if we could get a break.”

“Listen.” The tree leaves rustled as the wind
began to blow. “Whatever it is; it’s coming.”

“And, once again, we’ve nowhere to hide.”

In seconds the gentle breeze became a gale.
Howling like a cat in heat, the wind bore down on them, bringing
dirt and debris – sticks and small stones and whatever else it
could tear loose.

“Here.” Facing her, Alrick sheltered her from
the worst, using his body as a shield. TM and Merry panicked,
spinning, running, trying to dodge the wind but failing to escape
the invisible menace. Finally they huddled together behind a small
grove of trees, heads down, facing away from the wind.

Carly and Alrick followed their example,
staying low to the ground and taking shelter behind a large
mesquite tree.

“This wind’s hot.” She leaned into him. “Like
the Santa Ana’s in California.”

“An inferno.” Though barely a foot away,
Alrick had to shout to be heard over the shrieking of the gale.
Dirt swirled in the air, slashing at them, coloring the sky, making
breathing difficult and visibility impossible.