Wintermore (Aeon of Light Book 1) (22 page)

Preta nods and takes off after Deet. She skips with speed over the brambles and dodges the branches.

Deet moves faster and faster away from her.

“Deet, Deet, stop, Deet!” Preta waves her arms, trying to get his attention.

He ignores Preta, fixed on his path and he doesn’t acknowledge anything but the voice he’s tracking. Deet gallops as if on the hunt, closing in on his wounded prey.

Preta is losing ground on her brother, and she peeks back at Agna, who is barely in sight. She continues forward, then nothing—he’s gone. Preta’s alone. She spins around, scanning in every direction.
Deet, dammit, where did you go
? She takes two steps and stops, spins back, and takes two more steps, then stands still. Preta doesn’t know which way Deet or Agna went. She bends over and places her hands on her knees.
What the heck, Yaz
? She shakes her head in frustration. “Shoot.”

“Preta,” Yaz says with pain in his voice. “I’m over here.”

She turns toward Yaz’s voice. “Yaz, is that you?”

“Yes, over here, come here, I need your help.”

Preta steps forward toward Yaz’s voice then she immediately stops and scolds him. “What are you doing running off like that?”

“Preta, come to me.”

Preta’s eyes narrow as she remembers Agna’s warning. “No, Yaz. You come to me, follow my voice.”

“Preta, come to me, I’m over here.”

“No, you come here. I don’t want to get lost again.”

“Please, come to me, I need your help, my leg, it hurts so bad, please.”

Preta scans the forest. “Shoot, Agna. Where are you?” She continues walking toward Yaz’s voice.

“Stop, Preta!” Agna says, waving her arms at Preta. “Where are you going?”

Preta, oblivious, ignores Agna’s voice and keeps moving away from her.

Agna grabs Preta’s shoulder, shaking her hard. “Hey, snap out of it.”

“Yaz?” Preta says.

“No, it’s me, it’s Agna.”

“Yaz—
Agna
?” Preta blinks as Agna comes into focus. “I just heard Yaz over there.” She points to evergreen bushes on a mound.

“It’s important you stay close to me,” Agna says. “We’ve wandered into a leshy’s territory.”

Preta, scratching her temple, arches her brow trying to think if she ever heard of a leshy. “What’s a leshy?”

“A leshy is a forest guardian. We’re in his realm, and that realm is deadly if we’re not careful.”

“Will Yaz and Deet be all right?”

“We have to find them soon, or they may not be. And if we can’t reason with the leshy, we may have to kill it.”

Preta stands straight up and peers through the trees for any sign of the leshy. “Will we use the light?”

“You were right, Preta; I do have a similar power to you though it’s not entirely like yours.”

“What do you mean?”

“No time to explain right now, we only have one shot at this, so, no matter what, control yourself and don’t waste your light.”

“I don’t understand; we both have a light.”

Agna walks toward the evergreen clump. “Under our current situation, we have the power to cast the light one time, together.”

“One time meaning what?” Preta tries to follow along as she wipes her sweaty brow with her sleeve sweater.

“Meaning until a full twenty-four-hour cycle from the last time we cast a spell. If we cast the light, we won’t have a light until then.”

“Okay, so show me now. You have one, and I have one, so that’s two, so get my brothers back.”

“It’s not that simple,” Agna says, shaking her head in frustration, not wanting to explain anymore. “Besides, you can’t control or do anything on your own at your age, at least not useful. And I need your light to cast a proper spell anyway.”

Preta scratches her ear. “Huh?”

“You uncontrollably connect to horses and shoot birds out of the sky, and I connect to you and perform something real.”

Preta talks with her hands. “Then we’re wasting time. Perform and get my brothers back.”

“Patience, Preta, there are other ways to get what we want. First, let’s head to where the leshy called out for you last. You lead the way, and whatever happens control your connection. It’s imperative you don’t use it, and don’t look back, and never run again either unless you see your brothers for real this time—got it?”

“All right, but what does he want with Deet and Yaz?”

“Who knows, maybe he’s lonely, or maybe he just wants something to eat.”

Preta flinches. “Did you say eat?”

“Yes, or maybe he wants neither of those and wants something else. I don’t know the mind of a leshy, Preta, but we need to go if you ever want to see your brothers again.”

Preta, not needing any more explanation, takes off in a gallop and weaves her way through the forest. She reaches a clearing fenced-in with dense spiky yellow trees. In the clearing’s center, stands a giant tree, leafless, the base the size of two carts, the bark a shade reminiscent of bone, and in the trunk’s center, a hollow opening Preta would be able to stand inside without bending over. The wide, crooked branches don’t extend away from the tree until twenty feet in the air. Preta circles in place in awe of the towering presence casting its will over the entire clearing. Then Preta peeks behind her and Agna’s gone. “Agna?” Preta shakes her head. “Dang it, not again.” Her eyes narrow in frustration, and she continues forward, passing by the bone tree then squeezing through the yellow spiked tree fence. Preta stands with hands on hips. “What the heck?”

“I’m over here, Preta,” Agna says.

Preta faces the voice. “I thought we were supposed to stick together.” She huffs in frustration and hikes up a hill toward Agna for a minute and then stops. “
Umm
—Agna? Where are you?”

“I’m over here,” Agna says.

Preta shifts her body toward her voice and continues hiking forward through the vines and rocky ground. “Agna?”

“Here, Preta, up here, hurry up.”

“I’m coming. Geez, when did you get so darn fast?”

“Here, over this way, hurry, run.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Preta runs for a minute then stops. “
Hey
, you told me not to run.” Her eyes widen.
Leshy.

“Preta, Preta, come on, hurry up.”

She contemplates what to do next.
Where did Agna go
?
She can’t be far
. Preta scoffs and nods as it hits her.
Agna knows, and I—I’m the bait.

“Come to me, over here,” Agna says.

Preta follows Agna’s voice and slows her pace to a crawl. The terrain’s elevation climbs and transitions to more rock with fewer vines and trees. “I’m coming as fast as I can. I sprained my ankle.”

“Almost to me, keep coming, almost—”

Preta sighs. “
I’m coming, I’m coming
. Hey, where the heck are you?”

“Behind you!”

“Huh?” Preta spins around into the hairy chest of an eight-foot-tall beast. Two glowing lime-green eyes glare back at her. The leshy’s tattered wool overalls stick out in stark contrast to his gigantic body. His big hairy toes wiggle and stick out the ends of his scruffy, shredded canvas shoes.

Preta scans the leshy, not believing her eyes.

The leshy grabs Preta by her arm, and she screams.

He picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder. “A pleasure to meet you, Preta Penter. Lyle have fun, fun, fun tonight.”

“No!” Preta says. “Put me down.” She kicks in a flurry as she pounds the leshy’s back with her fists.

“Now, now, Preta Penter, that’s not very nice,” Lyle says in a deep, raspy voice that shakes Preta’s spine.

“
Nice
? You took my brothers, and you have me on your shoulder. Let me go, you beast.”

“
Hmm
—beast, is it? Your brothers will be tasty for dinner tonight. I know a great recipe, you’re gonna absolutely love it.”

“
What
?” Preta kicks and screams harder.

The leshy carries her inside a dark, damp cave, and she stops screaming. She assesses the situation. Bone piles line the entrance. Ahead, the cave opens up into a lit room. The deeper they go, the warmer and brighter it gets. With grey gags in their mouths, against the far wall, Deet and Yaz sit back to back wrists and ankles bound. Around the cave, random torches stick out of notches in the rock. She gazes up at the large cavern ceiling. The occasional stalactite droops; and in the dark, with only a glimmer of light, bats chirp and fly above, making it appear as if the ceiling is moving and alive.

Preta scowls. “You’ll be in big trouble, leshy, I’m a powerful wizard—I’m warning you.”

“Funny girl, you’re no wizard, you’re just a little girl, and please, my name is Lyle. Leshy is so—so crude.”

Angry, spittle flies out of Preta’s mouth as she speaks. “I’m gonna kill you if you don’t release me and my brothers, leshy, you hairy beast.”

Lyle places Preta on the ground in the opposite corner away from her brothers.

Helpless, Deet and Yaz peek at Preta from the other side of the cave.

Next to her brothers, an unevenly balanced moldy wooden table with broken plates stacked on top of it. In the other corner, a huge red-checkered bed mat. Near the room’s center, a giant dug out fire pit with a large black cast iron pot sits over glowing embers. A faint stream of black smoke rises straight up toward the cavern ceiling.

Lyle moves to the pot and sticks his nose inside. “Preta Penter, what if I address you as smelly, ugly girl? How would you like that?”

“
What
? How about you shut up, you crazy hairy, hairy thing,”

Lyle smirks. “Now you’re just being nasty, smelly, ugly girl.”

“Let my brothers go!”

“If I let them go, then what can I cook you for dinner?”

“You expect me to eat my brothers?
What’s wrong with you
?”

Lyle’s head flinches in surprise. “What’s wrong with me?
What’s wrong with you
? Like I said, you have to taste this recipe I do before you judge—it’s to die for, and I know you’ll love it.” He slides a lid off a metal bucket and sticks his hand inside. He swirls and swishes his hand around the rusty metal as if searching for something.

“I’m not eating my brothers, leshy,” Preta says, sternly pointing her finger at him.

“Well then, I guess I can always eat you.” Lyle fishes out a yellow-and-black speckled toad from the bucket; he tilts his head back and drops it into his mouth. Lyle gulps, burps, and licks his lips with his bright-yellow tongue. “
Mmm
—nostril.”

An awkward silence befalls them as Preta is unsure what to do or say next. A pain in her stomach, she scowls and stutters, “M-my friend, she’s on the way, and she’s powerful.”

“The old woman?” Lyle chuckles. “Is she powerful like you, smelly ugly girl?
Ha ha ha ha ha
—”

Preta, threatening, continues pointing her shaky finger at Lyle’s chest. “She is more powerful than me, and you’ll be sorry.”

“Yes, I’m sure I will, now let’s see here.” Lyle hovers over Deet and Yaz. “Which one do you think? This one seems particularly tasty,” and Lyle pokes Yaz’s cheek.

Preta springs off the floor and runs toward Lyle. She kicks him in the leg and punches him in the back.

Lyle let’s Preta kick and hit him over and over. “
Ha ha ha
. Smelly, ugly girl, you funny, now sit in the corner, and be quiet. It’s time I prepare dinner.”

Preta punches him in the back. “No!”

Lyle’s brow furrows. “Don’t annoy me, now sit.”

Preta snorts in spurts. “Annoy you? Annoy you? You get away from my brothers, you hairy big-toed monster.” Preta aims her heel, jumps in the air, and stomps on Lyle’s big toe.

“
Aww-raa-you
—” In a fury, Lyle spins around and crouches square to Preta. At eye level, Lyle roars. The vibration shakes the ground and loose rock dislodges from the cave wall. Thick mustard-yellow wind bursts out of his mouth, blowing Preta’s hair and the skin on her face straight back.

The putrid gas intoxicates Preta. Dizzy, she collapses back onto her butt, drunk.

Lyle lifts his foot and kisses it. “You’ll survive, ouchy big toe. That mean smelly, ugly girl.” He stands up. “Ouch! That wasn’t very nice. You do that again, and I’ll be cooking my whole-family recipe for one tonight.”

“Leshy, enough!” Agna says from the cavern’s entrance.

“My name’s Lyle, not leshy. And I’ve got a great recipe for old ladies who don’t mind their own business.”

Preta’s head wobbles. “Now you in twouble, leshy heshy wheshy.”

Lyle crouches down and roars again at Preta.

The ferocious force of his second yellow wind blows Preta back onto her back. Lyle’s extra dose of stench breath makes Preta even drunker and more dazed. Her eyes roll back into her skull, and drool drips from the corners of her mouth.

“Smelly, ugly girl, my name is Lyle!”

Agna steps into the light. “Lyle, what do you require to let my friends go free?”

“I want fun. Then a delicious, fresh, tasty man dinner would be nice.” Lyle dips his hairy finger into the cast iron pot and stirs the green liquid. He snickers and removes the wet, steaming finger. Lyle’s bulging green eyes widen farther as he licks each finger, even the mud-caked dry ones.

“Is there something else you would take instead?” Agna says.

“Come now, old woman, how about you join us for the festivities? There’ll be plenty of man for everyone.” Lyle points at an oversized wooden chair. “Come and sit next to the smelly, ugly girl.”

Preta props herself up and blinks her eyes. With double vision and in a stench-breath drunken stupor, she grins watching two blurry Agnas move toward her. With wandering gaze, Preta’s head bobs and circles.

Agna sits and wraps her arm around Preta’s shoulder to comfort her.

Preta gives Agna a goofy grin, leans over, and kisses Agna on the cheek. “Agna, I love you. Look at the big hairy thing. Isn’t it funny? You know what? We should have us some hairy leshy wheshy for dinner. I have a
great
recipe.” Preta snorts like a pig then hiccups.

Lyle chuckles while poking the coals in the fire. “Smelly, ugly girl, it’s a well known fact that no recipe makes Lyle taste good, you would be sorely disappointed.”

Preta slurps her drool and lets out a loud burp. “Agna, how about we boil heshy leshy for fun? That would be fun, right?
Agna
,
I
love you
.”