Arms of Anu by Christina Mercer

Author:Christina Mercer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, magic, young adult, heroine, teen, mythology, curse, hero, crystal, celtic, castle, quest, sword, tween, middle grade, herbs, middle grade fantasy, middle grade romance, christina mercer, tree lore
Publisher: Christina Mercer

The canoe slammed against a rock, throwing Lia and Wynn into the icy waters of Romney River. Lia fought wildly against the current, pumping her arms and legs with waning strength. Nothing but the roar of the river filled her ears, and her lungs begged for air. She surfaced an arm’s length from the canoe and grasped it before the rapids swept it away. Wynn shot up from the water and gripped the opposite side.

“The oar!” he yelled.

With one hand, Lia held fast to the canoe, and with her other, she retrieved the escaping oar. The rapids pushed them forward and it was all they could do to keep their heads above the surface. They wound around several sharp bends and down a small fall. Lia coughed up water, her eyes blinded by a blur of icy gray. Her fingers lost all feeling, and she wondered how long until her grasp gave way and the river swallowed her up for good.

They passed another bend and the river widened, softening the current. Wynn rolled himself back into the canoe and pulled Lia in, taking care not to flip the narrow vessel. His lips were blue and his eyes red, and Lia shuddered as if her bones quaked.

“W-we’re g-gonna f-freeze out h-here,” she muttered.

Using their only oar, Wynn rowed the canoe toward land. They were several hours down the river from the castle. Murdina had said dawn would bring a changing of the guards, giving them a couple of hours before anyone discovered Wynn’s escape.

Lia tried not to think of the bloodshed they’d left behind in the dungeons. None of the guards survived Wynn’s sword. No matter how big their bodies or menacing their weapons were, the glowing blade cut through them like wildfire. They perished in the same filth as their victims. And their knowledge of Murdina’s part in Lia and Wynn’s escape had died along with them.

The canoe’s bottom scratched upon the riverbank, and Lia and Wynn stumbled ashore. Wynn pulled the boat into a patch of reeds and tossed the oar inside it. Lia raised her face to the sunlight peeking through the morning haze. She removed her dripping cloak and attempted to wring out some of the water.

“We can make a fire in these woods.” Wynn cupped his hands and blew into them. “Smoke’ll spread through the trees instead of rising in the sky for all to see.”

Lia followed him into the woods, letting the energy of the forest seep into her mind like a salve. They struck a fire and hung out all but their underclothes to dry. Nudging close to the flames, Lia drank from her ale skin and then handed it to Wynn.

“I’ve some honeyed fruit if you’re hungry,” she said, glad the feeling was returning to her fingers. She untied the soggy pouch from her belt. “They’re from Murdina.”

Wynn helped himself to a handful. “Never thought I’d meet a royal like her. And I figured out why she looked familiar. She was in a dream I had long ago, though I don’t remember the details.

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