The Sah'niir by Kim Wedlock

Author:Kim Wedlock [Wedlock, Kim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 34

Rathen's teeth grated at the crack of thunder that threatened to finally obliterate his patience. He dug his fingers deeper into his ears and stared even harder at the scribblings in his notebook, blocking out the forest and trying to focus himself onto something useful. But his eyes only continued to sink right through the pages, and his tightly-wound thoughts worked assiduously against any effort at progress.

They'd followed Birk as commanded, whichever of the shepherding vakehn that was, and were led to a new sleeping tree to rest against the heat of the day while they waited for the huldra to return. But even once the distant lamentation had ceased - and they'd been listening intently - Hlífrún was nowhere to be seen. And neither, they'd finally realised, were the vakehn.

Finding themselves suddenly abandoned in an unfamiliar encampment, their anxiety plunged deeper, and their eyes drifted ever more frequently towards the small rocky pond that sat unassumingly just within the edge of the clearing. More than once they'd roused from fretful daydreams to find themselves staring towards its depths in search of anything that could be lurking within.

Garon's patrol about the trees became more urgent, and Aria, though wary, was bold enough to sit at the edge of the water and guard over it to 'do her bit for the group'. No one had missed it. Her contribution of the arty-fact no one needed was still firmly under her skin.

But even while Petra kept watch over her in turn, stating when challenged that she had merely chosen that spot to rest, no one saw anything beneath the water but marimo, perfect balls of algae spinning peacefully at the bottom. No horses, no 'näcken', no sprites of any description. Nothing at all otherworldly. And so they'd continued to watch the water until whatever certainly called it home finally reared its head.

Their restlessness only grew. But while they knew that leaving without Hlífrún's say-so would most likely incur her wrath, the strength and reach of which they didn't dare to guess, they entertained the notion with increasing consideration with every passing minute. And as clouds began to gather and the light began to fade, Garon finally took matters into his own hands.

But, while the vakehn were indeed absent, it appeared they were still steadfast in their charge. He'd tested their reactions by walking as far as he could, but where they'd expected the woodland nymphs to reappear and turn him around - peacefully, guessed some; aggressively, warned others - he found only a barrier. And he hadn't gotten far. They were indeed prisoners, abandoned, forgotten, and completely trapped.

Night was slipping in, and a storm had coalesced from nowhere. The odds were stacking against them. Now, there truly was no option but to stay.

And Hlífrún had still not returned.

Rathen growled in tension and shook his ceaseless thoughts away. Then another burst of light erupted through the trees and another crack set his teeth on edge. His notebook snapped shut and he slouched against the tree trunk in seething defeat.

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