[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.He came to ground in a clear area at the edge of the woods and the two women dismounted.“You sensed him?” Mylikki asked.“I think so,” Kevla said.“How?”“I have no idea.My powers—even I don’t know their full extent.But I think he’s in here somewhere.”She had been pleased, excited, but now realized that the forest was enormous.Mylikki was starting to breathe too quickly, fear for Altan consuming her.Kevla grabbed her hands.“Mylikki, I know you’re worried, but I need you to be calm.” Mylikki turned her blue eyes to Kevla and nodded.Kevla entwined her fingers with those of her friend.“I want you to think of Altan.See him in your mind.Try to capture what it is about him that makes him special.”Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but her mouth curved in a smile.“That will be easy.”Kevla closed her eyes and concentrated.She had thought that perhaps she might see Altan in her own mind, but no image came.But one thing did come: a very clear sense of direction.Squeezing Mylikki’s hands, she dropped them.“Dragon, wait here.I will call you when we’ve found him.Come on, Mylikki!”They turned as one and stepped into the dark shade of the forest, leaving the Dragon behind.The trees grew thick and dark.Humans had not come here, and any small animal trails they might have followed were lost beneath the snow.The going was difficult, and more than once Kevla lost her footing in her thin sandals.She was grateful beyond words for the little sensations and thoughts that came to her; turn left here, go a little farther there.Mylikki was hard on her heels as they stumbled through the woods.Without warning the forest opened into a small clearing.Large, snow-covered boulders jutted upward.Kevla knew they were close now.Her heart was racing.“Call him,” she told Mylikki.Mylikki cupped her hands around her mouth and cried Altan’s name.Her clear voice carried on the crisp air, but there was no answering call.He’s hurt, Kevla thought, not knowing how she knew.She closed her eyes and willed herself to find the boy.He was nearby, she was sure of it.She turned, her body being pulled by something she couldn’t control.She opened her eyes and found herself staring directly at a small entrance into the jumble of boulders—a sliver of darkness she had missed before.The entrance had been almost completely covered by last night’s snowfall.“There,” she said.“He’s in there.” She hurried to the boulder.Mylikki quickly joined her and both women pulled armloads of snow away from the entrance.“Altan?” Mylikki called as they dug.“Altan, we’re coming, hang on!”Finally, they had dug out enough snow so that Kevla could edge forward.Before she entered the darkness, she cupped her hand and called a small flame.She wriggled into the narrow opening, feeling her body heat melt the ice, and extended the hand that cupped the little fire.The faint light illuminated a small cavern.She saw something in the darkness, a motionless shape lying beyond the reach of the small fire’s light.Please be all right, she thought, digging in with her left elbow and stretching out her right hand as far as she could.Suddenly she gasped and her body strained.There was a sudden, sharp drop-off and she almost tumbled forward.As Altan had before her.She could see him now, a huddled lump on the floor of the cavern.His cloak covered most of him, but she saw a white hand clutching a pack and a hint of golden curls.She pulled back, closing her hand over the flame in her palm and extinguishing its insufficient light.“He’s here,” she told Mylikki, “but he’s hurt.Get me some branches, I need more light.”Mylikki went pale, but did as she was told, returning a moment later with two sturdy branches.Kevla gave one to her and lit them both.“Follow me,” she said.“Be careful.There’s a drop-off that comes up quite suddenly.”The two women crawled forward.Kevla held the burning branch in her right hand and felt for the ledge with the other.Once she could see it, it was not tricky to negotiate.But Altan, crawling in blindly, half-frozen from the storm, had been at its mercy.She turned over, swung her legs underneath her and lowered herself carefully.Her feet touched sturdy stone.She reached up to help Mylikki descend.Once Mylikki’s legs hit the earth she hastened to Altan, pulling the cloak from his pale face and grasping his hand in hers.“Altan?” she said, her voice cracking.He was so still….Kevla reached in between them, feeling for a pulse on his throat.It was there—thready and faint, but there.Wedging the branch in a crack between the rocks so the light would stay steady, she saw that the boy—for he was in truth little more than a boy, perhaps even younger than Mylikki—was unnaturally pale and his lips were a dark color.Kevla had been trained as a healer, but she had never before had cause to treat anyone who lay nearly frozen to death.Sickness from the heat, burns from the sun, yes, but not this.So instead of relying on training, she reached for instinct.She found both of Altan’s hands and clasped them to her heart.At the same time she leaned forward and slipped her hand down Altan’s throat, past the collar of his cloak and shirt, and onto his bare skin.“What are you doing?” Mylikki asked.Kevla ignored her.She closed her eyes and called the power that dwelt inside her.No rushing surge of heat, not this time; she needed the gentle, steady warmth of the ember, not the licking, consuming conflagration of flame.She felt her body grow warmer, felt that warmth penetrate into Altan’s body from his hands on her heart and her hand on his.She tried to see the heat in her mind’s eye, as it moved along his body, into his skin, his blood, his bones [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]