“Five—a father, the mother, and three children. Two cats and a dog.”
I thought quickly. We didn’t dare take them along with us. “Take three men and get them back to the house. Then catch up with us as best as you can. But be wary. We have no clue what other monsters Myst has managed to dredge up while she’s been recharging. For all we know, she might have discovered an abominable snowman or two.”
He gave me a curious look, clearly not understanding what I was talking about.
“Yeti? Bigfoot’s cousin? A form of Sasquatch?”
“Oh! The Old Man. Yes, we know what they are, and they are highly dangerous and unpredictable. We will be cautious, Your Majesty.” He gave me a quick but decisive bow and then chose three other men and headed over to the family. Satisfied they’d have at least a decent chance at safety, I motioned to the others, and we moved on again.
As we moved farther into the town, the extent of Myst’s snow weavers was obvious—houses were covered in thin sheets of icy webbing, and I could only pray that those within were able to withstand the siren song of the snow spiders. Here and there I caught a glimpse of one, sparkling in the night. They were fierce and terrible, milky white with golden sparkling stripes that ran their length. Orb weavers, but with a deadly venom and an even deadlier ability to lure their prey into their webs.
As I eyed the houses covered in webbing, my first thought was to rush in, to rescue whoever might be trapped within. But then reason dawned. We couldn’t stop the snow weavers, not until we stopped Myst. We had to focus on our task at hand and not get sidetracked.
The going was rough—the snow was deep and even for those of us used to the snow and ice, the storm raged like a crazed animal. Hunter was skimming the surface—my grandfather seemed able to skate across the snow like a water skipper on a pond. But Luna, Peyton, and Kaylin were not faring as well, and my men were helping them along. Rhiannon, Chatter, and the Summer Guards fared somewhat better but they, too, were bogged down by the heavy snows. Finally, in frustration, Rhia moved to the front of the pack with Chatter, and the pair joined hands, motioning for the rest of us to stand down.
We sidled back as the sparks sizzled and popped around them, and then—in one long streak—they sent out a burst of flame through the snow in front of us. It traveled a good twenty yards before sputtering out, melting away some of the ice and snow.
Rhia shook her head. “Takes more energy than it does good. Might as well just slog through.”
And that’s just what we did. We drove our path through the clogged roads, pushing against the winds, which were gusting heavily now and whirling the snow into a blinding fury around us. By now, we could see no more than an arm’s length away from our bodies and were doing our best to continue in a straight line so we wouldn’t get off track.
“How are we going to know when we get there? We can barely see the side of the road, let alone anything beyond it.” I had to shout to be heard over the wind.
Check, who was leading us, moved closer and leaned in. “Can Ulean go ahead and lead us, Your Majesty?”
Ulean, did you hear him? Can you lead us to the school?
That I can—it is easier for me to navigate than you. Hold for a moment and let me scout out where you’re at.
We paused, huddling as the storm raged. I thought I could hear howling in the slipstream, and for once prayed I was wrong. Because if I was hearing a howl, it was one of the Shadow Hunters—and that meant they were on the rampage. Shivering, I leaned toward Grieve and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. We waited, counting the seconds, counting the minutes. I was beginning to worry, but then Ulean was there, sweeping around me in a succession of quick gusts.
We are near the school. You will want to verge to your right—about twenty-five degrees—and you will be on-target for the front doors. They are about one thousand feet ahead—you will be going through the front lawn. There are Shadow Hunters in there, and they have spiders with them, and goblin dogs.
Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. What about the children and Ysandra? Are they okay?
They are barricaded in a room—the first hall to the left, first door to the right. There are large windows, and right now, Ysandra and her Consortium allies are managing to hold a force field against those attempting to break through, but they won’t be able to for much longer. They are strong, but the Shadow Hunters are stronger.
Fuck. We need to get there now. How many do you estimate?
Shadow Hunters? I cannot tell you. But they have at least a dozen, if not more, of the snow weavers with them. Remember: They can mesmerize you, Cicely. They can lure you in, even now.
I remembered all too well. We’d encountered them several times out in the woods, weaving their massive webs, hiding, waiting for victims. They were beautiful and terrifying, and they could hypnotize their prey, as well as poison them. Deadly and quick, the snow weavers were creatures of nightmares.
If we head straight, we’ll run right into the school?
Yes, you’re directly on track now.
Then, damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.
“Let’s move. Check, head directly to that direction.” I pointed. “We’ll be facing a bundle of Shadow Hunters and snow weavers, and I think some goblin dogs—so be alert. They’ll be as blind as we are, though, at least before we get into the school. Ysandra and her crew can’t hold out for much longer.” I pulled out my dagger. Even though I wouldn’t be on the front lines, I wasn’t about to go in unprepared.
Luna tapped me on the arm. “Before we go . . .”
“Yes?”
“Let me . . .” She stepped back and closed her eyes. Within seconds, a shadow began to descend on our group, and a mist settled into her body. She looked up, slowly, a cunning in her eyes that was abnormal for her. As her eyes met mine, she let loose with a hearty laugh, and the next thing I knew, we were surrounded by shadows.
“We have backup,” she said.
I stared at the army of the dead that filtered in and around us. Shades in muted tones of shadow and light darted between the snowflakes, barely there, and yet their silent hush carried the weight of a hundred soldiers at our command. They were a darksome force, fierce and feral, and the look on Luna’s face scared the hell out of me. The gentle Luna had faded, and the wild-eyed Dorthea had taken her place. Full and robust, the spirit had taken over and now I could feel her unspoken orders filtering through the ghosts who joined our company. They would move at her slightest word. I could feel their loyalty, and it scared the hell out of me. What if Dorthea took it into her mind to sic them on us, instead?
But as I stared at Luna, at the spirit inhabiting her body, Dorthea cocked her head. “Why would I want your position, girl? I have all the power I want right where I am. What’s more—Luna has given her oath to you. And I must abide by that.”
Then I realized—regardless of the fact that two spirits now inhabited one body—our friendship, which I’d probably forever destroyed, would carry Luna through on my side, and anybody hitching a piggyback ride on her.
Olrick and a band of the strongest took the forefront. Check, Fearless, Hunter, Grieve, and I came after. Behind us, Kaylin, Luna, Chatter, Rhiannon, Peyton, and Rhiannon’s guards hedged us in. The force of the dead swelled behind them. And at our backs, holding the rearguard, marched the rest of our warriors.
The wild tangle of energies charged the air. Summer and Winter, the spirits of the dead, the forces of our friends—all combined to create a whirlwind of static as we forged onward toward the school.