“You won’t talk me out of it, Valor. So don’t waste your breath,” she said, never slowing her steps.
He caught her by the arm and forced her to slow. “I don’t want to talk you out of it,” he said calmly, locking his gaze with hers. “I won’t let you go storming off unprepared though. We will need to prepare.”
“We?” she asked in shock.
“I swore a blood oath to a dying friend to protect you,” he reminded her and shrugged. “Besides, I want him back, too. If you think this is possible, then we will go to the Darklands,” he added in a quieter voice.
“What about Devony? You just got her back,” she asked with concern.
“She knows Sovann fairly well and I trust our friends to keep her safe. Wisp is actually quite good with children,” Valor replied with a shrug.
“Thank you Valor,” she whispered, her shoulders sagging a bit with relief. She would have gone alone and had planned to, but the idea had been terrifying.
“Will you do me a favor, though?” he asked in a gentle voice.
“What?” She glanced at him as she began walking toward the camp again. He was right, they did need to prepare. Her first priority was making sure her friends had brought her armor along. She had no intention whatsoever of going into the Darklands unarmored.
“Heal yourself. You are bleeding everywhere,” he answered motioning toward the cut on her chest and smiled.
Chapter 30
Goswin
Snow crunched under their boots as they stepped out of the transport spell. Jala looked around at the snowy landscape in surprise and adjusted her pack on her shoulder. The first of the snows hadn’t come to Merro yet and she hadn’t expected to see any here. Her tattered grey cloak swirled about her feet in the light winter breeze and she pulled it tighter around her. She hadn’t worn it in ages, but it seemed fitting for this occasion.
Valor stopped beside her and lowered his own bag to the ground and turned in a slow circle staring at the leafless trees and snow covered hills. “I’ve never actually been here before, but I thought you couldn’t use magic to travel here,” he said quietly.
“That’s what I heard, too. Guess they were wrong,” Jala replied with a shrug.
He stared hard at her for a moment and then chuckled. “Well then, we will chock that one up as idle rumor instead of fact. Good of you to test the theory though.”
“I was afraid to try to get us too close to the witches. Shade says the fluxes are stronger the deeper you go into Goswin,” Jala said and motioned to the distant forest. “We need to be there by nightfall, though, so it will be quick walking for us.”
Valor shook his head slowly and carefully removed his signet ring from his finger. Setting it down on the ground before him he stepped back a few feet and held a hand out toward it. “Valorous, come,” he whispered.
Jala looked from him to the ring in confusion but stepped back as the wind around them began to rise. Reaching up, she hastily pulled her hood up on her cloak as the snow began to swirl faster and rose into the air. “What?” she began as the earth trembled slightly beneath her boots.
The wind picked up again and the clouds above began to swirl taking on the deep grey of a winter storm. As she watched in astonishment the clouds billowed and funneled down into the swirling air above the signet ring and seemed to grow thicker. Valor stood frozen in the same spot his hand still held out before him as the clouds shifted and coalesced into the shape of a horse. Within moments, the wind died down, the snow falling back to the ground near the massive hooves of the creature. It was the steel grey of the winter sky with eyes the color of onyx. Barding of dark metal covered its neck and flanks, creaking as it stamped its massive hooves.
“By the gods, it makes Vanguard look like a pony. What is it?” she breathed as she studied the animal in fascination.
“An Arovanni. His name is Valorous. Should be easy enough to remember,” Valor replied with a smile and moved forward to place a hand on the horse’s muzzle. It snorted, pushing gently against his hand. He smiled and turned back to her. “I’m an Arovan Horse Lord. You didn’t really expect me to walk did you?” he asked with amusement and he bent to pick up his signet ring from the snow.
“I thought you were a Stormlord?” she replied in confusion.
He laughed lightly. “No there is only one Stormlord. That is my father. The true knights of Arovan were called Horse lords beyond the barrier. We are more civilized now, though, and call ourselves knights,” he corrected with a grin and motioned for her to approach.
She moved forward and reached a hand out hesitantly to touch the animal, expecting the skin to be icy. Warm flesh shifted beneath her palm and she looked up to Valor in amazement. “I thought he was an elemental of some kind,” she said in quiet awe.
“He is, in a fashion. It’s complicated and lengthy to explain. For now let’s find the witches and see if your theory about them being able to open a gate is correct,” he replied and lifted her into the saddle. He climbed up behind her and took up the reins. “I hope you can keep up, Marrow,” he said with a smile then handed the reins to her. “Guide him, you know where we are going.”
The leather was warm beneath her hands and she felt a fragile link form with the horse through the contact. It seemed to hesitate at her touch at first and then relaxed, awaiting her command. She could feel the intelligence of the creature as well as its courage and strength. This was by far one of the most impressive uses of magic she had ever seen. “Will you explain this to me better when we have time?” she asked softly, glancing over her shoulder to look at Valor.