The Cypher Wheel (11 page)

Faedra tapped the side of her nose. “All in good
time. Now, how do we get into Arawn's castle?”

Faen turned to face Faedra and creased his brows,
asking a silent 'What are you up to?'. To which he garnered a smug
grin from the Custodian.

***

An hour or so later, Carina had given the group an
extensive description of the inside of the castle with the help of
the model standing on a table by itself in the cave room. She had
been one of the residents there when Todmus was ruler of Drofoz.
She was the realm's lead healer and head of the ovates. Lavish
quarters in the castle had accompanied the title. Her escape from
Arawn was made by the skin of her teeth. She dreaded to think how
he would have used her if she hadn't eluded capture and found the
caves. Since that day when Arawn had forcefully taken the realm,
Carina had always felt guilty she'd been unable to get Allora and
Skylar out, too. She couldn't bear to think what they may have been
through over the years. She prayed with all her heart that Faedra
and her friends would be successful in their plan to rescue
Todmus's family. Carina developed a new appreciation for the
Custodian while they were hashing out a plan for the rescue. It was
obvious she cared deeply for Todmus and would do whatever it took
to free his family and reunite them.

***

“How much longer before it gets dark?” Faedra asked
Carina as they all left the cave room and headed towards the large
cave where Faedra had lost control of her power a few hours
prior.

“A little while yet. We have a couple of spare rooms
we can give you. You can freshen up and rest before we set out this
evening.”

That was music to Faedra's ears. She was starting to
feel a little grimy, and the thought of splashing some water on her
face and neck was a welcome one.

Carina led the four of them though the main chamber
and down another tunnel. This tunnel opened up into another cavern,
smaller than the first. The walls of this one looked like a sponge.
Lots of holes dotted the walls of the cavern creating small rooms.
Faedra could see that many of them were already occupied; the
inhabitants peeked out and looked at her and her friends with
curious interest.

As they walked further into the cavern, past all
those faces, the energy in the room rose with every step. Whispers
echoed around the walls. Faedra was blanketed in the familiar
feeling of hope she was now accustomed to feeling when surrounded
by these people.

She looked around and gave a weak smile to those who
made eye contact. Telling them with her eyes that she would do her
best to free them from having to live in hiding. To some of the
smaller children she saw, she was sure they knew no other life than
being cooped up in a cage. Too much danger lurked outside for them
to play carefree in the sunshine. She wondered if many of these
children had ever been allowed outside at all. Had they ever had
the sun warm their faces on a bright spring morning? Felt the cool
drops of rain from an unexpected shower?

“Here we are,” Carina said, snapping Faedra from her
thoughts. Faedra turned her attention to her host. Now that she and
her friends were going to free the family members of someone she
held very dear to her heart, she couldn't view Carina as a
kidnapper any more.

Carina pointed to two holes in the cavern wall. One
was above the other. A ladder made of tree branches and strapped
with vines led to the highest one.

“I will come and get you when night falls,” she said
before turning and exiting out the way they came in.

“Well, I guess Jocelyn and I will take this one and
you two can take that one.” Faedra said, pointing to the lower of
the two rooms. She noticed Etyran's expression fall as she divvied
up the rooms, but he quickly recovered when Faen put his arm around
Etyran's shoulder.

“Come, my friend. Let us leave the ladies to get
freshened up and rested before we leave. I want to go over tactics
with you,” he said to Etyran as he led him towards the ladder. When
Etyran put a foot on the first rung, Faen beat his wings a few
times and ascended to their room.

Faedra pushed the material hanging in the entrance
for privacy aside and gestured for Jocelyn to enter. “After you,”
she said. Jocelyn gave her a warm smile and walked past her into
the cave room.

Faedra followed and let the cloth fall behind her,
covering the entrance to the room. For a room carved into rock, it
was surprisingly cozy, especially with the curtain draped over the
entrance. There was a little furniture in the room. A small dresser
with a bowl and pitcher of water stood at one end, and a couple of
single beds covered with blankets was all there was room for. It
was all they needed, though.

Jocelyn wandered over to one of the beds and sat on
the end. Faedra headed over to the pitcher and poured some of the
cool water into the bowl. She leaned over the bowl, cupped her
hands and splashed her face. She let out a sigh.

“Etyran likes me, doesn't he?” Jocelyn blurted as she
fiddled with the corner of the blanket.

Faedra stopped mid splash and turned her head towards
her friend. Water dripped from her wet face into the bowl below.
She gave her friend a big grin.

“Well, I think that would be the understatement of
the year,” Faedra replied.

Jocelyn crinkled her eyebrows.

“I think he likes you very much.” Faedra didn't
think, she knew. Etyran's energy was not subtle that was for sure.
“How do you feel about him?”

Jocelyn dropped her gaze and sighed. “I am not sure.
No one has taken an interest in me before.”

Faedra grabbed the cloth on the dresser and wiped her
face. “You're kidding me?”

“No, not kidding. I am not sure how I am supposed to
feel in this situation.”

“Forget about what you're
supposed
to feel.
How do you actually feel?” Faedra could quite easily determine how
Jocelyn actually felt but thought her friend needed to talk about
it.

Jocelyn mulled it over for a moment. “Well, when he
is around, I feel like butterflies are fluttering around in my
stomach. It is a very odd feeling; I have never felt anything like
it before. At first, I thought I may be getting sick, but after a
few days I could still feel it and I was still well.”

Faedra gave her friend a warm smile.

“Is that normal, do you think?” Jocelyn asked.

Faedra moved to the bed and sat down next to Jocelyn,
laying the damp cloth across her lap. “Yes, it is normal. I still
get that feeling every time your brother looks at me.”

“You do?” Jocelyn seemed surprised. “How long does it
last?”

“Everyone is different. I'm afraid I can't answer
that, sorry.”

“What do I do now?”

“Follow your heart and only do what you are
comfortable doing. If Etyran does anything that makes you feel
uncomfortable, you must let him know. He would be devastated if he
did anything to upset or offend you. You know how clumsy he can be,
especially around women. I don't think he has a lot of experience
with our kind.”

“Our kind? But we are of different kinds,” Jocelyn
stated, completely misunderstanding Faedra's statement.

“I mean females.”

“Oh, I see. He does stumble over his words a lot when
he talks to me. I was unsure why, but now it makes sense.” Jocelyn
gave Faedra a big smile. “I think I like these butterflies.” She
looked down at her stomach. Faedra returned Jocelyn's smile.

“Well, I guess we should get some rest before
darkness falls,” Faedra said as she moved over to the other bed.
She took off the pouch containing the cypher wheel and laid it on
the small table next to the bed. She then leaned over to take off
her boots before swinging her legs up to lay down on top of the
blankets. Faedra heard a rustle from the other bed as Jocelyn lay
down. She turned her head to look at her friend.

Jocelyn was lying on her side, hands tucked under her
cheek. She was looking intently at the Custodian. “Are you nervous
about tonight?”

Faedra looked up at the ceiling, thought about it for
a moment and turned back to face her friend. “You know, I'm not at
the moment. I know I can do almost anything with this power if I
put my mind to it. I just need to figure out how to make it work
for me. Are you?”

“A little, but then, I always am before a quest. I
think it makes me more focused.”

“Really? You never show it. I would never have
guessed you were nervous about anything.”

Jocelyn smiled and turned until she was lying on her
back. She was looking up at the ceiling when Faedra did the same
thing. A few moments later, her eyes became heavy and she drifted
off to sleep.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Faedra was pulled from her sleep by a gentle touch on
her arm. She took in a deep breath as she willed her eyes to open.
Her foggy brain registered her Guardian over her beside the bed.
She blinked several times to focus her eyes.

“Is it time to go?” she asked.

“It is. Carina has the horses ready for us.”

Faedra turned and leaned over to give Jocelyn a
gentle shake. “Time to get up, Jocelyn.”

“Already?” Jocelyn mumbled.

“Come on, sleepy head. Up you get,” another voice
spoke.

Faedra and Jocelyn propped themselves up on their
beds to see Etyran leaning up against the door way, arms crossed
over his chest and one foot crossed lazily over the other at the
ankle. He gave Jocelyn a warm smile and Faedra could feel his
energy radiate into the room. Faedra and Jocelyn looked at each
other and exchanged knowing smiles.

Faedra sat up and took Faen's offered hand as he
pulled her up to stand.

“Thanks.” Faedra leaned in and kissed him on the
cheek. “Well, let's get this show on the road then, shall we?” She
grabbed her pouch and slung it across her body.

Etyran stepped aside and let the two ladies exit
first. They walked into the main cavern to be greeted by Carina and
Anwynn, who were waiting with six horses.

“Six horses?” Faedra looked up and asked Faen.

“Carina and Anwynn are going to ride with us to the
edge of the forest. They know the quickest and safest route
through,” Faen explained.

Faedra nodded. It made sense to her.

They led their horses through the tunnel in single
file until they were at the opening.

Faedra braced herself for the icy sensation she would
feel when she walked through the entrance to the caves. It was a
very unpleasant feeling. She wasn't looking forward to experiencing
it a second time.

Once outside, they mounted their horses and followed
behind Carina and Anwynn. The forest was even more eerie at
nighttime. Faedra felt almost smothered by the silence that hung
all around them.

The only noise was made by the soft hoof falls of the
horses as they walked along the soft dirt trail. The odd twig
snapped under foot, making Faedra flinch and forcing her to push
back the power that threatened to come rushing forward. Faedra took
some deep breaths to calm her nerves that were now beginning to
surface. She hadn't felt nervous when they were in the safety of
the cave, but now, heading towards the castle, reality was raising
its ugly head. She just hoped they could pull off their plan. It
was pretty adventurous to say the least, and if any part of it
didn't work, the whole mission could fail. Every step had to go as
planned, or they probably wouldn't get Allora and Skylar to
safety.

Most of the journey to the edge of the forest was
made in silence. Faedra heard Jocelyn and Etyran whisper quietly to
each other behind her. Faen, who was riding beside her, had tried
to engage her in conversation several times, but she was
concentrating so hard on keeping calm, she'd been too distracted to
respond with much more than a yes or no. Luckily Faen realized what
was going on and fell silent after a little while. Faedra knew this
because she could sense his compassionate energy wrap around her
like a soft woolen shawl, which helped soothe her, too.

Sensing people's energy may have started out being
overwhelming, but she was discovering that it was a very useful
tool to have in her arsenal. Now, if she could only figure out how
to control and use the rest of what was bubbling inside of her. She
looked over at her Guardian and gave him a warm smile.

All too quickly they came to the edge of the forest.
Faedra and Faen brought their horses up on one side of the ovates,
Jocelyn and Etyran on the other. The six of them lined up along the
opening to a vast meadow. The moonlight cast a silvery glow across
the grass that was swaying in the soft breeze, making the whole
meadow resemble a calm ocean.

In the distance, a castle loomed ahead of them, dark
and foreboding. Only a couple of lights shone from a window here
and there, breaking up the black silhouette that towered above the
mound it was perched on.

“Well, this is where we leave you,” Carina said.
“Good luck on your quest. We pray you bring Allora and Skylar back
safely.”

Faedra gave Carina a weak smile. That was the plan,
to bring the captives back safely, but whether it would work out
the way she hoped, was yet to be seen.

“We will await your return here so we can lead you
back to the caves.” Anwynn said before turning her horse. Anwynn
and Carina walked their horses back under the cover of the forest.
Within a few feet the blackness enveloped them. Faedra squinted but
couldn't see them anymore; it was so dark under the canopy of
trees.

“We should head for that tree line and try to stay
out of the open as much as possible,” Etyran suggested pointing to
a tree line that ran alongside the castle. “We don't know for sure
how many creatures Arawn has working for him. It wouldn't surprise
me if his spies can see in the dark, too.”