Moonshadow (Moonshadow #1)(103)

Watching him with a grim expression, Gawain said, “We might have known that poor bloke well. He could have been a friend.”

“Whoever he was, we need to give him a proper burial,” Nikolas said. “Sophie promised.” He tucked the skull aside carefully so that it could be attended to later, and he told the others, “We need to get a fire going and build a wind barrier.”

They set to work. After some quick effort, they had a large lean-to built and propped against the hillside to cover the hole that led to the oubliette. It was constructed of pine branches heavy with needles so that it blocked the worst of the wind.

While some worked on building the lean-to, others sourced deadfall wood, and soon they had a fire going. It didn’t feel like it warmed the area so much as eased a little of the bitter chill, but at least they could heat some of the water and the food they carried in their packs for calories and warmth, which helped.

Nikolas thought of Sophie, riding the puck in the elements, and clamped down on a surge of worry. None of them were dressed for deep winter, but they were hardier than her, and they had the advantage of some rudimentary shelter.

Time passed, and the moon traveled across the sky. Most of the others huddled close to share body warmth while they napped, but Nikolas couldn’t rest. He fed the fire and kept watch.

Sophie and Robin had to have reached Raven’s Craig by now. He imagined them talking to Annwyn. What would happen next? She would muster a fighting force, and while they would have the advantage of horses, the route would be treacherous with snow and ice. It might be another thirty-six to forty-eight hours before anyone arrived.

He sat on a log, at one end of the lean-to, his head in his hands. Two days in Lyonesse would be weeks on Earth. Morgan might have weeks to do as much damage as he could. After so much effort, they might not make it back across in time after all.

Thunder sounded in the distance and grew louder. It approached too quickly to be a thunderstorm.

It sounded like many galloping horses.

Cael stirred and murmured, “What’s that?”

Nikolas stood, looking out as the first of an army of five hundred appeared over a rise, with a fiery black stallion racing at their head. Annwyn had made the two-day journey within a few hours.

Robin plunged to a halt in front of Nikolas, followed by Annwyn astride a dappled gelding, along with Hershel, Rogier, Dihanna, and many others Nikolas recognized.

But he had eyes only for the cloaked figure lying prone along the stallion’s back. Running over to Robin, he lifted back the hood to stare at Sophie’s white face. As he touched her cold cheek, she whispered through bloodless lips, “I’m okay. Just super cold and tired. They tied me on so I wouldn’t fall off.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he swore. He felt along her arms to discover the rope tied around her wrists and worked to get the knots undone.

Her mouth trembled. “Don’t yell at me right now.”

“I’m not going to yell at you, my Sophie,” he whispered. “I’m going to yell at them.”

Annwyn approached. She clasped Nikolas’s arm in a tight hold and gave him a look that sparkled with unshed tears. Then she moved to untie Sophie’s other wrist.

“I tried to talk her into staying behind at Raven’s Craig, but she insisted,” Annwyn told him.

“I take it back,” Nikolas said to Sophie. “I am going to yell at you.”

As her hands came free, he lifted her off the stallion’s back and cradled her in his arms. Bowing his head over hers, he hugged her tight.

“Fine,” she gritted, shivering. “But I get to have a cup of coffee first.”

He looked up at the puck, who stared back, ferocious and unfriendly. Telepathically he said to Robin, Thank you for carrying her safely. And for bringing the others. We owe you—I owe you so much.

Some of the starch seemed to go out of the stallion’s black mane, even as Robin said fiercely, “You will not forget a puck again.”

“Never,” Nikolas said. “I swear it.” He looked at Annwyn. “Much as I would love to have a leisurely reunion, we don’t have time.”

“We will take time on the other side.” She clapped him on the shoulder, then turned to start issuing orders.

Some of the troops would stay behind to set up a winter camp and care for the horses. Annwyn had laid plans based on hope. Temporary shelters would need to be erected, while wagonloads of supplies and more troops would arrive over the next two days. The troops that remained behind would then work on erecting more permanent structures.

In the meantime, Nikolas and Annwyn would be able to take as many as four hundred and fifty troops across to Earth—assuming they could get through.

He looked down at Sophie, who had revived enough to stare at him pointedly. Eyes flashing in the moonlight, she told him, “Shush. Don’t you start yelling. My coffee is in the great hall.”

Laughter bolted up from his belly. He clenched her tighter so that he could bury his face in her hair. “We’d better go get it then.”

If there was a great hall to get back to. Neither one of them said it.

“Put me down,” she told him.

“Are you sure you can stand?” Gingerly he set her on her feet.

She wobbled but stayed upright. Beside them, in a shimmer of magic, the stallion vanished and a monkey took its place.