Frost Arch (40 page)

“How did you get past them?”

Jack frowned, “I was absolutely useless down there. I would have been slaughtered if it wasn’t for Ræven. I threw a few punches, knocked a couple of guards out, but then there were too many of them and I thought we were done for. Ræven was pinned to the floor by this big burly bloke but she managed to give me this knowing look and I instantly stuffed my fingers in my ears. She let out this dreadful wail of a song. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.” He gave a little shudder, “It was beautiful, yet so terrifying. I can’t imagine what hearing the full blast of it must have felt like. Suddenly the guards let go of us and were twitching on the ground, like a seizure. After a few seconds they went still and didn’t move. I thought she had killed them.”

My mouth dropped open as I listened with keen interest.

“I checked for a pulse on the nearest guard, and found one though it was very weak.” Jack looked at me seriously, “You know, I think Ræven might be able to kill with a simple song. Even though I had had my ears blocked I still felt shaky and had to throw up my breakfast.”

The thought terrified me. What an incredible power. I hadn’t heard of such a terrifying gift, and to think Ræven had been given two Powers. I wondered if she preferred one over the other, or if she wished that she had only been born with one. I thought it must be awful not being able to talk without affecting everyone within earshot.

“So after that it was easy sailing.” Jack smiled warmly, “We met only a few more Mages and Ræven sang a little song and they fell fast asleep. Once again I was absolutely useless and she had to slap me around a little bit to wake me up.” He said sheepishly.

I squeezed Jack’s hand before he continued.

“There are a lot of rooms down there, and many cells. I checked at least ten or so empty cells before I stumbled into your one. I saw many bodies in there and the place reeked of death and human feces. None of the bodies moved, and I could see by the light shining in that they were all dead humans. But then one particular body caught my eye.

“Your hair was lank and matted, your bones jutting out. There were plates of food around you – untouched. You were curled in a ball and ever so still … I thought … I thought.” Jack cleared his throat harshly in an attempt to sound more masculine.

“You thought I was dead.” I said quietly.

Jack nodded, “I rushed into the cell using a set of keys I had stolen from an unconscious guard … I … I-”

“You held me.” I recalled faintly.

Jack nodded and it seemed he was fighting back the urge to hold me again. I would not have objected.

Jack met my eyes, “But then you spoke.” He smiled faintly.

“I said your name.” I remembered.

We were silent for a long while and simply stared at each other. I could not put my gratitude into words, though it seemed Jack’s conscience was feeling guilt at having found me in such a poor state, though there really was no need to worry anymore for I was perfectly fine at the moment. The medical supplies Jack had bought in the marketplace had done a magical job. I was rather sure I could walk right now if I dared. Perhaps I might be a bit unstable, though that was to be expected.

“Where is Ræven?” I inquired of Jack.

“I think she is at work.”

“Which work?” I frowned.

“Messenger by day, angel by night.” Jack sighed, lost in thought then flushed a deep crimson when he saw my amused expression. He shrugged it off and continued, “I meant her voice.”

“Mmhmm.” I rolled my eyes and continued the eating of my food.

We were silent for several moments and Jack watched me eat. He seemed to be analyzing me, taking in every detail.

“Who cleaned me up?” I inquired, referring to my silky hair, clean fingernails and skin.

“Ræven.” Jack said simply.

“Good.” I heaved a sigh which caused Jack to grin.

“Another supply from the marketplace.” He continued, “Dead useful if you don’t have time to get a bath ready. It was this chemical like spray that got rid of dirt upon whatever it touched.”

“Laziness.” I rolled my eyes, though I was very grateful to the Mage who had managed to invent such a thing.

“You needed it.” Jack’s eyes were round.

I scowled.

I soon learned from Jack that my tiny human friend had been dead when he had come to rescue me. He didn’t remember the scene clearly for his entire focus had been on me, though he said that there had been the tiniest of figures close to me, unmoving with open, glazed eyes. He recalled the stench.

Over the next few days Jack and I lived at Ræven Blacklock’s home quite harmoniously. By the third day I felt quite well enough to get out of bed and explore the charming residence. Ræven’s home had four bedrooms, each one quainter than the last. She had a comfortable sitting area with a large, warm fire constantly lit in the fire-place. Several elegant portraits hung everywhere and vases upon vases of fake flowers on every surface, as not much greenery could survive in Frost Arch. I loved her home very much and felt quite comfortable. To thank Ræven for her hospitality I often shuffled around the house weakly trying to clean up after Jack. I tried cooking dinner as well but Ræven merely bustled me from the kitchen. Ræven, quiet as ever, would often appear out of nowhere when you least expected it. She caught me dusting and polishing several times. I didn’t know how else I could thank her for helping Jack rescue me and letting me stay in her house. I wasn’t sure how long Jack and I were welcome for, but Ræven brought me breakfast in bed every morning. This lasted for about a week before I told Ræven that it was not necessary to tend to me any more for I was perfectly capable of looking after myself now that I was much stronger. I had put on a bit of weight in only a week yet I was much skinner that I would have liked. Prior to this whole fiasco my body had been warm and shapely, yet now I felt cold and thin, as though there was no definition to my figure. Where there had once been curves there was now rib-cage. I also found that I got fuller much more quickly and I figured this was due to my shrunken stomach, though I knew I would train it to hold more food over time once again.

Jack lazed around the house most of the time. He was no longer working at the manor for we all figured that Sebastian Forsythe would have assumed Jack was key to my escape. Ræven had told us in very few words that the guards whom she had knocked silly with her voice would never remember how the incident unfolded for she had chosen a specific tone and pitch of voice which would erase their memory of the whole ordeal. Of course Ræven never spoke much around us, though when she did, she did it slowly and carefully in a monotone voice. Though it still affected us greatly it was nowhere near as bad as her song voice.

Several times I woke during the night to horrible nightmares. Jack said that sometimes he could hear me scream. The nightmares were nonsensical and many times I couldn’t remember them. Though often they consisted of decaying bodies. Whenever I woke up from these dreams however it would be because I felt a comforting hand stroking my forehead, and a soothing song being whispered into my ear. Ræven ensured I was well rested and would sing me to sleep with a delicate lullaby if ever I was restless. I would fall asleep within the first few seconds. Her voice was like a drug that I could not get used to. Sometimes I asked Ræven to talk to me while I went to bed. I would ask her questions and she would answer freely for she knew that her voice would send me to sleep. I learned many things about Ræven Blacklock during that first week. Some of them were quite terrible.

Ræven was sixteen years old and lived by herself in the home she afforded from singing at night time. Apparently it paid very well. She told me that she enjoyed the messenger job because she loved to fly and would get paid for it. She explained that up until the age of thirteen she didn’t even know that she could transform into a bird and had thought for so many years that she only had one Power like every other Mage. She had told me an awfully depressing story regarding the first time she had flown.

At the age of thirteen Ræven wrote a song for her parents. A beautiful and powerful melody that she had practiced in secret until it had been perfect. She believes that it is still her most perfect song to this day, though she refuses to ever sing it again. For the first time she performed it for her parents it resulted in their immediate loss of memory. The song had been so pure and magical that it had wiped their memory clean of Ræven and to this day they still don’t know that she even exists. Her parents now live in a distant town and have managed to get on with their lives, never knowing that they once had a daughter. When Ræven first realized what she had done to her parents she had been in such a rage that she felt as though she had exploded and the next second she was soaring through the sky as a beautiful black bird.

As Ræven had told me this story I felt horribly depressed, and on the verge of passing out as her voice always makes me feel. I felt guilt, and remembered saying something before I had fallen asleep.

“That is why you looked at me so oddly on the day you delivered my parents reply to my letter.” I had whispered, “You were confused as to why anyone would give up what precious time they have with their loved ones. I had offended you without even knowing it.”

Ræven had merely given a small nod and replied, “Among other things.” She said softly.

“Tell me.” I said sleepily.

Ræven had begun to talk again but I was so close to sleep that I’m not sure if I had heard correctly, though I thought it had been something like the following:

“I was intrigued. I could tell you had a secret and I felt as though you would be someone I could relate too. We both have our secrets, Avalon, and in many ways I think we are very alike. I know I can trust you with my secrets.”

I felt her hand stroke my cheek as I began to doze off, and I was fast asleep within a matter of seconds.

Over the next few days Jack and I tried to think up ways of finding Hawthorne. We knew this much; the Creeley twins had cornered him in the forest and teleported him somewhere, and whilst on a delivery job Ræven had heard yowling coming from Frost Mountain, the extremely tall peak that reached beyond the cloud bank.

We couldn’t work out a way to get to the top of the mountain, let alone devise a plan to search the premises once we were there. As Elvira Frost resided at the top we were sure she would be lurking there. Jack and I had never seen the top of Frost Mountain and often wondered what was up there. Jack envisioned a great manor with many workers, where as I envisioned a castle of ice and stone. We asked Ræven what was up there, and using as few words as possible she had said, “Castle. Many people. Very cold.”

I discovered that I could handle Ræven’s voice much better than Jack. Whenever she spoke he would swoon and go dopey for several minutes. I on the other hand felt light headed and sleepy, but able to keep my wits about me. Ræven’s singing voice was another matter though.

We had heard nothing from Camryn. Jack had told me that he was currently mad at her, however I could tell that it stung him that she had not bothered to see if he was okay. I comforted Jack and said that perhaps Camryn had looked into our whereabouts, but had not been able to find where we were. It was upon the topic of Camryn when we finally managed to devise a plan.

“That’s it!” Jack said suddenly.

“What’s it?” I said rather bored.

“I know how we can get to the top of Frost Mountain.” Jack grinned.

“Excellent.” I said in a sarcastic voice, “It doesn’t really help us find Hawthorne once we are up there though.”

“Oh shut up.” Jack waved his hand dismissively, “We can find Camryn and borrow some Pegasi.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” I said slowly, “However, I’m not sure if Camryn will let us ride her pride and joy across the city to break into the headquarters of the most powerful woman in the city, who is a level nine Ice Mage, mind you.”

Jack rolled his eyes but then another idea seemed to dawn on him, “Ava! The wedding!”

“What wedding?”

“Rain Forsythe’s wedding to Theodore Arthfael!” Jack was simply ecstatic now.

“What about it?” I hissed.

“Everyone will be so busy with the wedding.” He smirked, “No one will notice a couple of Pegasi flying to Frost Mountain.”

“I’m sure Frosty will notice when great winged beasts land on her doorstep.”

“No, you don’t understand.” Jack sighed, “Elvira Frost has been invited to the Forsythe and Arthfael wedding. She won’t be on her little mountain.”

“When is the wedding?” I said anxiously.

“What’s the date?” Jack asked.

“I’ve lost track of the days.” I scowled.

“Right, sorry.” Jack thought back and seemed to be counting. After a few seconds he said, “Today is the ninth of February. The wedding is on the fourteenth.”

“So close.” I whispered.

I thought it over for several minutes, thinking hard. If Camryn did in fact allow us to borrow a couple of Pegasi it would be very easy to reach Frost Mountain. So easy it was laughable that we hadn’t thought of it sooner. As for the wedding, well if Elvira Frost was preoccupied it would be much easier to find Hawthorne. I wondered if the Creeley twins had offered Hawthorne to her as a gift. A rare creature like him had to be worth something. Perhaps Hawthorne would be returned to old Jefferson, the man who had brought me to Frost Arch. I shivered at the thought of the confrontation. I’m sure my parents wouldn’t be impressed that I had stolen from someone they know. Then again, hadn’t Jefferson said that Hawthorne was being delivered to someone in Frost Arch? Was that person still looking for him? Could it have been the Creeley brothers? I doubted it, not mere servants like them. Although I had never met these twins, Jack had told me all about them, and I had a mental vision of two smarmy, sneering men.