She watched as they melted into the crowd, talking and laughing with others their same age. They never invited Snow to join in. Valda glanced her way as she said something to the others, then they laughed. One of the girls hooked her arm with Ardan’s. He gave her a surreptitious glance full apology.
The Elders called for them to gather at the tables. It was time to feast. Snow took her place between Elator and Yirrie in the middle. Ardan, his sister, and a few of the others took seats further down on the opposite side. Though they were down the length of the table, Snow still caught his eye every now and then. The girl who had hooked her arm in his sat next to him, scooting close and beaming with a bright smile. At least she had Yirrie and Elator to keep her company.
One of the Elders, a woman by the name of Tasnia, stood at the head of the table, her arms outstretched and palms up as she delivered the Springtide blessing.
“Greetings, friends and fellow kin. You are all welcome here on the first night of our Springtide Festival. Let us break bread together and feast and dance and sing under the glow of the silvery moon. For tonight, we revel in the warmth of the coming days. Huzzah!”
“Huzzah!” everyone said in unison.
The feast began. The elderberry wine flowed. The first course was served—a succulent meat in a cream sauce. Snow tore off a piece of Yirrie’s crusty bread and spread it with a healthy dollop of butter. Though she tried not to listen, she attuned her ears to the laughter down the length of the table.
All around her, there was chatter and laughter and a sense of happiness as they looked forward to the coming spring. Though the treetops were too thick to see through, she lifted her gaze skyward hoping to catch a glimpse of the full moon. It had been big and beautiful the night before and she wondered if it was the same for this night.
The second course made its way around. This time a hearty vegetable soup to go with Yirrie’s vegetable pies. The lilting sound of a harp drifted on the breeze and moments later, their voices were lifted into an elven blessing that was meant to be sung. Though she understood their elvish language and could speak it just as well, she remained silent. After the third course, there would be music and dancing until the sun broke the horizon. Already she was weary of it all.
Something strange began to happen. The elven voices around her faded into nothing more than a muffled hum. Her senses came alive, attuning to nature around her. Her back stiffened and she straightened as she glanced around the area, but no one else seemed to sense it. In the distance, she heard a faint buzzing sound.
She shot to her feet so suddenly, the dishes on the table rattled. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she peered into the darkness and tried to make sense of what she was hearing.
Annilen’s voice suddenly burst into her mind with one word.Snow!
“Snow, what is it?” Yirrie asked.
She didn’t answer. She spun from the table, hurrying the length of it to the end. The buzzing grew louder. Her heart rammed hard as she gathered the length of her skirt. At the edge of the trees, she broke into a run. She thought she heard Yirrie calling her name but she ignored her and dove into the darkness of the forest, leaving the light and the laughter behind.
The path she took was the one she had taken to return home that morning. As she leapt over the log, something caught her skirt. She stumbled forward, almost tumbling to the ground but managed to keep her footing. She tugged her skirt free but not without it ripping. She only paused a moment and decided to deal with that—and Yirrie—later.
The sounds of the festival faded as the space expanded behind her. All around her, the forest came alive with a humming that thrummed through her veins. She halted suddenly, her heart beating wildly as she stood there surrounded by trees and nocturnal creatures. Sweat beaded her forehead and dampened the back of her neck. There was an underlying sense of fear vibrating there.
But fear of what?
She slowly turned, narrowing her eyes and peering into the shadows. She saw nothing. But that faint buzzing was still there.
I know you’re out there. I am coming for you.
The voice burst through her mind with such a force she stumbled back a step. It was a warning. A cold chill skittered through her. But she didn’t have a chance to process what it meant. A frantic flutter of wings erupted near her face.
“Snow!” Annilen said her name on a breath.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” She held up her hand so the tiny sprite could land.
“Do you sense the buzzing?”
“Yes,” Snow said.
“It’s coming…” she whispered.
“What is it?” Snow asked.
Before she could answer, Elator’s voice rang out. “Snow?”
“Annilen, what is it?” she demanded.
“Dark magic,” she whispered. And then she was gone in a flutter of wings.
“Snow, where are you?” Elator called.
He had followed her. She flushed hot as she glanced down at her torn skirt. The faint buzzing was still in the air. Dark magic, she said. But she didn’t sense magic. She forced her feet to turn and head back to the festival, dreading facing Yirrie when she discovered the torn dress. Mostly she dreaded seeing the disappointment in her eyes.
