In the clearing, she saw the unicorn again grazing in a pool of moonlight. It lifted its head, the spiral horn luminous in the shimmer of pale light and its white coat gleaming. It peered at her for a long moment and then, deciding she was no threat, went back to grazing.
Snow watched it for another moment, smiling as she watched the peaceful sight of the animal. Then she was off again, heading deeper into the forest. Her senses were open to her surroundings, but she was unable to locate the sprite.
Finally, she came to the foot of Faradill. She placed her hand on the massive trunk, closed her eyes, and said a brief blessing.
Hello, my friend, he said in her mind.
Faradill, where is Annilen?she asked without preamble.
His reply was cryptic.She was here. And then she wasn’t.
What did that mean? And where had Annilen gone?
Snow sank to the ground, crossing her legs in front of her. She placed her hands on her knees and waited, leaving her senses open to all that surrounded her. Something nearby rustled the underbrush. It was nothing but a tiny red fox that popped out. Its dark eyes met hers.
Have you seen Annilen?she asked the fox.
Its nose twitched.No, my lady.And then it was off.
Snow closed her eyes, concentrating on the location of her friend. At last, she sensed the fluttering of wings near her face. A smile crossed her lips as she opened her eyes, relieved to see Annilen dancing on the wind. She held up her palm to allow the sprite to land. When she did, she sank down, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. Her wings stopped fluttering and dropped behind her.
“You’re all right,” Snow said. “I was worried.”
“Snow, something dreadful happened,” the sprite said.
“Tell me. What is it?”
“A darkness crept into the forest,” she said. “Unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was…it was looking for you.”
Snow knew this already, of course, because the dark mist found her. “I saw it.”
“I shouldn’t have called to you,” she said. “It’s what it wanted.”
“What was it?” she asked.
But it was Faradill who spoke in her mind.A Shadow.
Snow turned her head to glance upward at the massive tree. “A Shadow?”
“Yes,” Annilen said on a rough whisper. She quickly got to her feet and glanced around as if worried something or someone heard her.
A creature of the dark, Faradill explained.
“Where did it come from?” Snow asked of both Annilen and Faradill.
Annilen shook her head. “All I know is that it appeared suddenly. It used whatever power it had to convince me to call to you.” She hung her head. “I’m sorry, Snow.”
It was as she thought. The Shadow used Annilen as bait to flush Snow out from the village and into the forest. Leaving the safety of the elves’ magic and the security of the village was a risk, but one she had to take to make sure her friend was safe.
“It didn’t hurt you?” she asked.
The sprite shook her head. “No, my lady.” Then her gaze snapped up to Snow’s. “Did it hurt you?”
“No,” she said. There was no reason to alarm the little sprite about the attack on her. She didn’t want the girl to feel guilty for falling under the Shadow’s dark magic.
The darkness has crept back into the forest,Faradill said.It will return.
Chills skittered up her spine. Gooseflesh bloomed along her arms and legs. Though the ancient tree did not say it, she understood he meant the darkness would be back for her.
