Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,73

moment of peace, to be truly alone, and now that I was, I was terrified. This land before me was alien and unknown. I didn’t know the towns and the people in them. My magic was the only thing keeping me together, that and the coat protecting me from the icy night air. I had never known it to be this cold at night during the summer months.

Stroking the horse’s face, I leaned over and murmured soothing words to him. His ear flicked against my mouth, tickling me, and he scuffed his hoof back, giving a little snort. He was ready. I smiled. At least I’d have him with me for the journey through Silveran Valley—named so because it was the one area in Alvernia, other than Arrana, closest in temperament to the capital city. In Alvernia, that wasn’t really saying much. I reckoned it was called so more out of hope than reality. I trembled a little, thinking of the reports from the vojvoda that the valley people had grown more uncivilized.

I’d have to move through it inconspicuously, in a hurry.

With a jerk of the reins, we took off, the horse steady on his feet as we followed the steep trade road down into the valley. Once on level ground, we took off at a faster gallop; I hoped to put as much distance between Wolfe and me as possible. The last thing I needed was him catching up.

In the dark, I couldn’t see much. I wouldn’t have even if I’d wanted to, I was so determinedly concentrating on getting to those mountains. The trade roads were rougher in Alvernia, less traveled, and we stumbled a few times along the way.

Until my consideration for the horse overrode my need to reach my destination at speed.

I’d wear him out if I didn’t stop soon.

Every little noise I heard over our galloping made cold sweat slide down my back. I was thankful when the sun broke the horizon. It burst out over the mountains until the brownish-green rolling plains of the valley became visible. We grew closer to the mountains towering over the valley in the distance, mountains like monsters beckoning travelers into nightmare. Thick, brutish, looming trees the Alvernians called the Arans covered what appeared to be every inch of the mountains, the lushness of those deep, black-green trees a sharp contrast to the sickly pallor of the plains I was passing through. The mountain people of Alvernia lived among those trees, their homes shrouded by the darkness, their lives sheltered in ignorance and ungoverned isolation.

My stomach lurched and I pulled the horse to an abrupt halt. Thankfully I made it off the poor horse and to the side of the road before I vomited up last night’s fish.

After a quick respite, I was back on the horse, racing him faster than ever as the mountains drew closer. I didn’t see much from the trade roads, only a farm or two visible from the road, but I wasn’t interested. My magic was beginning to hum and vibrate through me the closer I drew to the Somna plant.

The Silveran Valley wasn’t huge; most of Alvernia was covered by those mountains. It could be crossed in under a day, and as midmorning crept past, the horse and I were finally enveloped within the shade cast by the mountains.

Up close, they were utterly mammoth.

I watched a bird circle up ahead and then fly in among the trees.

Disappearing forever.

“Stop being maudlin,” I hissed at myself.

Soon we drew around a bend in the road and the Aran trees stood before me, an entrance into the wooded hills, dark and foreboding. I slowed the horse and trotted forward. The horse snorted again, feeling my thighs squeeze him in my fear. My stomach was so full of butterflies, they were brimming over and touching my heart, their stupid wings tickling against the organ and urging it to react in kind. When we drew closer, I could make out a crude wooden sign nailed to one of the trees:

ALVERNIN MOWNTINS

TRED WIF CAYR

I closed my eyes, trying to draw in breath and calm. Shakily I slid off the horse, leading him over to a humble lane cut into the surrounding field. Pitched into the ground was another sign in the same carving:

HEVERS FARM

I soothed my companion and thanked him before hitting his rump, sending him into a canter up the lane where hopefully the Hevers would find and take care of him. I couldn’t take him up into the