Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) - Rin Chupeco Page 0,88

Ken asked. “Guys, tell me it’s at least something.”

Loki bowed their head, tears unashamedly falling. Zoe was still crying, and Tala dashed angrily at her eyes with the back of her hand.

West sat beside one of the small graves, lifted his head to the sky, and sang mournfully for a while, in a language Tala didn’t need to understand. He had a beautiful voice and it seemed, if only for a moment, that the falling snow around them was tempered, halting long enough to listen.

When the song ended, Alex turned. His face was wet with tears.

“Let’s go,” he said.

20

In Which Ice Wolves Are a Literal Concept

They were moving at a quicker pace by midafternoon, stopping only for a quick snack of bread, cheese, and several slices of ham from their food packs. The mood was somber after they’d left the village, and nobody talked much.

“It’s different, seeing it for yourself, isn’t it?” Ken asked, finally breaking the silence. “They don’t teach us to deal with stuff like this.”

“We have to keep following the map until we reach Lyonesse,” Zoe said, her eyes still red. “It’s the only thing we can do.”

They saddled up again, and Tala clung to Lass’s neck as if her life depended on it. The mare never lost her steady pace, though, and Ken rode closely beside her to head off unexpected accidents. Gradually, Tala grew accustomed to the speed and sat up straighter in her saddle as time passed.

The snow went on for miles and by the time they stopped for the night several hours later, Tala felt like every inch of skin on her legs above the knee had been sanded off.

“Chin up,” Zoe said kindly, as she helped her off Lass. Tala’s feet felt strange and rubbery, and the best she could manage was an irritated penguin’s waddle as they steered her toward the campsite the others were setting up, the firebird burning through the layers of snow on the ground to provide a small clearing for them. Loki and Ken were hard at work, gathering the tree branches they’d accumulated during the journey and stacking them up for a campfire. “Loki says it’s only a couple more days to reach the nearest village.”

“You must all travel a lot,” Tala said, trying to take her mind off the stinging.

“Not really,” West admitted. “We’re not a target like Alex, but we can’t go ’round attracting attention either.”

“West,” Zoe warned.

“Oh. Is this what you said was a foe paw? Am I doing a foe paw again?”

“West.”

“It’s all right,” Alex said, watching the firebird clear out more space. “I am a target.” He managed a brief smile. “At least most of them can’t get to me from inside Avalon, right? How’s that for ironic?”

Alex had been subdued ever since they started riding again, and Tala had decided to leave him be, knowing very little could bring him out of his low spirits at this point. That he was attempting a joke was a good sign.

Loki drew out their staff. A quick flick and it extended dozens of feet up, knocking off snow in the overhead branches.

“That’s a useful weapon,” Tala noted.

“My dad thought so too,” they said, expertly clearing the next few branches. “The Suns have had it for years.”

“They’re gonna be a ranger like both their fathers too,” Ken said. “The Sun-Wagners are the best scouts in the business. They probably know the trails of every national park in Canada like the back of their hands.”

Loki shot Ken a startled glance, and then looked down at their own hands.

“Never mind, Loki.”

“I’m guessing it wouldn’t work if I wielded it?” Tala asked curiously.

“It wouldn’t work for anyone not a Sun-Wagner,” they admitted. “But this one’s different. The legends around it say the Ruyi Jingu Bang has a sentience of its own and may occasionally allow someone they like to wield it.” They gave a few experimental swipes with the staff and grinned. “Guess it likes me.”

“That’s the exception more than the rule, though.” Ken drew his bright sword. “See for yourself. Here, swing it around.”

The weight nearly sent Tala through the ground. It felt like carrying Lass would have been the easier option. Ken swiftly retrieved the sword, helping her back to her feet with a sheepish grin.

“How can you even carry that?” she sputtered.

“Because it feels light in my hands, but damn heavy in anyone else’s. Only someone with Inoue blood can carry them, and sometimes that doesn’t even work. Dad was the first Inoue in