Chapter 12
A nother night of festival. Snow managed to avoid Ardan and his adoring looks. The night held more dancing and more singing for the young couples.
Faint morning light filtered through her window. She sat up in bed, her knees drawn to her chest, watching as the night gave way to dawn. Her stomach fluttered, her mouth was bone dry, and her heart pounded a wicked tattoo. She took a deep breath, held it, then blew it out to calm herself.
She shoved off the blankets, both excitement and fear pounding through her. Now was her chance to sneak out of the house and begin her long trek through the forest to the dark wizard’s cabin on the western side.
Part of her told her not to do it. To remain in the village as she promised Yirrie. To not leave the protective magic of the village. The other part of her drove her to seek the answers she needed to put the questions to rest. To find out the truth about the dark wizard and the missing mirrors.
Pausing a moment, she pressed a hand against her roiling stomach and took a deep breath to calm her jittery nerves. It helped a little.
Instead of her normal gown, she pulled on pants, boots, a tunic and padded vest. She pulled her hair back and tied it with a leather thong at the nape of her neck. With stealth-like grace, she cracked open the door to her bedroom and peeked out. No one was about.
Scurrying to the kitchen, she filled a flask with water and slung the long strap over her shoulder. Then she grabbed a half-eaten loaf of yesterday’s bread and a couple of apples. She stuffed them in a small duffel, shouldering it along with the flask. A quick glance at Yirrie and Elator’s bedroom. Their door was still closed and she hoped they were still sleeping. It was still too early for her to be up.
Snow slipped out of the house, hurrying to the familiar path that would lead her through the forest. She passed Faradill, who stood tall and silent with morning dew on his leaves. She gave him a quick bow of acknowledgement before continuing on her way. Deeper and deeper she went as the sun climbed higher in the sky. As she passed Faradill, Annilen joined her.
“Are you ready for our morning walk, Snow?”
“Not today, Annilen,” she said, increasing her pace.
“Why not?” The sprite fluttered around her head in a frenzy.
“There’s something I need to do.”
“I’ll come with you,” she offered.
“No.” Snow halted and turned her, holding her hand out. Annilen landed on her palm. “You can’t. It’s something I have to do alone.”
She tilted her head to one side in question. “What is it?”
Snow looked out at the forest, sensing the restless nature around her. Almost as though it sensed her direction and her unease. But she couldn’t allow the little sprite to come with her in case it was dangerous.
“I’m looking for answers deep in the forest,” she said at last.
“What sort of answers?”
Snow smiled at Annilen’s questions. “I’ll tell you when I return.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, if you make me a promise.”
“Anything!”
“Stay out of the village and don’t tell Yirrie where I’m going,” Snow said.
Her little brows drew together in question. “But why?”
Snow considered her words before answering finally. “Because it’s a secret mission. Can you keep a secret?”
Annilen gave a vigorous nod. “Yes!”
“Good. Then I’ll see you after.”
The little sprite took off, winging her way through the forest and disappearing out of sight. Snow resumed her trek, hoping her small friend would keep her promise.
Soon, she came to an overgrown path. At least, what appeared to be an overgrown path. She followed it through the forest, her booted steps surefooted. She was attuned to the forest around her, listening to all the creatures and inhabitants. It was a bright, cheerful morning for those in residence. The birds were singing. The squirrels were foraging. The tiny sprites were busy flittering from one flower to the next. Even the forest pixies were busy within their own little world. A few followed her from a distance. She sensed the curiosity and it made her smile.
It had been years since anyone had come to this side of the forest. She paused, reaching out to her surroundings to inquire about the cabin.
“Am I close?” She reached for the flask and took a long drink.
A vine extended itself upward and pointed northwest. She was still on the right path.
She made her way past overgrown underbrush, ducking under hanging limbs. She pushed aside another low hanging branch and took another step, then halted.
The cabin still stood, but it had been overgrown with vines and ivy. Years of neglect allowed nature to take over. The roof was caved in on one side, but the walls were still intact as far as she could see.
Here, the forest was silent, sending an eerie sensation over her skin. There were no twittering birds. Or animals rustling the underbrush. Not even a breeze fluttered past. Those who had followed her were now gone or at least keeping a large distance away from her. Faradill had warned her about the place, telling her it was where the dark wizard began and gave them life. Life that now continued to thrive throughout the Wyldwood.
But this place was different. It was almost as though there was still dark magic lingering here. She sensed a deep despair. Even the foliage was darker. Gloomier.
The urge to turn back swarmed through her. She ignored it, shoving her fear down deep. She came too far to turn back now and answers were within reach. That part of her was desperate for answers about the wizard and his mirrors.
With slow steps, she approached the cabin. Vines clung to the eaves, covering the door and windows. She pulled them away enough for her to shove open the door. It creaked, sliding across the floor with a loud scrape.
Stepping across the threshold, she paused to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim shadows and take it all in.
Faint shadows slashed across the rotting floor littered with leaves. Inside were more vines and ivy that had taken over. Remnants of broken furniture remained. The cabinets to the tiny kitchen stood open. One door hung by a broken hinge.
Taking a tentative step, she tested the floor to make sure it was sound. It creaked, but held her weight. She moved deeper into the cabin. To her left, a door stood open. She stepped into the entryway to peer inside.
A broken bed frame but no mattress was on one side. There was nothing else but dust. An overgrown tree blocked the one window with moth-eaten curtains.
She turned from the room and faced another door. This one closed. Purple flickering light glimmered around the edges.
Odd.
She stepped toward the door, reaching for the knob, her heart a wild beat. Pushing open the door, she sucked in a sharp breath at what she saw.
A bright purple ball of light spun in what appeared to be a hovering cloud within a silver cage. She halted, her heart in her throat as she stared at it trying to make sense of what it was. She remained rooted in the doorway, hesitant to step inside. A tingling sensation went over her. The same sensation she sensed when she stepped past the overhanging branches and found the cabin.
What was this light?
“Ahhh. A visitor. There has not been a visitor in many years.”
The disembodied voice was that of a man. She glanced around but saw no one.
“Where are you?”
“Here. In this room. Trapped for all eternity,” he said.
She regarded the purple light with questions swirling through her mind. The man was the light in the cage?
“Who are you?”
He chuckled. “The one who lived in this cabin. But now nothing more than a phantom.” The light swirled as he spoke.
“ You are the wizard?” she asked.
“I am. And you?”
Hesitation shifted through her. She didn’t want to tell him who she was, so she asked another question.
“What is your name?”
A rumble of a laugh went through him. “The last time I gave up my name to someone, it was a mistake.”
“I cannot call you wizard , can I?” she asked, determined to learn his name.
“No more than I can call you maiden .” There was a pause, then he said, “You seem harmless enough. My name is Govan.”
Govan was a name she had never heard, nor would soon forget. With her hand still on the knob, she watched the swirling light within the cage.
“How did you get like this?”
“’Tis a long story.” Another swirl and a dance.
She released the knob and stepped closer to peer at the ball of light trapped within the cage made of silver. Tiny squares kept the light from seeping out. Someone had trapped him here. But who and why?
“Tell me your name, maiden, and I shall tell you the story.”
Snow knew there was a power in names. She was reluctant to share hers with a dangerous dark wizard. She glanced around the room, searching for inspiration, but saw nothing she could take as her name. Then it occurred to her to take a name from nature.
“You may call me Ivy.”
There was a long pause as the light swished around in its cage, then he emitted a long, low chuckle.
“Ivy. Very well. I shall tell you the story of a vengeful girl who stole my magic and trapped me here.”
He told her the tale of being forced out of the forest by the elves with nothing but his wits and his spell book. Snow already knew this story from talking to Master Harwin. When he was expelled, he went north to a small village where he met a young peasant girl desperate to leave her poor, wretched life behind. She had aspirations and dreams of becoming something more than what she was and she wanted someone to help her get there.
“She wanted riches and power and love. All things I gave her. I helped her do away with the queen. I helped her marry the king. I helped her become the new queen . I watched as she was crowned and began her new life with all she ever wanted and dreamed. All because of me. I gave her those things.”
As the light spoke and spun, Snow pressed trembling cold fingers to her lips. “Who was this woman who became queen?”
“Her name was Seraphina.”
Snow sucked in a sharp breath. Seraphina . That was how she came to power. She killed her mother. Then her father. Then banished her from her own kingdom. All because she wanted to be the queen , the most powerful in the Mystic Vale.
“All I wanted in return was to be part of her court. To have a place at her side. She is a jealous, hateful shrew. I was a fool to trust her. To allow myself to think I was her faithful advisor. I should have never allowed her to charm me. She stole my spell book and used my own magic against me, cursing me. She destroyed all but what you see here. The very essence of my magic. She trapped me in this cage. As long as I’m here, her magic thrives.”
“You mean, if you were to…” she paused, choosing her words.
“Die,” he said. “Then she would no longer have her magic.”
“ Can you die?” she asked.
He laughed. “Only if her curse is broken.”
“How would it be broken?”
“So many questions! I like you, Ivy. You are very inquisitive.” There was a smile in his voice and then he sighed. “The Magic Mirror must be destroyed. It’s the one keeping the curse alive.”
“The Magic Mirror?” she asked, though she knew about it. She hoped the dark wizard would explain.
He scoffed. “Those elves thought they were so clever hiding them in their village. All it took was a portal spell for her to find them and take them.”
“Them? There is more than one?” Again, she knew the answer to this question, but she wanted him to tell her.
“Three, to be exact. Three I made. Three I forged. One Dark, one Enchanted, one Magic. When I was expelled from the forest, the elves took the mirrors from this cabin. Oh, I knew they did it because I was still attuned to the surrounding nature and to the mirrors.”
Snow understood what he meant for she, too, was attuned to the nature surrounding the cabin. It was nothing like when she was attuned to the rest of the village. These plants did not speak to her.
“They took the mirrors and hid them away. Seraphina used a truth spell on me to find them.”
And she did. But why did she only have one?
As though he heard her thoughts, he said, “She took the Magic Mirror for herself and then gave away the Dark Mirror and the Enchanted Mirror.”
“To who?” Snow asked.
“I know not,” he said. “I only know before she trapped and cursed me, she thanked me for giving her the mirrors, which are all connected.”
Snow tipped her head to one side. “You mean, their magic is connected to each other?”
“Of course.”
She dragged her lower lip through her teeth wondering where to find the other two mirrors.
“Dear Ivy,” he said, his voice low and serious. “I must ask a favor of you.”
Her brows drew together. “What kind of favor?”
“Destroy the Magic Mirror.”
“But you’ll die.”
“Yes, and so will Seraphina’s magic. It will end my suffering.” He flashed and blinked as if imploring her.
If she were to destroy the Magic Mirror, she would have to return to the castle. She had no desire to return to the castle.
“Will you try? I need to rest. My mind is exhausted. And every day that passes is another of pain.”
“It’s painful for you in there?”
“The cage is made of iron to keep me contained for all time.”
Snow understood. And something deep within her wanted to help the dark wizard. Destroy the Magic Mirror and she would destroy both him and the evil queen. She took a deep breath. She hadn’t any idea how or when she would return to the castle, but perhaps it was worth a try.
“I will do what I can,” she said.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you. Thank you, sweet Ivy.”
“I must go,” she said as she backed out of the room. She reached for the door.
“Farewell, my dear. And thank you.”
She tipped her head to the side. “For what?”
“For helping me.”
Her heart clawed its way to her throat. Now, she felt as though she were obligated to help. He didn’t seem so bad after all. Perhaps he merely made a series of poor choices. Clearly, helping Seraphina was one of them.
“Farewell,” she said at last.
She closed the door and stood there a moment, her hands shaking. Then she fled the cabin, never to return again.