Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Though Suzette longed to sing as often as possible, Black Lion would not allow her to hum, croon or even speak until it was safe to do so. These times of safety were rare, but usually occurred in the early morning, when they were settling down to rest.
However, once she did start singing, Black Lion listened to her intently. Oftentimes, her melodies had the effect of lulling him to sleep, a circumstance she favored. But alas, as soon as she stopped serenading him, he usually awakened.
Before too long, her worries increased. Prior to the onset of this journey, she had considered her musical repertoire vast, but she was slowly exhausting her mental library.
Already she had sung all the arias she knew by Wagner, Mozart and Offenbach, as well as a few pieces by the more contemporary composers. Was it possible she might soon run through the works she knew by heart? Worse, what if the sacred song were one she didn’t know?
This thought led to another concern. What if she made a mistake and left out a word or note? Hadn’t Black Lion made it clear that the song must be sung without fault?
Indeed, it was one accomplishment to perform music when the chance of error held no penalty. It was quite another to sing when the stakes were so high. Could she do it?
She had once thought to voice her considerations to Black Lion, but she had hesitated too long.
He seemed so happy in the knowledge she was trying to help, she hated to disappoint him.
As is so often the case, the more she could have spoken out but remained silent, the more difficult it became to do. As it was, her confidence now lagged.
Perhaps Irena could help. Indeed, Suzette’s grandmother was much more experienced than she, and Irena had a much greater knowledge of songs than Suzette did. Perhaps if Suzette and Black Lion could overtake White Claw and Irena, this terrible burden would be lifted off her shoulders.
On this thought, Suzette said, “Do you suppose we might catch up to Irena and White Claw before it is too late?”
At present, they had stopped to rest and nourish themselves with a supper of dried meat and water.
Black Lion had lit a small fire for warmth, but it did little good.
It was evening, it was cold, and the wind chilled her to the bone.
Black Lion had scooped out a place for them in the center of some scrub bushes, but it was still necessary for them to sit close together, for the extra body heat as well as for the simple pleasure of being close.
She rubbed her hands together, blowing on them from time to time—trying to bring life back to their stiffness.
Her toes complained of the weather, her face felt permanently frozen, and, though Black Lion usually ran his hands over hers and her feet when they stopped for a rest, Suzette was beginning to wonder if she would ever be warm again.
At last, Black Lion spoke. “I think our chances are good for us to find them before there is the danger of White Claw taking Irena to the Clan—if, indeed, there be any danger in him doing so. He and your grandmother are at best a day ahead of us, and they are traveling slowly.”
She sighed. “I am glad to hear it. I have been thinking lately. It seems to me that Irena could help. She knows more arias than I do. If you will let me take her into our trust, I think …”
Black Lion nodded. “Perhaps we will do this when we find them.”
He offered Suzette a piece of jerky, and she accepted it. “Good,” she said. “How long have we been on the trail now?”
“Six days.”
“Six days. Can this possibly be true? It feels to me as if it has been a lifetime.”
He said nothing to this, though he scooted closer to her, bringing with him more of his warmth.
After a moment, she asked, “Have you thought that we might freeze?”
“I will not let you freeze.”
“Can you be certain of it?”
He bobbed his head. “Hau. I have survived winters which are colder than this.”
“I wish I could be so certain.” She leaned in toward him, placing her cold hands on his warm chest, and bless him, he didn’t complain. “Have you noticed how dark it is tonight?”
“I have. It is because there is no moon to guide us.”
“Ah, and no stars.” She gestured toward the sky.
“Hau, no stars. There is cloud cover.”
She placed her head against his shoulder, and they fell into a comfortable silence.
For the first time since they had set up their camp, Suzette noticed how quiet the world was around them. Perhaps it was because there was snow on the ground which muffled all sound, or perhaps on moonless nights such as this, no predators roamed the Plains.
“Do you know,” she continued after a moment, “I fear my bicycling outfit will never be the same. Do you see?” She held up a hand. “There are tears all along my elbows, all the way to the shoulder of my jacket, and my knees—”
Crash!
Lightning struck suddenly, frighteningly and so loudly that Suzette jumped farther into Black Lion’s arms. Involuntarily, she screamed.
“Shhh,” he soothed.
“Black Lion, what is this?” she whispered, and trembled at the same time. “This is the dead of winter. How can there be a lightning storm?”
“This is no storm,” he replied with certainty. Then, through gritted teeth, he added, “It is my enemy.”
“The Thunderer?”
“The same.”
“But…” How could she explain to him that even though she had dreamed of the Thunder Being, even though she and Black Lion had talked through her uncertainty, she still did not completely believe his story of vengeful gods and ancient curses?
But what if she were wrong? What if the Thunderer did exist?
“Do you think he has come for me? Is it because I have failed to do as he demanded?” She threw her arms around Black Lion’s neck and hugged him with all her might.
“Do not worry,” he soothed, though there was anger in his voice. “If the Thunderer had it in his mind to come for you, you would not now be telling me of it. Now, shh, quiet.” He placed his finger over her lips.
Suzette obeyed, though she little understood why. If the Thunderer were a god, and if he knew they were here, why mask their presence?
Another strike of lightning, as close to them as the last had been, wiped out further thought and had her cowering into Black Lion’s embrace. He petted her hair in response, as though to ease her fears. Then he whispered in her ear, “I will go and meet this enemy of mine.”
“No!” She practically spit out the word.
“I must. You know I must.”
“But it may not be the Thunderer. It may simply be an act of nature.”
He did little more than smile at her.
“If you go,” she said, “then I will come with you.”
“You will not come with me. You will stay here.”
“But if he is real, and if he is here because of me…”
Black Lion replied to her, saying, “He is here because I am here, not because of you or anything you have done.”
“But I…I…”
“You know this is true,” said Black Lion. “You must stay here. I will meet him, but do not fear for me too much. If he meant to kill me, he would have done so already. I think his intention is only to taunt me.”
Suzette backed up from within Black Lion’s arms, putting a few inches between them.
“Please stay here…stay hidden…”
“I cannot.”
“Then stay alive. Stay alive. That’s all I ask.” Another crash sounded around them, this one leaving a crackling noise behind it, as though it had lit a fire. And though Suzette would have gladly crawled back into Black Lion’s arms, she knew she couldn’t.
For a moment, they stared at one another. Then Black Lion set her away from him, took her head into his hands, and while pressing his forehead against hers, he said, “No matter what happens. Stay here. Hide. Do not follow me. Do you promise?”
“Must I?”
“You must. If I am to confront my enemy and keep my wits about me, I cannot worry about you.”
“Very well. I will stay here.”
He nodded. “I will always love you.” Springing to his feet, he was gone.
Within moments, she heard Black Lion striding across the clearing, to the spot where the lightning had last crashed.
He came to a position, stopped, and she heard him say, “I am here.” Suzette watched as Black Lion raised his arms into the air, heard him say, “If you wish to speak to me, Thunder Being, I dare you to face me, man to man.”
Suzette could hear a rumble in the skies, then a sound much like laughter rang out.
No sooner had it started than another crash of lightning hit the ground, causing the mud, snow and dirt to fly in all directions.
Suzette cowered within the bushes, witnessing at the same time that Black Lion jumped involuntarily.
But he did not retreat. Instead, regaining his balance, he paced forward, toward the spot where the ground had been ripped apart.
“Are you afraid to meet me?” he challenged, while she listened and wondered what she could do.
“Are you afraid to confront me with nothing more than human prowess? It is well known that a god can kill a man, for it takes no courage. But can a god—as a man—kill another man? I dare you to discover this, my enemy. Meet me face-to-face, and we will see who is the better.”
Was he crazy?
More laughter, this time terrible and loud, rang out through the wintry air, and she forgot whatever else she had been thinking, for it was the same voice which had visited her in her dreams—and the Thunderer was saying, “You are puny, human. I could kill you in an instant.”
“We all know you could. Yet it would take no valor and be without honor,” countered Black Lion. “But come, meet me one against one, and we shall see who is the better,” he dared. “Come and meet me.”
Gray clouds dropped to the ground, while miniature whirlwinds spun fast and furiously, without advancing anywhere. From within those whirlwinds, a man stepped forward.
Suzette pinched herself to be sure she was awake. The Thunderer’s image was exactly as she remembered it to be. He was a man, yet not. His coloring was, as she had noted from her dream, blue and gray, like those of the angry clouds from which he came.