Chapter Twenty

Shayna related how she’d escaped the park. She had crashed through the roof of the mine attraction and zoomed to the ride where her babies were enslaved. With a single swipe of her long tail, she had knocked the central post to the ground and freed her children. She’d timed her arrival after a group of riders had disembarked, so no one got hurt.

The people below had pointed and cheered. They thought her exploits were part of the show. Even now, guests stared upward as Magnor and Erika climbed onto the scaly humps along Shayna’s spine. Maybe they thought she was some sort of hot air balloon. The creature soared into the sky, her young following.

They aimed north to colder weather. Shayna rode the air currents while Magnor and Erika clung to her back. His insulated uniform protected him from the drop in temperature, but Erika’s shivering concerned him. She sat behind him and had a death grip around his waist.

Shayna spiraled through dizzying heights. Grayish flecks flew into Magnor’s eyes as their visibility became increasingly obscured. He risked a glance backward. Shayna’s children struggled to keep up in the wind.

“Where will you go after you drop us off?” Magnor hollered to Shayna.

“We are the last of our kind. I will find a place for us far from human eyes and away from the Trolleks. Know that this fulfills my obligation to you, Drift Lord.”

Her words made his chest swell with pride at having saved her, but soon the glow dissipated. He’d only be truly worthy of his title if he completed his mission.

“You’re not alone, Shayna. We know of one other.” He told the beast about Paz’s encounter in Hong Kong with a descendant of the legendary dragon, Fafnir.

“Thank you, human. I will seek him after we make a home for ourselves.”

The sharp wind stung his eyes and bit into his flesh, reminding him of the ordeals yet ahead.

“We might freeze to death before we get anywhere,” Erika shouted into his ear.

He gazed at the stark landscape below. “It’s hard to see landmarks with all this snow.”

Ducking his head, he squeezed his eyes shut, his inner ear telling him when Shayna began a spiraling descent. Wind battered his face, fine particles stinging his skin.

Finally, Shayna touched ground with a dull thump. “I dare not risk going farther, humans. I must see my babes to safety. Good luck to you, and thank you again for gaining our freedom.”

Wrapping one arm around Erika, he waved as Shayna careened into the sky and vanished from view.

Erika’s teeth chattered. Her lips had turned blue and her face was as pale as the ash that obscured the sun. He had to do something to warm her, or she wouldn’t survive.

He retrieved his cape from the backpack and unfurled it around her. “This will shield you from the cold. Watch your footing and stay close to me.” The snow-covered ground could mask crevices and other hidden dangers.

Glad they’d both worn leather boots, he inched forward. Through the haze, he discerned lumpy shapes in the distance. Mountains? He advanced cautiously. Rocky outcroppings, snow mounds, and icy patches slowed their progress.

“How do you know where to go?” Erika asked in a tremulous tone.

“The pattern of trees at Jolheim Gardens told me.” He paused to scan their location with his PIP. “Do you see anything recognizable?”

He spoke loudly to be heard over the force of the chill wind that bombarded his face. His nose felt cold, the air icy. He spared a glance at Erika, whose pallor concerned him. They needed to find shelter.

She pointed to a pile of jagged boulders. “Over there.”

He stowed his PIP and led the way across the frozen turf. Up ahead, he barely discerned a dark shape outlined against the rocky rise.

“Come on, move faster. My fingers are numb.” Erika nudged him with her elbow.

As they approached, a crevice became distinguishable. The dark maw grew wider the closer they came. Icicles dangled from an overhang at its entrance.

He wanted to smile at the sight, because it represented his goal. They must be meant to go inside. However, his frozen flesh wouldn’t cooperate.

“It’s more than a cave. Be careful.” Erika put a hand on his arm, her face tilted toward him. Her eyes looked large in her ashen complexion. “You’ll need your sword.”

He drew his weapon in a fluid movement. “Why? What is it?”

Maybe Algie had anticipated their destination and sent troops who hid in ambush. But that was impossible. Even if she or Loki had determined his mission, how would they have learned of this location?

“Maybe there’s a bear or another wild animal inside,” Erika said, although her tone suggested she believed otherwise.

“I don’t see any tracks on the ground, unless a beast hibernates in there. We’ll soon find out. Let’s get away from this maug wind.”

As he eyed the icicles over the entrance, his scalp prickled. It might be wise to cut them down before proceeding. Those things were weighty enough to kill someone.

Signaling for Erika to wait, he swung his blade. The metal clanged against the ice without making a single dent. Strange. He tried again, and his sword bounced off the impermeable ice.

This made no sense. He stamped his feet to ward off the cold then lunged upward from a different angle.

“It’s no use, Magnor. For whatever reason, that ice won’t break.” Her voice dripped with weary resignation, and her shoulders slumped. “Let’s go inside. I can’t stand this wind another minute.”

Alarmed for her health, he sheathed his sword, prepared to duck under the entry first to test its safety.

Erika grabbed his arm. “Wait, I’m thinking about what Ribald told us. What we seek is hidden in the splinters of time. That might have more than one meaning.”

“How so?” His foot met the threshold.

Without warning, Erika shoved him from behind and leapt after him as the icicles descended en masse. He covered his head with his hands as icy needles and slush from the impact flew in every direction.

“Have you heard of ice splinters?” Erika gasped from the soft ground where they’d landed. “This must be the right place if that opening was booby trapped.”

He scrambled to his knees to examine her. She’d been directly behind him. Had she been hit by one of those falling missiles?

She sat upright, brushing off her clothes, but she appeared unharmed. He picked up his cape from where it had fallen, shook it out, and fastened it over his shoulders. She wouldn’t need it in here. Already the air felt warmer.

He peered into the gloom, his eyes adapting. His natural vision would compensate for the dim lighting. The walls of the cave glowed with luminescent crystals, providing enough illumination so Erika could see their path.

“The Book of Odin has to be here. It makes sense that the Originals would establish precautions against intruders. We might encounter more obstacles.”

“I agree.” She edged up beside him. “Thank goodness we’re out of the wind. I’m beginning to thaw out.”

“Come here, let’s share our body heat for a moment.” Magnor drew her into his embrace, where they stood until her shivering stopped. He parted from her with reluctance. Color flooded her face again, and she appeared more at ease.

They ate energy bars and drank their fill of water from the supplies they’d brought.

He couldn’t keep the eagerness from his voice when he spoke. “We’re finally closing in on the legendary book. Perhaps the weapon itself is hidden here, where the Originals might have walked.”

“We’ll see.” Her eyes sparkled in the iridescent glow. “Watch out for any other kind of splinters.”

“You know I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.” He didn’t bother to disguise the admiration in his tone.

“That’s for sure.” She grinned at him, her ripe lips tempting him to kiss her.

Ignoring her allure, he reaffirmed his resolve to complete their mission. He would consider Erika’s role in his life later, once they’d defeated the enemy.

He adjusted his sword. “We should move on.”

“I hope we haven’t been followed. If Algie had her minions observing us, they might be waiting until we obtain the artifact for them.”

Magnor nodded at her wristwatch. “I doubt that’s an issue. You’ve turned off your tracking beacon. Too bad you can’t operate the vector component. We’ll need a lift out of here when we’re done.”

He gestured for Erika to be silent as they headed farther into the cave, lit with tiny crystals embedded in the rock. The air had a fresh ozone smell but at least it wasn’t freezing cold. His breath didn’t elicit a cloud of steam.

The trail led them on a steady decline. At times, they had to squeeze between narrowed rock walls or crawl beneath a low ceiling. In that case, his sword clanged on the ground as he dragged himself forward. As they went deeper into the mountain, a faint grating noise made his breath quicken.

“What’s that?” Erika said from behind him. They crouched single file in a tight corridor surrounded by rock walls. The surface was slick with moisture as water trickled from above.

“Let’s hope it’s not a pending earthquake. Keep moving.”

A gap presented itself directly ahead, beyond which the path widened. He rose and stretched in the broad space.

Suddenly Erika shoved him sideways. “Get down!”

He flung himself to the ground as a wave of spears flew at them from up ahead. The deadly weapons struck the surrounding rocks and clattered downward without hitting their target.

Letting out a whoosh of relief, Magnor stood. “Look at those bones. I didn’t notice them earlier.” He indicated a pile of white remnants by the opening. “We’re not the first visitors.”

“Perhaps your predecessors were here?”

“You mean previous Drift Lords? If so, their knowledge was buried here alongside them. Be wary. Those spears were made of wood.”

Her eyes widened as she caught his meaning. “Oh. More splinters of time. What’s next, arrows?”

Further ahead, they came to a narrow bridge over an endless chasm. The bridge consisted of stepping stones, five wide and two deep then a short hop to the next set.

“Hold it, Magnor.” Erika held up a hand. “I’ve seen enough Indiana Jones movies to know there’s a pattern here.”

“I agree.” He picked up a hefty rock and tossed it forward onto a random stone. A blast of fire shot downward from the ceiling with a roar and a crackle of heat. It would have incinerated anyone standing there.

Erika tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “This book is meant for a Drift Lord to find, right? So if there is a proper sequence, it must be one only you can determine.”

“Hmm.” He racked his brain. “The League’s training ground is on Karrell, the sixth planet from the sun.”

“That’s only one number. How many light years is it from Earth?”

He told her. “That combination might work, assuming this stone on the left is the first. But what if it’s the other way around? Not every culture reads from left to right.”

“What about runes?”

“They can go either way.” His lips compressed. “I’ll test it. You stay here.”

He placed the weight of one foot onto the first rock. Nothing unusual happened. Still wary, he stepped onto the next stone. So far, so good. Feeling more confident, he tiptoed across the rest of the appropriate stones, finally coming to a halt at a small ledge between sets.

“Follow that exact combination,” he said, fearful for her safety. What if only the Drift Lords were meant to proceed?

She gingerly moved forward. Her progress unimpeded, she made it the rest of the way. With caution, they repeated the process until they faced a blank wall at the opposite end.

“Now where do we go?” Erika said in dismay.

“Look at these etchings.” His fingers traced the angular marks drawn on the rock. “They’re similar in design to the inscription on your watch. It must be runic writing.”

“Which neither of us can interpret.” She shifted her purse, fatigue clearly wearing her down by the taut lines around her mouth.

They had to keep going. Reaching their goal was the only way they’d achieve a normal life again.

Was that what he wanted, to live a domesticated lifestyle with this woman on Earth? He had vowed never to trust another female after his sister’s betrayal. Splaying his fingers on the wall, he pretended to examine the markings while he explored his future.

When they were together, he felt as though he’d come home. Erika erased the emptiness plaguing him since his expulsion from the tribe. Although this world was foreign to him, certain similarities existed. Family units and loyalty among friends grounded her culture. They shared the same value system in that regard. But could he settle here and be happy?

Pursing his lips, he focused on the task at hand. Again, thoughts of Erika had distracted him. Maug woman. He couldn’t think straight with her so near.

Emotions had no place on a mission. They made you soft and left a man vulnerable.

He straightened his spine. Despite his banishment, he’d always be a warrior of the Tsuran. He must remember his creed.

“I think I’ve found something!” She poked him. “See this set? This part matches the figures on my watch.”

Squinting at the rock face, he examined the markings. “You’re right, and that one looks like the lettering on Nira’s timepiece. What if this entire line represents the six daughters of Odin? Over here are six other sets that could stand for the sons of Thor in the prophecy.”

“And they’re the Drift Lords?”

He nodded and pressed on the second set. Nothing happened.

“Try pushing on your symbol alone.”

“Mine?” He gazed at her questioningly.

“You’re a Drift Lord now. What number are you?”

“I’m the last to join the team, so that would make me number six. They had two other members upon their arrival on Earth. Rayne was murdered and another was killed in battle.”

“Is that all of you?”

“Normally, the Drift Lords work in teams of seven.” He recited what he’d studied when he had accepted the job as bodyguard to Prince Zohar. “The Sacred Seven represents earth, fire, water, air, time, space, and the Wise One, creator of all.”

“So your team is lacking its seventh member?”

“For now. And we’re all that’s left. During the seventeen years of the Great Purge, the Drift Lords were persecuted and outlawed. They trained in secret on various non-aligned worlds, but their numbers still diminished. The inherent trait that makes a Drift Lord has become increasingly rare.”

She leaned forward. “Wait a minute. The Great Purge?”

“A dark time in the Star Empire’s history. Zohar’s widowed father, the king, was seduced by a Trollek female. His new queen initiated a terrible age of tyranny. Prince Zohar—heir to the throne and a Drift Lord due to his ability—fled the palace with a price on his head. Once the queen died and his father passed, Zohar appointed a regent in his place instead of taking the crown.”

“Why didn’t he ascend the throne?”

Magnor swiped a hand over his face. “Our prince was afraid of falling prey to a Trollek female in the same manner as his father. Nira helped him see that he is stronger than the old king. He’s decided to accept his destiny after we conclude our mission.”

His sense of loyalty swelled. Zohar had accepted him and offered him back his honorable name. He wouldn’t disappoint his leader.

He pressed on the wall, targeting the sixth mark in the second set. His pulse accelerated when the granite moved inward an inch or two with a scraping noise. Encouraged, he pushed harder with the heel of his hand.

“Uh, Magnor…?” Erika’s voice sounded strained. She must have felt the same vibration underfoot.

Then the ground beneath them opened and they fell into empty space.

****

Erika screamed as she tumbled into a void. This was it. They’d triggered a booby trap and were about to die.

But in the next instant, her body landed on something soft. She lay spread-eagle on the spongy surface, gazing up at the round gap in the ceiling through which they’d fallen. Her breath came in pants, while her heart thundered in her chest.

“Are you hurt?” Magnor scrambled to his knees and peered into her face, alarm in his eyes.

“No, I’m fine, just stunned.” With a groan, she rolled to her side and pushed herself upright. Her bruises must have multiplied, judging from the various places she ached. A week of rest would be welcome, but they didn’t have that luxury.

They’d ended up in a vast cavern dotted with boulders and piles of breakdown—fallen rocks that had cracked on impact. Soft dirt had cushioned their fall. The sound of water sloshed in the distance, and a rusty smell permeated the air. Crystal flowers decorated a section of wall.

“Approach, humans.”

“Holy shit.” She jumped at the disembodied voice.

“Who goes there?” Magnor demanded, hand on his hilt. He glanced around, his eyes showing that unearthly glow.

“It is I, the Sentinel. I have been waiting for you, Drift Lord. Come closer.”

Magnor relaxed, moving his hand away from his weapon. They advanced toward the voice at the opposite end of the expanse. Knobby rock formations and mounds of rubble inhibited their progress. Erika hoped there weren’t any more bones scattered around. She’d had enough unpleasant surprises for one day.

Life had certainly gotten more exciting since she’d met Magnor. No longer was she stuck in a small Arizona town, eking out a living from her pottery classes. If only her older sisters could see her now.

They won’t see you again unless you pay attention. Who knew what this sentinel intended?

“Move forward, my children.”

An old man emerged from the shadows, his white beard matching his hair. His hawk-like eyes watched them approach.

“We’ve come for the Book of Odin,” Magnor stated. He looked every inch the warrior with his flowing cape, solemn face, and wary stance.

“I know. You have passed the tests to get here, but I have bad news. Long have I waited to tell you.”

“What news? Where is the sacred book?”

“I regret to inform you that it has been stolen.”