24

In Which Pepper Is the Most Powerful Spice

The tower looked even shabbier up close. The cracks and crumbling brickwork lining its walls had been resealed with piebald patches of mortar. In the darkness, the place looked abandoned, with only glimpses of moonlight guiding them through the snow-strewn path. The guards were now conspicuous by their absence, no doubt back in the village assisting the others in rounding up the last of the Deathless.

“How are we getting up there?” Zoe asked, tilting her head back to take in the tower’s height. “I don’t see any stairs, and scaling walls isn’t one of my better skills. And Deathless could still be following us—they might not have gotten them all.”

“I’m more concerned about the ice maiden responsible for turning them,” Alex said. “If she’s lurking around.”

“Not while the wolves are here,” Cole said quietly.

Zoe glanced at him, like she was about to say something else, then shook her head and turned away again.

“We could use the firebird,” Loki suggested.

But the creature had retreated behind Alex, shaking its head.

“What’s wrong?” Alex asked.

It shook its head again and buried its face against his shoulder, trembling.

“Swell,” Ken said. “Now that we actually want it to fly off and explore, it refuses.”

Alex scowled. “It’s not its fault!”

“Miss Ayanti mentioned that the tower had the strongest of Ikpe’s enchantments,” Zoe said. “Firebirds are creatures of magic too. It could be affected by it.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Ken cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey! Rapunzel, Rapunzel!” he hollered. “Let down your hair!”

“That’s your bright idea?”

“I said I had an idea. I didn’t say it was a good one.”

“How’d you know her name?” West asked.

“Girl in a tower, raised by an enchantress; Rapunzel’s as good guess as any. I’m guessing she’s dragging around forty-foot-long hair too.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’ve never heard of the Rapunzel story?” Tala asked him.

West shook his head. “I always thought it was about some kind of cabbage.”

Talking to West sometimes, Tala learned, was like trying to walk up a down escalator.

“Maybe she’s so hideously ugly she scares people away,” Ken suggested.

A sudden scraping noise echoed from inside the tower. Then, without warning, something was chucked out its window, bearing down on them with breakneck speed. Ken only barely managed to dance out of the way before being brained by a large metal basin that clattered noisily to the ground.

“I heard that!” a girl’s voice, cross and irritated, floated down at them.

“A basin?” Ken spluttered, staring down at the offending tool. “A basin? You could have hurt someone with that! You could have hurt me!”

“Oh, get over yourself. If I really wanted to hurt you, you’d be out like a light.” An orange glow appeared by the window, like a candle had been lit from within. “Who’re you?”

“Your grandmother sent us,” Zoe called up. “There isn’t much time to explain, but she wants you to come with us!”

There was a pause. “All right,” the voice said. “I’m heading down.” The light disappeared.

“Well, she was strangely easy to convince,” Zoe muttered.

“Something’s wrong,” Cole said, almost to himself. He peered out into the darkness, frowning.

“Ken, how many Deathless were in the village?”

“Six men and…and a girl.” Ken’s voice was pained. “The ones that attacked us, anyway. I don’t know how many more there were.”

Out of the corner of Tala’s eye, a dapple of flimsy mist she’d assumed was fog drifted in their direction; slow to move at first, but it soon shook off its sluggishness and picked up speed. Cole approached the white haze, stepping away from the rest of the group as he did. There was a sharp click as his scythe unfolded.

“Let’s hope there aren’t any more. We’re passing through the marsh swamps before we reach Lyonesse’s borders, and I don’t want them on our tails while we’re skidding through all that frozen muck.”

“Look out!”

An ice wolf burst abruptly from the mist, several yards from where they stood. With shocking quickness, it closed the distance and slammed into Cole, knocking Gravekeeper from his hand. Wolf and boy tumbled to the ground, as more ice wolves appeared out of the fog.

This was the first clear view Tala had of the creatures. The wolves were made of such transparent ice, it was almost possible to see through them. Empty sockets stared back at her, mouths filled with several rows of sharp teeth, glittering in the dark like diamonds.

They looked exactly like the wolves she’d seen in her dream a few nights past.

Ken sprang forward, both his swords sliding free of their scabbards. He swung hard at the ice wolf attacking Cole and hit the creature’s side with a solid thunk. Small bits of ice flew off the diamond-hard hide as he began hacking his way through with the blows resonating so heavily and so powerfully, they would have taken the head off any other animal. Ken had the strength of a bull, but the creature felt little of the pain, clawing at Cole without pause.

A sizzle of bright lightning struck the creature’s flank with little effect. “Oh, damn,” Zoe hissed. “I forgot they’re blind!”

West ducked underneath his fur cloak. He blurred away, and a bear roared, swiping at the half-dozen ice wolves now flanking the group.

“Get back!” Zoe instructed, placing herself between both Tala and Alex and the rest of the pack. She clenched her fist, and a whirling blade of lightning sparked at the end of her whip. One of the ice wolves reached for her, but Zoe spun away, ramming the electric cord against the side of its head as it swept past. The ice wolf spun head over tail from the unexpected blow, but was quickly back on its feet, staggering from the hole Zoe had bored through its face.

“Chop off their limbs until they stop moving,” Loki ordered. “It’s the only way.” They skipped to one side when another wolf jumped, and brought the force of their staff down on one of its forearms. The wolf hit the ground hard, and Loki swung again and again, resolute, until the leg ruptured from the repeated impacts. The ice wolf snarled, trying to use its three remaining paws to right itself, but the staff lengthened, catching it hard in the midsection and sending it toppling over.

A couple more ice wolves began stalking Tala, but Zoe moved quickly. Her whip flew through the air and coiled itself around one of the beast’s paws. The creature shrieked as electricity jolted through its body, steam hissing as it began to melt from the intense heat. One quick jerk broke the leg off at the haunches, and Zoe was quick to discard the limb to lash the whip at the next ice wolf to approach.

The firebird rose above Alex, and bright rolling flames burst out to form a wall before the rest of the wolves. Thin trails of water ran down the ice wolves’ limbs, dripping pools of water underneath their feet.

With Ken’s help, Cole had kicked the ice wolf off him. Clutching at his right arm, where the wolf’s teeth scored deeply, he found his scythe just as the creature leaped again. The boy altered the angle of his thrust, and the black blade impaled the ice wolf on its side, ripping out its flank.

A series of markings similar to that found on the scythe’s bramble-hilt began to spread along the affected area, turning the ice-skin around the pierced wound into a curious pattern of black tendrils curling around its midsection. The ice wolf stilled.

“Kill,” Cole rasped through clenched teeth, and the Gravekeeper darkened; for a brief moment both scythe and hilt seemed more shadow than steel. Then, with considerable effort, he ripped the blade free.

The ice wolf took a step forward, then turned and began attacking the nearest wolf, snarling and ripping its teeth into the equally hard ice-skin of its packmate. Some of the wolves faltered, unprepared by the unexpected betrayal, but soon turned on its brother, systematically ripping it to shreds. Tala turned away, nauseated by the eagerness with which they tore into their former companion.

Some instinct told her to drop to her hands and knees, just as another ice wolf, separated from its pack and hunting them from behind, leaped over her head. It turned and pounced again, but Tala ducked. She could feel the air ripple from claws that only barely missed her cheek.

Infuriated, it tried a third time, and Tala flattened herself against the tower wall. The creature stopped in its tracks. It made an odd noise, almost a whimper, and lifted a leg to approach her. It stopped, lowered the leg, and withdrew, still whining.

Then Alex was stepping forward, taking advantage of Zoe’s distraction to draw nearer to a cluster of ice wolves, who were quick to bear down on him. He waited, his eyes narrowed and his smile grim.

“Alex!” Tala screamed.

The firebird shifted form and solidified into a bow made of burning fire against Alex’s outstretched hand. Unaffected by the flames, the prince drew back the string and sent a torrent of fire-wrought arrows hurtling toward the creatures, a wall of steam rising up every time they found their targets. When the air cleared, the ice wolves were unmoving, burning, staring sightlessly out at Tala with muzzles still lifted in mid-howl.

There was a loud yelp from Ken. One of the wolves had latched on to his shining sword, and Ken swung the hilt around in an unsuccessful bid to shake it free. Another wolf tried to attack him from behind, but Ken blocked the bite and drew out the Juuchi Yosamu, plunging it into the beast’s stomach. He yanked it back, and the Juuchi’s blade slid momentarily against the Yawarakai-Te’s.

There was a sharp crack, and for a moment Ken was no longer holding two swords, but one hilt from where seven connected swords protruded out. He swung, and the sharp blades seemed to take on minds of their own, burying themselves deeply into three ice wolves at once.

He jerked them out, inadvertently splintering the ice wolves in two while he was at it, and stared incredulously at the sword, which promptly reverted back, the Juuchi clattering onto the ground while he remained clutching the Yawarakai-Te.

“Out of the way!” a new voice rang out, its exasperation an odd contrast to the ongoing chaos surrounding them.

A girl dressed in silks and wearing a long veil that trailed in her wake ran nimbly past Tala, throwing a handful of gray powder into a charging beast’s face. The ice wolf’s reaction was immediate; it yowled and made a hoarse, honking sound, rolling and trying to scratch at its face. It sneezed.

The girl kept running, digging her hand into a small pouch on her hip, only to throw more of the gray substance into the other wolves’ faces. The other hand waved a large broom, swiping at the rest to keep their distance long enough for the powder to do its work. The creatures cowered, pawing at their noses and offering little defense as the others moved in for the kill.

“Stay close to the tower wall!” she yelled. “It’s been enchanted to keep them from getting close!”

The fight turned quickly in their favor and was over in minutes. The creatures hesitated noticeably, able to draw within range of their weapons but not close enough to attack effectively with their teeth and claws.

Loki had given up on finesse, and simply slammed the blunt edge of their staff into an ice wolf’s body, like a chopping ax.

Another creature raced toward Alex, but its roar was abruptly cut short when Zoe raised her hand and spun, whip flying back and forth to unleash a powerful barrage of lightning that effectively cleaved the beast in half. Zoe sagged against the wall, weakened, but the creature fell, forepaws clawing uselessly at nothing. Its hind paws, lying several feet away, had already stopped moving.

Four or five more wolves came bounding out of the mist. Ken lifted his sword, but the new wolves paid him little attention, tearing past him and halting before the few ice wolves still on their feet, snarling and baring teeth. Their eyes shone red in the gloom.

“Those aren’t ice wolves!” West said in surprise, blurring back into human shape, his hand still in midswipe.

Unwilling to be intimidated, the ice wolves snarled back, but the flesh-and-blood wolves held their ground, growling fiercely. An unspoken agreement seemed to pass between them. After a moment, the ice wolves retreated with utmost reluctance, loping back into the darkness.

The remaining wolves were silent. The largest of the pack regarded Tala steadily. Unlike the ice wolves, its bright red eyes were alert, intelligent. It paused to eye the firebird with suspicion, though the latter only managed a faint scowl in their direction.

Finally, the pack leader turned toward where Cole sat and dipped its head in acknowledgment. The boy nodded, and the large wolf let out a harsh, singular grunt. The others took it as a signal; they padded away with little ceremony, the night soon swallowing them up.

“Dad told me about this.” Loki looked awed. “Ice wolves are afraid of wolves. No one’s sure why.”

“Maybe they don’t attack things that look an awful lot like them, even if ice wolves aren’t technically alive to begin with,” Ken said, surveying the remains strewn around him, now beginning to melt back into the snow. “Not that I’m complaining. Much. Everyone all right?”

There was an audible click as Loki’s staff shrunk, and they stuck it back behind their ear. “Barely.”

West was struggling into a fresh set of clothes from one of the saddlebags. Cole sat, sweating profusely and still nursing his arm, and the dark-skinned girl who had saved them was sitting beside him, already armed with bandages.

A soft moan made Tala turn, and she found the firebird staggering drunkenly on the ground. Alex was by its side in moments, scooping and cradling it protectively. “What’s wrong?”

“Is it a creature forged from magic?” the newcomer asked, looking at the firebird with a certain professional interest. She reached up and combed the veil away from her face, revealing a beautiful Ikpean girl. She looked very familiar to Tala. “Keep it away from the wall as well. The tower enchantments must be affecting it too.” She rooted around her pouch and pressed different kinds of leaves against Cole’s wound. “That’ll stop the bleeding for now.” She glanced over at Ken. “Is there something on my face?”

“What the hell are you wearing?” he asked, still unabashedly staring.

“Never seen a wedding veil before? I didn’t have time to change into something more suitable.”

“Your hair isn’t long enough.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, I, uh…how did you get down from the tower?”

The girl raised an eyebrow at him. “Hidden staircase round the back.” Her left eye was brown, the right eye a very light, almost golden color. Underneath the veil she had a thick head of hair, curly and lush in defiance of the winter, and stood a head and a half higher than the diminutive Tala. “I use it often, but the guards don’t like me exploring outside.”

A gate of ivory, and a gate of bone. Tala realized now why her face looked so familiar.

She’d dreamed of the girl at Tintagel Castle, rising out of the sea.

“I didn’t fly down, if that’s what you’re thinking,” the girl continued, amused.

“I thought that…well, there’s been some stories where some girls used their own hair to…”

She snorted. “Do you know how long it’d take to wash hair that long? That’s what you’d been hollering about?”

Ken glared back, mainly because he couldn’t find a better retort, and latched on to another point to dispute. “How did you know ice wolves would react to…to whatever it was you threw at them?”

“Not my first time with them. Wonderland pepper’d make anyone’s eyes water, and Grammy has a garden full of it.”

“Ice wolves don’t even have eyes!” Ken choked.

“They’ve got noses, and my grandmother grows the spiciest Wonderland peppercorns this side of Maidenkeep. Just as good as the ones there, she says.”

“Your village is the only functioning village this side of Maidenkeep!”

“Doesn’t mean it isn’t true. And I don’t see why you’re complaining when I’ve saved your life.” The girl sounded smug. “Now, hush up. I’ll look into that gash on your face when I’m done here.”

“Can we still give her back, Zoe?”

Zoe rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Ken.”

“No take backs,” the girl added cheerfully. “You’re stuck with me.”

Ken stomped away, muttering under his breath.

“Keep that arm wrapped for a day or two,” the girl told Cole, whose face was slowly regaining color. “The wounds aren’t as deep as I first thought, but let’s not get your arm infected while we’re at it. I’ll dress it again tomorrow.”

“The pries—I mean, your grandmother—gave me a few things,” Zoe offered, holding up a pouch. “I’m not sure which of these can help, though. Healing isn’t my expertise, and I’ve never seen most of these potions before.”

“Grammy always said healing is a lost art few people remember. And it’s not like we could find a doctor outside the village, considering.” The girl took the pouch and riffled quickly through its contents. “Oh, they’re fairly easy to use. Grammy always labels her medicines.” To prove her point, she held up a few of the bottles, one of which was clearly marked “Antitoxin.” Others had stranger labels, like “Amplify” and “Spark.” She gestured to her own pouch. “I brought my own, so it’s best if you keep those. Let’s see how fast the arm improves first before adding more to it. It should be all right in two, three days.”

Cole nodded, moving his arm with a faint wince. “Thank you,” he said quietly. He glanced back at Ken. “And I owe you one too.”

Ken shrugged. “We’re a team now, right? ’Sides, we still owe you for the ogre. How did you do that…that thing with the ice wolf?” His swords made a ringing sound as they slid against each other. He paused, staring expectantly at the blades, then looked crestfallen when nothing happened.

“Gravekeeper can control it, to an extent.”

“Can you control a dozen of them all at once?”

“One’s bad enough.” Cole’s face was still a little pale, and Tala realized it wasn’t because of his wound.

“You can actually get them to do whatever you want them to do?” Ken asked, looking interested.

“I don’t recommend it,” Cole said, with another wince.

“That’s actually kind of cool.”

“How’d you do that, Ken?” West asked. “You were suddenly holding ten swords all at once.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.” Ken swung the swords again, scowled. “Bugger it. How’d I do that?”

“When Grammy told me I was gonna be traveling, you weren’t the kind of companions I was imagining in my head,” the girl remarked. “No offense, but you guys don’t look any older than I am. You were cutting things close. My wedding’s tomorrow, and I didn’t want to stick around long enough to attend.”

“Most brides usually want their wedding.”

“Not me. Grammy predicted that I was going to marry a corpse. My mama wasn’t having any of that, so she decided it was some kind of metaphor for one of the boys in the village. She was convinced she’d know who it was before she married me off. If none of you had shown up, I would have struck out on my own. I’d already packed and everything.”

“Technically,” Loki said, “we’re all future corpses.”

“Thanks, Loki,” Tala said, with a sigh.

The girl curtsied to Alex. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. Grammy has a wonderful picture of her holding you as a baby last year. Time flies, doesn’t it?” She paused, looking anxious. “Grammy did tell you about me, didn’t she?”

It was Zoe’s turn to sigh. “Yes. Yes, she did.”

“Are you okay?” Alex asked his firebird quietly.

It opened its eyes and cooed cheekily at him.

“Good.”

“Alex?” Tala asked.

“It’s all right. Just needs some rest.” He paused, eyeing her warily.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t need to. I could hear you thinking.”

“How did you do that? You’ve never used the firebird that way before.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Sure, and monkeys fly out of my butt.”

“Let it go, Tally.”

“But—”

“I said, let it go.” Alex turned away. The firebird let out a soft, unhappy sigh and flashed Tala a mournful look before turning to follow its master.

“According to our map, we should reach Maidenkeep by the end of the week,” Zoe said. “I’m not sure how much time that is outside of Avalon, so any problems you two have will need to be addressed while we ride. Between the ice wolves and the glyphs, I’d rather not dally for too long here.”

“Sounds good to me,” the girl said cheerily.

Ken glowered, then tugged at his horse’s reins. “Fine by me too.”

All were noticeably quiet when they started riding again. Tala kept her eyes on Alex’s back, but the boy never once turned his head. And it was a full fifteen minutes before Ken spoke up again.

“What do you mean, glyphs?”