children. Laughing, they wedged it between the teeth. The children paraded the head again as the crowd hooted with glee.
Sickened by the scene, Owen barely noticed the snow falling or the icy wind growing in strength until he was finally blown off his stone. Snowflakes swirled around him. The people blurred, the firelight vanished, the stones disappeared. The roaring blizzard tossed Owen like a feather in the wind.
HELP . . . AVA!
Fly, Owen .
I canât.
You can, Iâm here; Iâm always here .
Strength flooded Owenâs body. He flapped his wings and beat by beat rose above the storm. Far below was a whirlpool of white flakes, but here the night sky was clear, the stars bright. Beside him was Ava.
Side by side they circled. Faster and faster they flew. The universe whirled.
Youâve taken a long journey, Owen, said Ava. Thank you. Now you can rest.
Owen closed his eyes and spiraled down into the comforting velvet blackness of sleep.
6.
SWING YOUR PARTNERS
âAva, Myrddin, I am uneasy.â Equus pawed the sky restlessly.
âChantel has sensed an evil presence near Avaâs stones.â
âThe wraith is gaining strength again,â said Ava.
âGaiaâs elementals are stirring,â rumbled Myrddin.
âMore will stir the closer the Dark Being gets. How close is she, Equus?â
âThe shadow falls across at least a quarter of the Milky Way.â
âDo the humans not see it?â asked Myrddin.
âThey see only clouds.â Equus sighed. âMaybe it is better that way.â
âNo . . . they are unprepared.â Avaâs voice was sharper than usual. âIf they understood, they could try to conquer the despair and hate the Dark Being brings. Instead they will never know why suddenly they are fighting one another.â
âDo the children know they may be attacked?â asked Myrddin.
âI have warned Owen about the Dark Being, but told him we will protect Gaia by letting her claim the tools,â Ava said unhappily.
âAnd so we shall, though at dreadful cost.â Myrddin sighed. âThe earthly elementals must be carefully watched. Though many will keep the balance, some make much trouble.â
Ava drew herself up and spread her wings. Her fierce beauty shone. âYou are right, Myrddin. I must warn Owen that they may have to do battle with the wraith. The stones have subdued it for so many centuries that I had discounted it, but the wraith could be dangerous as it gains strength. I showed it to Owen, but I will explain further.â
âI have hopeful news,â said Equus. âThe oldest child, Holly, senses Old Magic. The Mother Tree has spoken to her.â
Myrddinâs face showed his relief. âThe new dawn has stirred more than Avaâs stones. The supporters of light are rallying.â His lips parted in a rare smile. âSo the oldest child heard the Mother Tree without our help. Well, well, well! I have great hopes for her.â
Equus shifted uneasily. âShe is too young.â
âSo was Adam. Yet when searching for your talisman, he was tempted by the dragon and resisted. He found his own strength,â said Myrddin.
Equus sighed. âWe too must strengthen our defenses for battle. Concealment is not enough. We must seek knowledge of the Dark Beingâs movements. I will ride the wind to the edge of the shadow.â
âBe careful, Equus.â Ava touched his back with a wing.
âI regret that you must go alone, but without our tools Myrddin and I are powerless to travel with you.â
âTravel only among sunbeams,â advised Myrddin. âThe Dark Being abhors the sun.â
âGoing alone will be less dangerous,â replied Equus.
âIt will be easier to escape detection, and the talisman can protect me.â He bunched his hind muscles in preparation.
The gold disk on his forelock gleamed as he leaped across the sky and disappeared in a swirl of
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