Obran held Tori’s head on his lap but she was completely unresponsive. Please, you can’t die, don't die. When she saw her on the ground Mara instantly flew over Tori and shed fairy dust all over her body—more fairy dust than Obran had ever seen. Mara then pressed her hand against Tori's forehead whispered something in her fae tongue.269Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2Ys7ZV51u
“Mara…what’s wrong with her?” Obran said.
Obran pressed his ear to Tori's chest. Her heart was still beating but it was slow and fading. Obran had seen similar reactions when he had poisoned humans during the war.
“The enchantments must have affected her but I don't understand why,” Mara said.
“Then we’ll take her back,” Obran said. “Tomas, help me carry her back through the barrier.”
Tomas quickly leaned down to pick up her legs as the others began to walk back towards the mist.
“No! If you take her back she will die. The enchantments, the spells, they need to be removed. I’ve slowed them down but I will need help from the fae here. Carry her and follow me,” Mara said.
Mara flew ahead, still struggling to stay airborne while Tomas and Obran carried Tori. They proceeded through the fae forest. There were no trails but grass covered everything and the trees were all taller than any Obran had ever seen, even the mushrooms were over a foot tall.
They reached an open glade in front of a lake. Mist, like the one they had passed to enter the fae lands, hung above the water.
“I’m the only one who can go on from here,” Mara said. “On the lake there is a small island where the fae here live. I’ll go get help. Tori will need a fae healer.”
They set Tori down gently and Obran propped her head on his lap and rubbed the fae dust into her skin and hair. Tori's breathing was slow but she looked peaceful almost as if she were in a deep slumber. Mara took off again and flew over the lake, disappearing into the colored haze.
“Please hurry!” Obran called out.
“She’ll do everything she can, Obran, I promise," Zico said. "I'll get some water.”
Zico grabbed an empty water skin and walked to the lake while Katrina felt Tori's cheeks and forehead.
“She doesn’t have a fever. I could make some remedies but I don’t know what herbs and plants are here but I’ll look around,” Katrina said.
Katrina walked back into the forest taking Corvus with her.
“Be careful,” Obran said.
“I’ll go with her,” Tomas said and quickly followed her.
“Is there anything I can do?” Erkin asked.
“Just take care of the animals,” Obran said.
The horses and sheep seemed confused by the fauna and the scents and sounds around them so Erkin tethered the horses to a tree and sat near the sheep, gently stroking them. After filling the water skin, Zico stood by the water’s edge and just stared at the hazy mist where his wife had disappeared.
“Zico, bring me some water,” Obran said.
He thought maybe the water here might help. Please be okay. By the gods, if you exist, please help her. He poured some water on his hands and gently rubbed some on her lips and forehead. It can’t end like this, he thought. Their adventure or escape or whatever it was had just started and he couldn't fail her already. He’d promised the King he would protect her, worse he’d promised her he wouldn't let her down. But why had the fairy magic affected her that way? Was there evil intent in her heart? He didn’t believe it, no, he couldn't believe it. After what felt like forever, Katrina returned but there was still no sign of Mara.
“Obran, I don’t recognize any of the plants here. It’s like they are related to the plants back home but are not the same. I just picked some that might help with fever and body shock, remedies against poison but I can’t be sure,” Katrina said.
“Prepare what you have, If Mara doesn’t come back soon we’ll have to try something,” Obran said.
“Okay,” Katrina said. “Tomas, can you help? Can you milk the ewe while I grind these plants.”
“Okay,” Tomas said.
“Erkin, can you check the water to see if it is drinkable. With that gremlin stomach of yours you should be okay,” Katrina said.
"Okay," Erkin said.
There is hope, you have to believe that, Obran thought. As if the gods had heard him, Mara and another fairy emerged from the mist. Mara was with an older, white haired female fae who looked like a shaman. Obran had seen human shamans before, Celts from the Northern Mountains and even orc shamans, who sometimes came to the gremlin lands looking for fresh ingredients or sacrificial victims. He didn’t know how but shaman all seemed to resemble each other; they all wore headdresses made of wolf or ram skulls and footwear and gloves made of hooves or claws. They also decorated their clothes with images of snakes, lizards, and other animals and wore bone jewelry: arms, ribs, and fingers from all sorts of animals. The fae shaman had similar symbols on her dress but they were images of insects, and she wore the hollowed head of a giant bee as a headdress, and its legs and stingers around her neck. She also carried an oval drum and drumstick.
The two fae flew directly to Tori.
"She’s here to help,” Mara said. “But she does not speak the common Roman tongue. I’ll translate; please follow all her instructions and don’t interrupt her no matter what.”
The shaman spoke in a deep voice; Obran didn’t understand anything she said.
“She wants all of us on our knees, holding hands; we have to form a circle around Tori,” Mara said.
They all moved around Tori. As they did, the shaman began to bang her drum, chanting something that sounded like a mantra or spell; fae dust fell generously from her glowing wings. She grabbed a container from a pouch and spread its milk-like substance across Tori’s forehead and mouth.
Mara translated: “Tori broke our laws, her transgression has sent her spirit away from her body. It is trapped in a realm outside the fae world, outside of the mortal realm, but her body persists and is still strong. The healer says she will travel to the other world to bring Tori back,” Mara said.
“Just tell her to do whatever she has to do,” Obran said.
“Obran, please be quiet,” Mara said. “She will enter her trance now. She wants us all to call and chant Tori’s name and to send her our thoughts for her to return.”
The fae shaman collapsed on top of Tori’s chest. She got up on her knees and continued to chant and mumble; her eyes turned white as she flayed her arms all about. Obran chanted along with everyone else, following Mara’s lead.269Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS3KJN88Hv
“Victoria Barca, Victoria Barca, Victoria Barca...”.
The fae shaman flew up, performed a trance like dance and beat on her drum. Calling for Victoria. Circular wisps of light started then emerged from the trees; the lights circled all around them and shone brightly. Will-o’-wisps...Obran thought. The ground under Tori also started to shine as the wisps of light coalesced into a single point and hovered over Tori—directly over her heart. Something like a strong wind passed them all and into Tori and she slowly opened her eyes; Thank you…thank you…Obran thought. Tori looked around as if she was unsure of where she was or even who she was. Obran smiled at her, when suddenly the shaman began to wail even louder than she had before. She took out some crystals from her satchel and threw them around the circle they had made.
“What is she doing?” Obran said.
Obran sensed that this had nothing to do with bringing Tori back. He turned to Mara but already his eyelids were heavy and his head felt light.
“Mara…I feel strange...” Obran said.
Obran was falling asleep and couldn’t fight it. His eyes focused on Tori’s who was looking at him with recognition. He thought he heard her say, “I’m sorry,” before he passed out.269Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4raOF5g1b
