Chapter 13

S now hiked back through the forest, leaving the disembodied wizard and his cabin behind. By the time she reached Faradill, it was long past midday. She took respite at the base of him, sitting cross-legged at the foot of the tree and resting her back against his roughened bark. She took a long drink from the flask and ate a bit of the bread and an apple. She hadn't realized how hungry or thirsty she was until then.

Annilen found her there. She flitted to her, her wings beating so fast they were nothing but an iridescent blur.

"Snow, you're back!" She fluttered around her head, dancing back and forth. "Did you find the answers you were looking for?"

She munched on the apple and nodded. "I found answers, yes."

And made a dangerous promise she wasn't sure she could keep. Not only that, but she dreaded returning to Yirrie. She'd been gone all day, shirking her chores. Yirrie would likely have something to say about that. Trepidation rolled through her.

She stuffed the half-eaten bread back into her bag, then tossed the apple core to the waiting pixies who were watching her eat.

"And what were they?"

Though she had promised the sprite to tell her upon her return, now she wasn't so sure. Apprehension wafted through her as she thought of the strange wizard in his mysterious cabin.

"You promised," she said, reminding her.

"I did." Snow gave her a nod. "Did you keep your promise?"

"Yes!" she said, emphatic. She, too, sounded a bit out of breath. "I told no one, just like you asked."

Snow lifted her hand and allowed the sprite to land. She dropped and sat, drawing her knees to her chest.

"I found the dark wizard's cabin deep in the woods," she said.

Annilen stared up at her with rounded eyes full or shock. "You did?"

"Yes, and the wizard is…well, he's not exactly alive. But his spirit is," she said. "And he's tied to—" She pressed her lips together in a tight line.

"To what?" Annilen asked on a gasp.

Snow wasn't ready to give up her true identity. She worried if she told Annilen about Seraphina, she would then have to explain how she knew about the evil queen.

"To someone. Someone using his magic," she said.

"Do you know who?" the sprite asked.

"No," Snow said. Lying to her friend sent a wave of guilt through her but she had to do it to protect her from Seraphina's terrible darkness.

"Now, I really must go," Snow said. "The day is getting late and Yirrie will want to know where I've been."

Annilen got to her feet. "I'll come with you."

"No, you better not. I will likely be in some trouble when I return to the village."

Understanding dawned on her small features as she recalled their earlier conversation. "Good luck, Snow."

"Thanks. I'll need it."

Annilen fluttered off into the forest. Snow got to her feet, brushing away the dirt from her seat. She started to take a step, when Faradill's voice floated through her mind.

You know who is using the dark wizard's magic. Don't you?

She paused there, her heart ramming hard in her chest as she turned back to the tree. She pressed her palm against the roughened bark and closed her eyes, connecting with the ancient oak.

"I do," she whispered.

And this person is dangerous.

"Yes," she replied. "And I have to protect you, all of you, from her."

There was a long pause. Finally, he said, Who are you really, Snow?

Her eyes popped open. She craned her neck to look up at the leaves overhead and the branches swaying slightly in the breeze.

"I am no one," she said at last. "I release you."

She removed her hand from the tree and hurried through the forest.

It was dusk when she returned to the village, exhausted from the trek. Her feet ached from the constant walking. As she arrived, the village Elders were preparing for that night's festival. Yirrie and Elator placed small loaves of bread from the day's baking on each of the tables. Snow hoped to skitter around them unnoticed, but it was not to be.

Yirrie spotted her right away. Her face was pinched in fury as she glared at her from across the way. She halted what she was doing, handing Elator the loaf of bread she held, and then marched toward Snow with a purpose that told Snow she was about to be in terrible trouble.

"There you are! Just where have you been all day?"

Yirrie took a step back to look Snow up and down. Her face contorted into one of distaste as she realized Snow wore pants and a tunic instead of her normal gown attire. She noticed, too, the flask and the small bag she'd taken with the bread and apples.

"You've been hiking through the forest, haven't you?"

"I—"

"And don't lie to me, Snow."

Her mouth had gone dry. She swallowed hard, trying to come up with some viable excuse. The truth was, she had none, and she knew she would face Yirrie's wrath for leaving the safety of the village.

"Yes," she said at last, defeated.

Furious, Yirrie took her by the elbow and dragged her away from the others. She dropped her voice to a roughened whisper. "How can you expect the Elders to protect you if you refuse to stay within the borders of the village? If they find out—"

"They won't," Snow said.

"How do you know?" Yirrie snapped. "Did anyone see you leave?"

"No one saw me leave this morning. It was early before anyone was about," Snow said.

She wanted to tell her about the dark wizard, the cabin, Seraphina, and the missing mirrors. But Yirrie would not understand. There was only one person in the entire village who would and she doubted Yirrie would let her out of her sight to visit Master Harwin.

Yirrie continued to drag her through the village to their house. "You are going home, Snow. You're going to stay put in your room even if I have to tie you down to keep you there."

"I'm sorry, Yirrie—"

"Sorry isn't enough," she snapped. "Elator and I were worried sick about you all day. He had to help me with the baking. It's not something he likes to do or is good at, either."

Snow almost snickered at that, but managed to keep it at bay. Yirrie was angry and she had a right to be after Snow's disappearing act all day.

At their door, Yirrie pushed it open. She didn't release her until she was at her bedroom.

"You'll stay here tonight while we're at festival. No sneaking out any more." She gave a nod toward her room.

Snow turned to see her window was boarded up from the outside. She stared at it in abject horror with the awful realization her connection to the outside world was forever closed. She would never see the sunrise again from her window.

"You boarded up the window?"

"I had Elator do it to keep him from burning more of the bread," Yirrie said. "I also have someone watching the front of the house. If you leave again, I will know."

"So, I'm to be a prisoner here in my own home?" she asked.

"It's for your own good." Yirrie softened then, releasing her elbow. Shimmering tears stood in her eyes, the worry lines deep around her mouth. "It's the only way to keep you safe. If the Elders know you were out of the village…" Her words trailed off.

"I understand," Snow said.

The underlying meaning was there. If they knew, they would want her gone. She would be banished from the village. Just as she had been banished from her true home. The home Seraphina stole from her.

"Good night, Yirrie."

Snow stepped inside her room and closed the door. For a long moment, there was silence and then Yirrie's footsteps. The front door opened and closed, leaving Snow alone in the house.

She stumbled to the bed and collapsed, exhausted and defeated.