Remember.
His word was more than a farewell. I felt a deep power in the word and knew that he had given me a gift—a new magical word.
The wind died away, and as it did, I found Kull lying on the ground at the foot of the silvergate.
Blood streamed from cuts on his face and hands. He grabbed me as I neared him, hugging me to his chest as he pressed his lips to my forehead. Above us, the silvergate’s magic grew. Amber light pulsed around the room.
The princess lay on the ground near us. Her weak smile gave me hope.
I turned to the gate where the magic pulsed faster and faster. “We did it,” I said, whispering as I lay on Kull’s chest.
The princess spoke up. “It is done. Now we will restore the magic.”
Magic sparkled in eddies of white and coral. I felt as though I stood at the center of the universe. The light spiraled around us in a myriad of colors—pink, turquoise, green—and then the colors combined. Warm air brushed my cheeks, filling me with energy as the magic exploded.
I lay on a bed of soft sand. Tiny white crystals sparkled, making a delicate chiming sound as they fluttered around me. Overhead, the sky was filled with millions upon billions of stars, so many that they lit the world brighter than a full moon.
Sitting up, I found myself on the top of a hill, surrounded by sand that reflected the starlight like a mirror.
The mirror-white sand.
Below me, the countryside sloped all the way to the sea.
Something moved up the hill. I focused and found a large group of people moving toward us.
Kull and the princess lay not far from me.
“Where are we?” Kull asked.
The princess looked around. “We destroyed the fortress. Its magic no longer hides what was here. Quick, Olive, you must restore the magic.”
“I know.” I found the blossom lying not far from me. The delicate silver leaves sparkled in the starlight.
Shouts came from below, so we all stood to inspect the group of people as they moved up the hillside. They walked single file, with downcast eyes and drawn, haunted faces. I recognized them as crew members and passengers of the Sea Ghost. There were more than thirty souls aboard the ship, but I counted only half that as they trudged toward us. My father was among the group, as were Heidel and Ket, although the captain wasn’t present. Had he gone down with his ship?
“It is the shipwreck’s survivors,” Kull said. “How did they find us here?”
“The goblin’s spirit,” I answered. “Before he disappeared, he promised to restore all that he could.”
Kull stiffened. I recognized his warrior’s stance as he found his sword on the ground and quickly snatched it up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, clutching the blossom as I stood beside Kull. Following his line of sight, I spied Firro and King Herrick at the lead. My elven senses came in handy as I inspected Firro closer, focusing on the knife he held under the king’s throat.
“I believe we’ve finally found the infiltrator,” Kull said.
Chapter 35
My hands shook as I held the blossom, its warm glass not helping to dispel my fear. Firro crested the hill. His knife, a black goblin blade, was pressed to King Herrick’s throat. Bruises formed on the king’s face, one just under his eye, and the other on his cheek. His bottom lip was cut and swollen.
The crewmen filed in behind Firro, and behind them marched the Wults and elves.
Kull moved in front of me and the princess as they surrounded us.
“Traitor,” Kull spat at Firro’s feet. “You are no crewman. Who are you really? A goblin?”
“Clever, aren’t you? What gave it away? Was it the blade I’ve got at your father’s throat?”
“Release him!”
“No, I do not think I will. Not now, at least. First, I’ll need Olive to hand over the blossom.”
“No,” the king gasped. “Don’t give it to him.”
Kull took a step forward, his face set in a scowl, his sword drawn, towering over the small crewman. “Who are you really? What do you want with us?”
Firro’s mouth twitched. “You mean you don’t know?”
“Stop playing games,” Kull demanded. “Tell me!”
“All right, but only because you are too stupid to figure it out for yourself. We all attempted to follow Olive through the portal, but it branched into three directions, and it was I that chose the correct path. I arrived shortly after she reached the village. I knew I would need passage on the ship, so I found this man, Firro, in the streets, stinking drunk. Killing him was easy enough, and copying his body was easier still. I tossed his body into the sea after that and then made myself useful on the ship. Even the captain couldn’t see through my disguise. And when he told me of his plan to burn the longboats, I was only too happy to help. After we landed on the islands, I waited until the time was right to take control. First I killed the captain, and then I forced the others to follow me. We found your trail and followed you to this place.
“Let me tell you a secret, Wult, nothing was ever as it seemed. I destroyed the magic, yes. And now I will destroy you.”
“Geth,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.
His smile was a leering grin. “Yes! It took you long enough, don’t you think?” He stood tall, and his body transformed. The burned skin became smooth. His clothing morphed from tattered rags to a leather vest studded with spikes. His arm grew into a scaled claw that he used to clasp the knife at the king’s throat.
Kull moved forward when Geth tightened his grip on the blade. “I wouldn’t move if I were you,” Geth said, his voice commanding.
Kull held still, though he kept a firm
