“How does he think his own people will survive if he destroys the entire infrastructure? Where will they get food? How will they operate machinery or cars without fuel?” Maddie asked.
“That I don’t know,” Erik admitted. “I’d chalk it up to crazy man logic. God will provide and all that jazz.”
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Erik heard the familiar click of a lighter and a deeply exhaled breath. He assumed Maddie had lit up a cigarette while she pondered a strategy.
“Any ideas, chief?” the paladin asked hopefully.
“No ideas yet, just a promise. If it’s the last thing we do, the Arkana is going to spoil Metcalf’s party plans for Armageddon.”
Chapter 38—Massif Obstacles
Cassie and Griffin crawled into the back seat of the minivan while Daniel claimed the passenger seat up front with Lars. The pythia checked her watch and groaned. It was barely seven in the morning, and already the sun was blazing overhead. She’d had a restless night since it was impossible to sleep in a land where nature refused to catch forty winks. It seemed as if she’d only shut her eyes for five minutes before Lars came knocking at her door chirping about the need for an early start. He rousted out his three charges in a boomingly cheerful voice which brooked no refusal. After they’d collected their wits, gotten dressed, packed their gear, and stumbled to the lobby to meet him, he hustled them into the van which sat idling by the front door. It jolted into motion the second they were all loaded inside.
Lars had thoughtfully placed a basket of food on the back seat since they wouldn’t have time for a proper breakfast in the hotel dining room. Two large thermoses of hot coffee had also been provided. The scrivener immediately poured a cup for Cassie.
She silently mouthed the words “thank you,” not trusting that her vocal cords were functioning yet.
Griffin leaned forward and passed two breakfast sandwiches to Daniel and Lars before helping himself.
“We have a long way to travel today,” Lars cautioned as he steered the vehicle onto the highway leading out of town. “It will take some time to reach the mountain, and we have much to do once we get there.”
Daniel nodded his assent, his mouth full of food.
Griffin handed Cassie a breakfast bun. She, in turn, handed him an empty coffee cup which he promptly refilled.
Their guide switched on the radio and cranked up the volume. It was playing a musical number that fell into the category of polka acid rock if such a thing existed.
The pythia rubbed her forehead. “Lars, could you turn the radio down a little bit? I need more coffee before I can appreciate that sound.”
“Oh, of course.” He lowered the volume by a single decibel.
Cassie gritted her teeth and sank down in the seat. She wrapped her windbreaker collar around her ears, hoping the fabric would muffle the noise.
They journeyed in a westerly direction until the road veered northwest at Lake Akkajaure and hugged the flat terrain along its northern shore. The man-made reservoir was long and narrow, more like a river than a lake. Its opposite shore was bordered by mountains, their peaks rolling off into the distance before disappearing altogether in the mists beyond. Not a single town or sign of human habitation could be seen. Given the remoteness of the region, the two-lane highway on which the minivan drove was in surprisingly good shape.
For the next half hour, the travelers silently ate their breakfasts and sipped coffee. The only sounds consisted of the bizarre musical mash-up emanating from Lars’ favorite radio station and their guide’s periodic requests for a sandwich. Eventually, calories and caffeine rendered them all lively enough to converse.
“So, today our destination is Ahkka Mountain?” Daniel ventured.
Lars thankfully shut off the radio before replying. “It is the holiest of all places to the Lule Saami.”
“You mentioned the Saami at dinner last night,” the scion recalled. “Reindeer herders?”
“Yes. They have been in Scandinavia at least since 6000 BCE. For eight thousand years, they have been tending the animals in this land. The Saami say they do not count the money in their wallets. They count the reindeer in their herds.”
“I bet they do a brisk business with Santa Claus,” Cassie quipped.
Lars darted a glance in the rearview mirror and smiled. “Oh, Lady Pythia! You remind me of a funny story about Santa and his reindeer.”
“You don’t believe they’re real, do you?” Daniel asked cautiously.
This comment made the guide chuckle. “I know they are pretend, but they are also girls.”
“What?” Cassie and Griffin both sat at attention, fully awake now.
“You know how overlords like to think that males are in charge of everything in the world.” Lars glanced around for confirmation.
His passengers slowly nodded their heads, not quite sure where the conversation was going.
“Well, here is the thing about reindeer. The herds are led by the females who have lived the longest. Both males and females have antlers, but they lose them at different times of the year. The males’ horns fall off in the autumn after mating season is over. The females keep theirs until the babies are born in the spring. That means the females are the ones who defend the herd against predators all winter because they still have horns. And the ones with the biggest antlers of all are the oldest females.”
“I see.” Griffin smiled, getting the joke. “Since Santa’s mythical sleigh ride takes place in December, and all of his reindeer have impressive antlers, that must mean—”
Lars cut in. “That all his reindeer are old ladies!”
Cassie found herself grinning despite her sleep deprivation. “Somebody should break the news to Rudolph, or he’ll have a big surprise coming when he grows up.”
They all laughed, taking
