I climbed down into the crater with Astrid at my side and in the center, next to the gate, I dug through the snow to the bare earth.
Just then, Rurik, Theo, and Bard staggered into the clearing as well. Theo looked a little singed but I didn’t see any blood. “Okay?” I asked and he waved at me.
“Astrid, get ready.”
I placed my hand on the ground and sent out a subsonic whistle. I started building my pulse as quickly as I could, reaching down deeper with every whistle. I stretched the tune lower and pulsed again. I wanted a deeper spark than the one that danced for the avalanche. There, I found it. I pulled the spark to the surface with my vibrant tone. The spark glowed for me, swirling.
I changed my whistle. I made it echo, an endless loop, growing louder and louder. The spark flung itself from my fingertips and swayed under the earth, a pendulum reaching deeper and higher, deeper and higher. I could feel the ground start to tremble.
I needed more. I whistled higher, and the sound built to a crescendo. The spark split in half and the ground shook hard. I saw my friends stumble and fall to the ground.
“Rurik, now or never!” I shouted.
He staggered for the gate and stepped through, vanishing from sight. Bard stood like he was going to follow, but hesitated.
With a final, tremendous blast, I whistled the earth open. A crack split the center of the crater and I felt Astrid catch us in her air bubble. The ground below us fell away, and the sides of the crater collapsed, falling deep into the abyss. The crater became the center of a swirling maelstrom of dirt, trees, rocks, and other debris; all were sucked down into the hole, vanishing from sight.
The cracks from the earthquake spread outward, reaching like fingers for the trees and the snow-covered ground around the clearing.
Astrid’s shield exploded, launching us out of the abyss and onto its crumbling edge. We scrambled back but the ground was still shaking.
I stretched out as flat as I could and whistled again. My spark, that had become two, was now myriad. Under the earth, hundreds of gold sparks twirled. I whistled to them in a low tone, making my tune melodic but slow. I soothed.
The ground around me was still crumbling into the chasm. I felt Owen pull me away from the new edge, but I kept whistling.
Finally, it seemed like the sparks were slowing. I reached out with my subsonic tone again and pushed them deeper; they started to coalesce. Faint and undulating, my tone sent them lower and lower still. The ground stopped. I whistled one last tremulous vibration and saw the last remaining spark wink at me. Then I let go.
I rolled over, exhausted. “Everyone okay?” I asked.
THE crater was gone. Now, stretching where it used to be, was a fissure a handful of feet deep. The chasm closed up at the end of the earthquake, entombing the crater, and presumably, the portal, deep under the ground.
I hope that Rurik was okay on the other side. Bard still looked shellshocked by the whole thing.
“Now what?” Cato asked.
I looked around at everyone. They looked back at me expectantly. I opened my mouth when, suddenly, a snowy white owl dropped out of the tree next to me and turned into Mesyats. I let out an involuntary gasp, startled and then turned it into a cough.
He looked the same as before, a teenager with white hair. He grinned at me, “You did it! I liked the earthquake. Very daring.”
“Lord Mesyats, is my father okay?” Astrid asked.
“The earthquake stayed on this side of the portal. You can still open the gate from the other side, but as it opens into solid earth several thousands of feet below us, no one will be coming through any time soon.”
He stepped back, bowed, and then added, “Thank you for your service.” He started to vanish and then winked at Astrid, “See you soon!” She looked bewildered.
Julian asked, in an irritated tone, “Now what does that mean?”
Chapter 33
Miraculously, the snow machines were still there beside the trail when we walked out of the woods. We took turns riding and walking down the ski trail. Cato was a big fan, but Astrid and Bard preferred to walk. When we finally roared out of the woods, we found Zasha waiting for us at the chalet.
She ran toward us and tackled Theo off the back of his sled, knocking him into the snow. He winced but let her lay on top off him, grinning up at her while she kissed him all over his face.
When she finally stood, her face was pink but she hugged me next.
“I knew you were okay,” she said. “Your Uncle Alex has been calling me. But when I felt the earthquake, I was worried.”
She gave Julian a hug too, missing the suspicious look Astrid threw at her.
I introduced the three Varangians and we trooped into the house. The relief I felt when I pulled off my boots and other winter layers was indescribable.
Zasha had dinner cooking, beef stroganoff, and enough for everyone. Uncle Alex must have been pretty specific in his vision.
It smelled heavenly. The carpet under my toes felt soft. The weight off my shoulders felt exquisite.
I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do first, eat or take a shower. I decided to eat. Theo led Bard and Cato down the hall and showed them the two bathrooms and how to use them. He got them spare clothes and towels and then came back to the kitchen.
He put his arm around Zasha and they murmured to each other by the stove. Owen and I got
