Zanton yelled for help as hefought off the beast. Its fangs sank into Zanton’s throat and toreit open. Then it rose on its hind legs and howled before startingtoward Toemeka, but its form was already dissolving. Toemeka focusedon keeping her shield strong. The creature turned back into aswirling black cloud, then dissolved. Stunned by everything thathappened, Toemeka clutched the baby to her chest..
Erling lay on the edge of theledge and reached down. Moments later, Michio head and torso appearedand he climbed up beside Erling. “Where were you?” Michio askedpanting for breath. “I was almost swept back into that raging riverof water!”
Toemeka ran over to him with thebaby in her arms. Michio drew her close, staring at Zanton’s mauledbody. “What happened?”
“Zanton conjured up a monsterand it turned on him,” Erling said.
“Why would it do that?”Toemeka asked.
“You surrounded us with ashield, so it had no one to attack but its creator,” Erling said.
“Zanton was just learning theblack arts and didn’t have full control over his own spell,”Michio said. “Using dark powers is dangerous.”
Erling looked around. “We needto get out of the rain. There’s a cabin not far away that’sfully-equipped for stranded mountain climbers. It’s a good place towait for Zac and his men.”
Erling contacted Captain Zacharyon his watch-communicator. After hanging up, he called Koriann. Shedidn’t pick up. “I wonder why Kori’s not answering. She must beanxious to know we’re okay.”
“Maybe her communicator isoff,” Michio said.
“Or maybe she’s angry with mefor leaving.”
“We’ll straighten things outwhen we get to the palace,” Michio said. “Toemeka, do you want meto carry Baymond?”
Toemeka shook her head, comfortedby having the baby in her arms. They started hiking to the cabin.Toemeka was cold in her soaked clothes and her teeth chattered.Worse, the wind blew with such force that it was hard to walk. Michioput his arm around her and helped her along.
By the time they reached thecabin, Toemeka’s hands and feet were numb and she was shaking withcold. The one-room cabin was equipped with canned food, clothing,blankets and other supplies. Toemeka wearily sat down next to thefireplace with the baby while Michio built a fire.
Erling tried calling Koriannagain, then brought out blankets and placed one over Toemeka’sshoulders. Then he stripped off his wet clothes and changed into dryones. Toemeka set Baymond on another blanket and removed his wetclothes. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up on allfours. Toemeka wrapped him in the blankets. The movement caused herinjured hand to hurt, but it was no longer bleeding.
Michio fed more sticks into thesmall flame he’d gotten going. Once they were burning, he changedinto dry clothes and sat beside Toemeka with a first-aid kit. Hecleaned the cut on her palm with antiseptic and used butterflybandages to close the wound. “Can you open and close your hand?”he asked. Her fingers were white with cold, but she was able to flexher hand.
“It appears no tendons weresevered,” Michio said. He put his hand under her chin. “Why isyour chin swollen?”
She moved her sore jaw back andforth, then glanced at Erling, remembering the vacant look in hiseyes when he was possessed. Erling stared into the fire for a momentbefore speaking. “Nyla stayed at the palace for a few days. I hadno idea she was anyone other than who she appeared to be. She must’vebeen weaving her spell on me all along. The night of the ball a greatweariness overcame me soon after you left. When the ball was over, Iwent to bed and was drawn into a world of dark dreams I couldn’tescape from. I was in a trance-like illusion controlled by Seetva. Idon’t even remember coming to the mountains—but I must have flownhere in a palace aircraft. When Toemeka appeared in the woods, I sawher as an enemy and hit her. Fortunately, she came to me inwardly andreleased me from Seetva’s spell.” He looked at Toemeka withchagrin. “I’m sorry, Toe.”
“There’s nothing to apologizefor. As you said, Seetva controlled you.” She gave him a tired,forced smile, not wanting him to agonize over hurting her.
“I didn’t sense that Nyla wasnegative eitheven after Toemeka warned me about her,” Michio said.“It’s disconcerting to realize you can be drawn into a webwithout even knowing it. And I’ve been trained to detect sorcery.”
“You saw what you wanted tosee,” Toemeka said. “A young, innocent girl who needed yourhelp.”
“I didn’t know Seetva was ashape-shifter,” Michio said. “Alone she would’ve never gainedthat much control over Erling or me. It was the matrix ofsupernatural powers from the three of them that made them strongenough to draw us into the mountains.”
“Why do you think Toe was ableto sense Princess Nyla wasn’t what she seemed to be and not us?”Erling asked.
“Seetva used her beauty andsexuality to bring men under her power,” Toemeka said. She handedthe baby to Michio, then looked through the assortment of clothing.She found a shirt and slacks that fit her and changed into them.
A short while later, the dooropened and Captain Zachary stepped in, followed by two of his men.They were soaking wet and water from their clothes dripped onto thefloor. “It’s a relief to see you all safe,” Zac said. “I’msorry we didn’t get here sooner. The storm grew so fierce we wereforced to stop our search until it passed.” His expressionsoftened. “Prince Erling, Queen Koriann said you’re to call heras soon as I found you.”
“I’ve been trying to callher, but she doesn’t answer.”
Zac smiled. “She was busy.”
“Too busy to be concerned abouther husband’s disappearance?” Erling sounded miffed as he toldthe communicator to call Koriann. After a few rings, her faceappeared on the screen. Her hair flowed loosely around her shouldersand she wore a nightgown. “Kori, I’ve been trying to reach you.Did I wake you?”
A joyful smile spread across herface. “I just gave birth to a baby girl.”
Erling’s eyes widened. “Wehave a daughter! Kori love, I’m sorry I wasn’t with you for thebirth.
