Page 101 of Broken Veil
Every human instinct was telling her to run away from the bear, but instead, she was running parallel to it, trying to keep even with Duncan, who was shouting and spraying ammonia on the other side of the animal. Lachlan continued at the rear, banging his sword and shouting.
Her eyes swept the dense forest in front of them.Jack, where is the gate?
They ran farther into the woods, Lachlan pursuing the animal, Duncan and Carys corralling it as the trees grew thicker and all light from the moon disappeared.
Carys stumbled over a root, fell to the ground, and looked up, worried she was going to see the bear towering over her in a rage, but instead, when she lifted her head, she saw a greenish glow in the distance.
“There!” She scrambled up and pointed. “I see it!”
“I see it too!” Lachlan shouted.
She stood again, clutching her ammonia rags as she kept her eyes on the green glow.
“To the right!” Lachlan shouted.
“Aye!” Duncan called from the other side of the trees.
Carys saw the bear start to turn toward Duncan. “Duncan, watch out!”
Lachlan banged his sword on the piece of metal, and the bear turned in circles, confused by the noise and the smells. He reared up on two legs, but as he did, Duncan lunged forward and pointed the ammonia sprayer right at the bear’s face.
The bear roared, bared his teeth, and swung his face into a tree branch.
There was a sharp yelp, and then the animal turned and galloped ahead, running right at the green light.
It was working!
Nêrys?
As they approached the gate, Cadell’s voice grew clearer.
We’re coming toward you.
Jack lit the gate. Look for the light.
We see it.
They must have sounded like lunatics as they ran through the woods, herding the huffing bear toward a fae gate while the animal sneezed and moaned in complaint.
As the bear neared the portal, a strange light shimmered over the animal, and it slowed from a run to a loping walk.
The bear shook its head, and Carys saw the blood covering one side of its face. Something had jammed in the animal’s eye, and blood soaked its dark brown fur. The bear turned and scanned the trees wobbling back and forth in some kind of daze. Its eyes turned and fixed on Duncan, and it let out a low, angry huff.
“The enchantment,” Jack called. “Her magic is waking again.”
“Don’t stop!” Carys shouted.
They needed to herd the animal back through the gate before whatever spell the Morrígan put over it became active again.
Duncan kept his eyes on the animal. “Hello again.”
Carys almost felt bad. In the Brightlands, this bear was just a bear. On the other side, it might be enthralled to the goddess again.
“Back!” Lachlan slammed his sword against the metal again.
He and Duncan moved in tandem, charging the animal, surprising it and knocking it back on its rear end before it stood on all fours, turned, and started trudging slowly toward the gate, grumbling as it retreated.
There was a faint song in the distance, a siren call from the other side as Naida lured the creature through the glowing green portal that appeared in the trees.
