Page 144 of Broken Veil
There were cars decorated with red ribbons and white flags. Every type of bumper sticker fromEarth FirsttoSave Gorne WoodtoVegan and Proud. There were also bumper stickers from primary schools and local churches. Plenty ofDog Moms andCat Dads were represented too.
“It’s like a Grateful Dead festival,” Laura said. “Remember those, Carys?”
The Grateful Dead fans loved Baywood for some reason. Probably had to do with lax marijuana laws back in the day, but the spooky forests and Bigfoot rumors likely helped.
“If this is what the traffic is like from here to the city,” Duncan said. “It’s going to take hours to get through.”
“We should walk,” Godrik said.
“What?” Carys turned to look. “It’s miles from here.”
“It’ll still be faster than sitting though this,” the wolf said. “Lachlan, what do you think?”
“I would tend to agree, but Carys has another task before we meet Macha again, does she not?”
Go to Hogg’s Well, take the water in your left hand, and put it in your right eye. Do not drink it. Do not put it in both eyes. Only in one.
“I have to find a place called Hogg’s Well,” she said. “But Laura can’t find anything definite online. There are a couple of theories but?—”
“I wonder if it’s the same Hogg’s Well as in the Shadowlands,” Naida said.
Every eye save Duncan’s turned to her.
“There is a Hogg’s Well at the base of Cley Hill in the Shadowlands,” Naida said. “It’s an underground river that empties into a sort of pond, but it might be different here. The water is not good.”
“It mightnotbe that different though.” Laura turned to Carys. “New plan. Duncan takes the van to the hotel whatever way he can find through this traffic. Lachlan and Godrik scope out Macha’s gang. They’re tall. They can walk faster.” She pointed to Naida and Cadell. “You and me and the dragon find the nearest fae gate.”
Naida perked up. “There is one not far from here.”
“Your mum didn’t say anything about going to the Shadowlands,” Duncan said.
“No, but she also didn’t say not to,” Laura said. “And if it’s the same water, maybe it works either way.”
“I think I’ll know pretty quickly,” Carys said. “It’s supposed to give me magical vision.”
Naida’s face was solemn. “There are stories about humans with magical vision, but I’m sure you’ll live longer than they do.”
“That is not helpful, Naida!” Duncan was fuming.
“Pull over.” She put a hand on Duncan’s arm. “Do you really think my mom is going to have me do something that might result in my death?”
“Your mum is dead,” Duncan said. “Maybe she thinks having both versions of her daughter in Annwn is not such a bad idea.”
“It’s not my time.” Fear had been riding her since the cave, but the moment she thought about going through the gate, she felt calm again. “It’s not my time, Duncan.”
He clenched his jaw but pulled the van over to a wide spot on the side of the road while massive honks and whoops sounded from the cars around them.
Lachlan and Godrik jumped out of the van, helping Naida and Laura out as well before they crossed the road and trotted off into the woods that bordered the motorway.
“They don’t have phones,” Duncan said. “How the hell do they think they’re going to figure out where they’re going?”
“They’ll follow the crowd,” Cadell said.
It wasn’t a bad strategy. They were far from the first people who had decided to walk. Carys could see small groups of travelers dressed in everything from festive clothing to business suits walking along the road, and a few of them had wandered into the forest just as Lachlan and Godrik had done.
“Her power is growing,” the dragon said. “I feel the urge to shift into my natural form even now.”
“The gate is in those woods.” Naida pointed across the road where Lachlan and Godrik had already disappeared. “It’s small, but it’s old. I don’t think anyone is guarding it.”
