Page 90 of Echoes of the Raven
Before I can blink, Rífíor leaps, propelling himself off the ground as if on springs. Stuck in a time bubble, I watch him fly through the air, sword poised to cut the sorcerer down.
Calierin springs into action next, followed by Kadewyn.
Gods!
I can’t let this happen. If I do, there’s no telling who will be dead or alive in the end. Gripping The Eldrystone so hard my fingers ache, I pour all of my will into a command.
“STOP!”
The guardias, who have only begun to draw their swords, halt mid-maneuver. The horses freeze, their mouths open in a silent cry as spurs dig into their sides. Mouth falling open in horror, I watch as the skin of our pursuers begins to change color, turning gray.
I shake my head, convinced I’m imagining things. This isn’t—
As if he’s hit an invisible wall, Rífíor plummets to the ground with a heavy thud, his forward trajectory coming to a sudden stop. He growls and twists in pain, the sword falling from his hand.
“Mallachtdorch!” Kadewyn curses and rushes to Rífíor’s side. “What is wrong? Gods, your arm!”
There’s no answer from Rífíor, only more growling.
Kadewyn glances up at me, an accusation in his expression.
Stillclutching The Eldrystone, I take two steps closer, afraid of what I’ll see. Rífíor’s teeth are bared, his strong features twisted up in agony. With monumental effort, he moves his arm to show me what I’ve done.
From his elbow to the tips of his fingers, his skin is gray and rough. As I stare, the color travels upward, reaching for his biceps. He twists and groans like a wounded beast. I don’t know what to make of what I’m seeing. My mind stutters as my eyes dance between the frozen guardias and Rífíor.
I fall to my knees next to him.
“You turned them to stone,” Calierin says in awe, poking one of the horses’ snouts.
Kadewyn curses, sounding angry rather than shocked this time. “Do something!”
Jolted by his cry, I swiftly take hold of Rífíor’s stiff hand and squeeze it in mine. I close my eyes and think of his fingers, moving and healthy. An image of his hands caressing my body surges in my memory. The heat of shame rises up my neck, and I start to suppress the memory.
Rífíor’s eyes roll in the back of his head as his entire arm turns gray.
“You are killing him!” Kadewyn stomps a foot, lashing out.
In desperation, I let the memories of the other night flood me, reliving, in my mind’s eye, the way his rough, calloused hands brought me to ecstasy with their gentle touch. My eyes close of their own accord. The Eldrystone grows warm, and in the next instant, Rífíor’s hardened fingers turn supple.
His groans of pain stop, and a natural color slowly returns to his skin. Wincing, he holds out his hand and flexes his fingers.
Overwhelmed, I push away from him, standing and fearfully lifting my eyes to the petrified guards. Teniente Coronel Toromayor’s blade is only halfway out, and her mouth is open in a mute cry. The sorcerer—Galen, Rífíor called him—has his hands up, twisted in the weaving of an incomplete spell.
Each faceis carved in stone, grimaces and cries frozen… Forever?
Gods!I look at Rífíor, at his now-functional hand. No… not forever. I can undo it.
I take a step toward Teniente Coronel Toromayor. “I can… fix this.”
Rífíor steps in front of me and shakes his head. “You stopped them. Now, we can keep going.”
My head spins, and I let go of the amulet, horrified by what I’ve done. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”
“You could have fooled me,” Calierin says, her violet eyes watching me with interest and cunning.
For some reason, I suddenly think of Jago saying we should stay together. Why did I leave the troop? I shouldn’t be with these three. One of them lied to me for weeks, another one tortured me, and the other did absolutely nothing about it.
“We should go back to the troop,” I say.
