Free Wind Rider by Teddy Jacobs Page A

the lips, but on my forehead, in the very
center, where my inner eye was blinding me. With my inner eye I saw her lips
come to me, as she spoke a word: beruhigen . Then I saw no more — the eye was closed.
    I had difficulty letting her go, and the whole
thing later was very embarrassing.
    Kara slapped me gently on the cheek. I looked at
her and saw her as I had before the sap had run through me. I let Ulrike go,
then, and she pushed away. The cousins were smiling at us, and everyone else
looking confused or amused.
    I realized that Ulrike had not closed my inner eye
but only calmed it. I could still see everyone’s auras, and the plant life that
glowed all around me. I could see now and think more clearly, and I realized I could
open the eye fully later, when needed. Perhaps later someone would teach me to
open and close it at will.
    So it is with our people when they convene with
the tree mother. Anders is the first male for many years, but I remember much
of the same feeling when I was chosen, last year.
    I thought I could see Kara’s face soften a little,
once she heard Ulrike’s thoughts, but she still seemed to scowl a little bit,
although everyone else seemed to find it amusing.
    Elias especially seemed in good cheer. You’d
best shield your thoughts for awhile, Anders. You’re likely to make one of
those two women angry, otherwise. Remember strong emotions leak more.
    I did feel embarrassed then. I had forgotten to
renew my orange sphere of protection. When I reimagined it, I saw a leaky dirty
brown sphere, little larger than my head, with cracks in it, from which
thoughts came out. I remade it larger, strong and brilliant orange, and doubled
it on the inside. And then I remembered to make it receptive to friendly
thoughts but not to intrusions.
    Elias smiled. Wow, Anders, the earth mother
must have strengthened you a bit. I don’t think anyone could pound their way
through that.

 

VII

 
    Ulrike’s sisters came to say
goodbye, and her Aunt was there to bid farewell to her cousins, loading the
twins and Ulrike and me with provisions for the next few days journey. Cullen, Woltan , Elias, and Kara had all been outfitted as well.
    Erik was there to hug his daughter, and his
nephews. Then he hugged Hans Arboris , and gave him a
great staff of living wood, at least six feet long, that the Tree Mother
herself had made for him. Hans started to weep, and he reached out and hugged
the trunk of the tree mother and her branches shuddered. I heard a great groan
that hurt me deep inside.
    Then, at last, we were walking, and Hans Arboris led us. The mossy road felt soft under my feet, and
I could feel the energy in the moss underneath. It was growing increasingly
dark, but the rain was gone, as if either nature or the dark lord had decided
to storm elsewhere. I walked in the back with Woltan and Kara. In front of us walked Elias and the smith, in front of them Ulrike
with her twin cousins on either side, following Hans.
    Woltan whispered then.
“We can all see the plants, can’t we? Even the moss on the road beneath us
lights the way.”
    I nodded. “It blinded and deafened me at first. I
expect Hans and Ulrike have similar gifts.”
    The smith spoke then. “I am surely the least
magical here, sire. But I can see the path as if it was painted with fireflies.
Like this we can walk all night.”
    Woltan shook his head.
“All night, no. But until we reach the mountains, yes. There we should find
shelter in a cave, and rest a while. Our slumber was short and sweet under the
protection of the tree mother, but we need more sleep if we are not to become
stumbling bumblers in the two days walk ahead.”
    Kara shook her head. “I am still a little lost
here. Perhaps when we reach the mountains all will come clear to me. But I
worry for the people you have left behind, Woltan .
What if the dark lord attacks while we lie taking a nap on this mountain?”
    “We lose time sleeping,” said Woltan .
“Or we lose time with