Free Out of the Faold (Whilst Old Legends Fade Synchronicles) by Laura Abudo Page A

asked. “We don’t know how to get to Mount Sestra.”
    “I’m taki ng Horse. Make sure Glory is okay. S tay off the road.”
    Both girls nodded with tears in their eyes as Krisa galloped off, back to the south, a full day’s ride at least to the city an d help. Pearl climbed to watch.
    Karl emerged from the well dry and fine, standing on the edge in her bare feet, just as she had been standing before being pushed. She looked around her and found the world back to normal in full colour though the sky had darkened throwing strong shadows into the clearing. The chimes once again tinkled in the breeze. After pulling on her stockings and boots Karl sat down on the ground to get her bearings.
    She squeezed her knees and ankles with her hands, making sure she was whole again. Did she imagine it all? Was she hallucinating? Did she fall and hit her head? But she found no injuries or sore spots on her scalp. The pool, so blue and clear, contained no water. She had fallen in, felt not cold wetness but warmth and sweetness. It told her so much. She saw the women the girls would become…the girls!
    Brother Karl jumped up realizing the darkening sky meant she’d been gone almost the entire day. T hey had to be worried they had lost her. As she stepped beyond the chimes Karl met a racket of noises, of crying girls, of male voices calling out her name. She spun and found she wasn’t alone after all. All three girls stood in the clearing, tears running down their red faces as two of the Marsha lls searched through the trees.
    She felt guilty for causing them such distress but couldn’t help but call out, “Am I missing?”
    Glory screamed and the men faced her in shock. One whistled sharply br inging forth Kel from the path. They all j ust stared at her in disbelief.
    “I can’t explain where I have been,” she told them honestly. “But I have to show you.”
    “You were gone,” Krisa sobbed. “I couldn’t find you. I went to get them.”
    “You did the right thing, Krisa,” she told the girl. “Come with me. I will show you. Kel, I will take you next. Don’t fret. We will be right back. Krisa, take off your shoes and stockings.”
    She did as she was told. She held Karl’s hand. When they crossed in front of the tree with the wind chi mes that only Karl could see or hear they disappeared. The men jumped in surprise and Pearl and Glory both squealed in fear. They had to wait only moments before the two returned to visibility . Krisa had a big smile o n her face.
    “Oh, it’s marvelous,” she announced, giddy. “Go, Kel.”
    They all took turns going with Karl, beyond what they could see. Each stepped on to the rim of the well, received their instructions and fell into the depths only to emerge dry and happy. In silence, for none of them knew what to say or how to express what they felt, they returned to their camp and prepared to settle in for the night. Pat took up Krisa’s position in the tree, relieving her of her duties.
    “Doran and t he others will join us soon,” Kel told her when the girls finally fell asleep. “When we got word that you were leaving he tried to finish our work but he was delayed.”
    “I’m glad Krisa was able to reach you.”
    “That one is part Siri, I think,” he nodded at Krisa’s sleeping form.
    Karl stared at him in disbelief. The Siri were a forest people of the far northwest, from so far they claimed not to be part of Danycia at all. They had such a natural talent for disappearing among the trees, of stealth and cunning that nations of the past had used them as spies or assassins. They mostly kept to themselves preferring the cover of forests to open land. Karl had to admit to herself that Krisa had uncanny abilities at observation and could escape notice when she wanted to. But Siri?
    “Why do you say that?” she asked him.
    “Do you know how she got a message to Pat?”
    “No.”
    “He found her…no, she found him inside the Keep. She had passed four sets of Keep