“Oh, Amara,” my grandmother exclaimed in dismay, “what if the mountain starts rumbling again?”
“Then I'll be in the perfect place to calm it.”
“But you're drained,” Everan pointed out stiffly. “You won't be able to calm it.”
“I feel much better now,” I protested. “I always recover faster here.”
Everan sighed and grumbled, “Because Danu revives you. Very well, we shall go and see this cave.”
“I will accompany you,” my grandfather declared.
My grandmother paled.
“Father, why don't I go in your stead?” Uncle Nial offered. “That way, you'll be here in case another issue arises.”
King Benalt grimaced but conceded the point. “Very well. But you will take several knights with you and you will update me frequently.”
“Of course,” Nial agreed.
Every knight had a communication device embedded in his or her armor. The way Nial grinned at me told me that he knew his father was more concerned about their ability to report back to him than in the backup they'd provide us. After all, it was unlikely that we'd be attacked in the cave. At least not by other Danutians; the mountain was our greatest threat.
Chapter Seven
We made it into the carriage this time. On my way to it, I noted the new lake beneath the bridge. The snow had already melted and filled the chasm with water. I glanced at the snow still crowning the Vicanesse Range and hoped it stayed put.
Master Erlandral joined my uncle Nial, Everan, and I in the carriage. He had offered to be our guide and I thought it was brave of him to return to the place where he was nearly entombed. Commander Fabin also joined us but he was riding a charger at the head of the unit of knights who were our escort. They took lead and rear, with our carriage in the middle.
We drove fairly quietly across the bridge and through the pass beyond—Danutians engines don't emit much noise and absolutely no toxic fumes. Sheer rock bordered the road for several feet but then opened up to present a stunning view of a forested landscape. We took a sloping road down to the forest, then straight into it. The trees closed around and over us to dapple the sunlight into shades of gold and green. I leaned toward the window to watch the trees pass by. This forest looked similar to the one in the South—trees of various sizes, sporadic flowers in vibrant colors, and the occasional exotic animal. Kolltean didn't make an appearance but something else caught my eye.
“Stop the carriage!” I shouted as I straightened in my seat.
The carriage stopped abruptly but smoothly, forcing the chargers behind us to stop as well. The knights ahead of us weren't as fast to respond; they left a gap several feet long between us. I jumped out of the carriage with Everan, Nial, and Erlandral hot on my heels.
“What is it?” Everan asked as he chased me.
“Trees,” I called back.
He didn't say anything snarky to that, just trusted me to lead him to whatever the hell I was talking about. I came to a stop before a few slender trees and the men behind me made various sounds of dismay.
“Shriveled trees,” I clarified with a wave of my hand.
The entire group of trees looked like wrung-out towels. They had vertical runnels in their trunks and their branches hung limply around them like those of a weeping willow. The leaves had fallen off those sad branches and littered the forest floor in distinct rings around the tree roots.
I switched to my second sight to take a better look. Around me, the forest teamed with magic. Plant auras billowed out in glittering clouds to merge with those of their neighbors. I expected to see that yellow again but it wasn't there. I did see some other shades of yellow, more sulfur than neon, indicating worry. The forest was worried and the cause was evident. The shriveled trees had no asha—nothing at all. They appeared to be alive but in magical terms, they were dead.
“They've been drained,” I whispered in horror.
“Drained?” Master Erlandral stepped up beside me and held out his hand, trailing it over the slim trunks. His face went white. “Oh, great Kolltean, defend us! There is no magic in these trees.”
“What do you mean?” Nial asked.
“Queen Amaranthine is right.” Erlandral turned to face the other men. “The trees have been drained of all magic. They've been sucked dry.”
“How?” Everan murmured as he looked the trees over. He lifted a limp branch and rubbed it between his fingers.
“Could Danu be losing its magic?” I asked.
The knights, including their commander, had gathered behind us. Several of them gasped at my question.
