“Be careful!” said Aunt Rose. “Magic in this day and age. Not that I’m complaining. Thank you for the help, my dear!”
Alison and Rinka made a bet on whether Brytak would manage to get a dance from Eloise at the wedding against Keir. (They both thought he’d manage it, but Keir thought he would blow it before then.)
It took them longer than expected to reach the next stranded travelers. It was nearly an hour before they found Gwenla’s cousin the industrialist dwarf Yordin, his wife Marna, and three of their children standing near a large carriage.
“Look, they’ve sent the bride and groom as a welcome party. And the future princess as well,” said Yordin, shaking their hands. They didn’t have to tell Yordin why they were there—Gwenla had let him know all about their magic when they were working on the power-savers that enabled the solar-generators to work even after the sun went down.
But their carriage driver was such a surprise, it took Alison a minute to recognize him. “Hyruk?”
The orc who drove the high-wheel carrier in Landsend had made it to Wilderise after all. “Hello, again,” he said to Alison. “I see you made it to the ferry alright coming back.”
“I did,” said Alison. “I see you did as well. What happened to the high-wheel carrier?” The strange carriage that he pulled with a pedal-cycle was nowhere to be seen. The carriage he was driving Yordin’s family in was pulled by horses.
“They’re down in Sudport. I’ve got a few more of them now, but I got a carriage for longer rides in winter when business is slow. Although I heard a rumor they’re building a manufactory up here. I might bring the high-wheelers up here. They’re better in these hills. Although maybe what I ought to get is a sleigh for all this ice.”
Alison cleared the large patch of it from the hillside as everyone looked on. This time, she drew on Keir and Rinka for support.
“Whoa!” said Hyruk, calming the horses as the first blast of fire hit the hill. Keir and Rinka’s power was a lot for her to control—it was less like the delicate candle flames she made on her own and more like an explosion.
“I’ll help you, darling,” said Keir, taking her hand, his voice a little shaky.
“Sorry,” said Alison. She hadn’t meant to scare everyone. With Keir’s help, the next blast was much more controlled. In no time at all, they had cleared the path.
“Did you pass anyone else?” asked Alison when they were done.
“No,” said Hyruk. “We were the last ones leaving Fossholm. They were still waiting on the prince in Sudport when we left. I can’t imagine they made it to Fossholm last night being that far behind us.”
Rinka rubbed her gloved hands together nervously.
“I’m sure he’s alright,” said Alison. “Let’s keep going to Fossholm. They’re probably waiting in town for the roads to thaw.”
The sun was nearly overhead by the time they’d reached Fossholm, and most of the ice was gone from the road even without Alison’s fire. They’d passed more traffic—foot and horse—on the road, but no sign of Idris or any of the rest of the crew from Winwold.
“Over there!” someone yelled from the road that turned off to Weldan House. They looked where he was pointing; Rinka saw them first.
“It’s Ceri!” she said. Alison and Keir couldn’t see the white dragon against the blue sky at such a distance, but they believed her. “Oh Gods, she’s carrying someone. And is that…?”
She burst into laughter. “Oh, he’s going to be irate about this indignity.”
“What is it?” asked Alison.
“You’ll see in a minute.”
Rinka waved her arms up at Ceri. Alison had no idea how Ceri could make her out from such a distance, but the dragon clearly was capable of it because she came in for a landing just a short time later.
As they grew closer, Alison saw what Rinka meant. Ceri was clutching Leo in her talons, and Idris was riding on her back.
And as they grew even closer, she could hear him shouting. “You’re coming in too hot. Slow down. SLOW DOWN, YOU MANIAC!”
The “landing” was a bit more like a “crashing.” Ceri’s white wings tumbled into a shaded snowbank while the long limbs of her brother Idris and her partner Leo went flailing up around her.
“Are you alright?” said Keir, rushing over to help them. He pulled Idris to his feet while Ceri shifted back into her human form to help Leo.
“Sorry, darling,” said the petite silver-haired princess as she picked him up off the ground. “I haven’t landed with anyone in a while.”
“I’m no worse for wear,” said Leo, unbending his spectacles and removing the scarf that had been covering his face. The elf’s cloak appeared ripped to Alison, but Leo quickly tucked it behind him to keep it from Ceri.
“I told you to slow down. You’re lucky we weren’t killed,” said Idris.
