Blood and Snow 7: Seal of Gabriel Read Free Page B

harm?”
    He glanced back, and then said, “To the body, no. But the mind…” He let his words trail off. “They are excellent at getting inside here.” He pointed at his head. “They spin tales you can’t help but believe. Until it’s too late.”
    “What do you mean?” I asked. We were walking , and the more I knew the better. Though I knew the phantoms couldn’t bother me, I whispered to Ryden, “Plug your ears.”
    “On it.”
    Veb said, “Three full moons ago, a couple of humans stumbled into the forest by accident. They had a measure of magic, though they didn’t know it, but it was enough that the trees within our forest opened to them. Within moments of entering, their minds were altered. The phantoms twisted the thoughts of the humans, made them believe they were on a boat, stranded at sea. For days they rowed, until the female died.”
    “Why didn’t you meet them as they entered, the way you did with us?” Had they wanted the humans to suffer? Some of the magical creatures believed humans to be less than the animals.
    “They had magic, but it wasn’t enough to alert us. The magic you and the others possess is much stronger, so we keep the phantoms at bay. We sensed you way before you crossed into our domain.”
    I huffed internally. If what they said was true, then Ryden should be okay. Still, I hoped she kept her ears plugged. Pushing down a retort, I asked, “What happened to the man? Did he escape?”
    “We found the male, about to expire, and asked what his business within the forest was. He said he didn’t know. Asked me if I was an angel come to take him to Heaven.
    ‘No,’ I replied.
    ‘Then how do you walk on the water?’ he asked with weary shock.
    ‘There is no water. Is that what you see?’
    ‘Yes. It’s very deep. Sirens circle the boat, whispering that I should jump. Telling me to join them at the bottom of the sea. But I can’t. My wife, I can’t leave her.’
    We calmed him and took him to the Healers, but he died anyway.” Veb shrugged.
    The story saddened me. It could have been Gabriel, before he became a vampire, who stumbled into the forest.
    “There are other stories if you’d like to hear them,” Veb continued.
    “No thank you. Perhaps silence is better.” I searched the forest for any sign of a phantom. The only movement was an occasional falling pinecone. “Can’t we go any faster?” I asked, frustrated the elves couldn’t fly or move at incredible speeds the way vampires could.
     

Chapter 5
     
    “Almost there,” Veb said, stepping off the worn dirt path. He and his fellow guard wound us through ferns toward what I thought was an arbitrary tree. Its trunk was wider than I was tall. Veb touched the tree slightly, and whispered something. I watched, curious. The bark on the tree folded in on itself, revealing an entrance.
    Ryden and I inhaled simultaneously.
    “Right this way.” Veb presented the opening to us, his hand beckoning. I hesitated, but could sense no danger. The other guard wearing black entered the tree trunk. A large orb of light seemed to swallow him, and he disappeared.
    I’d heard elves travelled on light. Since I never spent any time, other than occasionally at the Council Meeting, with elves, I doubted the whisperings were true. Now I could see it was a fact.
    “Please, this passage will take us directly to Crystal City.”
    Not wanting the elves to know I was nervous, I moved to the opening. “Is there anything I need to do? I’m not an elf,” I said glaring, making myself appear confident.
    “Travelling by light will not harm you, Silindra.”
    I nodded, hoping they didn’t hear me gulp.
    “Might as well get it over with,” Ryden whispered.
    I stepped into the trees’ trunk. Several things happened at once. A whoosh sounded in my ears, as though I were travelling at an extremely rapid rate. There was a pulling. The scent of daffodils filled my nose, and a tingling sensation started at the tip of my head, ran down my