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  When we reach the threshold, I freeze. For the first time I can see outside the cave, and I’m totally freaked. It’s daylight, but there’s no visible sun in the sky. In fact there is no sky at all—just a swirling, shimmering, silvery mass high above my head.

  The lushness of the land is astonishing. Steep hills tangled with vegetation slope gracefully into a wide valley splashed with colorful wildflowers. Blossoming trees line a dirt lane adjacent to a rushing creek that churns up foam across slick black and gray stones. Everything is lit from within by a supernatural silvery light. I’m rooted to the ground, dazed and disbelieving. My original thought that I’d died and gone to heaven is momentarily revived until Amazon Girl shoves me again, hard.

  “Keep walking,” she barks.

  “Get the hell away from me!” I bat her arm down.

  She reaches for her sword, but Blackthorn catches her hand before she can unsheathe it.

  “Catherine! Don’t be reckless. Go find your horse.” She jerks away from his grasp and tramps off.

  Horse? Oh crap. Ahead I see the others sitting astride horses waiting for us. I turn to Blackthorn. “You’re kidding right? You guys kidnapped me on horseback?” Then something pings in the back of my mind. The riders in the storm. A shard of memory slides into place.

  Blackthorn takes my elbow and guides me to a terrifyingly enormous gray stallion. The horse stomps and snorts impatiently, but calms immediately at Blackthorn’s touch. I’ve never been so close to an animal this huge. Someone the size of Blackthorn probably needs a monster charger like this one, but it scares the hell out of me.

  “Mount up,” he says.

  “Huh?”

  “As you have lost your mount, you will ride with me.”

  “I’m not getting on that thing.”

  “Yes, you are.” His voice leaves no room for argument.

  “Fine! But how am I supposed to do that? Do you have a ladder?”

  He raises his eyes heavenward for a moment. Then he grabs me around my waist, swings my legs up, and unceremoniously shoves my butt into the saddle. He climbs up behind me, taking the horse’s reins in his right hand.

  “We have a long journey ahead of us, which will pass more agreeably for you if you cooperate,” he says, urging the horse forward onto the dirt road. The others fall into step behind.

  “Where are you taking me?” I ask.

  “I’ve arranged comfortable quarters for you in Unicoi.”

  “Where’s Unicoi? Are we still in Connecticut?”

  He sighs. “I fear the blow to your head has left you a bit muddled, Princess ... er, Jaden. I am sorry for that. I am certain you will recover yourself soon enough.”

  I sure as hell hope he’s right because at the moment it’s like I’ve fallen down the rabbit-hole, and I’m wondering how in the world I’ll ever get out again.

  We ride along in silence for a time, and the steady cadence of the horse’s gait calms my jangled nerves a bit. I goggle at the spectacular scenery, searching for clues to my whereabouts. The air is warm and sweet with spring perfume. Flowers in carnival colors blanket the hillsides. Fallen saffron-colored petals from hundreds of blossoming trees carpet the path before us. It reminds me a little of the road to Oz.

  After several miles, though, the lavish green hills and blooming valleys give way to a thick, piney forest and rockier terrain. The rushing creek narrows into a small brook that trundles crookedly alongside the roadway.

  My mind gradually accepts that this is not the Connecticut countryside. Nothing is familiar to me. The land is primitive and unspoiled—not a building, paved street, or telephone pole in sight. They must have taken me to another state or country while I was out cold. Could be another planet, for all I know.

  Cranky Catherine pulls her animal alongside ours, and though her horse is smaller than the gray monstrosity Blackthorn calls Tenasi, it falls easily into step with us. “There is so much waste here,” she says, gazing at the countryside. “This land should be farmed or settled or put to good purpose. Instead it lies fallow and useless, all for the selfish pleasure of the queen.” She shoots me a ferocious sneer and I recoil.

  “That’s enough Catherine,” Blackthorn says. “Jaden is to be treated with the respect she is due. I’ll not have you taunting her. We will soon have our audience with the queen.”

  Catherine huffs off on her pony and rejoins the others.

  Soon the path becomes steep and gouged with ruts. Our horse stumbles slightly. Blackthorn wraps his free arm tightly around my waist to secure me in place. This simple gesture has a profoundly unsettling effect on me. I’m intimidated by the man—his arm is powerful, hard with muscle, and I’m his unwilling prisoner. But his body is warm next to mine and his scent surrounds me—a pleasant mixture of soap, leather, and sweat. His protective embrace feels strangely comforting and oddly intimate under the circumstances. It occurs to me that if he wasn’t in the process of kidnapping me, I’d feel a strong attraction for this man. It troubles me to realize maybe I’m drawn to him anyway.

  Oh God, I hope I’m not developing some “Stockholm Syndrome” crush. I don’t need that kind of weirdness on top of everything else.

  The road evens out again and Blackthorn loosens his hold, but still keeps his arm around my waist. I wonder what will happen when he finally figures out my mom really is dead. Will he take his anger out on me? Will he abandon me in some dank isolated cave? The thought makes me shiver.

  “Are you cold?” he asks.

  I suck in a shaky breath. “No, I’m scared. I don’t know what you plan to do with me, and I want to go home.”

  “It is not my preference to place you in the midst of all this. Perhaps this is not the best manner in which to resolve my issues with your mother, but we have exhausted all diplomatic avenues and precious little time remains.” He pauses and adds more gently, “You have nothing to fear from me. I truly regret you are injured and frightened.”

  Something in his voice convinces me he’s being straight. I shift in the saddle so I can see his face. “Please take me home.”

  He refuses to look at me. “All in good time,” he whispers, urging the horse forward.

  * * *

  As night falls, the road grows narrower, and with no moon or stars shining above us, it soon becomes difficult to see. Blackthorn commands the party to stop. The men climb from their horses and unpack small lanterns from the saddle bags. The lanterns shine with a yellowish light similar to the glowing rocks from the cave. They hook the lanterns to the front of their horses’ harnesses like single headlights and we set off again—Blackthorn and I in the lead, the others in single file behind us. The night is still and silent except for the gentle clop of our horses’ hooves.

  After a mile or so Blackthorn pulls up on Tenasi’s reins and holds up a hand, bringing the others to halt. He listens for a moment and climbs down from the horse.

  “Stay where you are,” he says to me, unhooking the lantern. He disappears up the trail.

  After about ten minutes he returns, silently signaling his men to join him on the ground. They form a huddle.

  I don’t know what in the hell is going on here, but no one is paying any attention to me, so I consider my chances of escape. There’s no way I can ride off on this horse by myself, but if I can slip off his back without killing myself, I may be able to sneak away in the darkness. I glance over my shoulder, but that Ralston guy is staring straight at me, so I decide to stay put… for now.

  I strain to hear what Blackthorn is saying. “A group of a dozen or so patrols has stopped to rest ahead,” he tells his men quietly. “I see no way to avoid them. We will have to render them ineffective. Catherine, you remain with Jaden. The rest of you, come with me.”

  Catherine clutches Blackthorn’s arm. “I will not stay behind with her. I am part of this mission. I came for the sake of my country. Tell Ralston to remain with her. I do not understand why you allowed him to come along anyway. He is a teacher not a warrior, and he’s not e
ven Unicoi.”

  “Must you always be so obstinate?” Blackthorn says.

  “Only when combat is involved.” She grins.

  “Very well.” He turns to find Ralston. “Will you please remain with the Princess, Professor? We shall return soon.”

  The warriors quietly thread their way into the trees, and Ralston silently motions for me to climb down from the horse. I fall on my butt clambering off the overgrown beast, and Ralston frowns at all the noise I’m making.

  “Shh,” he says, pulling the saddle bags from the back of his horse and slinging them across his shoulders. He takes my arm and leads me off the trail a few yards to the edge of a large meadow.

  “Once the fighting has begun, run straight for that herd of animals on the other side of this field,” he whispers, pointing across the clearing. I can barely see the outline of the herd.

  “The animals and the darkness will provide cover for us. I know of a cave in that rocky hill just behind the herd. We will be safe there until I can transport you home.”

  “Okay. But what is Blackthorn doing? Are they just going to kill all those men?”

  “Of course not. They’re not savages. They’re going to disarm them and take their horses so they can’t follow. The whole thing will take a matter of minutes. The Unicoi warriors are larger and considerably better skilled than the Royal Guard, so we must hurry.”

  “But—”

  “Shh.” He shakes his head. “Wait for my signal.”

  I don’t know this guy from Adam, but I’m guessing I’ll have an easier time escaping from him than from the others, so I decide to go along with his plan. I mean, how dangerous can a guy be who brews his own chamomile tea?

  A blood-curdling battle whoop cuts through the night from the direction of Blackthorn and his men. I nearly leap out of my skin. Sounds of clanging metal and ferocious shouts ring out into the night. Ralston nudges me with his shoulder. “Now!” he says.

  I run. Instinctively I run away from the sounds of the violence. I run faster than I’ve ever run before. Sharp rocks bite into the thin soles of the odd boots I’m wearing, bruising my feet. My heart pounds wildly, and my lungs scream for air.

  When we finally reach the outside edge of the herd, we’re assaulted by a sickeningly sweet, fetid stench so strong it almost knocks me to the ground. Ralston takes my wrist and pulls me behind one of the animals.

  “Put your sleeve over your nose, and breathe through your mouth,” he says, demonstrating with his sleeve.

  “What’s that smell?” I cough, trying not to gag, as we snake our way through the grazing animals.

  “It’s the fargen.”

  “The what?”

  “These beasts. They’re fargen.”

  For the first time I focus on the odd animals we’re hiding among. They look like a cross between wooly mammoths and Texas Longhorns—enormous and ugly. Their coats are matted dreadlocks, so long that they brush the ground. Cruel-looking, curved horns perch on either side of their fat heads. They stink something fierce. Like a porta-potty stuffed with rotting garbage and rolled in cow manure. I pull down the bottom of my sleeve, clamping it over my nose to filter the stench.

  “Careful where you step.” Ralston points to a massive pile of dung. “It’s slippery.”

  We make our way quickly to the back of the herd while the peculiar animals graze serenely, oblivious to our presence. Once we reach the rocky prominence, Ralston says, “The cave is about halfway up. Follow me.”

  He begins to scale the steep hillside, holding onto bushes and finding footholds in the rocks.

  “I can’t do this,” I say.

  “Yes you can. It’s easier than it looks. Come on.”

  I grab a sturdy looking bush and hoist myself up. It isn’t easier than it looks. In fact, I expect to fall to my death at any minute. I lose my foothold several times, cut my palm on a sharp stone, and rip a couple of nice new holes in my flimsy leather pants. Finally, I make it to the ledge where Ralston crouches, waiting for me.

  “I can’t go any farther,” I wheeze, completely gassed.

  “It’s all right. We’re here.”

  FIVE

  Ralston quickly locates the opening of the cave, even though it’s entirely obscured by a thick growth of bushes. He rearranges the foliage after helping me inside. The cave is inky-black and smells like Drew’s running shoes on a Friday afternoon. I stay perfectly still, disoriented in the darkness. Ralston fumbles with the saddlebags and pulls out one of the glowing rocks.

  “You have to be careful how you handle these,” he says, deftly removing the leather wrapping. “They can burn you if you touch the middle part barehanded.”

  The rock gives off some illumination, and I can see that this cave is similar to the one we’ve just come from. A few stone benches are carved out of the walls. A rock pit sits in the middle of the floor. Everything is grimy and covered with about six inches of crud.

  “What is this place?” I ask.

  “It was once a hunting camp, but no one has been here for years. These lands belong to the Crown now.”

  “The Crown? What do you mean? Where are we?”

  “Jaden, I’m certain you have many questions. I’ll answer them as best I can, but let’s set up our camp first. We’re going to be here all night.”

  “All night!”

  “Yes, unless you want to meet up with Blackthorn and his men again. They will be scouring the hills for you by now. Once it begins to get light, they’ll be forced to flee to Wall’s Edge or risk being captured.” Squatting in front of the pit where he placed the glowing rock, he pulls his saddlebags close to him, rummaging through the contents.

  “Do you have a cell phone in there? We can call my dad. He’ll send help.”

  He shakes his head. “Sadly, no. But it would be of no use here anyway.”

  “No bars, huh?” I scan the area looking for a spot to sit that isn’t covered with layers of muck. My head is pounding again, and I realize I haven’t eaten since—well since I don’t remember when.

  “I’ll make tea, while you roll out the bedrolls,” he says, handing me two foam-like cylinders. He fills the teapot from his canteen, carefully balancing the pot on the flat center of the glowing rock.

  “Now let’s see what we have to eat,” he says, dipping back into the bag. “I have some bread, cheese, and a few pommeras. That should get us through until morning.”

  “Why are you helping me?” I ask, laying out the bedrolls on two stone benches. Each roll has a foam pad and a light blanket.

  “Ah, now that is the quintessential question, my dear. Within it is the key to this entire dilemma. Sit down, and I’ll tell you over tea.”

  “I’m not in a tea party mood,” I say. “I’m scared, I’m tired, and I want to go home.”

  “Yes, I know. But I’m afraid we’re stuck here for awhile, so we should make ourselves comfortable.” He takes his sweet time steeping the tea and decanting it ceremoniously into our cups. I stifle the urge to scream at him to haul ass.

  We sit next to each other on the dirty ground. He clinks his tin cup with mine. “To new adventures,” he says with a smile.

  I sip at my tea, while Ralston sets out napkins. He divides the bread, cheese, and the weird things called pommeras between us. I pick up a pommera. It looks a little like an apple but feels more like a peach. The skin is a light pink, but when Ralston cuts one in half, the inside is blood- red. I cautiously take a small bite. It is unquestionably the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. I quickly devour it, seeds and all.

  “Now, where shall we begin,” he says while I eat. “Ah, yes, you would like to know why I’m helping you. The simple answer is that I am a Senior Guidance Agent with the Inter-Universal Guidance Agency, or IUGA for short. As such, my assignments take me wherever the greatest need exists, to ensure the orderly unfolding of events in my designated sector. At the moment, that is right here. I’ve been assigned to assist in returning you home as quickly as possible.�
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  “What?” Pommera juice trickles down my chin and I swipe it with my hand. “You’re like in law enforcement or something?”

  “In a manner of speaking, yes. Actually, I’m more of an order enforcement agent.”

  “I don’t get it. I’ve never heard of IUGA.”

  “No, you wouldn’t have. It’s not an earth-established agency. You see Jaden, you’re not at home any longer. You’ve been… well, shifted to another realm, so to speak. Actually, you have been diverted to a different world.”

  I squint at him. “Okay. Is this still part of your little role-playing game where you and a bunch of your really big, scary friends get together on your horses and try to capture the princess? Because I still don’t understand.”