The next morning they all had breakfast together again.  Annabelle and Mary spent most of their time telling Kemp and Lakon to be careful, and to please hurry back soon.  Sharlett talked with Hrodgar, asking him questions about Ulfwyn and the Skytoucher mountains that were the highest in the known world.  Serra, however, was happily watching the byplay between Astrid and Sigwulf.  They seemed to be ignoring each other.  Serra nudged Astrid’s leg under the table.  Astrid looked at her.  Serra’s reply was to roll her eyes then nod her head at Sigwulf and back at Astrid, then to Sigwulf again, f

  It was still early morning when they reached the outskirts of Favorn Forest that appeared dark and foreboding.  The thick canopy allowed for little light to penetrate the gloom of the ancient forest.  Stories spoke of the tree canopy so old and thick that light shining through turned the visibility into a perpetual dusk.  It was said that in the deepest parts of the primordial forest light was never seen, and the forest floor appeared to be forever shrouded by night.  Strange insects and animals that were either sightless or cast an eerie glow were said to stalk within that place of forever night.Astrid watched a multicoloured butterfly flitter in and out of shards of light, dancing in the sun until it passed too close to a tree and the

  Lanex, the High Priest of the blood glorifying God Kalash, with the gold trim of his scarlet robes glittering in the candlelight, approached the sacrificial alter.  His heart was as dark as his ebony eyes and his soul was a thing of malevolence that glorified in blood and sacrifice.“It is time.  Bring forth a Lamorie,” he called in a sonorous voice.A Priestess scuttled away and retuned a few moments later with a beautiful young girl child with long dark hair and perfect features.  The child wore the thin sacrificial dress and had wide, luminously trusting brown eyes that sparkled with anticipation and devotion.  Lanex pointed to the blood stained alter.Breathing heavily with excitement and smiling with delight, sh

 Astrid seemed to hear a strange ringing in her ears as they entered the cave and tried to shake it away but it persisted. Tying her long hair back into a ponytail, keeping it away from her face she tried to ignore the ringing then saw Sigwulf staring at her chest where he had seen a faint glow being emitted from behind Astrid’s blouse.“Since when did you glow in the dark?”Astrid, finished with her hair and looked down.  She reached into her blouse and pulled out her amethyst pendant.  Still hanging off the gold chain around her neck, the semiprecious gem was glowing.“It’s not much,” Astrid replied, “but it’s just enough light to see by.”“Why is it doing that?”“I have no idea.  Somethin

She slapped his hand away as he reached for her.  To his horror she stood on the flagstone and calmly stepped onto another one.  She waited for a moment, then stepped onto another, moving slowly along the tunnel in front of the arrow holes.  She turned back to face him with a smile on her face.  The pendant was glowing brightly.“It glows brighter and pulls me towards the flagstones that are safe.  Follow me.”Sigwulf had no choice.  He stepped onto the first flagstone.  Nothing happened and no arrows riddled him with holes.  They cautiously made their way across, Sigwulf stepping o