Rebel Angels

"Hush!" I say. In my hand, the amulet's glow has softened to a flickering glimmer, and then it's out like a candle snuffed."It's gone out."

"Well, that's a fine thing! Now how will we get back?" Ann mumbles.

The red moon bleeds through the spindly, stripped branches, casting long shadows.

"We'll use the moonlight. Keep walking," I say. Why has the amulet stopped working?

"Gracious, what is that smell?" Felicity asks.

The wind moves this way, and I smell it too. A smell like disease and filth. A smell like death. A breeze pushes down the corridor of trees from behind us, rustling our satins and silks. It is more substantial than a puff of wind. It is an announcement. Something's coming.

Ann's got her hand to her nose and mouth. "Oh, that is truly beastly."

"Shhhh!" I say.

"What?" Pippa asks. "Do you hear that?"

Riders. They're coming fast. A cloud of dust looms. They'll overtake us in a moment. The corridor ahead seems to stretch on for a mile. Can we squeeze through the spaces between the trees? The gaps are but slivers of light, too narrow to allow any of us to pass.

"Where've you gone?" Pippa asks, looking about.

"What do you mean? We're right here," Felicity says.

"I can't see any of you!"

The paint! It's keeping us hidden somehow." The paint protects us. They can't see us."

"What about me?" Pippa asks, examining her hands, which are quite visible. "Oh, God!" She sounds desperate, and I don't know what to do to help her. The riders come into view-- skeletal wraiths twisted beyond whatever human form they once had. And behind them looms a figure of such terror--a hideous thing with giant, tattered wings and a mouth of long, pointed teeth. Flaps of flesh still cling to them in places. It has no eyes. But it sniffs the air, hunting for us. I know what it is, for I've faced one before. It's a tracker, the sort employed by Circe.

It sniffs in our direction. Its odor is enough to make me gag. I fight against it.

"You there," the dark spirit howls, and for a moment I think he has found us."You have not passed, spirit?"

"M-me?" Pippa says."I--I . . ."

The thing's mouth drools in slick, slimy ribbons. Oh, Pip! I want to save her but I'm frightened, unable to give up the safety of my invisibility. The horrid creature sniffs the air.

"Ah, I can smell them. Living things. The priestess has been here. Have you seen her?"

Pippa shakes."N-no," she whispers.

The beast moves closer to her. Its voice is a growl laced with the despair of a thousand souls. "You would not lie to us, would you?" Pippa opens her mouth but no words come.

"No matter. We shall find her eventually. My mistress is seeing to it. And when she has the Temple, the balance of power shall fall to the Winterlands at last." He moves closer to Pippa, showing a terrible grin."Ride with us. You can share in our victory. Whatever you wish can be yours. Such a pretty pet. Ride with us."

That face is so very close to Pippa's lovely cheek. There's a rock beneath my boot. Carefully, I reach down and fling it across the lane. The tracker's massive head swivels in that direction. The wraiths howl and shriek.

"They are still near. They have some magic working for them. I can feel it. I'm sure we shall meet again, my pet. Ride!" With that, they race screaming into the corridor. We stand without moving or speaking until the ground has settled and the wind is no more.

"Are you all right, Pip?" Felicity cries.

"Y-yes. I think so," she says. "I still can't see you. I wonder why it didn't work on me?"

Yes, I wonder too. It hides what must be hidden and reveals what must be seen. Why would Pippa not need to be hidden, unless she already has protection in the realms? No, Pippa is nothing like that thing. That is what my head says. But in my heart is another, terrible thought: Soon, she might be.

"I want to leave this place at once," Ann says.

We walk quickly and quietly, as Asha advised. When we reach the end of the corridor, the amulet sputters to life in my hands.

"It's back!" I say. I move it about. It glows strongest on my left."This way!"

Soon, we see the frayed edge of the golden sunset that marks the realm of the garden. By the time we reach the silver archway and the river, we're visible once more.

Pippa's shaking all over. "That creature ... so horrible."

"Are you certain you're all right?" I ask. She nods."Gemma," she says, biting her lip,"what shall happen once you find the Temple?"