Annie Hayden's Arc

Chapter 4 of 27

Annie started down the mountain with the flower cupped against her chest. The fox trotted beside her, its flaming tail lighting the steps. The wind had died. For the first time all day, she felt safe. She did not know something had been following them. Since the fox appeared, a shape had trailed them through the rocks, drawn to the heat. It kept low. It kept quiet. It watched Annie and saw thin arms, soft skin, and no claws. It saw an easy meal. The steps flattened where the slope eased. Snow crunched behind her. Annie stopped. The fox went stiff, ears back. She turned. A panther stood on the path. Its black fur swallowed the light, but a strip along its back shimmered like cracked glass. Its yellow eyes fixed on her. It crouched, muscles bunching. Then it sprang. Annie screamed and fell backward. She had no magic. She had nothing. She threw an arm up over her face and waited for the weight of it. It never landed. Something huge crashed between them. A white stag reared over her, hooves flashing. Its coat shone with faint rainbow light. On its back sat a man. He was tall, with dark hair and skin the color of oak. A dark crystal hung on a chain against his forehead. His coat was made for the cold, trimmed in gray fur. His icy blue eyes never left the panther. He lifted one hand. Frost cracked from his fingers and hit the panther in the chest. It yowled and skidded back. The stag drove forward, antlers down. The man spoke a low word, and a wall of ice spat up from the snow. The panther slammed into it, snarled, and bolted into the dark. The steps went quiet. Annie sat frozen, her breath ragged. The fox pressed to her side. The man swung down from the stag and crouched before her. Up close, his face was calm, almost gentle. "You are far from anything that can help you," he said. His voice was quiet. "And you carry no magic. I felt it the moment I saw you." Annie found her voice. "You saved me." She swallowed. "Thank you. Who are you?" He stood and offered a hand. She took it and rose. His grip was cool. "Names have weight here," he said. "I would not give mine to a stranger on a mountain." "Then how do I thank you?" A faint smile crossed his mouth. "Get down alive." He looked at the fox, then at the flower glowing in her hand. Something flickered in his eyes. Interest, or worry. He did not say which. He climbed onto the stag. "That creature keeps you warm," he said. "But warmth draws hunters. You will need more than a fox soon." The stag turned and stepped into the trees. "Wait," Annie called. He was already gone. She stood alone with the fox, the flower, and a warning she did not understand.