Enchanted in Time (Enchanted After Thirty #1)

Chapter 24

24

T he sun had long since passed its zenith as Irmgard galloped into a large clearing. A dense veil of luminous white mist was drifting over it. It shone as though it harbored the greatest of riches, and it cast a bright glow on the tall, dark spruces that surrounded it.

Hannah recalled the mist she had seen when Irmgard first came galloping toward her, and she wondered if the herd of unicorns was hidden in the misty swaths. She thought of the autumn fog that always drifted across the fields near her town. Were there unicorns roaming about in that mist as well?

The closer they trotted, the more agitated the mist became until it finally withdrew to a corner of the clearing. A single cloud of mist broke off from the dense swaths and floated toward them. Shortly before it reached them, the mist dispersed, and a unicorn appeared. It was just as splendid and radiant as Irmgard. With an arrogant gesture, it raised its muzzle and gazed sternly down upon them with its bright blue eyes.

“What are you doing here, Irmgard? We were under the impression that you’re no longer interested in being a part of this herd!” Its voice was just as melodious as Irmgard’s, but it sounded imperious and unyielding.

Irmgard snorted. “Just because I’m out roaming about, Edeltraud, doesn’t mean I’m no longer part of this herd!”

Edeltraud the unicorn snorted, and it sounded like a scornful laugh. Then her gaze fell upon Hannah. “What do you think you’re doing bringing a human here?”

“We need to speak with you. It’s about a very important matter.”

“Is this a trick to try to sneak your way back into the herd without fulfilling the mission you promised to do?”

Irmgard flashed a look of anger at the unicorn. “I have no intention of sneaking back into the herd. I will not return until I’ve fulfilled my mission! And once it’s done, I’ll return to you with my head held high and not by way of a back alley.”

“A back alley?” Edeltraud snorted.

“Back door,” Hannah quickly threw in, correcting Irmgard’s term. “We need your help,” she added, seizing the moment now that the noble creature’s icy blue eyes were focused on her. “The Evil is gaining strength from day to day and spreading throughout this beautiful forest. We want to free the lost soul that’s giving it its power. The region would become more peaceful again, and you could stay—you wouldn’t have to move away!”

Edeltraud snorted in amusement. “And how do you propose to achieve that? With a forgetful unicorn and a human woman?”

“Please!” Hannah pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her chest. “Let us speak with the herd. We’re in need of your knowledge. We have to find a way to free the soul. So much depends on it.”

“What are you saying? What has happened?”

“Edeltraud, the prince has been cursed,” Irmgard interjected.

“That was to be expected. The curse has been hovering over the royal house of von Lichtenberg for decades. And since Prince Maximilian only wished to marry for love and could not bring himself to marry just any woman despite his father’s advanced age, it was merely a matter of time before the curse would be fulfilled. Has he turned into a bear?”

Hannah nodded. “He’s living here in the forest. But we still have a chance to change him back. There’s a way to break the curse!”

“That is not our concern!” the noble steed snorted.

Irmgard took two steps toward her. “Edeltraud, listen to me, it’s?—”

“No. We’ve known all that for a long time. Unlike you, we have not forgotten the events of that period. It was disgraceful how Prince Gustav treated that poor girl. The curse did not fall on the family for no reason.”

“But Prince Maximilian wasn’t even born at that time. How is it just that he should pay for his father’s mistake?” Hannah burst out.

Edeltraud lifted her hoof as if raising a forefinger in rebuke. “The blame lies solely?—”

“Hold on tight, Hannah!” Irmgard cried as she dashed past Edeltraud and closer to the wide cloud of mist.

“What are you doing?”

“We need to speak with them directly!”

Irmgard came to a sudden stop in front of the dense mist, which dispersed right before their eyes, and a dazzling herd of unicorns appeared. There were more than thirty creatures, all huddled together and anxiously eyeing Hannah and Irmgard. There were even a few small ones, whose mothers were shielding them as a precaution.

Three unicorns came forward from the herd and confronted them resolutely.

“What is the meaning of this, Irmgard? Why have you brought a human to us?” thundered the stallion in the middle, who was the largest of the unicorns. His mane was entirely white, and his coat was a silvery gray. He looked at them sternly with his bright eyes.

“I didn’t let them approach you!” Edeltraud said, panting as she came bounding over. “They just?—”

But Irmgard didn’t wait for Edeltraud to finish. “Siegfried, we urgently need to speak with you. It’s extremely important. The prince has been changed into a bear, the curse has been fulfilled, and the Evil is already creeping around behind him to snatch his soul.”

Edeltraud began to speak, but one look from Siegfried was enough to silence the creature. The mighty unicorn stallion’s bright eyes regarded Hannah with a piercing gaze, as if he were assessing whether she posed a danger to him and his herd.

Hannah smiled. What else could she do at the sight of these wonderful creatures? “Please,” she said, “we need your advice. We want to free the soul of Mirabelle’s mother in order to weaken the Evil. But we don’t know how to do that. Do you know of a way we could free the innocent soul?”

“Normally, there is no way. But in this case, the soul that bears the curse is innocent. Mirabelle’s mother has done nothing wrong, nor has she incurred any guilt unless you include the nagging doubts of a mother who blames herself for abandoning her child. There is a way to free her soul, and as soon she is free, the Evil shall be weakened.”

Irmgard whipped her tail back and forth and whinnied with delight. “We wouldn’t have to leave the forest. We could stay once the good is stronger again. Some friendly creatures may even return!”

“Slowly, slowly, dear Irmgard. Impatience is not one of the virtues a unicorn should possess.”

Irmgard pawed the ground.

“But we need to hurry so the Evil doesn’t seize the prince’s soul!” Hannah cried in her stead.

Siegfried was silent. Was he thinking? Not one unicorn spoke a word.

Hannah’s gaze drifted to the two unicorns on either side of Siegfried. They were tawny in color, with shimmering golden manes and tails. They looked silently at Hannah with their shining golden eyes. Even the rest of the herd and Edeltraud, who were standing behind them, uttered not a single sound. Hannah was about to speak, but Irmgard made a barely perceptible movement that amounted to shaking her head.

Hannah took a deep breath and resisted the urge to break the silence. Her heart was pounding faster and faster, as if she were trying to make up for the time lost by simply standing there and saying nothing.

“There is a way to save the innocent soul.”

“So we’ll be able to rescue Maximilian?” Hannah blurted out, glad to finally be able to speak again.

“That remains to be seen.” Siegfried cautiously sniffed the air. His nostrils were flaring with infinite deliberation, as if patiently attempting to detect a scent. “There is a flower that has the power to break the chain of evil.”

“A flower?” Hannah shook her head in disbelief. “How can a flower be a match for something as powerful as the Evil?”

“Many flowers are pure and innocent, and some are strong and possess more powers than is apparent at first glance.”

Irmgard neighed. “Which one is it?”

The stallion sniffed again, as though what he had just smelled were revealing to him which plant it was. “It is the red fireflower. In its center grows a pearl so pure and powerful that it has the capacity to save the soul.”

“Where does it grow?”

Siegfried sniffed once more. This time, Hannah also tried to detect something unusual in the air, but all she could smell was the scent of spruce needles and pinecones.

“It grows north of here. On the barren crags of the Black Stone.”

“The Black Stone? What is that?” Hannah asked.

Irmgard neighed. “I know where it is. East of?—”

“North!” Siegfried said, correcting her.

“Yes, right, north of here. I know those mountains.” Impatient, Irmgard trotted in place and nodded with excitement.

“And once we have the flower,” Hannah persisted, “then how do we find the soul of Mirabelle’s mother in the dark void?”

“By the time you have found and plucked the flower, the Evil will have long since been on your heels. It knows the power of the fireflower and the magic of its pearl. It will do everything in its power to prevent you from picking it. It will be very close to you—and so, therefore, will be the void where it holds the lost soul captive.”

Hannah shivered. “The Evil will be very close?” She thought of the beguiling voice from the night before—of the calling, the cajoling, and also the power with which it had tried to tear her away from the protection of the larches.

“A great deal is riding on whether or not you succeed in this journey. This includes, not least of all, the future of the forest and our herd.”

“Irmgard, can you protect us from the Evil until we have the flower in our hands?” Hannah asked.

Irmgard whinnied. “It would undoubtedly be easier with some help, but I’m assuming that no one wants to come with us.” She looked around at her fellow unicorns, who glanced at each other. A few exchanged uncertain looks as if they hadn’t yet made up their minds, but not one of them said a word.

Siegfried stomped on the ground with his front hooves so hard that they made a thunderous noise. “You must accomplish this without our help. We are the last unicorns in this forest. We cannot allow anything to happen to us. If we were to go with you, the Evil would see it as an attack and would pursue us until it had wiped out every single one of us. You know what happened to the last herd of unicorns, Irmgard, and you know why! It must not view us as a threat!”

“But Irmgard will be with me,” Hannah cried, “so a unicorn is already involved!”

“The Evil knows that Irmgard lives apart from our herd. It won’t relate her actions to us —as long as we keep clear of you.”

Irmgard understood and whinnied. She seemed a little sad as she looked at the other unicorns. Was she longing to be a member of the group again?

“Irmgard,” Siegfried began, “I know why you left us. You have already learned a great deal. Continue on your path, and you shall find your way back to our midst!”

Irmgard uttered a soft, perceptive whinny. There was nothing they could do. They would have to go on without the help of the herd.

“What power do we still have against the Evil?” Hannah asked as she continued to probe. “How do we defeat it? And how do we find the soul once we’ve picked the flower?”

Siegfried neighed. “Once you hold the fireflower in your hands, the Evil will no longer be able to harm you. It is powerless against the pure energy of the fireflower. When you’re holding the fireflower, you shall be able to walk right into the long, black shadows. Simply close your eyes, and think of the lost soul whom you wish to save, and you shall find it.”

Hannah took a deep breath. This didn’t sound so hard at all—in theory. If only she didn’t have this fear of being tempted by the Evil, which had already tried to pull her in.

“Be on your guard, and stay away from the thunder. Now go! Before the Evil sees you here with us!”