Behind the Sorcerer's Cloak by Andrea Spalding Page A

will join you with the rest of my forces. Then I will reward you.”
    She was so intent on giving orders that she didn’t notice a tiny hair and feather drop into the gray stillness.
    To and fro…to and fro…to and fro…the feather drifted… slowly the hair uncurled and separated.
    The white hair floated down and caught in the Dark Being’s wild mane, causing a tiny spark of white light. There it lay, a single thread of white entangled in the black.
    The Dark Being tossed her head and went on with her invasion plans. The movement made the tiny feather swirl again.
    It circled lower and lower and touched the cheek of the sleeping child. Once again it gave off a minute spark.
    Without waking, Adam brushed his face with his hand, trapping the feather between his palm and cheek. He turned over.

    Equus tensed as, without warning, the vortex closed. Had it caught Ava?
    He felt two tiny jolts and he knew the feather and hair had reached their destination. For good or bad they had forged a connection with the Dark Being.
    Ava did not reappear.
    Equus waited and waited, growing more anxious with each passing minute.
    At last he spotted her.
    Something was wrong. Ava wasn’t flying, she was tumbling, her wing beats jerky and ineffective.
    Equus sent a cocoon of light to cushion her.
    Ava managed a weak “thank you” and sprawled on his back.
    Equus resumed the journey to Gaia, checking on Ava every few minutes. “The cost of your journey was great. Was it too great a price to pay?” he asked.
    â€œThe Darkness…,” Ava struggled to answer him. “The Darkness touched me.”
    Equus shuddered. Ava had paid a price indeed. The dark touch would creep through her, in time freezing both mind and body.
    â€œAva, keep Light in your heart. We will heal you. I will take you straight to the Lady’s resting place, the most powerful place on Gaia,” called out Equus. “We will surround you with light, Earth Magic and Old Magic.”
    Ava could not answer.
    With a great leap Equus entered the edges of the Mists of Time. They pushed back against him, refusing entry.
    â€œNewly charged Mists of Time, I welcome you back and request your help,” he called out. “We are Equus and Ava, two Wise Ones you once knew well. We require safe passage to Gaia. Myrddin will vouch for us.”
    The Mists chattered amongst themselves, thinned for a moment, and thickened on Equus’s heels as he passed through.
    They thickened fast, but not fast enough.
    Several Shades slid through in Equus’s wake.

    Mr. Smythe’s headphone crackled. He gave everyone a thumbs-up. The little plane darted through the gap in the clouds, toward the calm water in the bay.
    The plane dropped lower and lower. Mr. Smythe throttled back and touched down gently. There was a great splash, then the Beaver coasted along the surface of the water. Turning in a wide circle she putted toward the harbor and turned into the river estuary. Mr. Smythe cut the engine. The plane drifted to a stop by a large orange buoy bobbing in a patch of brilliant sunshine.
    â€œOur thanks, Manannan, for a safe arrival,” said Myrddin with a heartfelt sigh of relief.
    Mr. Smythe snorted.
    The children’s eyes danced. They hid giggles.
    Mr. Smythe swung out of the cockpit door and stood on the float. He tied up to the buoy.
    Holly raised her eyebrows.
    â€œEr…it’s a long way to swim to the harbor steps,” shouted Owen.
    Mr. Smythe pointed to the quay. “The harbor master’s sending a rowboat. Peel doesn’t have a floatplane dock, and we cannot tie up beside the harbor. We’d damage our wings.”
    â€œGot it,” said Owen. He watched a rowboat leave the steps and approach them. The oarsman expertly maneuvered among the anchored pleasure boats and fishing boats.
    â€œAfternoon, all. Mr. Cubbon at your service. I’ll take the kiddies first,” shouted the fisherman