Those Who Fear the Darkness (BloodRunes: Book 2) by Laura R Cole Page A

her. In which case, what do
we do to get rid of it?”
    He and Layna both looked to Aileen who looked
back at them regretfully. “I don't know the exact procedure. I know
that you have to eventually face the person, but more than that I
cannot tell you. Blood-magic is most definitely not my specialty.”
She held both hands out before her.
    “But you said it shouldn't do - that,” Layna
widened her eyes and nodded to the ground, indicating the suffering
Gryffon had just endured, “again. Right?”
    “It shouldn't. More than likely she doesn't
know that she has cast this spell and therefore cannot consciously
activate it. Only if she is in dire need would the spell have taken
it upon itself to drain you, and even then only if some outside
source initiated it with the right conditions. Like the energy
surge.”
    “Brilliant. Are there any other side-effects
of this project that we should know about?” Gryffon asked her
blandly.
    Aileen shifted rather suspiciously, but
didn't answer. She was busy looking off across the landscape. Layna
followed her gaze and caught sight of a figure coming towards
them.
    A beautiful black horse with shining silver
mane galloped across the fields, closing the space between them
with amazing speed. They all stood transfixed, hypnotized by the
pattern of its gait. It reached them far too quickly by Layna's
estimation, and it raised a cloud of dust as it dug in its shining
hooves to pull to a stop before them. It stood before them for a
long moment.
    - Hail, - said a flowery voice in
Layna's head. She looked wildly around for the source, but both
Aileen and Gryffon were staring directly at the beast. The horse
is talking to us! She realized incredulously.
    Gryffon stepped forward and bowed to the
thing, though Layna noted that his motion was rather stiff. He was
obviously still recovering. Layna watched him with confused
curiosity.
    “Greetings,” he welcomed the horse. “I am
Gryffon Longshadow, servant to the Ieldran of Endlyfta. We bear
tidings that must reach them as swiftly as possible.”
    The horse's gaze traveled the length of him,
before nodding. - What became of the barrier? -
    “We needed to get through so we took it
down,” he answered her humbly.
    The voice grew harsher in her mind and Layna
winced. - You what? -
    “It was my fault,” interjected Aileen,
stepping forward, “I decided it was time for it to come down.”
    - You decided it was time for it to come
down? - the voice repeated incredulously, the pitch starting to
cause Layna's head to ache. - What gives you the right to
decide? - The horse stepped towards Aileen menacingly and gave
her the same stare she had done to Gryffon moments ago.
    The horse was so close to Aileen that Layna
could see the woman's graying hair whoosh out as the beast's breath
snorted out at her.
    The high pitched whine in Layna's head
subsided, and the horse took a step backwards. - Oh, it is you. I
should have known .-
    Aileen smiled. “That's all the welcome I
get?”
    - You are lucky you do not get a swift kick
from me, Elder. -
    Layna gave Gryffon an entreating look. On top
of everything else, she now had talking horses to wrap her mind
around.
    “I assume you two know each other,” he said
to Aileen and Echo, then turned to hold a hand out to indicate
Layna. “This is Layna Nyx. She is my traveling companion and also
has information that is vital for us to carry safely to
Endlyfta.”
    The horse fixed her appraising stare upon
Layna now and she felt a probe. She strengthened her newly erected
shields reflexively. Gryffon had trained her in shielding after the
episode with the King, and she was glad for it now. She had no
desire for this strange being to explore her thoughts
uninvited.
    She felt the probe gently push against the
shields, but they did not budge and it retreated. The horse gave
her an odd look. As odd as a talking horse can look
anyway .
    - She is…- Echo started in their minds
but Aileen swiftly cut her off, making