Alosha (33 page)

“You will, soon.”

“When?”

“In a few seconds. What is happening now is true magic. You have passed all the tests, even the test of time, and you are about to understand who you are.”

“No. I have several tests left to take.”

“No. I took them for you.”

Alison sucked in a deep breath. “Who are you?”

“You.”

“Who am I?” Alison asked.

Ali came closer to Alison and spoke in her ear. The feeling of holding herself went beyond déjà vu. She did not simply remember the green being, she
was
her. Wasn't that the answer to the greatest mystery of them all?

“It is a mystery,” she told herself.

Alison wanted to weep; she trembled with fear. “I don't understand.”

Ali hugged her, and for a moment she felt one with her double, and one with the green being that had saved them that night. Of course there was no Ali, Alison, or green being. Time truly was a mystery. There was only one.

Their watches finally synchronized, down to the last second.

“That's because you're sleeping,” Ali told her double. “You're dreaming about the past and the future. All you have to do is wake up.” She whispered in Alison's ear. “Wake up, Alosha. And turn around.”

Her double turned and their eyes met. Ali did not see her, however, nor did her double see her. They were suddenly both gripped by the same vision of the green being who had rescued them from the fire that dark night. They both remembered the creature's face. The magical light that flowed from her enchanting eyes. The hypnotic colors of the jewels in her golden crown. And most of all the love that radiated from her gentle heart. They both remembered who they were.

She had saved herself that night.

She
was
Alosha, queen of all the fairies.

W
hen Ali Warner came out of the cave, she was whole again.

The cave opened on a snow-packed ridge that overlooked the rear of the mountain, a forest she had only seen pictures of, and read about in books. She thought it fitting to see a new world when she had just been given a new understanding of herself.

With the moon rising on one side and the sun already set on the other, the peak was bathed in various colored lights: red, white, and orange—blended together like different flavors spread over a gigantic snowcone. A narrow ridge led away from where they stood, toward the top, with sides as steep as a witch's hat. The ridge was long and sheer. Ali estimated they had three miles left to
hike, perhaps two thousand feet still to climb. They had not gained as much altitude inside the cave as she had hoped.

Yet the cave had done them a favor. The elementals who had already come through the Yanti were probably on the front of the mountain, waiting for their partners to enter the human dimension before joining forces to attack the town. Hiking up the rear, her gang did not have to worry so much about being spotted. They would have the advantage of surprise when it came time to take the Yanti back from Lord Vak.

Ali felt as if her body was charged with atomic energy. Even though the trees were miles below, she could see individual leaves on the branches, and hear the birds as they snuggled into their nests for the night. She had all of Queen Alosha's powers at her disposal, and she knew they would not leave her until this night was finished, if indeed they ever left her again.

The others stood around her, coughing from thirst and the dry altitude. Yet the view had taken their breath away as much as the thin air. As the twilight blended into night and more stars emerged, Ali had to ask herself if she had ever seen a more glorious sight. The view alone had been worth the journey.

Still, there was much to do, and not all of it would be pleasant.

Karl stepped to her side and nodded toward the peak. “We can make it before the moon is straight overhead. But we need water and we need it now. Can you melt some snow with the fire stones? I can put some snow in my cooking pot if you want.”

Ali nodded. “Give me your pack, I'll do it.”

“You need to rest as much as we do. Let me help.”

“No. The altitude suits me. I feel great.”

Ali took his pack and retreated to the cave opening. She wanted to hide as best she could. The glow of the fire stones would be visible for many miles.

She hated to use an instrument of the enemy to make water. But even though she could feel her powers alive inside, she did not know how to use them all. They were in a hurry, they had to drink. The fire stones it would have to be.

Ali sorted through Karl's backpack before she brought out the stainless
steel pot he had brought along. There was fresh snow all around; she only had to reach out and grab a handful. Yet the snow was probably older than it looked. The last major storm to go through Breakwater had been in April. Still, there was no pollution this high up. The water would be fine.

She had much better control over the stones than before. While her friends sat and rested, she squeezed out a narrow beam of laser light and heated the side of the pot. In less than a minute she had a warm quart of water, which she offered first to Steve. He drank it down in five seconds.

“I could use two more of those,” he said, handing the pot back to her.

Ali smiled. “There's plenty where that came from.”

For the next half hour she made water and let the others drink their fill and regain their strength. Farble needed the most fluids. She made him ten pots before he nodded his big head in satisfaction. She was so happy to see him alive, sitting not far from Paddy. She felt so much love for all of them.

Except for one. The traitor.

She knew who it was now. She remembered everything her twin had gone through, in and out of time. The clues had been there all along, she just hadn't recognized them. Now all the pieces of the puzzle were in one place, in her head, and the picture they showed her was not pretty.

Karl came up to her as they stood and stretched and mentally prepared themselves for the final push. She had given him his pack back, and he had the rope in his hand.

“I think we should tie ourselves together,” he said. “We can loop the rope through our belts. That way if one of us slips and begins to slide down the side of the ridge, we can save them.”

“That's a great idea. Do you want to lead the way?” Ali asked.

“I probably should. I have the most experience.”

“Tie me behind you, and give us space from the others. I need to talk to you alone.”

“About what?” Karl asked.

“Let's talk when we're up on the ridge. It will be safer.”

He was confused but he turned to do what she asked.

Before Karl strung them together, Ali took the leprechaun aside and spoke to him alone. “Is the Yanti at the very top?” she asked.

“Aye Missy.”

“Did you actually see it when you came into this dimension?”

Paddy looked nervous. He stared at her strangely. He was extremely sensitive, in his own way. Perhaps he suspected she had undergone a major change inside.

“Didn't see it, Missy. Paddy came out of the cave, walked down the snow.” He added, “Didn't talk to a soul.”

“You talked to the dwarves, Paddy. Then and last night.” She raised her hand when he went to protest. “Don't worry, I know all about your deal with the dwarves, and I know you had a chance to turn on us last night and you didn't. I trust you, Paddy, I really do. But I need to ask you another question.”

Paddy trembled. “How does Missy know these things?” he asked.

She smiled to reassure him. “Missy learns quick. You say you came out of a cave on the top. Was it at the front of the mountain? On the town side?”

Paddy nodded. “Aye. Opened at the front. But Paddy does not like dwarves. They . . .”

Ali interrupted. “I told you, you don't have to worry about that. What I want to know is, could the Yanti have been
above
the cave you came out of?”

Paddy considered. “Aye. Must have been near for it to work.”

She patted him on the top of the head. “Thank you. You have been worth your weight in gold on this adventure.”

Paddy's eyes gleamed. “Could Missy get Paddy a large pot of gold when the adventure is finished?”

Ali laughed. “We'll see.”

Karl roped them together. Steve ended up behind Farble, in the rear. He was not happy about it, but Ali had made sure he ended up there.

“Why do I have to hike behind the troll?” Steve demanded.

“It is for your own safety,” Ali said. “You're the most tired and stand the most chance of slipping off the ridge. Farble weighs as much as all of us put together. He can act as an anchor for you.”

“He did carry you halfway up the mountain,” Cindy reminded Steve.

“He carried me a few minutes, big deal,” Steve complained.

Farble nodded his head and looked happy it was dark.

They started up the ridge, with Karl and Ali taking the lead. With the sun gone, the temperature dropped swiftly. Their breath came out like puffy clouds. The cold and the altitude did not bother Ali. She noticed the top layer of snow—which had softened in the sunlight—freezing again beneath their feet. The ice made for slippery hiking.

As their leader, Karl hiked with his ice ax held ready. The rest of them depended on their crampons—the metal spikes they had fitted onto the soles of their boots—to keep from slipping. Ali had never used them before—it took her awhile to adjust to the spikes. With each step, she had to dig her foot into the snow, and make sure she had a safe grip, before she raised her other foot.

Only three miles to the top, she reminded herself, but it would be a hard three miles, especially for the others.

Yet the sight of Pete's Peak, glistening like a diamond in the glow of the full moon, drew them on. They had gone through so much to get this far. It seemed none of them was ready to quit.

Ali pulled a short distance ahead, with Karl, and spoke to his back.

“I want to talk but I don't want you to turn around,” she said quietly. “I don't want the others to know we're talking. Okay?”

“Sure,” he said. “What's up?”

She spoke in a low voice. “We have a traitor in our group.”

Karl froze. “What?”

“Don't stop, keep walking, I'll explain.”

Karl resumed hiking. “That sounds crazy.”

“There's a list of facts I need to share. None of them means much alone, but when you add them all together you'll get the picture. First off, Steve is the traitor.”

Karl shook his head. “No way.”

“Listen! The day after I was buried by the trolls, Cindy, Steve and I came back up the mountain to take pictures. You know all this. We were after bigfoot
and we thought if we got some photographs we would get famous. After we shot a few rolls of troll prints—thinking they belonged to bigfoot—we hiked down to the river. Cindy was about a hundred feet in front of me and Steve was not far behind me. Then I heard this cry—I thought it was Steve. In fact, it was Steve. But I was not given a chance to turn around. Someone lifted me up and threw me in the river.”

“Farble and his friends,” Karl said.

“No. I spoke to Farble. He and his pals were not at the river at that time. Let me continue. After I got out of the river—and after I spoke to the tree—I found Cindy with Steve. He was sitting in the middle of the path with a bump on his head. His film and camera were missing.”

“So?” Karl said. “The trolls hit him on the head and stole his stuff.”

“How would trolls know enough to take his camera and film? You've seen Farble. He's nice enough for a troll but he isn't that bright.”

“They probably took the stuff out of curiosity, like Farble took your sweater.”

“Maybe, but I don't buy it.”

“What are you saying? That Steve threw you in the river and then faked the blow to his head?”

“Yes. He was right behind me. When you think about it, it's the most obvious explanation.”

“But you said the creature that lifted you up was powerful?”

“He was.”

“You're losing me,” Karl said.

“Just listen. The night the dark fairies attacked, Steve was the only one who didn't get hurt. Plus he was supposed to be totally exhausted, and he got to Overhang before you. Even when he got there, the dark fairies did nothing to keep him out.”

“You don't know that for sure. You weren't there.”

“You were there! You told me these things yourself!”

Karl slowed almost to a crawl. He seemed to be thinking.

“That did make me wonder,” he admitted.

“Of course it did. Steve's a traitor. He must have been working with the dark fairies all along.”

“But how?” Karl asked.

“They have been here longer than I thought. He could have contacted them anytime in the last year.”

“But why?”