The Mage Read online

  I thought that, at least, unlikely, given the amount of snow that surrounded us. But as I looked at the clear blue stream, I yearned for a taste of its sweet water.

  The wolves were soon on the move again but now they walked slowly, their pawsteps mindful. Cattisclaw jabbed me forward. I walked between her and the gray-and-white male, with Mirraclaw still in the lead. A golden stone shone ahead of us. As Mirraclaw reached it, he turned to Norralclaw.

  “Call a meeting of the senate,” he commanded.

  “Yes, My Lord.”

  Mirraclaw stooped his head before the golden stone. The two wolves behind him stood rigid.

  My ears swiveled forward.

  Mirraclaw spoke solemnly. “Noble King Serren of Bishar Claw, who guards this realm and keeps our peace. Let us pass who are honorable of purpose and pure of heart.” He raised his muzzle and walked on. The gray-and-white male started after him, pausing at the golden stone. He echoed Mirraclaw’s words.

  I glanced back at Cattisclaw.

  “You must request permission to pass into the Frozen Fort,” she said.

  The hairs rose along my neck. The Frozen Fort. I wasn’t sure I wanted to enter.

  “Whose permission?”

  Cattisclaw’s blue eyes bore into mine. “The ancient spirit who protects the entrance.”

  I looked at the golden stone. Beyond it, Mirraclaw and the gray-and-white were already far ahead. I licked my lips, turning back to Cattisclaw. “I don’t know what to say.”

  The wolf sighed. “Move aside, Fox.” She stepped in front of the stone, shooting me a hard look. “Lower your head.”

  I did as she told me.

  Cattisclaw repeated Mirraclaw’s words. “Noble King Serren of Bishar Claw, who guards this realm and keeps our peace. Let us pass who are honorable of purpose and pure of heart.” She leaned over to me. “On you go, Fox.” I noticed that she didn’t call me “Fox-ka” like Mirraclaw. I stepped ahead of her once more, and we walked beyond the golden stone between two teeth of rock.

  As we padded over the snow, I saw the imprint of fresh paw marks. My whiskers bristled. How many snow wolves lived here? I could already smell them on the frosty air; seven, eight … I lost count. Many more than lived in a fox skulk. Was Farraclaw among them?

  Jags of ice flanked us as we passed deeper into the snow wolves’ territory. Light glanced off them, pearly and bright. The ice stooped over my head into a closed passage—a frozen cave. Shards of reflection shifted around us. I caught the distorted gleam of Mirraclaw’s pale back across the ice ceiling as he strode ahead of us. I looked over my shoulder. Another wolf now stood at the golden stone. She watched, her ears pricked.

  “Hurry up, Fox-ka!” Up ahead of me, Mirraclaw and the gray-and-white wolf had come to a stop. The white wolf lowered his muzzle in an urgent whisper: “Bow your head at all times. You will address the court with respect. You will not speak, unless invited to do so.”

  My tail curled around my flank.

  “This way,” he growled. He started forward.

  Cattisclaw gave me a nudge. “You heard Lord Mirraclaw.”

  I looked at her in desperation. “Please, I just want to see Farraclaw. Why are you bringing me here?”

  “You must bow to the prince and the court of Claw,” she said. “It is our way. Only later may you talk.”

  “Later, you’ll kill me,” I reminded her grimly.

  “Perhaps,” she said, her blue eyes sparkling.

  The smell of wolves grew thick on the air as I followed Mirraclaw along the passageway. Soon, the path before me broadened, rising over my head into a great chamber formed of ice. The sun beat against the frozen dome. The ice hummed with light, with greens and blues, violets and reds. Gazing up I felt giddy, overwhelmed by the colors.

  I swallowed, my throat as dry as dust.

  I pictured the clear blue water of the stream. I pushed the thought away.

  Focus, Isla.

  Could foxcraft help me? Should I slimmer? Karak? There was always wa’akkir … The Elders had taught me how to shape-shift, but I was exhausted from the journey. Would I have enough maa to change my shape?

  I had to hold on to my existing maa, I needed to keep my wits about me.

  I drew in my breath as I looked ahead. I knew there were lots of them—had sensed their powerful scents—but the sight of so many wolves made me faint with terror. They settled into rows. They had left a gap in the middle where Mirraclaw now passed, glaring and snapping his teeth. As the white wolf trod between the others, they stiffened. They stared at me, their snouts jabbing the air.

  Trembling, I passed between the wolves, avoiding their wild eyes. I tried not to focus on their ragged claws. I tried not to think about their massive fangs.

  “Keep walking,” whispered Cattisclaw. “Do as Lord Mirraclaw tells you.” She fell back to sit along the front row of wolves. Up ahead, the gray-and-white male took his place in the row behind her. Left to follow the white wolf, I was almost sorry to see them go.

  Mirraclaw did not turn to look at me. He continued strutting between the wolves until he reached the head of the chamber. His sense of superiority was clear in everything he did—in his raised tail, his set maw, the way in which the other wolves fell back to let him pass. I scrutinized them urgently, seeking the ragged beast I’d met in the Great Snarl. But I could hardly distinguish between them. The wolves were a mass of tensed muscles, broad shoulders, and flowing pelts. They all looked in better shape than Farraclaw had.

  When Mirraclaw reached the ice wall at the head of the chamber, he turned to address them. “All hail the prince!” he barked.

  “All hail the prince!” yelped the wolves. Their voices boomed and my ears flipped back. As one, the wolves lowered themselves to the ground and bowed their heads. Even Mirraclaw dropped to his belly.

  Silence filled the chamber. The wolves were still as rock. Between them fell a shadow.

  “Bow, Fox-ka,” snarled Mirraclaw.

  He swiped my back with a huge paw and I slumped to the ground. But I didn’t bow my head. If death was coming for me, I would look it in the eye.

  I craned my neck. Over the stooped heads of the Bishar, I saw their master. He moved between them with easy dominance. His white coat fell about his shoulders, flecked with silvery gray. He strode on powerful legs, his tail straight behind him. Beauty and power circled him like musk.

  The wolf lowered his gaze. His eyes were like the moon. I saw fire there, a bolt of sharp red violence.

  “All praise Prince Farraclaw Valiant-Jowl!” barked Mirraclaw.

  “Praise!” echoed the wolves.

  “Farraclaw?” I gasped. Where his maw had been scabbed and hairless, it was now slick with pale fur. His once scraggy pelt rolled off his shoulders in a glossy mane. His whole body thrummed with maa.

  The wolf’s ears rotated and he stared at me. His maw relaxed and he spoke. “Isla of the Graylands.”

  “You know this fox?” spluttered Mirraclaw in surprise.

  Farraclaw’s eyes never left my face. “How could I forget her? She released me from the beast dens. I owe her my freedom.” He cocked his head and his tail gave a wag. “Well, Isla,” he said. “You are a long way from the Graylands now. Have you come to claim your debt?”

  Light glimmered from the ceiling of the ice chamber. Beneath it, the wolves remained crouched, their bellies low to the ground. But they tilted their heads and watched curiously.

  Farraclaw sat before me. I marveled at his size. If I’d risen on my back paws, I wouldn’t have reached his shoulders. “Isla of the Graylands! You have come a long way.” His voice was deep. “Where did you find her, Lord Mirraclaw?”

  “I was guarding Storm Valley with Lordess Cattisclaw Fierce-Raa and Warrior Norralclaw Raa,” said Mirraclaw. “The foxling was lurking in Nirrabar’s Cave. She did not even apologize. We were about to execute her for her impudence.”

  Farraclaw looked at me, not Mirraclaw. “Is that so?”

  Fear whispere
d at the back of my neck. I’d hoped that Farraclaw would protect me after his promise in the Graylands, but that was a long time ago. I hadn’t any idea of his status then. How would he act before his Bishar?

  Mirraclaw bowed deeply. “We only spared her as she spoke your name, Prince Farraclaw. She said she had a message for you.”

  “Indeed?” Farraclaw’s gaze remained on me.

  “I …” My voice sounded shrill in the quiet chamber. I sensed the snow wolves craning to hear me. “I’m still looking for my brother.”

  Farraclaw tipped his muzzle. “The one who went missing. You never found him?”

  I ran my tongue over my muzzle. “I’ve been searching the Wildlands. I went to the Elder Foxes; they’re said to be the wisest of my kind. A local skulk helped me, but they were attacked. One of the Elders has gone bad, he’s enslaving foxes, turning them against their old skulks.” The words came out in a hurried muddle. My tail sank to the ground.

  Mirraclaw snorted. “Trouble among the foxes. Sounds serious,” he sneered.

  “Silence!” barked Farraclaw, catching me off guard. I jumped back, my hairs on end. But the prince’s rage wasn’t aimed at me. He glared at Mirraclaw. The white wolf collapsed on the ground, his ears pointed out to the sides. Tension rippled over the wolves, palpable in the cool air. No one moved.

  Farraclaw’s voice was soft now, almost a purr. “Isla, you were saying?”

  I glanced at Mirraclaw nervously. The white wolf’s head was dipped, his eyes downcast. “I couldn’t find Pirie. The Elders told me to search the Snowlands.” I met Farraclaw’s gaze. “It has to be a wolf. No cub of Canista is greater!”

  The prince stared at me in amazement. “You’ve come here alone?”

  “I didn’t know what else to do,” I said in a quiet voice. “Siffrin was going to join me but he couldn’t cross the Raging River.”

  The snow wolf snorted cheerfully. His great muzzle dropped and I flinched. But he didn’t harm me—instead, he gave me a friendly nudge. I could smell his musky scent. “You’re quite a brave one, aren’t you, Isla?” His tail was wagging. “I do not know how I might help you but I will if I can. A snow wolf never forgets a debt.” He raised his head to address the Bishar. “All rise,” he commanded.

  The wolves leaped up, watching attentively. From the corner of my eye I saw Mirraclaw roll onto his paws and shake out his fur.

  Farraclaw gave me a prod. “This young fox is called Isla. She is our guest, a friend to the Bishar of Claw. As you know, the furless caught and entrapped me in their wicked show dens, where many came to gawp at me. In my heart, I died many deaths there, so far from the Snowlands. I would not have survived there much longer.”

  There were sympathetic whimpers and whines from the Bishar.

  “Isla released me, risking her own life for my freedom. I will have her accorded the greatest respect. She may roam our realms, she may take of our kill. Be as a friend to her, and protect her as our own.” Farraclaw lifted his muzzle. “One Bishar, united under Queen Canista’s Lights. For friendship. For honor. Forever.”

  “For friendship. For honor. Forever!” echoed the wolves. Their voices boomed in the ice chamber and I flinched.

  Farraclaw gave a shake of his gray-speckled mane. “Come greet our guest!”

  The Bishar broke from its rigid order. Wolves bounded toward us. I drew in my breath. The sight of so many wolves made my belly clench. But I could see from their wagging tails that they were friendly. They huddled around me, yipping, sniffing, their ears pointing out to the sides.

  “Welcome, Isla,” they called.

  Cattisclaw pressed between them. “A friend of Prince Farraclaw’s is a friend to all of us.”

  I gave a shy wag of my tail. “I guess you don’t get to kill me after all.”

  Cattisclaw yelped in amusement. “Not today,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

  The wolves shuffled closer, tails thrashing and heads cocked. They closed around me, a mass of pale fur above my head.

  “Give the poor fox some air!” said Farraclaw. “You will all have a chance to know her better.” The wolves drew back, their tails still thrashing. Farraclaw cocked his head. “You will stay for now, won’t you, Isla?”

  My tail quivered hopefully. “If that’s all right.”

  “Let me show you around the Bishar so you know where you are, and you can tell me more about your search.” He started briskly toward the exit of the chamber and the wolves fell back to let him pass.

  “See you later, Isla,” said Cattisclaw. She gave me a friendly nudge with her wet nose.

  I started after the wolf prince, trotting to keep up. Light was shifting over the chamber. Glaring yellows twisted to green. I glanced among the snow wolves as they whined and growled softly in welcome. They were alive with movement now. It wasn’t just that their tails wagged—they leaped up and butted against one another, licking and nudging.

  Their cub-like cheer was addictive. I felt my spirits soar. The Snowlands were brutal, but at least I was safe with Farraclaw. Maybe the wolves could help me find Pirie.

  As I started to turn, I noticed Mirraclaw. He stood at the head of the chamber, his yellow eyes catching the light. His ears were pricked ahead of him, his tail was stiff. His muzzle wrinkled over a long white fang.

  * * *

  Farraclaw paused at the entrance to the chamber to let me catch up. He looked down on me, head cocked. His golden eyes no longer seemed ferocious—there was warmth in them too.

  “Well, well,” he said quietly, now that we were out of earshot of the other wolves. “You are a tiny creature, scarcely as large as our pups. Small but mighty.” His voice told me he was teasing me, but not entirely. There was admiration there too.

  “Are there cubs in the Bishar at the moment?” I asked.

  “Oh yes,” said Farraclaw. “Four beautiful pups.” His tail lifted with pride. “Do you want to meet them?”

  I wasn’t entirely sure I liked the idea of giant cubs. They might not be as quick to listen to the prince’s commands as the adult wolves had been. But it seemed rude to say no. “All right,” I murmured. “Is your mate in the Bishar?”

  “My mate?” Farraclaw threw me a sideways look. Then understanding crossed his face and his tail started wagging. “Oh, they’re not mine!”

  “They aren’t?”

  “Of course not! Only the king and queen have pups. Though we all adore the little ones so much, it’s almost as though they are ours too.” Farraclaw started striding again. I hurried to keep up. He led me along the ice passage, taking a turn I hadn’t noticed before. I could smell the rich scent of snow wolves marking the route, but over them was Farraclaw’s musk. His dominance was etched into earth beneath our paws and the cool, silent walls. I sensed no greater wolf, no stronger maa.

  “I thought …” I frowned, remembering how Farraclaw had commanded the whole Bishar. “Aren’t you the leader?”

  His maw grew tense and he looked serious. For a while, he didn’t speak as he led me into the open, to a forest of aspens. Their silvery trunks shimmered against new snowfall. He stopped at the first tree and bowed, murmuring some words I didn’t catch. Then he padded between the trees, sniffing deeply. “This is Claw Weald. It runs around the northern stretch of our territory.”

  I heard a high-pitched yip, the alarm call of a small creature. Scanning the branches, I spotted fur and small dark eyes. The creature hovered on the tree trunk, squeaking.

  My belly rumbled. “Is this where you hunt?” I asked.

  “Here?” Farraclaw frowned. “No … Our prey would never dare come this close. We have to travel to find the best kill.”

  “But there’s prey here,” I said, confused.

  The snow wolf followed my gaze to the squeaking creature in the aspen. He snorted, steam rising from his black nose. “We do not chase tree rats!” His tail started wagging. “Oh, Fox, how different we are.”

  I remembered that he’d mocked me in the Great Snarl. I puffed ou
t my chest proudly. “There’s nothing wrong with them!”

  “Better than feasting on furless waste, I suppose,” said Farraclaw. Seeing my expression, he grew more serious. “Do not take my teasing to heart, young fox. The Bishar would starve to death in no time if we tried to fill our bellies with scampering things. There is room for many creatures in our beautiful world.” He gave me a shove with his nose, and I nudged him back, mollified.

  I still had a lot to learn about wolves. I remembered the small wildway near my old den, where Ma, Fa, and Greatma had found most of our food. “Where do you hunt?”

  “Wherever our prey may be found.” Farraclaw paused. “Provided that’s in the Bishar of Claw. Follow me, I’ll explain.”

  He trod a path through the aspens, his paws leaving giant prints in the snow. After a while, the space between the trees grew wider. The earth rose upward beneath our paws. We were making for an outcrop of large black rocks. “Up here, I can look out over the Bishar. I come here to think.”

  “Alone?” I asked.

  “Usually. The rest of the Bishar may only join at my command, or on the word of the king or queen.”

  I stopped. “Were the king and queen in the Frozen Fort?”

  Farraclaw looked beyond me toward the pale aspens. “No.” He turned and climbed the outcrop. I began to follow, scrambling over the wide-spaced stones. They sparkled with ice and my paws slipped as I fought to find purchase.

  The wolf had already bounded to the top of the outcrop and was peering down at me. Balanced alone on the dark rocks, he looked even more majestic, his gray-tipped coat stark against the sky. “Do you need help?” he barked.

  “I’m all right,” I said quickly, determined to make it up the rocks on my own. At least the wolf was good enough to look away as I slid on the stones. At last, I reached the top to rest at Farraclaw’s side. From here, I could see the borders of Claw Weald, the Frozen Fort, and the golden stone where Mirraclaw, Cattisclaw, and Norralclaw had asked permission to pass. The tundra rolled out in stretches of white.