Found

Chapter 1-2

Arms wrapped around me and I was lifted up and placed gently next to the fire. Next a blanket covered me. Still I could not stop shivering. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, mon amie.” The Silver Fox stood with his hands on his hips with a big smile on his face.

“Where’s Jeremiah?” I tried to scramble up to my feet, but could not.

“Back in America, of course.” He did not take the grin off his face. “Where do you think he would be?”

“Where am I?” I sat up and looked around. We appeared to be in a forest, but it was denser than what I had remembered. And the air smelled differently.

“You’re not in America.” I could see the enjoyment on his face and then I noticed his clothing. He wore a long coat and a strange hat with lots of fur. He held a bag in his hand and gave it to me. “I am going to get some more wood for the fire. Do you need help getting out of your clothes?”

I had imagined my facing the Silver Fox for many, many months and this conversation was not one I had ever expected. As hard as I tried to control my body, I could not stop shaking. I struggled and tried to take off my top, but could not.

He came behind me to help and I glanced back at him, being distrustful of him, but he had turned away as he pulled off my blouse and underclothes. The fire was so close to me on my right that I would have feared being burned if I didn’t crave the heat so much. He wrapped my torso with a second blanket and then leaned me up against a rock. Pulling my boots off, he placed them by the fire so they would dry and then struggled to pull off my pants. He grabbed another blanket and threw it lightly over my legs and I tried as best I could to keep my dignity and take off the rest of my underclothes. The Silver Fox had turned away get me some more blankets. When I had finished undressing, I sat on a blanket and had wrapped myself tightly in two others.

The Silver Fox said not a word and went over to a pack and came back, handing me a small flask. “Take a sip.”

I nodded and he helped me take the cap off and steadied my hand so that I could drink. The liquid, thick and warm, went down quickly. I expected it to be alcohol and for it to burn my throat, but it tasted like a beef broth. I swallowed more and my belly flooded with warmth. The fire crackled beside me and I watched the hot coals devouring the wood. This fire had been started a while ago. I turned to face him but he had gone back to his gear. Out of another pack he pulled out thick wool socks and another heavy blanket. He threw the blanket over me and then knelt before me, putting the socks on my feet. “You don’t have any permanent damage. You’ll be cold for a while, but I’ll get you into some shelter as soon as you’re dry.”

“Thank you.” I knew not what else to say. He had saved my life.

“Of course.” He turned and put another log on the fire.

“I must admit that I’m a bit surprised.” I looked at his white hair that peeked out from underneath the large hat he wore and he looked down, breaking eye contact with me.

“Twelve years is a long time to be trapped in the ground from the prison you put me in. For the first few years, I vowed to break out and kill you.” He looked up and came in closer to me. “I wanted to tear you apart with my bare hands for what you did to me. But I could not stay angry all the time, and I realized that you had had no other choice. I had hurt you and my obsession in trying to bring your mother back had nearly ruined me. And then one day, a new memory suddenly popped into my head. Before you were born, your mother and I had a surprise visit from your future self. Napoleon came after you and we defended you.”

“You remember all of that?” I had always wondered how my traveling through the dreamline would affect history. Now I knew.

“Yes, I remember seeing how scared you were and how I had come to your defense because I had always thought of you as my daughter. And when I saw how Napoleon wanted to hurt you, something in me broke and changed. I saw myself in him. I had that same anger and hatred and I came to accept that I had made great mistakes and hurt many people. I had lost control and nearly killed you. For many more years, I’ve been stuck in the ground, knowing that Napoleon still hunted you and I would have a choice to make one day.”

I pulled the blanket closer around me and leaned even closer to the fire. Neither of us spoke for a while. I broke the silence finally and said, “How did you escape?”

He remained quiet for a moment and then said, “Two years ago, one side of the triangle prison you had put me in weakened. It took me a long time to gather my strength and break through the spell, but I did. Once free, I waited for you. I knew you would come.”

I held his gaze and leaned in closer to him. “Why aren’t you capturing me and bringing me to the emperor? He would reward you and you’d have your revenge against me.”

“Yes, I’ve thought of that. I could do that if I wanted.” He glanced away. “At times, I hated you more than I have ever hated anyone in my life. You could have brought your mother back for me. I could have had the happiness I so craved, but the natural order would have been broken and she didn’t want to come back to me. She had moved on and I learned that I needed to as well. So I’ve made my choice. Crazy as I am with all my faults, I will help you—if you want me to.”

I laughed. “I don’t trust you.” I pulled away from him. “You hurt me badly when we first met and broke a part of me.”

“I cannot take back what I have done but only show you who I am now. But I understand your fear of me.” He stood up and willed his left hand to light up with magic. “Though I am one of the last, I still have power where you have none.” He tilted his head up and stared up at the dark, gray sky. The sun had fully set and darkness had begun to overtake what was left of the light. “Mab is gone as are most of my brothers and sisters. You have no power left and Napoleon looks to conquer the rest of the world. And I’ll not stand for that. Before I fade away from this world, I will leave my mark. If you want me to or not, I’d rather throw my fate on your side than cast it with Napoleon.”

“You could walk away and let us destroy each other and you’d be free of any mess.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not my style. I would miss out on all the fun.” A slow grin brought out a dimple in his right cheek. “I’ve changed, but not that much.”

I smiled up at him. “I thought you’d say something like that. You do tend to like to be in the thick of things.”

“Exactly.” He bent back down and took a long stick to poke at the piece of wood he had thrown into the fire. He pushed it closer to the hot burning embers on the bottom and the wood caught up in a bright orange flame. “That is why I’m here. I’m going on a quest. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been on an adventure.”

“You’re on a quest?” I shivered and pulled the blankets tighter around me.

“And I want you to come with me on my journey.”

I looked around and behind me I could see he had a small tent close by but I could not see anything besides the hole in the ground, trees and lots of snow. “Where are we now?”

The Silver Fox took a deep breath and then exhaled. “We are in the heart of Russia and I’d like for you to join me on my adventure.” He picked up a pair of woman’s boots and handed them to me.

“Tell me about this quest of yours.” I accepted them and slipped them on.

“Get warm first and then we’ll talk.” He pointed over to the tent. “I set out some warm clothes for you.”

“Thank you.” I walked over and went inside the tent and changed into the clothes he had left out for me. “Where are you going?”

I heard no response from him. I finished dressing and then put back on the pair of boots he had given me. They fit perfectly. I brushed my long hair back, having dried it as best I could, and put on a hat he had left out for me. When I came back outside, I headed over to the fire.

The Silver Fox glanced over at me and nodded. “You look warmer. Good.”

“You didn’t answer me.” I faced him with the fire between us. “Where are you headed?”

“I head to Moscow to see the Russian emperor and to convince him that he must help us defeat Napoleon.”

I took in his response and asked, “Will you help me get my daughter back?”

“Yes, I will. Your coming with me to Moscow will be your best bet to get her back.”

“Do you know where she is?” I wrapped my arms around me tight and leaned in to feel the fire’s warmth.

“No, but Bonaparte has her. And if we convince the Tsar to join our side you will get your chance to get her back.” He stared into the fire and said no more.

“And what about Jeremiah?”

“You mean the witch hunter?” He poked a log in the fire.

“Yes, where is he?” I listened but could not hear anyone calling from the hole in the ground. Only the fire crackled and the wind spoke with softness and light.

“He is where he is. I’m not keeping track of him. He is of no concern to me.” He looked up from the fire and for a moment I could see a devilish glint in his eye. “But you matter to me and I have made an effort to help you.” He stopped poking at the fire and said, “I need your help. Will you come with me?”

“But what about Jeremiah?” I leaned in closer to the fire.

“Forget about the witch hunter. He will be fine. Let him prove himself without you.”

That did not sit well with me. “He has been faithful to me and has helped me on my journey.”

“Then let him go and see what becomes of him. We have another journey to go on and he would only get in the way.”

“Why do you not want him here with us?”

“It’s simple, my dear. You love him and I want time alone with you. He would only muck things up and I’m not overly fond of him.”

A gust of wind blew hard through the area and the fire flickered, but remained strong. “You have never met him.”

“But I have watched him from afar and I know his kind. He and I would not do well together.”