HOPPER ROSE FROM MIKADO’S bedside when Sarah entered the small room that held only a wooden child’s bed and a pair of stools. He crossed the room in three quick strides and spoke softly, “Sarah, he’s so weak. I don’t see how we can move him, much less travel through the mountains.”
Sarah hugged him around the waist and buried her head in his soft fur. His long arms wrapped around her. His voice broke as he spoke. “He won’t survive it.”
Stepping back so she could look into his large eyes, Sarah whispered, “Mikado’s been sick for quite some time, so I’ve had a lot of time to consider our options. There’s something I’d like to try. If it works, he can travel safely and it should also give us more time. It’s a combination of a spell and a talisman...”
“Do it,” Hopper interrupted.
Sarah sta
