Chapter 10- Observance.

 It was no surprise that by the time I arrived Ayah was outside waiting for me. Her visions never failed her, and she undoubtedly saw me coming, the frantic look in my eyes as I shot through the sky worrying her. I stumbled into her arms as I landed, tears streaming down my face. "Ah, Rainn, what's happened now," She squeezed me back before shooing me inside. She scoped out the yard to make sure I hadn't been followed before sliding the boxcar's door shut. She turned to me, worry on her face. "I can't keep saving you every time you get into trouble, Ástin mín. You've had me sick with worry too often with all of the commotion you get yourself into." She told me disapprovingly. I dried my face with my jacket sleeve, relieved that she was okay. "What have you gotten yourself into now?" She asked, "And where's the girl?" "It's not me that's in trouble Móðir," I said, going on to tell her of Ember's disappearance and my suspicion of the wolves. How I had been terrified that they had caught onto her scent as well and were going to come here. I apologized for involving her with everything. "I had to come and make sure you were alright. I need help tracking her too. I know you can catch a trail far better than I can, but we have to hurry." I said, letting the panic seep through my words. 

 Ayah sighed before grabbing a small box and setting it on the table. "Rainn, I think I deserve more credit than you give me. If you had stayed with me long enough, like I had wanted, you'd know a thing or two about barriers and how to place them." She started on me, and I held back the urge to roll my eyes. Móðir would seemingly never let go of the grudge she held against me for leaving. For someone that enjoyed her solidarity, she sure did tend to blame her loneliness on me. I watched her lay two solid white candles on the table, smoothing the lace cloth out under them before tying a few rope cords to connect them and opening the box. "I pride myself in being untraceable," she started again. "And even if those mutts had somehow managed to catch my scent, they'd never be able to find this place. It's hidden to all except who I enjoy the occasional visit from." From the box she pulled a small mirror and a few bleached bones, and my agitation at how slow she was moving grew. "Ayah quickly, please. If these brutes have Ember, there's no telling how much time we have to find her before they kill her. With how pissed they are they'll probably make sure she suffers. It's my fault, I should've taken better precautions." My brain kept jumping from regret to anger. If I had just left her to them that night under the oak tree, I wouldn't be so obsessed with making sure she was okay, my library would still be a safe place for me to lay my head at night, and I wouldn't have to annoy Ayah with my pleading. But I had to help this girl, I couldn't let her die, especially now that the cause of her suffering would be my fault. They'd torture her for hours before allowing her to succumb and coming after me. The thought made my heart drop. I wished I could just forget about her, but for some reason that was now impossible. I looked into Ayah's eyes, trying to ignore the fact that they seemed to hold a secret. She was hiding something, but I didn't have time to grill her. I needed her to start the tracking observance quickly, before we ran out of time. 

 "Patience, dear. These things do take time," she said, snapping her fingers to light the candles. The same way she did during the Mikill andi ritual. She spoke in smooth Icelandic, asking the spirits to aid her request and asking if they could show us the girl, before blowing a quick breath onto the bones and tossing them onto the table to read the answer. They fell to the table on top of each other with a light clack, forming a cross where they overlapped. A yes. My heart skipped a beat as Ayah sprinkled some rosemary and salt into the candle's flames. The mirror started to move slightly on the table as a light blue heugh surrounded it. "The cloth, child." Ayah spoke, holding her hand out to me. "Oh," I exclaimed, almost forgetting the piece of Ember's sheet I had torn and brought with me. I took it out of my jacket pocket and placed it in her hand. Móðir spoke Ember's name before holding the cloth on top of the intertwined candles, snuffing their flames. The mirror shot upright, seemingly vibrating in the air before the glass turned cloudy like a foggy windowpane. I watched in awe as small droplets slid down the glass' surface before revealing an entirely new picture instead of a reflection. "Móðir..." I started before being interrupted. "Hush, child. Watch." She snapped at me, and I locked my jaw closed. Squinting my eyes to better make out the scene in front of me. I could see Ember's jaded sneakers, her legs scratched and bruised. It was as though I was watching the scene from her eyes. "Ayah! What's happening, where is she," I pleaded, my words nearly catching in my throat. I couldn't hear anything that was happening, it was like an old television with no sound output. "Pay attention, what do you see?" Ayah asked me. It was bothering me that she didn't seem as concerned with the situation as I was. She sat in her chair seemingly unaffected, tapping her index finger on the table. I was starting to panic now. I couldn't even tell if she was alive, just that she was being dragged through thick brush and twigs, her legs catching on a branch ever so often. Her assailant pulling to free her before continuing. "Móðir!" I yelled, my chest painful with worry now, I jumped up, slinging the chair behind me and slamming my palms down on the table. Receiving no answer from Ayah. I lifted my head closer to the mirror, just as they passed a rundown recognizable shack. One I knew all too well. 

 "Lake Green Stone," I mumbled. I rushed to gather my things, not bothering to say goodbye to Ayah before snatching the door open and throwing myself into the afternoon air.