March 1886, India
Stuart and Margaret, mounted on their respective geldings, appeared in a flash of light. Margaret’s expression was one of absolute terror. She clung to Noch’s neck, her eyes tightly shut. Stuart, on the other hand, looked completely at ease and pleased with himself. He lowered his arm, which had been wrapped tightly around his wife’s waist, as he surveyed his surroundings.
They had arrived in a clearing surrounded by dense forest. A tiger, previously enjoying its fresh kill, looked up in surprise at the sudden and inexplicable arrival of the uninvited guests. It quickly lifted the carcass and ran off into the vegetation.
“Right, then,” Stuart said, expecting his wife to release the white knuckled grip she had on her horse and open her eyes. When it became apparent she was not intending on releasing Noch anytime in the near future, he spoke.
“Margaret, my dear. All is well. We are here.”
Slowly, reluctantly, she lifted her head and opened her eyes. She let out a breath, which she had apparently been holding since their departure.
“Where?” she asked.
“India. Northern India to be precise.”
Margaret looked around, searching for clues to their location. To her dismay, she could have been in any clearing in any jungle in the world. She didn’t want to believe they had traveled by magic. She had no choice but to accept that they had, a moment ago, been just outside the cottage of Tabitha Ogilvy.
“How do you know we’ve gone where we were supposed to?” she asked.
“I’ve been here before,” Stuart replied.
“You’ve spoken with the seer? Why didn’t you mention this?”
“No. I’ve traveled here previously. One cannot transport to a place they haven’t physically been — unless of course they’re traveling with someone else as you are. It’s one of the eight unbreakable laws of sorcery,” replied Stuart pensively.
Margaret nodded, remembering everything her husband had told her before they left. In the brief conversation, he had told her that the seer, who’s name nobody knew, had summoned her. Someone summoned me? she thought. Margaret asked what happened if someone ignores this so-called seer’s summons. Both Stuart and Tabitha looked aghast. “That is not an option,” Stuart said sternly.
“Shall we? Stuart asked, turning Archos toward the edge of the clearing.
Margaret nodded, hesitantly turned Noch, and followed. They continued through the jungle for several hours. Margaret couldn’t discern any trail and wondered how her husband knew where they were going.
Finally, the dense jungle thinned and a heavily trodden trail appeared beneath them. As the miles passed, the trail became wider and eventually was wide enough to fit a carriage. After a few more miles, the vegetation lining the road receded. They crossed over a rickety wooden bridge. Beneath twisted a muddy stream, its banks so overgrown with plant life not a spec of dirt could be seen. Margaret watched as a jonquil leaf floated under the bridge with the current. When she lifted her head, she spotted the first sign of human habitation since their arrival. Two small shacks stood sentinel on either side of the road ahead. The mud walls and exposed wooden supports reminded her of houses she’d seen on her last trip to France. These buildings were much smaller and had contrasting colors with their dark mud and light wood.
As they passed the buildings, Margaret couldn’t see any windows, chimneys, or doors. Beyond the buildings the road split. In the crotch stood a row of small houses. Each branch of the road was also lined with houses. All made of mud and wood. The roofs were flat. The doorways were covered with fabric.
“Where is everyone?” whispered Margaret.
“At the river, I imagine,” Stuart replied.
“All of them?”
“I suppose so. Although it does seem a bit odd,” Stuart replied.
They continued past the houses, taking the left fork to the opposite end of the village. There were still no signs of life. Not even an animal stirred in the afternoon sun. The road banked away from the habitations and began to descend toward the jungle. Margaret looked back over her shoulder at the abandoned village before her view was obstructed by the hill. She shuddered and couldn’t avoid the thought that something wasn’t right.
They continued along the road, which abruptly changed back into a trail as they passed through the tree line into the jungle. Margaret noticed her husband’s pace quicken. She tapped Noch with her heels so as not to fall behind.
Before she could see it, she heard the musical sound of water rolling over small rocks on a riverbed. The trees became less dense and Margaret was able to see the river. It was very wide, but shallow. Not a person was visible and again she shuddered. Stuart stopped when he reached the side of the river. Margaret pulled Noch alongside him.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Do you hear any birds?” he asked.
She fell silent. The only sound came from the river. Neither bird nor other animal made a sound. She’d cursed the noises that had filled her ears for the past several hours and now she longed for anything but silence.
“Nothing,” she whispered.
Stuart scanned the area for signs of life, a nervous expression on his face.
“James, what’s happening here?”
“I wish I knew,” he said.
After a moment he took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the reins, and gently tapped Archos with his heels. The horse slowly stepped into the water and moved across the shallow river. Margaret reluctantly followed. When they reached the midpoint, Stuart paused, his gaze fixed upstream.
“What is that?” he asked.
Margaret squinted trying to make out the object that was floating toward them. At first she thought it was a branch, but as it drew nearer she realized it was a body-the body of a child.
Margaret let out a gasp. Stuart simply stared, mouth agape as the current carried it closer. Both of them fixed on the small body as it floated past. It was face down in the water, minimally clothed, and white, as if it had been in the water for some time. Margaret looked up at Stuart, who continued to stare at the body. In her periphery, she caught sight of something else coming downstream. Slowly, she turned her head.
Her voice was stolen by fear. Dozens of bodies were floating toward them. After several muted shrieks Margaret found her voice. Stuart turned quickly away from the child’s body still ambling lazily downstream. A scream, rarely heard from a man’s throat, echoed that of his wife’s. Without hesitation Stuart brought Archos to a full gallop until he was out of the water. Margaret and Noch were just behind. They both stopped, catching their breath. Margaret lifted her head, which had been buried in Noch’s mane, and looked toward the river. The bodies were gone.
She looked downstream thinking perhaps they had already passed but saw nothing save the clear water rolling over shallow stones. She looked upstream. Nothing.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“I have the feeling we are unwelcome here,” replied Stuart, having regained his composure.
“I thought you’ve been here before.”
“I have. Someone doesn’t want me to take you to see him.” “I thought you said he’s just an old man?”
“He is a seer, the greatest living seer, and he has asked for you,” Stuart replied with incredulity at her disrespect.
“In all his known existence he has asked to see two people. The first is by many people’s standards the greatest sorcerer to ever live.”
Margaret let out a mocking laugh at the word “sorcerer.”
“Despite all that you’ve seen, the fact that we’ve traveled across the world in an instant, things you couldn’t possibly explain, you continue to treat this with the pomposity of someone who thinks they know better than to believe their own eyes. You must be humble before him.”
“James, I’m sorry. Truly. I believe I’m compensating for my fear, for my uncertainty. I don’t know how to act in response to all that you’ve told me so I act the way I’ve been conditioned to act. With contempt. I apologize and promise to make more of an effort to show my respect.”
Content with her response, Stuart heeled Archos and began up the trail that wound around the side of a rather steep hillside.
“Stay close, my love,” Stuart said. “I am sure other obstacles will lie in our path before we reach our destination.”
My love. How long had it been since he’s said that? Margaret wondered.