Shadows and Light

others. You don’t want to be left behind, do you?”
    After another moment’s hesitation, the mare trotted forward, expressing its unhappiness about being on the bridge with a gait so rough Lyrra clenched her teeth to keep from biting her tongue.
    They hadn’t gone that far when they caught up to Aiden and the packhorse. In fact—she looked back over her shoulder—she could still see the archway that led to the Clan territory they’d just left.
    The animals shifted uneasily, as if they didn’t like what was under their feet. Aiden stared at the tunnel ahead of them, frowning.
    He handed the packhorse’s lead to Lyrra. “Stay here. I want to ride up ahead just a bit.”
    “I’ll go with you,” Lyrra said quickly.
    Aiden gave her a look that silenced further protests. “Stay here.”
    She watched him trot away from her, then became occupied with getting her mare to stand. When she looked up again, tendrils of mist drifted across the shining bridge.
    Her mouth went dry, making it impossible to swallow. Her heart began beating fast and hard.
    Then...
    “Lyrra! Go back, Lyrra! Go back !”
    Aiden’s voice sounded oddly muted, but she heard fear in it—and something close to panic.
    She turned her mare, aimed the animal for the archway, and dug her heels into the mare’s sides.
    The mare leaped forward into a headlong gallop, the packhorse matching the pace.

    Lyrra glanced back, almost lost her balance.
    Stay ahead of him. Stay ahead of him. He’ll hesitate if you start flagging.
    She screamed. In terror. In defiance. She wasn’t sure. But the sound of her voice, so raw and primal, produced another burst of speed from the mare and the packhorse.
    Aiden was behind her, his horse galloping flat out. And behind him ...
    A silent avalanche of mist filling the tunnel, rushing toward them. The shining bridge disappearing under it.
    And Aiden barely a length ahead of it.
    She felt the difference in the mare’s pace, felt how the animal was suddenly working for each stride, as if they’d hit a patch of boggy ground.
    She emptied her mind of everything but the archway, so close now but still just out of reach.
    Closer. Closer.
    The mare and packhorse shot through the archway into the perfect morning light that bathed Tir Alainn.
    Lyrra reined in hard a few lengths away from the bridge, then twisted around in her saddle.
    The tunnel started collapsing near the archway, but she could make out the dark shape of a horse and rider.
    Almost there. Almost there. Aiden Aiden Aiden.
    She saw the horse gather itself to leap for the firm safe ground ahead. She heard Aiden’s cry, as raw and primal as hers had been. She saw the shine that had been the bridge vanish just as the horse leaped.
    The horse’s forelegs landed solidly on the ground of Tir Alainn. But the hind legs ...
    One back hoof touched the edge of the world. Slipped as the edge crumbled.
    Nothing under those back hooves now. Nothing but mist.
    Aiden kicked out of the stirrups, dove for the land in front of him. He hit the edge at his waist, dug his fingers into the ground to find something, anything, to hold on to as the edge crumbled and he slid back into the mist.
    The horse flailed for another moment before it fell into the mist, screaming in terror.
    Lyrra tumbled out of the saddle in her haste to dismount and reach Aiden. She dropped the mare’s reins and the pack-horse’s rope and ran toward him.
    More of the ground beneath Aiden suddenly crumbled. He kept fighting to find a hold in Tir Alainn while the weight of his own body pulled him down, until only his head, shoulders, and arms were visible.
    “Lyrra... don’t,” he gasped when she dropped to her knees in front of him and reached out to grab one of his wrists. “You can’t... hold me.”
    “I can. I will .”
    “You ...” He looked beyond her.

    She twisted around.
    Two riders cantering toward them. Two Fae males.
    “Help us!” she shouted, waving her arms to get their attention. “ Help !”
    The riders stopped. Stared at Aiden for a moment. Turned around and cantered back the way they’d come.
    Lyrra stared at them. They’d seen her and Aiden. They’d seen .
    “I love you,” Aiden gasped. “Remember that.”
    “I’m not going to lose you.” Lyrra surged to her feet. Ran to the horses. Grabbing the reins and the lead rope, she pulled the horses as close as she dared. She made a hasty knot in the end of the lead rope, hoping it would be enough. There wasn’t time to make