No. She had promised herself, and her friends, that she would pass through the grove without trying the fruit. Even with the best intentions, to smell the fruit might lead to tasting the fruit. Lowering her head, she charged out of the orchard, raced across the clearing beyond, and took cover behind a bush.
Looking back, she saw Bracken staggering forward with Warren draped over his shoulder. They were not yet out from under the shadows of the dazzling trees. Should she return to help? Kendra wasn't sure she could trust herself.
With labored strides, Bracken carried Warren out of the grove. As Bracken crossed the clearing, Warren struggled less. Silver liquid flowed freely from one of Bracken's nostrils. Perspiration gleamed on his face. He dumped Warren on the ground beside Kendra.
"I'm so sorry," Warren panted. "I'm so sorry." He snorted out a dirt ball. Kendra cleared hers out as well.
Bracken produced a frayed handkerchief and held it to his nose. A wet silver stain spread across the threadbare material. "Don't mention it."
"Silver blood?" Kendra asked.
"I'm not quite human," Bracken said.
"If your nose is bleeding, did the dirt come out?" Warren asked.
"Of one nostril, yes," Bracken said. "How did you resist?" Warren asked in genuine amazement.
"It wasn't easy," Bracken said. "I'm sure it helped that I have lived a long time. And it helped that this is not my true form."
"It helped that you rule," Warren said. "You have an iron will. I owe you my life. Please forgive me. One of my nostrils came unplugged as we were running. After that, my rational side went on vacation."
"Nothing to forgive," Bracken said. "I felt the draw of the fruit. It was almost too much. Had I been alone, without responsibility, I might have failed the test."
"Both of you really smelled it?" Kendra asked, a little jealous.
"My nostril cleared when Warren punched me," Bracken said. "The scent was intoxicating. It may have been fortunate that blood replaced the dirt."
"I'm so sorry," Warren said. "I was out of control. All I knew was that I needed that fruit at all cost!"
"You don't feel that way now?" Kendra asked.
"The memory is appealing," Warren said. "But the irresistible urge is gone."
"We should move on," Bracken said.
"I dropped my sword," Warren said.
"That was way back there," Bracken said. "The first time you started to stray."
"I really wanted to clear my nose and fully smell the grove," Kendra confessed.
"Me too," Warren said. "Be glad you didn't. The full smell was a hundred times more compelling. I take it we leave the sword?"
"I don't want to risk the grove again," Bracken said. "The sword provided more the illusion of security than any actual protection. Stealth is our real weapon today."
"A fairy," Kendra said, pointing.
The fairy glided toward them, gauzy wings flowing more than flapping, as if she were underwater. She had dark skin and long dark hair, and wore lavender wrappings that matched her wings. Tiny golden trinkets adorned her arms and ankles.
The fairy alighted on Bracken's shoulder, and he moved the handkerchief away from his face. She caressed his cheek. From the look on her face to the expressive language of her movements, Kendra had never seen a fairy express such tender concern. The fairy placed her brown hand on the side of his nose. There was a brief glow, and then she used a diaphanous strip of material to clean the flecks of blood from the rim of his nostril.
"Can you guide us to the sealed shrine?" Bracken asked gently.
The fairy nodded eagerly. Kendra felt certain the fairy was in love. Apparently the persuasive influence of her fairykind status would not be needed today.
"Could you gather a few of your sisters to help us avoid trouble?" Bracken asked.
The fairy looked suspicious, as if the mention of other fairies had suddenly spoiled much of the fun.
"I would consider it a tremendous favor," Bracken said earnestly. Color rising in her cheeks, the fairy glided away.
"You have a way with fairies," Warren said.
"I may lack my horn," Bracken said, "but I'm still a unicorn. We're sort of the rock stars of the fairy world."
Sure enough, a few minutes later, the first fairy returned with several others. Most had dark skin and elaborate wings. Bracken was the obvious center of attention. The majority of the fairies whispered and tittered from afar. A couple of the boldest drifted close to gaze at him dreamily. One started mending a tear in his shirt.
Bracken laughed. "Do not concern yourselves with my attire. I need scouts. Who will keep us safe from harm?"
"I will," chirped a chorus of tiny voices. Miniature hands waved as fairies vied for selection.
"I would be forever grateful for help from all of you," Bracken said warmly. He made assignments regarding which fairies would rove far, which would stay close, and which direction they would cover. When the fairy who had first found them received the honor of serving as Bracken's personal escort, she beamed with pride.
With their fairy entourage scouting ahead, they made faster progress than before, advancing without hesitation. Occasionally warnings would be passed back to them by their escorts, and they would pause or alter their course accordingly. More fairies joined the group, bringing Bracken nuts and berries and sips of water or honey cupped in fragrant leaves. Bracken shared these offerings with his companions. Eventually the steady parade of minute portions filled them and he had to ask for no further food to be brought.
At length, with the sun past midday, fairies returned reporting a sphinx up ahead guarding the sealed shrine. Bracken assured the fairies that a confrontation with the sphinx was necessary and asked them to hang back. Part of Kendra hoped that he would invite her to hang back as well, but Bracken made no such offer.
The iron dome came into view through the trees. The size surprised her. It was several stories tall, and looked big enough for a circus to perform inside. Devoid of any signs of corrosion, the dull, black iron absorbed the afternoon sunlight, reflecting nothing.
As they drew nearer, Kendra spotted the sphinx lounging in front of the dome, tail swishing back and forth. The sphinx had the body of a golden lion, with feathery wings tucked at the sides, and the head of a woman. She had large, almond-shaped eyes the color of jade, and wore a self-satisfied expression.
Bracken approached her, flanked by Warren and Kendra. The sphinx made no movement aside from her languidly waving tail.