Chapter 26
The keep remindsme of Davien’s manor back in the Natural World. The architecture is incredibly similar even if it is significantly more dilapidated. This place has clearly been forgotten by man, though not by nature.
The small, crumbling castle overlooks a perfectly clear lake. I’ve never seen water so brilliantly blue in my life. Even underneath the orange sunset it gives off an almost cerulean glow.
The oak trees of the forest we left are gone. In their place are massive, ancient sentries of wood and perseverance. Their trunks fan out at their base, looking as if they wear flowing skirts beneath their bark. The mountains have also vanished.
I stare at the western horizon, blinking into the sunset. “I’ve never seen the sky so large and unbroken.”
“Me neither.” Davien’s voice is low with reverence. “And I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
I guide the horse over to the entrance of the keep. The doors have long since rotted off and vines trellis around the opening in their place. We dismount and Davien walks right to the water’s edge where it meets the castle wall.
“So, what do we do now?”
“Let’s go inside,” he decides and returns to me. “It’s getting late and there are some matters involving the ritual to finalize.”
“Finalize?” I ask.
“Vena was able to work out most of the ritual…but she admitted that we might be forced to adjust once we are in this space. Ritual is an art and we didn’t know what our canvas would look like.”
My heart sinks into the cold water of the lake and I shiver. The fae have made it clear how important ritual is for their magic to work properly…and how difficult rituals can be to make and perfect.
“How long do you think the adjustments will take?”
“I hope no more than a day, at the absolute most.” Davien begins unhooking the saddlebags. I lend assistance. “Fortunately, my horse was the one we carried on with, so I didn’t lose any of the supplies that Vena sent.”
“I can only imagine how much bloodier that scuffle would have become if we were also trying to get the saddlebags off my horse… Poor girl.” I sigh, wishing I could go back and find the horse to give it a proper burial. I only knew her for a short time, but she served me well.
“Speaking of bloody, are you all right?” Davien’s hand touches my side. “I didn’t see this when we were riding.”
I look at my side where Allor nicked me with her blade. “It was small and it’s already healed.” I press my fingers through the hole in my shirt to confirm what I already suspected. The skin is already knitted; there’s not even the slightest sign of any trauma. “I have to admit, fast healing is one really nice thing about your fae king powers. I’m going to miss having it.”
He chuckles. “If I could let you keep a fraction of this power, I would.”
“Well, if I get to choose, then please give me the magic healing.” I focus on the saddlebags in an effort to hide my shock at the admission.
He shifts a little closer to me. “You have a deal, but only after I defeat the most bloodthirsty fae to have ever walked this earth.”
“I think that sounds fair.” I look up at him with a sly smile. I hate how much just his face makes me happy. Even when the world is tough, even when death and danger lurks around every corner, there’s a lightness that only his presence exudes. I tear my eyes away from him, before I’m lost in the heady emotions. “We should go inside…see if our friends are waiting.” Hopefully not our enemies. “I’ll keep the stallion saddled, just in case we need to make a fast escape. One night with a saddle on shouldn’t hurt him.”
“Good thinking.” His expression becomes serious as he looks up at the crumbling walls, scanning the dark windows. If Shaye or Giles had made it here before us, they would’ve most certainly come to greet us by now. It’s far more likely that if anyone is waiting, it’s an enemy. “I’ll go first. Stay right at my side.” He holds out his hand and I take it.
We enter at the top of an L-shaped hallway. At our left is an antechamber that is completely overgrown by the vines and other greenery that was creeping up the front facade. Rounding the L reveals the main hall of the keep.
There’s a staircase at our right that heads up to the second floor and a gigantic hearth at our left. A rectangular, stone table positioned before the hearth is the only piece of furniture that persists. Opposite the hearth are three large windows, cut into the wall, that overlook the lake. Miraculously, the stained glass is still intact.
“It’s almost like the designs at your house.” I keep my voice to a whisper as I cross over to one of the windows, yet my words still manage to echo around the pillars and into the giant rafters that support this cavernous room. I run my finger lightly along the dark outlines of the images. Every other panel is a portrait of a man or woman wearing a shimmering crown made of glass almost identical to the one Davien wore on the night of the festival in Dreamsong.
“My home and this place were both made by and for the Aviness family.” Davien examines the glass as well. I can feel the warmth radiating off of him as the castle becomes colder with the setting sun.
“There are women wearing the crown.”
“There were a few times in our history where in lieu of a male heir, a woman took the throne.” Davien shrugs. “The last heir of the direct bloodline would have been a woman.”
“Everyone makes it sound like there have only been kings.”
“That has been the predominant way of it. And the Boltovs only pass down the crown among the men of their family. I think some forget that there were queens long ago.”
