Meanwhile, Tegwyn is undeterred by the cold, his gaze dead set on wherever we’re going.
I don’t dare ask. My sheer trust in him really will be the death of me.
We tread several more side streets before he comes to a stop, pointing towards a high wall.
A gasp draws from my lips. I’ve never seen a wall so tall. Its turrets stand proud like sentries, silhouetted against the starry night sky. The entire structure stretches for miles.
I wonder how long the stonemasons took to build this battlement.
The faerie slinks through more streets with ease. Unfortunately, I’m not so graceful, but the occupants of the wattle and daub houses are fast asleep.
Soon, we reach our destination, craning our necks as we gaze up at the wall.
My head spins. It must be at least thirty feet.
Tegwyn walks perpendicular to the wall, stopping before a tunnel that’s big enough for us both to squeeze through.
A strong, putrid smell invades my nose, and I cover my face. “Ergh, what is that?”
He replies, completely unaffected by the stench. He must have one strong nose. “Brine mixed with sewage. The people of this city dump their waste into the river, so it flows out to sea. Observe.” He directs his finger towards a small stream that guzzles into the trench. “The city has hundreds of these channels.”
My stomach roils, and I glance away from the stream before I turn even greener than Tegwyn.
He sniggers, “Just try to keep to one side of the tunnel, and you should be fine.”
He steps into the tunnel. Breathing sharply, I follow him inside, keeping my hand over my nose. The stream runs the length of the tunnel as we traipse along a small ledge, but despite the rotten smell, my heart thumps with excitement.
The sea is mere feet away, and I almost topple into the stream.
What if it doesn’t live up to my expectations?
The stream falls from a grate ahead, and there I spy the open sky.
Tegwyn pauses, peering over his shoulder. A distant crashing can be heard on the other side of the grate, and my heart rate spikes. Unfortunately, the ledge doesn’t go any farther.
“You won’t be able to see much from here, but if you crane your neck far enough, you may just catch a glimpse.”
My hopes are quashed, and now the grate reminds me of a cage. All I see is star-kissed night, and several white birds that hover like kites. Laughing gulls.
I hear them too, and I close my eyes, savouring the sound they make.
Now I peer into the murky water. It’s not too deep. At best, it would reach my ankles.
Before I think too much about it, I swing my legs over the ledge, then jump.
“Ivy!” Tegwyn shouts.
But it’s too late. I’m already ankle-deep in water, lifting my dress as I wade towards the grate.
All the breath leaves my body when I finally glimpse that large expanse, and it’s better than I imagined. There are no words.
It’s breathtaking.
The moon reflects along the surface, rippling and flowing with the waves, and when I cast my gaze further, I spy a solid line where the sky meets the sea. The horizon.
When I look at the waves below, my head swirls, and then I grip the barnacled grate tighter, pressing my face between the bars. They’re as sharp as knives, roaring and crashing into the rocks below, and I gasp when a fine mist sprays my face. Some of it gets into my mouth. I taste the salt on my tongue, and a sudden laugh escapes me.
Sea spray drips down my cheeks, and I rub it into my skin, savouring the ocean chill. Tears prick my eyes.
