Tynan turned and gently pulled me down. I followed, still gaping at the valley below. With every step we took, I could see more of what Darragh was. There were no structures protecting them from the undead, as if they were not worried about the monsters.
In the valley, there were thickly settled, moderate looking homes made of stone and brick with roofs covered with dry grass and pine-like moss. On the furthest side of the valley, as far as my eyes could see, were cattle with shiny, cinnamon-colored coats and hair so long that it almost covered the animals’ faces.
When we encountered other people walking down the stairs, my eyes could not stop examining the simple cotton clothes and the long braided hair women wore. The menmostly wore their flying suits. The abundance of weapons they carried reminded me that even if this place looked like magic itself, we were not safe here.
When at last we passed through the valley, I stiffened, noticing another set of narrow stairs carved into the stone as black as coal. Moisture made the surfaces wet and slippery and when Tynan’s hand landed on my back I did not even think about protesting. After what felt like another five minutes had passed, I realized that what we were climbing toward was not a random rock formation, but something else entirely.
I paused, staring at the pieces of glass that were attached to the surfaces. They did not look organized in any way, but blended seamlessly with the inky black walls. It was inhabited, and with my inquisitive eyes I saw dark passages lit up by numerous wax candles. Suddenly, I could clearly see irregular shaped windows with not all the way transparent glass.
It wasn’t just a building, it was a castle. I had never seen anything even remotely close to it. The grotesque and misshapen structure made up of hard, unpolished rock with sharp edges that appeared to be a stone formation from afar, was an actual palace up close. The entire building looked like something from the realm of dreams or nightmares.
We were stopped by a ponderous wooden door, decorated with steel inclusions interconnected to create an ornament of a scowling dragon looking straight at everyone daring to enter. I shifted my weight, not feeling the warmthof Tynan’s touch any longer. Then the door opened with a deep, continuous rumble.
We were ushered inside, and my mouth dropped open when I saw the rich, cherry red carpet. The light of numerous candles illuminated the exquisitely decorated tall chairs and benches, tables that looked like they were carved during different periods, and chests and coffers. Multiple paintings in heavy golden frames filled the walls, as well as enormously sized tapestries with scenes so beautifully depicted that my eyes could not pull away in time before we needed to move on. I stopped to gaze at the family portraits. One was a painting of a husband, wife and three boys. Even without taking a closer look, I could spot Tynan as a younger version of himself. He had a similar expression in his midnight black eyes, too serious and uncompromising, as if he had to fight for everything he got. His small hand was just resting on a sword, but the position of his arm, the angle of his body, clearly showed that he was on high alert, as if he was ready to spring into action at any given moment. His older brothers looked bigger, stronger, more confident with their broad bodies and the slight curves of their mouths. Yet, there was something in Tynan’s eyes that clearly marked him as a leader, the traces of untamed power and stubbornness that I saw every time I looked at the original.
Tynan placed his hand on my forearm and I turned away, following the others into a spacious, brightly lit hall, where on a slightly raised platform sat a young man in the middle of his dinner. He was broad, with long dark hair and a sharp,scrutinizing look on his face. His eyes reminded me of a bird of prey; assessing, hard, intensely dark and almost glassy. He was wearing a black flying suit not much different from other men we saw in the valley. Everything about the man screamed that he was in charge, from the slight turn of his head, to the angle of his shoulders. As soon as he saw us, his gaze stopped on Tynan.
“You?” the man said.
He had a pleasant, melodic voice, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not hear any trace of cruelty or malice in it.
“Hanoch,” Tynan tipped his head slightly.
“I did not expect to see you here.” The man wiped his hands and made a sign to his servants, who immediately started to clear the dishes.
“Where’s Quirin?” Tynan asked.
“He’s gone. Flying accident,” his brother responded.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Tynan said.
Hanoch lowered his head, saying nothing.
“We need your help,” Tynan added.
“Is that so?” Hanoch scrutinized our small group.
“We parted ways with the council, and need a place to stay while we figure out where to go next,” Tynan said.
“What makes you think that I want to risk my stance with the council over you?” Hanoch returned his gaze to his brother.
“I had hoped everything I was told about family, duty,and honor was true.” Tynan raised his head meeting his stare.
There was something new in his eyes, flames that I have never seen before. He did not look like someone asking for help, he was bending the others to his will.
“You betrayed us.”
“Is that what it’s being called?” Tynan smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
“What did you tell your masters in the capital about Darragh?” Hanoch asked.
“I don't have any masters,” Tynan replied.
“And you expect me to believe that?” the man behind the table asked.
“Believe whatever you want,” Tynan said.
“Alfrida, I can’t believe you are so grown. Your friends would be so happy to see you. Sol, why did you follow them? Big mistake.” Hanoch only glanced at Victor, not saying a word to him. When his eyes landed on me, I wanted to disappear.
