CHAPTER TWENTY
When we woke the next morning, Bastian put me through more punching drills which went about as well as they had the night before. My muscles were screaming even more after sleeping on the forest floor. I could barely lift my arms. I have the smallest inkling that he was taking it easier on me this morning. I’m almost positive he caught every little wince and hiss of pain as I moved around the campsite this morning.
In fact, when we mounted Puck to set off again, he lifted me onto the horse without even letting me attempt to do it myself. And once he threw himself up behind me, he wrapped an arm around my middle and roughly tugged me to him until my back rested against his front.
“Stay,” he had rumbled out.
And stay I did. I may be stubborn, but at this point, the discomfort overrides any urge to continue fighting him on this. Relaxing back into him helped to soothe my aching muscles a bit, but I still know I’m going to be sore for days. I can’t even remember what it feels like to not be in pain.
We hit the Twilight Veil by midday, and it was strange how suddenly the terrain and climate changed as we crossed over.
Warm is not a word I would ever use to describe Unseelie, but with the way the temperature dropped the second we entered the Veil, I wished we were back in that dark landscape. Bastian had rummaged through his saddle bag for a thick cloak after the first shiver wracked my body.
This far east and away from the mountain ranges, there wasn’t as much snow on the ground as there had been near where we came through the portal, yet the air still carries that fresh pine and crisp scent of snow and winter.
The change in the trees was the most dramatic demarcation between Unseelie and the Twilight Veil. The gray, scraggly branches were suddenly full of color and began to look more like a tree and less like some sort of desiccated skeleton of one.
I couldn’t help the way my head was whipping side to side observing the path as we carried on. I didn’t get to take in enough of the veil on our trek back out after the attack because I had been so distracted by the pain in my thigh and making sure that Bastian was in fact still in one piece.
I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere so beautiful. This is what I pictured in my mind when I imagined the Faerie realm. It almost has an ethereal vibe about it. There’s mist clinging to the tops of the trees obscuring the view of the sky and diffusing the harsh sunlight.
We’re about halfway through the Veil when the mist parts enough for me to catch a glimpse of something gray tucked into the mountains that stands out against the bright snow.
I tilt my head in its direction. “What’s that?” I ask Bastian, breaking the comfortable silence between us for the first time since we had our midday rations.
His head turns towards where I indicated. “What’s what?” he asks.
“That building. Up in the mountains.” I lift my hand to point at it.
He tugs on the reins, halting Puck from progressing any further forward. Now it’s his turn to tilt his head. “I… don’t have any idea.” He squints his eyes as if that will help him see farther into the distance. “It almost looks like a castle… But I don’t recall anything in our history that made mention to a castle in the Twilight Veil.” I can hear the confusion and uncertainty in his voice.
“Well perhaps you haven’t read all the history books,” I offer.
He turns his face back to me, a look of annoyance across his features. “I’ve read every history book in Unseelie,” he deadpans.
“Well look at you, little academic.” I smirk at his eye roll. “Perhaps I can find something in the books in Seelie. That’s certainly a source you haven’t been able to tap into before I assume.”
“You would assume correctly. I suppose it is possible that they could have something that the Unseelie don’t. But I would find that hard to believe.”
I shrug and turn back in the saddle to look at the castle in the mountains. I can’t see it very well, but what I can see of it looks abandoned. It’s perched on the edge of the mountain range and there’s at least one tower that looks like it used to be a spire that has since crumbled.
If we weren’t on our way to Seelie and my parents, I would ask if we could make a detour up into the mountains to explore. I’ve never seen anything like it.
The castle in Unseelie was the first time I’d ever seen a castle in the flesh and not just sketched out in a book. But that one was dark and almost felt like it was haunted. This one looks… I don’t fully know how to explain it. Because lighter isn’t the right word. It’s still a deep slate gray stone construction similar to theUnseelie castle. But it has more of a warmth to it that makes it feel more welcoming. Like a place I need to explore.
I shake the thoughts from my head and refocus on the path ahead of us that leads to Seelie.
“We can try to comb through the books in the palace and see what they’ve got there. I’m sure they’ll have something,” I offer. If they let me in, that is. I pick at the skin around my fingernail as I tumble into my doubts.
He hums in agreement but doesn’t say anything further as he nudges Puck back into motion.
The rest of the day passed in silence. We rode until the sun began to dip below the horizon before stopping to make up camp for the evening along the river. We took up our usual camp preparation tasks as we’ve done the last few times, with the added task to water Puck while Bastian cleans whatever animal he’s caught for dinner. It’s a pleasant rhythm we’ve fallen into.
I dreaded the end of our meal, fully expecting that Bastian would make me run more self-defense drills with him, but I was pleasantly surprised by the words that came out of his mouth instead.
“You’re off the hook for self-defense tonight.”
“Oh thank the gods,” I say on an exhale as my body sags in relief.
