It’s nice to feel… normal.
Once we finish and go back into the frozen garden, Tristan takes me to an area with a little ice rink where he shows me another of Lady’s tricks. He’s getting her to fetch on the ice, and it looks like she has by now developed a technique for it.
She lies down her front, and with her butt up, and propels herself over the ice with her back legs toward the ball.
I end up laughing so hard I slip, but Tristan is, of course, there to catch me.
He has more planned for us and we head for the stables. A few people peek our way, so I pull my hat farther down my face, but the area where the kelpie live is available only to royals, so we are once again not bothered by anyone.
I didn’t pay attention to it the first time, but it smells really nice in here, of fresh hay and herbs, and as Tristan leads me past the arched entryway, I admire the horse skulls arranged within a carved frieze running along the whole inner yard.
“How many kelpie are kept here?” I ask, stopping by a picture-perfect well that would surely make my wishes come true.
“There’s four—wait. Five, if you include the stablemaster. And I have heard something about another possibly arriving soon. I’ll let you know if it happens. They are very cute babies and can’t always hold their form well while growing up, so they sometimes end up with their fish tail on land. It’s hilarious.”
As soon as we reach Stone’s stall, he stomps his hoof as if in protest at what he’s hearing. My mind is spinning with all this new information about animals that work in such new, magical ways.
I stand closer to Tristan when I hear quick footsteps, but the man who approaches us holds out a letter for Tristan. He has a mop of blond hair, and he’s dressed in a worn leather outfit padded to keep him warm. What catches my attention are his red, but most definitely human ears. The night we arrived at the castle is a blur, but now I vaguely remember Tristan mentioning a human who works in the stables.
Tristan glances at the letter then groans. “Will you be fine here with Kurt and the kelpie for a few minutes? I will be back shortly.”
I take a deep breath, but when the guy who looks about my age and has an X-men tattoo peeking out from under his outfit offers me a friendly smile, I nod, because what better way is there tofind out the truth about my position here than by chatting to another human, without anyone overseeing our conversation?
So I nod and face the young man, offering him my hand. “I’m Nate.”
Tristan walks off quickly, muttering something, and I can only hope he’s not dealing with a serious issue.
“Hey, I’m Kurt. It’s been a while since I got to meet a new human. And you’re one of the special ones, too, right?” He rolls his eyes when one of the other kelpie whinnies.
“‘Special’?” I ask with a frown and take him in with more attention. He seems… very relaxed, as if he hasn’t just interacted with a royal.
He puts on a pair of the octopus leather gloves and strokes the kelpie’s neck. “You know, the ones they can make a Dark Companion. The shadow wielders can’t do that with just anyone.”
“Oh…” My gaze swipes up and down his body, and now I start wondering how much about me he already found out from gossip. “So how didyouget here?”
“It’s a funny story. I used to work at this burger joint with Luke, you know, the Lord’s Dark Companion, and he was visiting after I got fired. We ran into each other, and he offered to help me get a job here. It was supposed to just be for the summer, to tide me over, but it all grew on me, and since I was allowed to stay, I did. Sure beats flipping burgers. And you get to live forever? Win-win really.” My head is still spinning with all this information as I watch him give the kelpie some kind of snack out of his pocket.
My face is boiling. “But that’s just the elves…”
“Common misconception,” Kurt tells me, pointing his nose toward the sky. “It’s this realm. As long as you stay here, you just don’t age, and unless something eats you, you can live… indefinitely.”
The kelpie sniggers and chews on his hair, prompting Kurt to push at it. “You smug bastard! How was I supposed to know the mermaid was setting a trap?”
I’m so overwhelmed by the idea of living in this… beautiful paradise of nightmares until the end of time that it takes me a while to pick up on the fact that Kurt… understands the Kelpie. Unless he is one of those people who imagines their pets talking back.
“Um… you know what it said?”
He turns to me wide-eyed, and it’s as if he’s stuck buffering. “Hmm… Sorry, I’m not allowed to confirm or deny. But I heard you’re a vet, so maybe you’ll find out one day.
He can’t be serious… can he?
Tristan can literally grow wings though, so isthisreally such a far-fetched idea? “If I marry into the royal family?” I ask, eyebrows rising.
Kurt shrugs and spreads his arms with a grin as Stone nods. Does he… understand me?
“Does Tristan treat you well?” I whisper to Stone, and the kelpie moves its head with even more vigor.
Kurt snorts. “Ser Tristan spoils Stone rotten. He loves to take part in races, so out of all the royals, he spends most time on the back of a kelpie.”
