Morgan ignores me. 'What's in the bag Lia gave you? Have you checked?'
I shake my head. 'I will once we get to the city, and then I'll go out to the markets for anything else we need. Look in the front pocket though. There should be an illusion medallion for each of us, courtesy of Dane. Put it on. Give one to that cunt behind us and don't take it off within the city limits. The wards haven’t disappeared anyone in a while, but no fae should go in there without protection these days, not even Locke.’
Morgan takes the coin-like talisman and puts it around his neck. Before my eyes, he becomes half a head shorter. He’s still quite tall and broad, but he’s now well within what’s passable for a human man. His ears round and his flesh pinkens.
Huh. I hadn't realized how gray he is usually.
I know I stay much the same as normal. It’s just my ears that change slightly. I’ve been to Kitore before, of course, and last time I didn’t have one of these. I suppose I’m lucky the wards didn’t do anything untoward to me.
'Where is the city from here?' Bryn asks, looking at the steep hills in front of us with a frown.
'It's not as far as you think. We should be there before full dark.'
‘It was already so dark in the Mountains,’ she murmurs.
Morgan nods. ‘The sun sets much earlier up there, and rises later. The cliffs obscure it.’
We make our way down the path and it isn't long before the trees thin out and we find ourselves on a well-worn road. It snakes around more small patches of trees, and then the sprawling city comes into view suddenly. Its towers are tall and its stone walls high, yet all are hidden until the last moments by the surrounding grass-covered tors.
I hear Bryn’s outward breath as she takes in the sight.
'Come,' I say. 'The time's getting on, and the light will soon wane completely. It's best we get to the Library before the sun is down fully. The guards will be less suspicious in the day. Let me do the talking. I've been here more than once.'
'What's it like?' Bryn asks.
I grin at her as she falls into step beside me.
'You'll have to see for yourself,' I tease.
She simpers at me, and I chuckle.
'Where else did you go?' she asks. 'Here in the Light Realm, I mean.'
I let Morgan go ahead and ignore Locke as he lopes after him.
'Everywhere I could,' I say. 'I grew up in such a small place. When I realized how big everything outside of it was, I had to see it all.'
'Did you explore the Dark Realms as well?' she asks carefully.
'Not really,' I reply. 'Though there are fae there, it's considered a dangerous place by the Underhill. When I found myself in the fae realm, I decided to join their ranks. We’d been told by Varrik all our lives that we were the only fae left. So when we learned there was a land full of our kind, we were excited, hopeful for the future.'
'It wasn't what you thought it would be?' she asks quietly.
I glance over at her. 'I explored the Underhill. I did my service to my kind as a soldier. I learned their ways. But I hadbeen a healer before, so, once my time in the Underhill was done, I came to the Light Realm. I traveled around, selling my services as a healer whenever I was needed.'
I hear Morgan scoff from up ahead, and he turns around with a wide grin. 'The way he tells it, Bryn, that's not all he did.'
He waggles his eyebrows, making Bryn laugh.
She gives me a questioning look, and I smile, my cheeks pinkening. 'There may have been one or two ladies.'
Morgan scoffs. 'One or two?'
'We're almost at the gates. No more talking,' I cough, and Morgan chortles.
I scowl when I see Locke's lips upturn just a tad.
When we reach the open portcullis, we keep Bryn in the middle of our group. Despite our arguments, we're at least united regarding our female’s safety. When we go under the wall and enter the city, the guards don't even ask us where we're coming from.
