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Heading out the door, I didn’t close it and stood in the doorway, but I turned giving him privacy. Summoning my magic, I created a barrier around myself in case he tried anything while my back was to him. “Grab the bags when you’re done.”
“Done,” he said softly behind me, and I jumped at the sudden closeness.
A grin etched his face and he looked down at me, being exactly one head taller. The clothes hugged his frame, highlighting the muscles. He must’ve spent all his time exercising in the prison, as if there was anything else to do. “Where do you want these?”
“On the goat. He’ll carry what we need. If we make good time, we can make the next checkpoint by nightfall.” After Callum secured our belongings to the goat, I patted George on the head, urging him forward. “Take us to the ridge.”
“I don’t like the sound of that,” Callum grumbled behind me.
“Afraid of heights?”
“Depends on how high and if it’s instant death or not. I’d be less afraid if I had my magic.” He pointed at the collar around his neck.
“I’ll keep you safe. I promise nothing will happen to you.”
With a resigned sigh and shaking of his head, he fell in step beside me.
The path continued up through the dense foliage, closer toward the mountain top where the vegetation would thin, replaced by evergreens and the cold chill of ice and snow. In order to make it to the River of Night we had to pass through the ridge. A jagged area of the mountain that had been carved with steps to traverse around the side and head toward the other end. I had never been to this region, but from the few people I’d spoken to, everyone would rather take the long way. Besides the dangerous ledges and walkways there were mountain cats that roamed the area, fast deadly creatures that blended into the surroundings until it was too late.
If the cats were able to cause even a drop of blood, the ridge vultures would come out in droves and start pecking away at your skin before you were even close to being dead. The magi had offered to send guards with me, but I refused. After what happened at Farrow’s Gate, I needed them to regain their confidence with me. Lord Demious had come close to seriously injuring me with that shadow magic of his. The last person to inflict any wounds on me had been Master Assan.
This mission was a test, and one I would pass.
Callum kept quiet as we walked, his hands in the pockets of his pants. As we moved higher the trees thinned and spaced out, revealing the open expanse. All around us large mountain tops could be seen to our left. Stone replaced dirt the farther we walked north toward the rocky incline that would lead us around the mountain. The sun peeked, making me sweat under the fur lined clothing, but that would end soon.
George trotted along in front of us, his steps never out of place, his footing steady over the uneven ground.Gray sleet rock formed jagged outcroppings, blocking out the sky. The path we walked on narrowed through a rocky valley, the walls reaching toward the clouds.The fae beside me walked in silence, his expression pensive and at times awed. Had he ever traveled to the mountains before or was it being out under the sky for the first time in decades?
Majestic eagles flew high around the stone, reminding me of the utter beauty of the place. I may have controlled the emotion out of me but that didn’t mean I couldn’t recognize beauty when I saw it.
I glanced over at my prisoner, seeing how under the bright light his silver eyes sparkled with an iridescent hue. If I was closer, I’d be able to pick out the little flecks of color, but the distance needed to be maintained. The sharp angles of his cheekbones and piercing gaze gave him this deadly, almost animalistic quality. Mr. Assan had taught me about the fae, all the many variations, and in almost all of their kind, one theme rang true.
They could not be trusted.
For as fickle as they were their love was more dangerous. It was a dark fae who created the Rift and all because his own kind had slaughtered the human he loved. In a desperate attempt to bring her soul back from the Never, he created a tear between the two realms . . . one that had been growing ever since.
Another lesson in love.
It was better not to have it.
George bleated, making a sudden stop.
Callum stepped nextto me,his eyes wide with wonder.
“Have you ever been to the mountains?” I asked.
“No. I’ve been to the surface many times, but never here. It’s . . . I don’t have words to explain it.”
Following his gaze, I looked over at the expanse and how from here we could see the life tree in all its wonderous beauty.
“Is that . . . ?” his voice dropped, and he stepped forward.
“It is. The life tree.”
From our position we could see the massive tree that sprouted from the ground and rose high past the clouds. The center of our world hummed with energy and shapes floated around the branches, flocks of birds so big from here you could see their shadows. Ancient dryads protected the tree from harm, and anyone who had attempted to cut the precious bark had been struck down with lightning and killed instantly. The life tree was the heart of our world, and something that could truly be appreciated from this view.
“That’s not all you can see.” Touching his shoulder, I pointed to the northwest where the sky darkened and shadows covered everything.
“The Rift.”
