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Chapter 39: Jasmine
“Is that Casja?” Brigid asked, her lips curling with a proud smile as she pointed at something in the sky.
I had to squint beneath the sunlight to spot her, but once I did, I couldn’t help but share a smile with Brigid. Casja soared in the sky, her crimson hair framing her face as it danced in the gentle wind. Her cape fluttered gracefully. She glided with elegance, casting a watchful eye over our scouts and surveying the land.
“It is,” I replied. “She looks...”
“Cool,” Brigid finished the thought.
We resumed our walk.
“So this is where we’ll live?” Brigid asked, glancing at the mountainous region of pure forest that lay before us as we climbed down the hill.
The lake we had been walking beside for a few hours now glistened in the sunlight, and up in the distance, I could see the river that fed it. It came down from the mountain in a foamy urgency, joining the lake on flat ground. That spot would be good for farming. And we could use the water to drink.
“You don’t like it?” I asked.
“I never thought I would live a life of peace,” Brigid mumbled. “This looks very peaceful.”
She had said it as though it was a bad thing.
“You are a warrior,” Muir commented on her other side.
“I never had the chance,” Brigid continued. I wasn’t sure if she was responding to Muir or continuing her earlier remark because she seemed thoughtful.
“I never considered a life of peace, either,” I said. “But I can get used to it, I think.”
“I am not sure if it will be so peaceful,” Muir said. “We still have many enemies.”
“Hopefully, that won’t be the case for much longer,” Brigid replied.
I agreed. As the monster folk followed the three of us downhill, I thought about Qam. Kieran would likely have reached the castle by now. I hoped everyone would come back to us safely.
The monster folk we had left behind had arrived already. They’d set up camp near the mountains. Casja descended from the sky to guide us when we reached the reeds.
She waved at me.
“Isn’t this nice?” she asked. “Anyone would like this, would they not?”
“That’s a weird way to put it,” Brigid said, then, immediately she added, “Are you worried that Xira won’t want to visit?”
Casja’s cheeks flushed red at once.
“No,” she lied. I quickly closed myself off to her mind and emotions. She was obvious enough without the magic aiding me. And I wanted to give my friend a chance to deny her feelings if she wanted to.
“I think anyone would like it here,” Brigid said.
“Are we to stay here, Liberator?” a woman asked behind us. I turned around to see her face, and all her thoughts came with that act. Her name was Feyra. Her left foot felt sore from all the walking. And she was worried.
“We will decide that together, Feyra,” I whispered. “I told you. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“But what do you think?” Niamh asked, taking a step to stand beside Feyra. “Do you think we will be safe here?”
“As safe as anywhere else,” I replied. “We will have to hide until we cannot. And then, we will have to protect ourselves against the Queen of Light.”
They looked frightened but determined. But I did not need to see their faces to know how they felt.
