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She hugged her thin coat and jumped up and down to keep the cold away. And as though we needed further explanation, she added: “It's too cold.”
Casja stood comfortably beside Cari. She did not seem like she was affected by the cold at all even though she was from a warmer climate just like Cari. But then again Casja was a tempestarii. Her magic controlled the air around her even if she didn’t intend to.
“It’s not that cold,” I said. “Spring is almost here.”
“If you call this spring,” Cari replied. “I don’t want to know what winter is to you.”
“We are quite exposed here,” Casja said. “Inside the city walls, it will be warmer.”
“Let’s go then,” Cari said. “I think if I stay here for a bit longer, I’ll freeze to death.”
“You’re being dramatic,” Casja replied.
“And shouldn’t we talk about what we will do about those guards?” Gethin asked calmly.
He gestured toward the gate. Although the night was quickly approaching, the gate was wide open and fae came in and out constantly. The guards stood on either side, watching the incomers closely and sometimes stopping them to ask questions.
“They do seem more attentive to incomers,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Cari said. “No one will see us.”
Although I did not want to admit it, I knew her confidence was based on true power. Ever since she was a child, she had controlled thousands of monsters at all times. I did not doubt that she could hide all of us from a few guards.
“We still should be ready to fight in case they do,” Casja said.
Gethin nodded. I did not have to prepare myself at all. The key to Qai’s dimension was almost like a real key that I held at all times. My magic was urging me to call him even as I stood there, completely safe.
“Are you ready?” I asked Cari.
“Yes,” she replied.
Although Cari kept shaking from the cold, she did not seem strained from using her mind magic to hide us from all the fae around as we walked down the hill and got to the side of the road. No one paid any attention to us.
I had to admit. It was impressive.
We reached the gate after a while. Cari led us, following a carriage that was being pulled by an old white horse. The guards did not stop us as we entered the city by walking behind it. Although it irked me to walk into the city so casually, I could sense that the guards had no idea we were even there. As we entered, they paid us no mind at all.
Entering Qam stirred up the emotions I was attempting to suppress. The scents of spices and perfumes wafting from the markets brought memories of home flooding back.
The main street was busy. Fae came in and out, using the gates that were being kept wide open. We joined them.
“Where to?” Cari asked loudly as though she wanted to show off.
“Follow me,” I said, keeping my voice lower. “We will have to walk for a bit longer.”
“Should I keep hiding us?” Cari asked.
There were lots of fae walking by us. And although none met our eyes or did anything to suggest they knew we were there, no one tried to walk over us either. It was as though they knew there was something to avoid on the spot where we were, even though they did not know why.
“Can you?” I asked.
“Of course,” Cari said. “It’s easy. I’m almost bored.”
“Show off,” Casja said, but her tone suggested she was amused by Cari’s hubris.
“This way,” I led them into another busy street that would lead us into the inner city.
The Widow’s Den was near the main square. I had decided to go there because Marlian, the owner of the inn, was one of my mother’s closest friends back when she was alive. In their youth, they had traveled all over the realm, seeking an adventure together. Or at least, that was how they’d gotten so close according to the stories I’d heard. And now, she was the only one in the city and outside the castle whose loyalty I could trust completely.
