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Something about his words reminded me uncomfortably of Arthur. I recalled the greedy look in my brother’s eyes as he spoke of fae-made treasure, the magic-infused items no human alive could still craft. But Vesper was nothing like Arthur.
“So you’re searching for lost fae treasures?” That sounded remarkably close to what we were doing, though I had no plans to say so.
“And why do you think that is?” Draven demanded. “Why does so much fae treasure sit untouched?”
Vesper tilted his head to one side. “People fear the unknown. Predictable, really.”
Draven rolled his eyes. “There’s a little more to it than that, I think.”
Vesper chewed his bottom lip. “The leaders of Cerunnos have also declared the Bloodlands and beyond to be off-limits.”
Draven snorted. “Cerunnos has leaders?”
Vesper grinned. “Of a sort. Albeit disorganized. Well? What do you think are the reasons? Clearly you have something in mind.”
“Let's see. Wraiths. Harpies.” Draven began to tick each item off his fingers. “Goblins. Kelpies. Fenrirs. Trolls. The occasional wyvern.”
“Fenrirs,” Vesper scoffed. “You don't really believe those exist, do you?”
Draven looked affronted. “I most certainly do.”
I was distracted by the mention of goblins and trolls but still managed to interject. “What’s a fenrir?”
“Monstrous wolves,” Draven explained. “But like no wolf you’ve ever seen. Once they were dog-like pets. Domesticated by the fae. When the fae fled or retreated, many were abandoned. Now they reside in the Bloodlands and Valtain, living unnaturally long lifespans. They’ll eat whatever they can find.”
“I assume that includes us.” I shuddered.
“They don’t exist, so you have nothing to worry about,” Vesper assured me. “Just a traveler’s tale that’s been greatly exaggerated.”
Draven shot him a look of annoyance but continued, “Then, if you somehow managed to get past all of those hazards, there are the so-called treasures themselves. Highly dangerous in untrained human hands, not to mention that the fae were vindictive and known for their love of cursing items to ensure they could never be used by anyone else. Oh, and that's if you’re able to even reach Valtain in the first place without getting lost in the Bloodlands. There are no known maps still in existence. Few are willing to risk their necks to that extent for the chance of cursed treasure.”
Vesper leaned back against his log. “Curious.”
“What is?” Draven asked.
“So many reasons not to visit Valtain and yet it seems as if that’s precisely where you and your companion are also headed.”
“It’ll be an excellent training ground for Pen,” Draven said coolly.
“Do all assassins make their apprentices face off against goblins and harpies?” Vesper asked.
“No, but Pen is...unusual.”
Vesper stole a look at me, a half-smirk on his handsome face and I gulped. I knew exactly what he was remembering when he heard that word. “She certainly is.”
“To be honest, I had no idea half of those creatures actually existed outside of books,” I babbled, trying to quickly change the subject. “And if they do, why do they only inhabit former fae lands? Why haven’t they entered human domains?”
“They’re starting to,” Vesper said. “The Bloodlands used to be something of a boundary, but recently Cerunnos has seen creatures make their way as far north as Orin’s Gate.”
“Which we’ll be bypassing,” Draven interrupted.
“If there was a bounty on my head, I’d bypass Orin’s Gate, too,” Vesper agreed.
“But why do trolls and goblins and the like only live in Valtain?” I asked, still not satisfied.
“The fae knew how to deal with such creatures. When you have high-powered abilities like the fae did, a little wyvern isn’t going to trouble you. For the most part, the fae left the creatures alone and it was a harmonious balance. But that’s not to say the unseelie never lived beyond fae lands. They did. But... they’ve dwindled in the last hundred years or so.” Vesper shrugged.
“And we’ll be seeing such creatures... soon? Are we nearing the Bloodlands?” I asked, suddenly feeling as if there was no hurry.
