“We’ll be on our best behavior.” Lake led me across the threshold, exiting the castle. The others followed behind us.
Nothing beat that first breath of fresh air after being cooped up inside for days. It filled my lungs, and I slowly exhaled. Then I coughed a little, still not fully healed from the fire spell.
“Evan?” Lake halted in step and frowned.
“I’m all right,” I told my protective mate, patting his forearm. I then surveyed the grounds. “This is beautiful.”
The vibrant plants, shaded groves of trees, and lush landscape created a touch of enchantment. The castle in Bremloc had been beautiful too, but in a refined way. This was a natural beauty, allowing the trees and greenery to shine. Rock pathways wove throughout the garden, and wildflowers sprang from the soil along them in bursts of pink, blue, and yellow.
Lake regarded one of the flowers, and his ears twitched.
“You want to pluck it, don’t you?” I asked, recalling his habit as a kid.
A blush touched his pale cheeks. “Only so I could give it to you.”
I slid my arm through his. “I have you. You’re way prettier than a flower.”
The flush in his cheeks darkened.
A gust of air had me pressing closer to his side. Being deep in the forest, surrounded by mountains, made the air cooler. Still nice though. Like a breezy spring morning.
A glint, like sun shining off metal, drew my attention to a field. Demons in leather armor fought with swords and axes, grunting as they swung and deflected blows. Behind them stood several buildings: barracks, by the look of it, and a mess hall. A stable too.
“Knights?” I asked.
Fane shook his head. “Soldiers. We don’t have knights here. The castle doesn’t need protecting, certainly not from the people in this realm.”
“Then what’s their purpose, if not to defend Lord Onyx?”
“To fight for him,” Fane answered. Rays of sunshine glimmered off his lavender hair, bringing out lighter shades of purple. “It’s been many years since the last battle between demons and humans took place, but the war is ongoing. When our lord gives the order someday, the army will be ready to march.”
“Toward Bremloc?” I asked, and he nodded. “Do you know when that might happen? What about the lower-level demons, like the crows and slimy worm things? Will they fight too? Onyx said they live outside the realm and roam freely.”
“In all my years, I’ve never encountered a being who speaks so quickly.” Fane scrubbed a hand over his face. “Does your mouth ever tire?”
Lake quietly coughed to cover a laugh. I couldn’t even muster a playful jab at him for it, too happy to see this more carefree side of him. His tension from meeting Borus and Seraphina had eased as the morning progressed.
“I’m quiet when I’m eating.” I admired an orange bird in a nearby tree. It was so chunky that it weighed down the branch. So cute. “Also when I’m reading. But that’s about it.”
“Then I pray we find food soon,” Fane mumbled.
My grumbling stomach had no complaints there. It’d been several hours since breakfast. “Where are you taking us now?”
“To town.” Fane motioned ahead of us. “And to get there, we’re riding on them.”
“Them?” I asked. “Them who?”
The answer came half a beat later. A strange sound reached my ears, like a mix between a horse’s whinny and an alligator’s deep, throaty grumbles. Seeing the animal that made the sound nearly made me fall over.
“What is that?” My voice rose in pitch. The thing resembled a black stallion—or what was left behind after it died and significantly decomposed. A skeleton head with wisps of matted, dark hair spilling out for a mane. Flesh covered some of its body, but bone could be seen poking through sections on its rear and neck.
“A horse,” Fane told me. “Do they not look like this where you come from?”
Both Lake and I looked at him and shook our heads. My wolf seemed just as gobsmacked as I was.
“Oh.” Fane mirrored our shock before shrugging. “Well, you’ll find they are gentle beasts. As long as you don’t give them a reason not to be.”
Two of the creatures stood in front of a wooden topless carriage. They had the eyes of a corpse, milky white with a pale blue center. As I approached the one closest to me, it lifted one decomposed ear before extending its head toward me.
