We made our way through more of the building before stepping out onto a massive balcony.
The view stole my breath from me.
Mountains surrounded the city. Sharp, gray, snow-covered peaks glistened in the sunlight. In the center of it stood short stone buildings. Some looked like shops, others homes. Dirt roads curved around the city, filled with people, young and old, who made their way through the space. Off to the side was a forest and what looked like possible farmland. All of it, nestledwithin the mountain range, out of sight from the rest of the world.
I leaned against the balcony railing as if the view pulled me towards it. The entire thing looked magical. It even felt enchanted.
“This is the capital of the Sidhe territory,” Clause stated, though his gaze remained fastened to me as if gauging my reactions.
“It’s remarkable. Do people live outside of these mountains too?” I asked, turning to the King.
“Some. But you will remain within these mountain walls while you are here, where it is safe.” His tone and face gave nothing away. Though my interest spiked.
“Is it not safe past the walls?”
His attention finally left me, turning towards the mountains surrounding us. “They are not places for someone like you.”
“Someone like me?”
“Gifted.”
Why? It was clear he did not wish to dive into the topic, so I pocketed it for the time being. I had more than enough to start with when collecting information. My attention drifted back over the city below. “May I freely explore down there?”
“Of course.” He turned to me once more. His gaze drift over my face while I kept my focus on the people far below. “This city is my home, and my home is yours.”
“Great. Can I go now?” I turned to him.
It looked as though he suppressed a smile. Though why I hadn’t the slightest. “Do you prefer me or Soren accompany you? Or you wish to go on your own?”
Ideally, on my own, however, that would come later.
“I’ll take Soren,” I stated, figuring having a guide would prove helpful. My gaze slid to the Dune’s Clan memberstanding a few meters behind us. His eyes met with mine but showed nothing.
“I look forward to hearing about your exploration at dinner,” Clause said, reminding me of his expectation to share meals. Though I could explore, I remained chained to him.
“Can hardly wait.” I didn’t even try to sound pleased as I pushed off the railing and walked towards Soren, leaving the King on his balcony with his pretty view.
Soren turned, falling in step with me. Together, we moved down the hall. I didn’t slow until the Sidhe King was finally out of sight. Only then did I turn to Soren. “I’ll need you to show me the way out of this castle. I have no idea where I am going.”
His response was a grunt, but he picked up his pace, staying a step ahead and leading me into the city.
11
ARIANA
Soren and I weaved through the streets for hours. Nothing looked quite the same. Houses made of stone lined every road, yet none were identical, just like the people. A vast majority harbored the pointed ears of the Sidhe nationality. However, there were others, some with the half-points of crossbreeds. Some with the sharp teeth of the Lysians and some with the dull teeth and ears of the Bavadrins.
“Do all the races get along?” I asked Soren under my breath after catching a glimpse of children playing with a ball. They kicked it around a small courtyard. Dirt caked their skin and stained their clothing, clearly marking them as coming from less fortunate families. However, their smiles appeared genuine. Their laughter and spirit spread through the surrounding streets, bringing a certain charm to the area. But most remarkably, all races made up the group of children.
“They do,” Soren stated, glancing at the kids before turning back to the street. “Here, we do not separate based on race.”The way he said it was as if an underlying meaning was hidden amongst the words.
“And how are you separated?”
“We keep apart the gifted from those without conjuring abilities.”
I turned to him. “So, everyone within these mountain walls...” I couldn’t finish the sentence, for it scared me.
“Is a conjuror,” he confirmed.
