His expression turns serious once more. “It is quite different though, Laïna. As stunning as it may be, I must admit that it will probably feel a bit...” He runs his hand through his hair, searching for the right word. “Overwhelming.”
I expected as much.
“And...” He pauses. “You’d do well to remember that Rea has magic. Lots of magic.”
I halt. “What exactly do you mean by that? Like, there will be the occasional witches?” I can’t help the hopeful tone of my voice. I can stay away from them.
Llyr chuckles. “Oh, it may be a tad more than that.”
“So, it isnotforbidden?” I just want to have that clear.
“Oh, no. Quite the contrary. The entire society is built around it.”
I offer him a tight-lipped smile and signal for him to proceed down the path, worried I might run straight back into the minister’s arms if we don’t continue right away.
“Are there... uh... parts of Rea thatdon’tuse magic?” Surely that must be the case.
“There are,” he says.
That’s all I need to know. I can make my way there. Llyr will understand. He knows as well as I do that the survival rate of humans around magic is next to none. The minister has said as much more times than I can count, and on that note, I don’t believe he lied. Besides, the minister has been right all along about the magic use in the land behind the pass, so I would be a fool to not believe him in this regard too. Not doing so could cost me my life.
“So... magic isn’t evil?” I say after a while.
Llyr casts a glance over his shoulder. “Magic in itself is never good or evil, Laïna,” he says. “That depends solely on the one wielding it.”
WE ARRIVE AT THE WESTERN entrance of the pass by nightfall, as Llyr promised.
“Careful when you step outside,” Llyr warns. “The shelf is narrow, and it is quite a drop.”
Rubbing my sweaty palms on my skirt, I mumble a confirmation. There’s a strange sense of comfort in the thick fog that surrounds me, and it makes a part of me want to hide in here forever.What will it be like out there?My heart races, and I slide my hand into the pocket of my skirts, rubbing the dagger.
“Laïna?”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.You can do this. Heretics or not, there’s no way this can be any worse than what I’ve lived through. I halt. Icouldalso turn around, make my way back throughthe pass, avoiding the minister and his men, and travel deeper into the eastern territories.
“There you are.” A calloused hand grips my wrist, abruptly ending any thoughts of retreat. “Laïna.” Although Llyr’s grip is firm, the pull is gentle as he guides me toward him, his eyes locking with mine once I’m close enough to see him through the mist. “If we ever get separated, I want your promise that you will make your way to Caelen and find me at the Arc, all right?”
“The Arc?”
“It is the high seat of Rea. Anyone in Rea can tell you how to get there.” His unwavering green gaze pierces mine.
“Sure,” I say. “Hopefully that won’t happen, but I promise. If I get lost, I’ll find you at the Arc.”
He gives a curt nod. “Good. Ask for me, and if I am not there yet, ask for Morgana. She is the ashina, the leader. Tell her I sent you, and she will make sure you are taken care of.”
“The Arc and Morgana—I can remember that.”
Still holding my hand, he disappears from view, and a moment later, I am pulled out next to him on the shelf.
“Ah,” he sighs. “Finally feeling alive again.”
I gasp. Never in my wildest imagination could I have dreamed up anything like this.
“Beautiful, is it not?” Llyr whispers, as if trying not to break the spell.
Captivated by the mesmerizing display in front of me, all I can manage is a nod. “Beautiful” doesn’t even begin to describe it.
The pitch-black night sky is partly covered in what looks to be an enormous cloud of vibrant-colored dust—a cosmic canvas in hues of pink and blue and purple—emitting a faint ethereal glow. Unable to speak, I crane my neck.
