“Well, I never!” an older gentleman exclaims behind us.
I suspect no one—including myself—has ever seen magic such as this.
Once the wisps are done, they fly excitedly, humming and dancing towards Dove, their little wings fluttering. “Oh, wow, thank you. This is perfect,” she informs her new friends.
A bunch of wisps form behind us, trying to push us forward, eager for us to try their new creation.
Dove turns towards the people behind us. “You must go first, Lucas, and we will keep the rear.”
We. The word spins in my mind. My heart beats faster, knowing she thinks of us as an entity all our own.
Lucas, still in shock, lazily nods his head and tells his human people to form a line. They do not question him, following him down the winding mountainside staircase into the abyss below.
I question Lucas and the other villagers’ unwavering trust in Dove—and myself, for that matter—but it is hard to ignore the fortitude she excludes.
On our trek towards the peak of the range, Dove reminded me many times that the villagers who follow blindly behind us have no other options. Even if they stay in Haven, the food is becoming increasingly scarce. It is only a matter of time. They have nothing to lose. Plus, Dove does have a way of inspiring the people with her innocence and bravery. She is a wonder to watch. She is magic. And magic is enchanting, like a siren song.
It’s not long before it’s our turn to follow the villagers. “How long do you think we have?” she asks.
“I’d say maybe only a couple movements of the suns towards the centre of the sky. Wolves are fast when they want to be.”
She nods with resolve in her eyes, fire radiating through our bond. “Let’s beat that wolf.”
Her smile is infectious as she looks up at me, a fire in her eyes. She can feel it. The thread that flows through me, through her, linking us together. The more time I spend in her presence, the stronger it gets.
And something deep down within me knows for certain that this bond will never be broken.
twenty-five
Dove
We make it tothe bottom of the mountain with our little wisp friends in tow. Seeing the creatures come to life is pure delight. It is everything I had hoped for when I sang at the feet of the Goddess’s statue on the full moon.
With Rivern by my side, the magic is more potent as it spirals its way through my very soul. As fae, he lit up like the stars in the night sky when the lyrics finished their descent from my lips. The lines on his skin were the most vibrant I’d seen yet, but my fae prince only had eyes for me.
Withinthe wonder of this new magic, I find worry lingering close by, and a feeling I don’t how to acknowledge.Excitement.
Maybe hope, too. Hope for a possibility of a life filled with joy and love.
But all that comes crashing down when I remember the king and Gideon.
He’s out here, looking for me.
As the suns move closer to the centre of the sky, my body tingles with anticipation at the possibility of seeing the wolf beast again.
Looking at Rivern, my palms itch. “We need to move faster,” I lament.
The boots Gideon gave me are really starting to annoy me as I kick at the brush beneath my feet, the ground more lush with grass than my dying world back over the mountain.
What I’m starting to notice about this side of the mountain is that the fauna and flora seem to be flourishing. There are no signs of death but for the typical stages of the life cycle.
Evergreens and oaks stand tall and luscious, moss grows willingly above ground and small creatures of all kinds roam the underbrush.
“We need to speak to Lucas,” Rivern responds, bringing me out of my head.
He starts doing his usual comfortable move, aiming for my hand, but I pull back. “And what do you suppose we do? I can’t just leave them. Which is exactly what you wantusto do.” I can not read his thoughts through the bond—yet—but I can feel his unease and frustration at our slow pace and my insistence on keeping my word.
“We need to leave—you and I.” He points his hand, first at me and then at himself, making sure I know who he is referring to. “You are concerned about the villagers, but they are capable. This land isplentiful, as you have seen from the fruits we have come across on our journey so far.” His voice is firm, leaving no room for discussion.
