Zev curiously eyed his flat back. “How does it work?”
“Stardust.”
“What’s Stardust?”
“Exactly as it sounds.” Cassiel hiked his pack onto a shoulder and headed east. The dirt road woven through the hills would take them to Corron. In the distance were other travelers making their way to the city.
“It’s a spell made from the stars,” Dyna explained to Zev as they followed. “It creates an unlimited space on anything it touches. Azeran said that at the commencement of the world, fallen stars burned through the atmosphere like rays of fire and crashed into the oceans, creating land and life.
“One such star fell in the region that became Magos. It’s believed this is how the Spatial Gate was created, and that it introduced Essence into the world. Mages from the First Age crushed the star and turned it into a spatial spell in its mineral state. They learned to use it to conjure pockets of limitless space wherever there is none.”
Cassiel glanced at her fleetingly, arching an eyebrow. She almost thought he looked impressed. “Precisely.”
“And Celestials use this to travel?” Zev asked.
Cassiel nodded. “A dash of Stardust on the inside of our clothing gives us the capacity to hide our wings.”
“How did the Celestials obtain Stardust?”
“Before the Decimation, Hilos traded freely with the outside world. Our feathers significantly enhanced magic and were therefore prized by the Magos Empire. The Archmage that lived during the Calx Age traded ten-thousand pounds of Stardust for five thousand pounds of Celestial feathers. Each of the Four Celestial Realms possesses a vat of the remaining Stardust. My uncle gifted me with a vial to spell my clothing. It allowed me to conceal my wings and pass as a human during my travels.”
“Did you bring more enchanted clothes?”
“No, my father confiscated them upon my return to Hilos. He prefers that I travel by night out of sight. I hardly managed to hide this coat. There was no way to attain more Stardust without arousing his suspicion. It’s well guarded.”
“Why?” Dyna asked.
“Stardust is reserved for those who must travel to the Four Realms on rare occasions. Importers and emissaries, for example. Whenever a Celestial leaves the safety of the Realms, it is a great danger to us all. One mistake would unveil the secret of our existence and threaten our survival once more.”
“But you’ve traveled several times between Hilos and Hermon Ridge,” Zev said.
“Being a prince has its merits. My father and uncle trust me to avoid exposing myself.”
“If by some unfortunate chance, you did?”
He hesitated before saying, “Then, I would have no choice.”
Dyna felt a sudden bout of nausea. “No choice?”
The sickness worsened as Cassiel pressed a hand to his stomach. The dread filtering through her mirrored the dread in his gray eyes before they hardened. “I bear the responsibility of keeping our existence a secret to any extent necessary.”
She didn’t need further explanation. He may have spared her in Hilos, but he would never extend such benevolence to anyone else again.
“Perhaps you may find a mage merchant that sells Stardust,” she said.
“Unlikely. It is rare and far too expensive.” Cassiel quickened his pace and moved ahead, effectively ending the conversation.
As of yesterday, he had returned to his curt manner. She supposed it stemmed from the law he broke by giving her his blood. Zev had explained how serious that was. Dyna sighed. Since their meeting, she’d only caused him a series of inconveniences. He must find her a nuisance.
Cassiel halted and turned back to look at her. His expression softened as he searched her face. “Come along. We aren’t too far from Corron now.”
They trekked for several miles, passing stone markers at each intersection. The dirt road changed to cobblestone as they neared the city, and it became more crowded as others joined them. Many had traveled from afar, some on foot, others on horseback, or by caravan.
It amazed Dyna how different they were from the people in her village. The crowd was a wildflower garden of color. Men and women with skin like sunflower hearts. Their hair and eyes were an assortment of different shades and textures she had no names for. Some wore caftans fluttering like the petals of poppies and marigolds, others in elegant dresses flowing in shades of bluebells and lilies. The local men wore imposing armor in the livery of their lords. Field laborers in weathered clothing pulled along carts of fruit and vegetables.
The road led to a wide bridge suspended over a great lake. The wind whipped Dyna’s hair in her face, carrying the scent of mossy water. Several fishing boats idled on the clear blue surface and birds screeched as they circled overhead.
Beyond the shoreline, the city of Corron nestled within steep hills layered in pine trees. The stone structures with their red roofs spread throughout the land and up the hills like stairs to the sky. A bell tolled somewhere in the distance, announcing the midday hour. She stopped by the parapet to marvel at the sight of the immense lake.
