CHAPTER 15
Dynalya
“I’m sorry you found trouble in my court,”Keena said as she led them through the dark forest. Having returned to her pixie size, she was no larger than three inches. She left a trail of shimmering gold dust in her wake as she flew ahead. “The Wyspwood is only meant to confuse outsiders and lead them off our land, not harm them. But the magic here has been unruly lately.”
Dyna kept close, but the fairy’s presence seemed to be all that was needed to settle the woods. She looked back at the trees behind them. Nothing called out to her anymore.
“We are fortunate you came to our aid when you did, Princess,” Rawn said.
Keena brought them to the same path Klyde had originally found. “I came as soon as the wisps informed me you were here.”
“What are wisps?” Dyna asked her.
“They are the spirits of the fallen fae who still lurk here, becoming part of the forest like moss on a tree. They are but a wisp of smoke or a pin of light to a mortal’s veiled eyes, and they are naughty things.”
They glanced at Klyde. He kept his gaze fixed on the path, clutching Onyx’s reins tightly.
“Can you see them?” Lucenna asked.
He shuddered. “Aye.”
Dyna squinted at the canopy. Nothing seemed to be there at first, but she caught glimpses of blue lights. Like little bulbs of fire … or souls. The wisps had given her those strange visions. Why? And why make him look like a pureblood?
“They’re harmless, or rather, they’re supposed to be.” Keena frowned at the trees worriedly.
Zev brushed against Dyna’s side and growled at whatever his yellow eyes had noticed up in the canopy. He had shifted as soon as they reunited. Likely he felt safer that way. But there was nothing they could do to defend themselves against spirits.
“Ah, wolf! I remember you.” Keena flew down to him and poked his nose, making him sneeze. Her laugh sounded like a chiming of bells. “Zev, right? But there is one missing. Where is Prince Cassiel?”
Dyna’s heart squeezed at the sound of his name, and she fought the invisible weight of a boulder that pressed into her chest.
“He was crowned king over the winter,” Lucenna commented indifferently. “He has gone to attend to the Realms.”
Dyna gave her a grateful look. It was too difficult to talk about him yet. She ignored the stares of the others while pretending the mention of Cassiel didn’t knock the air out of her. Was this how it would always feel like?
“Oh, I see,” Keena said elatedly. “That is great news. The High King of Hilos, imagine that.”
A dour feeling settled over Dyna again. “Are we far from your court?” she asked to change the subject.
“We are already here.” The path ended abruptly at the edge of a glade. In the center of it was a large ring of toadstools with blood red caps spotted white. “This is a fairy ring. Enter and your eyes will be unveiled.” Keena turned to them with a sudden seriousness. “But I must warn you, not all fae are the same. Should you come across another ring in another wood, do noteverenter without invitation. Lest you are never to be seen again.”
Dyna felt a sudden chill in the air, and she shivered. That discouraged her from entering at all. Her friends stared back at the fairy princess with dread.
Keena burst out into tinkling giggles. “Your expressions are hysterical.”
She flew for the ring.
“Was that a jest?” Lucenna asked nervously. “I cannot be sure if that was a jest.”
“Fae cannot lie, lass,” Klyde muttered under his breath.
Well, that didn’t make Dyna any less nervous. They looked to their Guidelander, and Rawn nodded, but she wasn’t sure if it was out of agreement or encouragement.
The black wolf chuffed at them in annoyance. He jogged ahead for the fairy ring, catching up with Keena. Both crossed the ring of mushrooms at the same time—and vanished.
Dyna gasped. “Zev!”
Fear for her cousin jolted her into action. She ran after them and leaped over the line of redcaps.
