As I slipped deeper into the side of myself that was ancient and yet current, something shifted. It was as if the magic of the barrier turned its gaze to me, like I’d been staring into the starry sky one moment, only for the stars to stare back at me the next.
Hello, my children,the spark deep within me seemed to call. The magic vibrated under my fingertips in what could only be described as excitement. My hands began to slip through the border, like ice slowly slushing beneath my palms—and then, the ice vanished.
I could no longer discern where I ended and the magic began, and while deep down the feeling was disconcerting, what mattered was that I was now in control—the experience wholly different than our last encounter.
Opening my eyes, I willed the border to create an opening, and it obliged my request without hesitation. “It’s ready,” I said.
When no one moved, I glanced at my companions, who looked at me with awe so openly it bordered on dumbstruck. “Guys?” I prodded.
Artton blinked as if coming back to himself. “Right,” he said, clearing his throat, “the three of you go through and make sure it’s clear. Spark and I will follow.”
Without issue, the others ducked their heads one at a time as they stepped into the Autumn Court. A moment later, a rock landed in the snow.
“That’s our signal,” Artton said.
I nodded, and the two of us joined our companions.
The part of me that was still magically connected to the border felt it close behind us once we were through and at a safe distance away.
Settled, my eyes fluttered shut as the golden late-autumn sun caressed my skin with its soft warmth against the nip of frost in the air. Stars, I missed having seasons. Don’t get me wrong, there were advantages to perpetual summer, but the human side of me that had grown up with seasons craved Lumnara’s cyclical nature. There’s something to be said about the slower cadence of autumn and winter that makes one crave a good book, warm blanket, and a dancing fire.
“Do you know where we are relative to Wymond’s palace?” Artton asked, and I didn’t have to open my eyes to know he was talking to Tarrin. Though cordial, he’d never use that tone with those he considered family.
Stepping out of my reverence, I opened my eyes and joined the others. Tarrin hadn’t answered; instead, he was taking in his surroundings as if he were tracking game. Kneeling, the dampness from the sodden ground seeped into the fabric of his pants as his left knee rested upon it. Tarrin didn’t seem to mind as his hands dug past the deep, discarded foliage of muted reds and yellows. Thegolden hues of this court softened his hard lines while accentuating his teak eyes.
“The river,” he finally said, turning his focus to Sidrick. “Can you hear it?”
The summer fae nodded, and I cursed myself for not having as good of a command of my fae senses.
“How far out would you say it is, and in what direction is it closest?” I had to give it to Tarrin—it was smart relying on our—or I guess their—heightened abilities. It was then that I noticed the mutual respect they’d fostered during their long hours of training to get him ready for this. I’d never put any mind into their sessions, now I wondered how much they’d actually talked when they weren’t trying to kill each other with swords.
“At the speed it took us to get here, half a day, but that was in the snow. So three, four hours max,” Sidrick answered and glanced to Artton, who nodded in agreement.
“That’s what I thought,” Tarrin said, dusting his hands off as he stood up. “We’re actually closer than anticipated, which means our maps were wrong or something about the magic of your land displaces human realm landmarks. Either way, we’re about two hard days of walking, or three if we pace, from the palace. We could follow the border today. The land is flat but exposed. Alternatively, we can cut into the forest, but this close to the river”—he shook his head—"we’re asking for trouble. My advice is that we head due north along the border, and cut inland about an hour before dusk, which will take us to a secluded cave that I’ve never seen anyone else around."
“Why is it unpatrolled?” Sidrick asked.
“I suspect it’s because your kind tend valen over walking, so unless a patrol was explicitly asked to walk the region, we should be safe. Wymond and Thaddeus are paranoid, but at a closer radius to the palace. Besides, they tend to lean on the High Lord’s magic to sense intruders—which is lazy if you ask me.”
“Can’t argue with you there,” Artton mused, and my jaw wasn’tthe only one to drop to the ground. “What?” he said in defense. “I don’t like who he is as a person; doesn’t mean he’s not a good tactician.”
“Careful, Artton, that sounded a lot like a compliment,” I said, parroting the words I’d thrown his way when he’d given me my first compliment.
He shook his head sending his eyes skyward, but he’d never be able to convince me that he hadn’t smirked as he turned away and walked northward without another word.
Tarrin was right—the path we took was exposed but easy to navigate. As if they’d discussed it before we’d left summer, we were now in a kind of loose diamond formation with me at the center. Artton was leading with Sidrick at my back, and I was flanked by Kaelun to my left and Tarrin to my right—no doubt because it was my stronger side, and while he was very good with a sword, the truth was that he was human, and his lack of magic made him the weakest of them to protect me—should it come to that.
A couple of hours in, the magical threads of elemental magic flickered in and out of focus unbidden, like a hunter signaling their partner with a piece of looking glass by reflecting the sun.
“Hi there,” I whispered under my breath, and the world became alight with so many threads I couldn’t see past them and had to stop walking.
“What is it?” Sidrick asked, almost running into me.
“Her access to elementals has been restored,” Kaelun answered to my left, though I still couldn’t see him through the strands.
“Just like that?” Artton asked, his voice close in front.
“That’s not normal?” Tarrin said.
