“Why didn’t we just funnel to the court?”
Finally, he looks at me, albeit briefly. “Because only shifters possess the ability. I am not a shifter.”
Ah. That’s why Willa and I never funneled then. As High Fae, she might have the ability to create a portal, but she definitely can’t shift into an animal form.
“You’re not? What are you?” I ask.
He chuckles. “I’m a deer hybrid.”
I glance at him, again noting the lack of antlers. Every male deer hybrid I’ve met has had some form of antlers. I can’t think of anything to say to that without sounding rude, so I settle on, “So am I.”
“I know.” He glances pointedly at my antlers before turning his gaze back to the cobblestone path.
Sensing the conversation is over, I don’t ask any further questions. The path takes a turn and starts to ascend. Ivan comes to an abrupt stop and gestures in front of us.
“Welcome to the Court of the Deer,” he says proudly.
The path before us leads to a stone bridge that looks like it’s been here for centuries. Beneath the bridge, a river flows lazily, the water splashing against the bridge as it floats underneath. A cool breeze floats through the forest, sending crimson and orange leaves drifting over the bridge and into the river. The leaves bob along the surface before disappearing with the river’s current as it flows through the mountain.
My eyes rove upward, taking in as much as I can. The castle itself is built into the mountain, its walls covered in white limestone. Ivy crawls along every surface, almost as if the forest has staked its claim on the castle. Endless windows cover the face of the stone, overlooking the vibrant forest. A breeze brushes past me, almost seeming to caress me as I imagine myself in one of the rooms overlooking the forest.
“It’s certainly not the mountains that grace the western part of the continent, but it is a beauty of its own,” Ivan says.
“It is. It’s beautiful,” I agree.
Beautifulfeels like too weak of a word to describe the setting before us. It’s…ethereal. The forest feels alive, and the magic in my veins perks up as if it’s awake and listening.
“It was originally built into the mountain when the First Deer Queen began her reign. Her goal was to create a home for her family and her court that stayed true to the Mother and all of Her creations.”
The lower levels of the castle are built into the mountain as if part of it was hollowed out to make space for the rooms inside. The top half of the castle extends past the summit. From each of the several turrets, forest-green flags fly at half-mast.
“Shall we?” Ivan says, gesturing toward the bridge.
Across the bridge, the path diverges. One path leads to a set of stairs built into the side of the mountain, marking the beginning of the straight ascent to the castle. The other path winds its way up and around the mountain.
Ivan leads the way, stepping onto the bridge and toward the castle. We approach the split in the path, and he veers right toward the stairs.
Fantastic.
We begin the climb, and I instantly realize that although I’m a runner, I’m not in the type of shape that Ivan is in. He takes each step with ease while I feel like I’m stepping on stairs made of sand. Finally, after what feels like an hour of climbing, we come to a landing with a set of massive mahogany doors. It could easily fit several horses—or deer—through the door at the same time. A singular image of a stag is etched into the edges of the doors, right where they meet in the center.
I instinctively move toward the image. Ivan steps aside while I reach my hand up to touch the image and trace the etching of the stag in the wood. The moment my hand makes contact with the door, the door clicks and cracks open.
I look at Ivan, hoping for an explanation. But he avoids my gaze and presses forward into the empty foyer. Two grand staircases mirror each other, leading to the second floor. Each staircase is blocked by a guard dressed in a forest-green uniform with gold trim.
Ivan passes them and heads down a long hallway. “Come along now. Like I said, we have much to discuss.”
I follow him, trying to take in as much as I can as we go. The floors are a deep brown wood with wide, worn planks. The walls are covered in a light cream color with a crisp white trim that meets the floor and ceiling. The large windows fill the space with natural light, allowing for the perfect contrast of light and dark.
Intricate flower arrangements of black roses, peonies, and pansies are spaced throughout the hallways. Another sign of respect for the dead. The hallways are so quiet that my footsteps echo as they hurry after Ivan.
We continue moving down the long hallway, passing large wooden archways that allow me glimpses of the rooms within. We pass a grand formal living room and the throne room as we walk down the corridor. We don’t pass anyone on the way, and I wonder if like the rest of the region, the people of the castle are grieving the loss of the royal family.
Ivan stops at a door at the end of the hall before placing his palm on the center of the door. It unlocks with a click, and he nudges the door open with his hand. A large wooden desk resides between two walls lined with bookshelves. Behind the desk is an oversized window overlooking a small mossy clearing within the mountain’s forest. A small of herd of deer stands in the clearing, lazily grazing on small tufts of grass.
Mother, what I would give to have this as my office. Unfortunately, any window in my office at Bound would only offer a view of the dank back alleyway behind the building.
“Please, have a seat,” he says, pointing to an oversized, worn leather chair facing his desk.
