Kyron, who had been watching all of this with a careful expression, finally spoke. “We need to be focused when we cross. The Veil isn’t like anything in this world. It shifts, and if we aren’t careful, we could end up somewhere far worse than where we need to be.”
Sorcha nodded. “That’s why we need Cat. He knows a fairy mound that will take us across with the least resistance. It’s our best chance of making it through without immediately running into something we don’t want to face.”
Commander Nethran’s gaze swept over them all. “Then it’s settled.”
Sorcha barely heard him. She could still feel the tension crackling in the air, Eirin’s stare heavy on her skin, Kyron’s presence a reason for tension.
Cat, ever observant, tilted his head at her, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.
She ignored him. Tomorrow, they would ride. The streets of Lumora were quiet at this hour, lanterns flickering in their iron sconces, casting soft golden halos over the cobblestone paths. The night was crisp, cool air curling around them as Sorcha and Cat walked in easy silence, the sounds of the tavern fading behind them. The others had stayed behind, lingering over their drinks, laughter still echoing faintly in the distance. But Sorcha had wanted to leave early. Maybe she just needed a moment of peace before everything changed. And Cat, for once, had followed without a quip, padding beside her, his silver eyes reflecting the torchlight like mirrors.
They walked at a slow pace, unhurried, her boots tapping lightly against the worn stone roads. It felt different tonight. The weight of what was coming settled betweenthem. As they reached the heart of town, the Skyfall Fountain shimmered ahead, water vapors rising where the cascade met the basin. Beyond it, the towering cliffs cradled the true falls, water spilling down in torrents of silver, crashing into the depths below.
Sorcha paused at the edge of the square, her eyes drawn to the waterfall.
“There’s a story about these falls,” she murmured. Cat tilted his head, watching her. “Oh?”
She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself against the night chill. “It’s said they come from the Otherworld. That the water flows between realms. That this place is a meeting point, where the Veil is thinner.”
Cat was silent for a long moment, his tail flicking lazily as he stared at the rushing water. Then he let out a soft hum. “That would explain a few things.”
Sorcha huffed a quiet laugh. “You believe it?” “Would you believe me if I said I’ve seen stranger
things?” His voice was filled with mischief.
She turned to him then, studying the way the moonlight played across his features, the way his silver eyes caught the glow of the falls
He had given her his name. A gift and she hadn’t really said what she needed to.
“I want you to know,” she said softly, “I won’t betray you, Cat.”
His gaze flickered to hers.
She swallowed, holding his stare. “I understand what it means that you trusted me with your name. I know how much that cost you. And I need you to know, I would never use it against you. Never.”
His expression shifted. For once, he didn’t have some quick witted remark, some playful deflection. Instead, he smiled small, but real. “I know.”
Sorcha exhaled and before she could stop herself, she whispered, “I’m scared, Cat.”
His ears flicked. “Of what’s coming?”
“Of what I might become,” she admitted.
“Of what happens if I fail.”
Cat studied her for a long moment, then sighed, stepping closer. “Then I guess it’s a good thing you have me, isn’t it?”
She looked at him, searching. “You’re bound to me now, aren’t you?”
“I am.” He didn’t hesitate.
Her throat tightened. “You chose that?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
He exhaled, the smirk falling from his face, something gentler taking its place.
