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Austri hopped down from the wagon and gave me a hand up. “Revel wanted to be here,” he muttered unconvincingly.

“No, he didn’t.” I turned to him.

Austri dropped his face and shook his head. “He told me he could not stomach handing you off to Prince Granier. He’s in a bad way.”

I settled onto the box seat. “I know how he feels. At least he gets to choose his own mate.”

Austri sat down with a plunk. “He already has, but that didn’t work out too well.”

We dropped the topic because talking about it only made the ache in my chest heavier. Austri pulled the donkey and cart around. Raina and Lyric held each other as they waved me off. My life had been unfair from the start.

“You’ll like Solamere. It’s beautiful, filled with ancient wealth. Very different than Norvale,” Austri said after a solemn stretch of silence. My throat was still tight from the long, tearful goodbye, and as we rolled through the gate, I felt a heavy sense of loss. I’d finally found my home, a place I belonged, and here I was leaving it behind, eventually for good. If only the sorcerers had found their way to being more progressive and open-minded, but Troikana remained firmly planted back in a time when ridiculous rules and fated mates were still a thing.

I’d fallen in love with the simple rural life in Norvale. No technology to cloud my mind, no modern-day conveniences like dishwashers and washing machines. No big box stores where you could buy thirty jumbo muffins or a ten-pound bag of chips. I liked the more rustic, natural life I was leading in Norvale, but it came with the burden of outdated beliefs and rules.

“I’m only home in Norvale, Austri. I don’t know how I’ll ever feel differently. In the human world, I never felt like I fit in. That was because I belonged in Norvale, my real home.”

Austri’s thick fingers took my hand and gave it a supportive squeeze. “We spent all those years watching over ya, and now we can’t do anything to stop this.” His voice was edged with despair.

“You kept me safe for many years, and I will never forget that. Even when the three of you were just wooden figures on my shelf, I knew you were watching over me.”

“That we were.”

“You said there was a great deal of ancient wealth in Solamere. Where did that come from? And the Solamere are Fae, right? Where are their wings?”

“That’s quite a story. I guess you should know it, since your grandmother was a Solamite.” Austri steered the donkey down a southward path and readjusted his bottom on the hard seat. “Some Fae have wings and some are groundlings. Long ago, they lived together in an ancient, mystical forest. Clever, extraordinarily beautiful and sneaky creatures with a penchant for magic and a craving for gold and jewels, they were known to steal treasures from neighboring villages.

“Somewhere along the way, the winged Fae decided the wingless Fae were unworthy. They banished the groundlings from the forest. The groundlings were forced to leave their homes and, of course, their exile bred a lot of resentment, along with a good dose of determination. Just as the Valians found a connection with Z-drakes, the groundlings found a connection with Starshield Dragons—big, powerful beasts with shield-like scales and only one vulnerable spot …” Austri touched his chest. “Right over their heart. They’re no match for our Z-drakes because their size makes them clumsy in the sky. Still, the groundlings managed to train them well enough that they attacked their homeland and burned the forest to the ground. Winged Fae were left injured and homeless. The groundlings knew where the treasures were hidden, so they stole them, leaving the winged Fae completely destitute. With their confiscated treasures, the groundlings built a new home and called it Solamere.”

“Wow, that’s quite a history. What happened to the winged Fae after their forest was destroyed? Did they all die off?”

“No, at that time they were still immortal, like the rest of the regions. But after the sorcerers took away immortality to keep the wars at a minimum, the winged Fae became reclusive. They saw the error they’d made by being cruel to the groundlings, and they changed their ways. They’re a peaceful, deeply introspective people now. They crossed the Blackforge by wing and settled in Halquin. You’ll see an occasional winged Fae in Solamere, but they are not considered important members of society. They’re usually servants or shop workers.”

“There is a lot of interesting history in Troikana. So, my grandmother and mom and me are all from the groundlings. Too bad. Always thought a pair of wings would come in handy.” I had to admit the conversation had taken my mind off my woes. I would make the best of my day in an entirely strange place and do the same in Regnamoor. Being in Norvale had shaken some of the introvert out of me, and I liked my new self.

We passed the Port of Rothington with its ghostly silhouettes of dying ships. “Do you think the port can ever be used again?” I asked.

“Not with those crazy fish and Calista’s curse making the sea too dangerous. It’s a bleedin’ shame, too. The Valian used to haul in big catches with our nets. Now most of them are just stacked up in barns providing homes for mice and other varmints.”

We traveled through some overgrown forest where the path disappeared beneath dead branches and debris before appearing again. Austri knew his way around even the densest forests. We left the dark, cool woods and emerged at the base of rolling green hills. Behind the hills, in the distance beneath cerulean blue skies were tall spirals, each covered with glacial blue glass tiles that looked like Arctic ice. The spires topped ornate stone towers that were dotted with windows and intricate carvings.

“It looks like a fairy tale,” I said on a stunned breath.

“Wait ‘til you see it up close. Like I said—ancient wealth.” Austri snapped the reins and coaxed the donkey up the hillside. Once at the top, he pulled the reins. “We don’t wanna go down that hillside in this rickety old cart. We’ll get out and walk the rest of the way.”

“Actually, that sounds good. I need a few minutes of exercise to calm my nerves.” Austri and I headed down the slope, which was steep enough to send Austri, on his stumpy legs, off at a run. I picked up the pace, too, and we both raced down the hill at an exhilarating speed. We were laughing wildly by the time we reached the bottom. We both came to a dead stop when we met up with one of Granier’s guards. The man had snow white hair like Madigan, and his golden skin was flawless. He showed no emotion and spoke coldly.

“The guard at the gate spotted your wagon.” He rolled his eyes about the wagon. “Please, follow me. Miss Willow only.” He turned stiffly and with perfect posture.

I knew Austri wasn’t a hugger, but I hugged him anyway and he hugged back. “We’ll be back for ya tomorrow,” he said.

“Miss you already,” I whispered to him and then hurried to catch up with the guard.

The gate was made of ornate iron, and the pointed finials along the top ridge would keep out even the most daring intruder. The guard didn’t say a word, and he kept up a fast staccato pace as if marching in a parade. I had to half run to keep up with him. We walked along a narrow road that was paved with powdery gray brick. Lush, well-trimmed bright green shrubs with yellow trumpet-shaped flowers lined the road on both sides. We turned along a curve in the road, and the town came into view.

I stopped. It truly was like something out of a fairy tale. Even the scents floating in the air were flowery and pleasant. “Holy smokes,” I muttered.

The guard paused and looked back at me with a stern brow. “Prince Granier is waiting for you.”