“Death,” Dash announced. I glanced in his direction as the mari lwyd before him bowed. Dash smiled and looked over at me, giving me an encouraging nod. The others had answered correctly, and now they were just waiting for me. I let out a sigh and rubbed my eyes. It might have been easier to think if I’d had some decent sleep. The strange veil that covered the sky made it dark enough that I could easily have taken a nap in the meadow. I wondered if Dash and Roan would mind if I slept on my answer to the riddle for a couple of hours? They’d probably refuse and remind me that we couldn’t afford to waste any of the daylight hours.
I paused as the thought hit me, and I looked up into the sky. The sun. It wasn’t easy to see it here in the Southern Realm, but it was definitely only out during the day. It was warming me now, and I could never warm it in return, and though it didn’t walk, it sure did travel. It seemed like the clear answer, but what if I was missing something?
I wished that I could check my answer with Dash and get his opinion, but I knew I needed to trust my gut. “The sun?” I said to the mari lywd. It sounded more like I was asking a question than providing an answer, and I held my breath as I waited for the creature to react. It slowly lowered its head in response. “Correct” came the voice in my head, and I let out a cheer.
“Ha! I actually got it right!”
Dash was grinning at me, and even Roan seemed pleased. “The mari lwyd must have given you an easy one,” the elf said.
I poked out my tongue at him in reply. “I’m beginning to see why your grandmother couldn’t wait to pawn you off onto us. I definitely feel like she got the better end of the bargain.”
Roan laughed and shrugged. “She loves me, really.”
I let out a relieved breath as I turned toward the creature I was supposed to ride. Without a saddle, I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. Its back was bony and smooth, and I imagined myself sliding straight off it the moment it started moving. Plus, it towered over me when its head was held high, and my eyes were only just level with its back. How was I even going to mount the creature?
As if sensing my confusion, the mari lwyd crouched down on its knees before me. “You can call me Adara,” she said in my mind. Her words were soft and gentle, and I felt completely at ease in her presence. I still didn’t feel that comfortable about getting on her back though.
“I’m only going to fall off,” I muttered.
“I won’t let you fall,” Adara said. I could sense a hint of disbelief in her voice, like she felt such a thing was impossible. She clearly didn’t know me. If it was possible to mess this up, I’d find a way to do it.
Letting out a sigh, I climbed onto the creature. I was surprised to find that I fit securely on her. There was a dip in her back, which I seemed to naturally settle into, and her smooth bones were unexpectedly comfortable to sit on. There was even a ridge near her neck that I could grasp onto with my hands.
Adara pushed to her feet, and the movement was so smooth I was barely jostled at all. I watched as Dash and Roan both leaped on top of their mari lwyd, neither one of them needing any help mounting the creatures. Dash smiled as he rode over to me. He didn’t appear to be directing the mari lwyd, and it seemed to move of its own accord.
“These creatures sure are something,” he said. “They will definitely make the journey easier.”
“Yeah, I’ll take riding over walking any day.”
“You lighties ready to head off?” Roan called to us.
I shot him a scowl. It wasn’t the first time he’d used the term, and it made me bristle with irritation. It felt like he was making fun of us, and I didn’t like it.
Roan laughed when he saw my dark expression. “I’m taking that as a yes.” He turned and directed his mount across the meadow. The mari lwyd sprung forward, and Roan let out a whoop as he accelerated away.
“Well, here goes nothing,” I said to Dash as I focused on Adara. I opened my mouth to tell her to move forward, but she shocked me by immediately taking off after Roan before I got the words out. Adara caught up with the elf quickly, and we settled into an easy pace. I smiled, enjoying the wind whipping through my hair and the smooth rocking movement as I rode. The two of us moved entirely in sync. I would barely think of what direction I needed to go in or how fast I wanted her to gallop and Adara would respond. Not once did I need to verbalize the instruction, and it seemed as though she was constantly reading my mind.
Dash rode along beside me while Roan kept slightly ahead of us, leading the way. It was so pleasant riding through the meadow, and such a relief after the trek through the jungle, that I felt like nothing could dampen my spirits. There were no bushes for yule cats to hide in either, which I thought was an added bonus.
After a couple of hours of riding, we stopped for a short break to eat some lunch before we continued onward. I summoned Dash and I some food, while Roan transmuted a handful of grass into something more edible. The three of us were so different, yet we worked well together, and I was feeling optimistic about the rest of our journey as we mounted our mari lwyd once more.
“If the rest of the journey is as simple as this, we should have no problem making up lost time,” I said to Dash, as we began to ride again.
Dash didn’t agree. “Perhaps not,” he said as he nodded in the direction we were heading.
I followed his gaze and scanned the horizon. As I saw what lay ahead of us, my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. It seemed the rest of the way would be nothing like the beautiful, green meadow we were riding through.
Unfortunately, I spoke too soon.
Chapter Fourteen
Earth the color of black tar stretched out before us as we approached a sprawling swampland at the edge of the grassy meadow. The thick black sludge extended as far as the eye could see with large, slick pools of obsidian liquid dispersed throughout the area. The intense smell of sulfur filled the air, and it was difficult to see too far into the distance as a dense fog rolled across the horizon. The meadow had felt like a glorious oasis, and I wasn’t looking forward to leaving it behind and journeying into what lay ahead.
“The Dead Lands,” Roan announced as we approached.
“Cheery kind of place, isn’t it?” I said. “No idea how they came up with the name for it.”
No one was laughing. The air had turned cold, and the sky seemed darker despite the sun that still shone down on the meadow.
“Nothing grows here, and only the most reviled creatures live in these lands,” Roan said as he sat atop his mari lwyd and stared at the sight before us. “This place was once a buzzing metropolis, the heart of our realm, but this is all that remains. The palace ruins are right in the center of the Dead Lands. We may be able to reach them tomorrow, if we’re lucky.”
“What do you mean, if we’re lucky?” Dash asked.
“I mean it’s a dangerous journey, and we’ll be lucky to reach the ruins without running into trouble. The ground is toxic in places, and we’ll need to avoid the boiling hot tar pits. We are also entering the territory of the grýla, who we can only pray we don’t run into.”
“What are the grýla?” I asked. Given the way Roan’s voice had gone quiet as he’d said the name, I was almost afraid to find out.
“Grýla are large swamp creatures,” Roan replied. “The story goes that they once lived in the great city that existed here and survived its destruction but were changed into something evil. They are known for hunting and feasting on those who trespass on their territory. They usually feed closer to Christmas and prefer to eat children, but if they are hungry enough, any being will do. They hibernate out of season, so hopefully, the creatures are still sleeping and we won’t be bothered by them.”
I was beginning to feel like a bit of Christmas pine wasn’t nearly a big enough payment to Roan and his grandmother due to the danger he was putting himself in.
“Are you sure you want to enter the Dead Lands?” I asked him. “You could just point us in the right direction.”
Roan grinned. “Are you kidding? This is the best fun I’ve had in ages. Of course, I want to come.” He genuinely seemed eager to risk his life. Agatha had said he felt cooped up in their village, and I wondered if perhaps that was why.
Still, the elf was clearly crazy. “Okay then, let’s just hope we’re lucky and don’t meet any grýla,” I said. I wasn’t usually a very lucky person, but I felt like I was due a little good fortune. “Should we get going?” I’d said the words, but I didn’t really feel confident about them. I would much rather trot around the meadow with Adara all day.
“Yes,” Roan agreed. “We need to cover as much ground as possible before it gets dark.”
I grimaced and looked up at the muted sun shining through the dark veil overhead. I didn’t want to imagine what the Dead Lands would be like come nightfall. Roan nudged his mari lwyd forward and took the lead as he started across the thick, black mud that marked the beginning of the dark swamp. Dash gave me a tight smile before following him.
“You can do this, Clio,” I murmured, in an attempt to pep myself up for the journey.
“Do not fear, young one, I will take care of you,” Adara said in my mind.
I rubbed a hand over her skeletal back. “Thanks,” I whispered before taking a deep breath in and signaling the mari lwyd with my thoughts to move forward and into the Dead Lands.
Tension gripped me as we traveled through the deadened swamp world. I’d hated walking through the forest with a passion, but the Dead Lands had an ominous feel to it that set me on edge. Not a sound traveled through the swamp, and there was a chill in the air that was distinctly uncomfortable. It settled in my bones in a way I’d never felt back in England or the North Pole.
White mist swirled around us, and I found it almost as suffocating as it was blinding. It was impossible to know what lay only meters in front of us, and after Roan’s warnings about the dangers of the swamp, I found the lack of visibility alarming.
One by one, we followed a muddy track, keeping close enough that we never lost sight of each other. I had no idea how Roan knew where we were going because I’d lost all sense of direction the moment the sun was obscured from view by the engulfing fog.
I was focused entirely on not losing sight of either Dash or Roan. If I somehow ended up on my own in the Dead Lands, I knew I might never find my way home.
“I wouldn’t let you get lost,” Adara said, which was somewhat reassuring. It was still a risk I wasn’t comfortable taking though. Plus, I much preferred concentrating on Dash’s muscular shoulders than the gurgling swamp surrounding me. Everywhere I looked, there was glugging black mud, and there were no trees or plants to be seen. Dash was a much prettier sight.
“You have strong feelings for the shifter,” Adara surmised.
My cheeks warmed at her comment, and I was suddenly jerked out of the deep thoughts I’d been lost in. I tried to remember what exactly I’d been thinking to make Adara assume so much, but the truth was, I’d been fixated on Dash for at least the last twenty minutes. I’d been trying to distract myself from the cold and frightening swamp that surrounded us, and checking Dash out had been the best way to keep my mind occupied. Adara was probably sick of listening to my daydreams.
I sighed. “Even if I did, it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t like me back.” I kept my voice low enough that neither Dash nor Roan would overhear.
“How do you know this?” Adara responded. “You keep thinking about the kiss you shared. He would not kiss you if he did not like you.”
“Wow, you’re really digging around in my mind, Adara, aren’t you?” The kiss hadn’t meant anything to Dash, and we’d both been influenced by fairy dust at the time. Still, there was something about the moment we’d shared that made my heart flutter and my stomach tighten. It wasn’t just the kiss that had been amazing. It had been the way he’d looked at me and the way we’d connected on a completely different level that made it so unforgettable. I’d do it again in a heartbeat; I couldn’t deny that. I just didn’t believe he felt the same way.
“Fairy dust doesn’t make you like someone you don’t already have feelings for.”
“It doesn’t?” I was officially taking dating advice from a zombie horse.
“No. Fairy dust lowers magical beings’ inhibitions. It makes them feel free to make choices they might otherwise feel nervous about.”
“Like kissing.”
“Like kissing,” she agreed.
“What are you doing talking about kissing back there, lightie?” Roan called back to me.
I scrunched up my face in annoyance. I must have started speaking a little too loudly. Luckily, I didn’t think I’d said anything too incriminating.
“Just talking girl stuff with my ride, Adara, here,” I replied. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Dash turned around to look at me, his eyes dancing with amusement.
“What?” I asked him.
He lifted his hands up. “Nothing.”
My eyes narrowed as I stared at him. He was looking far too smug for my liking. “Were you listening in too?” I asked.
The corner of his lip trembled like he was fighting a smirk. “Clio, we’re trekking through a completely silent swap. What do you think?”
Magic swirled at my fingertips as I summoned an apple before launching it at his head. He somehow managed to duck in time so that it flew right past him. “Don’t listen in on other people’s private conversations!”
“Did you really just throw an apple at me?” He laughed.
Magic swirled in my hand again, and another apple appeared. “Don’t mock me,” I said, throwing the second apple in his direction, which struck him in the shoulder.
Dash didn’t even flinch, but he did manage to catch the apple before it rolled into the swamp mire below. “Thanks,” he said, grinning as he took a bite of the bright red fruit. He turned and focused on the path ahead once more, and I scowled into his back.
“He definitely likes you,” Adara decided.
“Doubtful,” I muttered in reply.
We stopped for the night when we reached a large rock that rose up out of the swamp. It was covered in mud and didn’t look like an appealing place to sleep, but the dirt that covered it was less wet, and small clumps of moss somehow managed to grow on it despite the lifeless surrounds. I felt like night was still a way off, but Roan insisted we stop.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t keep going?” I asked.
“We might not find another place as good as this to camp for the night, and trekking through this swamp in the dark is a death sentence,” he explained. “We’d ride right into a tar pit.”
I didn’t need much more convincing than that, so I swung off Adara’s back and set about summoning some wood for a fire. Given the thick fog, I wasn’t worried it would be seen from a distance. And right now, a little warmth felt worth the risk.
Despite the fact we were camping on a rock, it was still muddy and cold. The swamp was a miserable place, and I really hoped we’d reach the ruins quickly tomorrow. I didn’t want to sleep for more than one night in these conditions.
“Is this really the only way to reach the ruins?” I asked Roan, who walked over to help me arrange the firewood so it would burn properly.
“The only way I’ve heard of,” he replied.
“And you’ve been here before?”
Roan looked up from the firewood and into the distance. “Just once,” he replied. “It was for my rite of passage.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“When each young elf comes of age, the elders in our community set them a challenge: the rite of passage,” he explained. “My test was to find the ruins in the Dead Lands.”
“So, would many elves have been here?” I asked.
Roan shook his head. “No. Traveling through the Dead Lands is dangerous, and the risk of death is high. The elders set the task for each rite of passage based on the abilities of the young elf. The test must challenge them enough to prove their worth,
and they set me a harder task than most because they believed I was capable of completing it.”
“How do you find the ruins?” Dash asked.
Roan stopped what he was doing as he considered the question. “It’s difficult to explain. There’s no map that could show you the way, and even now, I’m only guiding us on instinct. There’s a kind of ancient magic that emanates from the ruins, and I can feel it tingling against my skin. The sensation gets stronger the closer I get to the ruins, which is how I know where I’m going. It took me days to recognize it when I first entered these lands, and if I hadn’t, I might have died out here.”
I glanced at Dash, wondering if he was thinking the same thing as me: that perhaps the nameless one was after whatever ancient magic Roan was drawn to. Dash didn’t look my way, but his brow was pinched, and he was clearly troubled by what we’d just learned.
“Do you know much about the ruins?” I asked, focusing on Roan once more.
Roan touched a finger to one of the pieces of wood, and his power swirled around his hand. The wood transformed before my eyes, morphing from timber to fire as Roan fed his power into it. Moments after Roan began, the fire was big enough that I could feel its warmth washing over me. He sat back as he thought about how to answer my question.
“We have all been told stories about the ruins and the desolate lands that surround them. But the truth is, no one knows what happened here for sure.”
“What do the stories say?” I asked.
“Well, my grandmother told me that a long time ago the city that lay here was in fact the true South Pole. It was the heart of our realm, and the jewel of it was a grand palace that stood in the very center of it all.
“Everything here was destroyed in an ancient battle though. Thousands died and the sheer amount of magic released during the fighting caused the Southern Realm sky to darken and the whole civilization to collapse. All that is left now are these swamps and the palace ruins we are headed for.”
Christmas Chaos (Christmas Magic Book 2) Page 15