by Linsey Hall
“Does he live in one of the houses?” I spotted people walking around outside the homes, many of them tending to small gardens or children.
“He lives in a cottage on the other side of the hill,” Connor said. “Not terribly fond of people.”
“All right. Lead the way.”
We walked away from the tiny forest and skirted around the hill. Though several people turned to look at us, they didn’t wave. I eyed them as we walked and wondered about these people. The Fire Fae were strange, that was for sure. They’d been okay with the king and queen evicting poor Claire. Thank fates Connor had gone with her. I couldn't imagine what would have happened to me if I’d been evicted from Guild City as a kid.
He was a good man, Connor. I didn’t know him well, but I was confident of that.
I was confident of a lot of things about him, actually.
Like the fact that he was the guy for me. In a forever way.
The thought nearly made me gasp aloud, but I knew it like I knew my own name. I’d never had a seer’s gift, but right now, I was seeing it so clearly that it had to be real. Connor and I were meant for each other. It was a strange connection—something I’d never felt before—but I could definitely feel it. Like I could feel the air in my lungs.
“We’re nearly there.” Connor’s voice shook me from my thoughts, and I blushed.
He pointed to a small house that sat next to a twisted old tree at the base of the hill. Like the other houses, it appeared to be made of glass and flame.
An old Fae man sat on a chair under the tree, his clothing simple and his face lined. A smile stretched his lips, and he raised a hand to Connor.
I looked up to see Connor smile back, and there was pure joy in his expression. He waved to the man.
“Do you visit often?” I asked.
“No. Unfortunately not. I should, though.”
“I imagine it was hard, back when you were evicted.”
He nodded. “It was impossible. But I’ve seen him since then.”
The man rose, and Connor picked up the pace. I quickened my steps to keep up, and we reached the old man. Connor hugged him, and they squeezed tightly.
“Caspian, my boy.” The man grinned.
“Connor.” His voice was gentle as he reminded the man.
“Of course, of course. Connor.” The old man shook his head. “Can’t say that I blame you.”
“You always understood.” There was appreciation in Connor’s voice. He gestured to me. “This is my friend, Sora.”
“Friend, eh?” The old man’s brows waggled a bit, and it was so ridiculous that I laughed. “I am Orion. Come, come. We will have some tea.” The old man gestured us into the house, and we followed.
The interior was far larger than I’d expected, and the walls gleamed with a fainter glow within. It was a good thing, since the house was so brilliant on the outside that it’d be nearly impossible to keep your sanity if it was that bright on the inside—especially at night.
Orion led us to a small room, and we sat at a little table. He moved toward a doorway and looked behind him, “I’ll be right back.”
We sat, and I looked at Connor. “This feels like meeting your family.”
“You are. Besides Claire, he is my family.” He inclined his head, as if remembering something. “And I have some friends who are like family back in Magic’s Bend. Cass is one of them. You’ll meet the rest soon.”
“Oh, I will, will I?” I grinned.
“If you want to.”
“I do.” This was moving fast. But hell, I wanted it to move fast. It just felt right.
Orion returned with the tea and set it on the table. He sat and passed the glasses around.
I picked up my glass and sipped, surprised at the bright burst of floral flavor. “It’s lovely.”
“My own blend.” Orion’s smile of pleasure faded as he looked at Connor. “I know why you are here. Claire has visited.”
“It’s time.”
Orion leaned forward. “I’ve readied mounts for you. And my sprites have provided some information about the Sacred Sea.”
“I was hoping they would,” Connor said.
“Not much gets past these ears, boy.” Orion looked at me. “The sprites speak to me, bringing tales of what is happening on the moor. They are better company than all the people in the village combined.”
I smiled at him.
“What can you tell us?” Connor asked.
Orion leaned forward. “As you know, the protections around the Sacred Sea are ever changing. My sprites suggest that the safest way to approach is to go via the River Dart, close to Dartmeet.”
“Where the East Dart and West Dart meet?” Connor asked.
“Yes. Near the Clapper Bridge. Start there and follow the Dart downriver. You must follow the river closely to reach the Sacred Sea. Do not deviate from it, or you will become hopelessly lost, led astray by the wisps. Stay as close as you possibly can.” His expression turned serious. “This is vital.”
“How’s the water level on the river?” Connor asked. “Is a boat possible?”
“No.” Orion looked at me. “For your clarification, the Sacred Sea is not the ocean. It is a large lake, hidden deep within Dartmoor. No one approaches it unless the alternative is death.”
I swallowed hard, hating the reminder. It was all a fun adventure until I remembered that part.
Orion harrumphed, then stood. “I will return shortly.”
He moved slowly toward another room, and I whispered to Connor, “I like him.”
“I think he likes you, too.”
“How do you know?”
Orion returned before Connor could answer and set a bag down on the table. “Take this with you. When you reach the rock maze that surrounds the Sacred Sea, there is a tool inside that will help you find your way through. It’s a lure that will call the sprites to you. They’ll lead you.” His gaze moved to me. “He’s right. I do like you. You’re smart and strong. And you’re his fated mate.”
“Fated what now?” I asked, surprise racing through me.
Connor dipped his head back and sighed, then looked at Orion. “Did now really seem like the best time? We’re a bit busy.”
“Fate waits for no one.”
“That’s the truth.” Connor stood and looked at me. “I promise I’ll tell you.”
Every inch of my skin vibrated, and I stared at him. I didn’t need that many explanations. Fated mate pretty much said it all right on the box, and I’d heard of it before.
I just hadn’t expected to be one.
13
Connor
Sora was quiet as Orion led us out of his cottage, but I could feel her gaze on me.
How long have you known?
It had to be her first question, and I could feel it screaming through the air even though she was silent.
Gods, I hoped she didn’t think I was a total creep.
“I have two ponies you can ride,” Orion said. “They will help you get over Dead Man’s Tor.”
I dragged my attention from Sora toward Orion. “Thank you. That’ll help immensely.”
The Sacred Sea was so heavily protected that one couldn’t just transport to the edge of it.
Orion led us to the side of his cottage, where two enormous ponies stood next to a tree, lazily chomping on grass. Most Dartmoor ponies were tiny creatures, incapable of bearing a rider. But these two were gigantic by comparison, their shaggy black coats making them look almost fluffy.
“They just stay here?” Sora asked. “They don’t wander the moor?”
“They are mine,” Orion said. “Bred of magic and nature, which is why they are so large. They have the option to roam the moor, and they do. But Claire gave me enough warning that I could find them and call them back. They don’t wear saddles, but if you hang on tight, they will take you where you need to go.”
“It will be a huge help,” I said. “The ground around Dead Man’s Tor is so rocky and uneven—con
stantly shifting—that only ponies like this can safely navigate it. They know every inch of the moor.”
Orion patted the side of one of the ponies. “These fellows are as reliable as the dawn.”
The pony moved its huge head to nuzzle Orion’s shoulder. The man looked positively diminutive next to the beast.
Orion stepped aside so that we could mount the ponies, and I stood next to one and gestured to Sora. “I’ll help you up.”
She nodded, her eyes wary. “I’ve never ridden a horse.”
“City girl?”
“Born and bred.”
“You’ll be fine,” Orion said. “These ponies know what they are doing. You just need to hang on.”
“That’s the part I’m worried about.” Sora looked between the pony’s back and the ground, and I knew what she was thinking: That’s a long way down.
She wasn’t wrong. But she also wasn’t a wimp.
She strode toward me and put her foot into my cupped hands, then braced her hands on the pony’s tall back. I boosted her up, and she swung a leg over the side, laughing with shock. She leaned forward and grabbed big handfuls of the pony’s mane, and the creature barely shifted. “I think I can do this.”
“I know you can.” I mounted my own pony and nodded my thanks to Orion. “I’ll be back to visit soon.”
“See that you come more often. And just leave the ponies when you are done with them. They’ll come back here on their own.”
We said our goodbyes, and the ponies turned and trotted off across the moor.
“So….” Sora said, her brow raised.
“I suppose there are some things I didn't tell you.” The wind blew as we rode, the ponies’ strides eating up the ground as they headed to Dead Man’s Tor.
“Yeah. Care to share?”
“The fated mate thing…I wasn’t sure at first.”
“And now you are?”
I shrugged, trying to play it cool.
She frowned, clearly not settling for that.
I was glad the pony knew where it was going, because it allowed me to focus on her. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure. But it doesn’t mean you’re obliged to feel anything, of course. It just means that fate thinks we’re suited to each other.”
She laughed wryly. “More suited to each other than to anyone else on the whole planet.”
“Maybe.” My voice turned intense. “But I’m not going to pursue you if you don’t want it. I saw what that did to my sister, when her mate wouldn’t stop coming for her. We had to hide for a decade.”
Her eyes softened. “I didn’t think you would.”
I dragged a hand through my hair. “I like you, Sora. I’d like you even without the fated mate bond. And if you wanted to start with a date when this is all over—a real date—that’d be just about perfect, as far as I’m concerned.”
She grinned. “I can do that.”
Pleasure warmed my chest, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Dead Man’s Tor. We’d lost sight of Orion’s cottage and the palace behind us, and the imposing obstacle of the rocky hill rose high ahead.
“That’s Dead Man’s Tor, isn’t it?” Worry echoed in Sora’s voice.
“It is.” I pointed to the gray hillside that led up to the granite pillars on top. “The hillside is covered in rock instead of grass and gorse. It shifts constantly and is extremely dangerous. That’s why we need the ponies.”
As if they’d understood I was talking about them, they picked up the pace. Sora and I bent low over their necks, clinging tightly as they raced across the moor, leaping over thin streams that cut across the valley. We reached the hillside, and they began to climb, their hooves steady on the shifting rock.
Steadily, they ascended, strong and solid beneath us. The ground moved, cracking open in places as the piles of rocks shifted. Crevasses opened into the hill, dark fissures that looked endlessly deep. The ponies seemed able to anticipate the movement, shying out of the way right before we would have plummeted into the depths.
Higher and higher they climbed, moving faster as the ground broke open more and more.
We were nearly to the top when Sora screamed. I turned, spotting her pony teetering at the edge of a crevasse.
“Sora!”
Her pony leapt back, narrowly avoiding the drop.
“I’m fine!” Fear flickered in her eyes, but her spine was straight.
“We’re almost there,” I said. “Halfway. Hang on.”
We reached the top of the tor, and the ponies skirted around the pillars of granite. The ride down the other side was a bit easier, but my heart thundered in my ears as I watched Sora’s pony try to navigate the terrain.
By the time we reached the bottom of the hill, my skin was damp with sweat. “Are you all right?” I asked Sora.
“I’m just glad that is over.” She looked ahead of us, searching the terrain of the valley.
There was a huge forest in the distance, and I pointed to it. “That’s where we’re headed. See the river that disappears inside the forest? That’s the River Dart, our destination.”
She nodded. “I see it.”
The ponies carried us toward it, moving swiftly over the safer terrain of the valley. They leapt over the narrow creeks that turned it into a wetland, and eventually entered the forest. It was impossibly green there, with moss covering the ground and the canopy of leaves overhead. The sound of water rushing nearby drew my attention, and the ponies turned unerringly toward it.
The ponies approached the broad river and stopped next to the wide expanse. I spotted the clapper bridge to our left. It was far bigger than the one at the entrance to the Fae realm, the massive slabs of stone stacked on top of each other and rising out of the rushing river. Trees grew so close to the river on all sides that it would be impossible to ride alongside it.
I climbed off the pony and went to help Sora down. She swung her leg over the side of the horse, and my hands closed around her trim waist, lowering her to the ground.
“Thanks.” She turned to the river. “We have to follow this?”
“Yes.” I eyed the rocky river. The entire riverbed was made of small and large stones, the water crystal clear. “But the trees grow too close to the bank to walk alongside it.”
Hundreds of trees lined the banks at uneven placement, their massive roots twisting around boulders and making it impassable. I looked at Sora. “If you don’t mind me carrying you, I can try to fly us over it.”
“Fine by me.” She strode up to me, and I picked her up, one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back.
Her warmth pressed against me, and I dragged my mind from inappropriate thoughts as I called on my wings.
It was only the second time I’d done it as an adult, and the sensation was still unfamiliar. They burst to life behind me, magically appearing through my clothes, and I launched myself in the air, clutching Sora close to my chest.
As I flew over the river, the trees shivered and moved. Their limbs reached out, and a branch coiled around my leg. It squeezed tightly, dragging me down.
“Shit.” I fought it, straining my wings with all the power I had.
But the tree was too strong, magic sparking around the limb. No matter how hard I flew, the tree pulled harder.
I gave up, flying back to the ground to stand on the river’s edge. I lowered Sora, and she stepped away.
“Well, that’s not an option.” I stared at the rushing river. The water moved fast, and the rocky bottom was uneven. “The river is too shallow in many places for a boat. We could try to walk through it, but it’ll be slow and dangerous.”
“Agreed. I don’t like that option.”
I turned to study our surroundings. There had to be a way to get there. The Sacred Sea was heavily protected but not impossible to reach. You had to earn your way there through smarts and strength.
I closed my eyes and reached out with my senses, trying to feel what type of magic was here. I could feel it sparking around the plac
e—I just needed more info. “Do you feel the magic here?”
“Yes.” Sora knelt and pressed her hand to one of the mossy boulders at the edge of the river. “Do you think there’s some kind of hidden trigger that we can find that will reveal the way to follow the river?”
“Yes.” The magic pulled harder from one direction, feeling almost familiar. Feeling almost like my magic, though I knew that had to be crazy.
I didn’t open my eyes as I walked toward it, moving slowly to avoid tripping. I relied on my other senses, following the call of the spell. Fate had decreed that I would come here to finally embrace my magic, so I had to trust it.
“Are you on to something?” Sora asked.
“I think so.” It pulled hard at me, a kind of familiarity leading me a few feet down the river’s edge. I’d never had any kind of gift that would allow me to find things—not like my FireSoul friends did—but this was impossible to deny. It was like I’d been born to come here and find this.
Hell, maybe I had been.
Finally, I opened my eyes. My surroundings looked no different than they had—I stood at the edge of the river near a cluster of moss-covered boulders that were piled against the twisted roots of a tree trunk. I knelt, my hands going unerringly toward one of the larger boulders. I braced myself against it and shoved, heaving the enormous stone away from its resting place.
A small, dark crevice was revealed, and a flat stone rested within. It was dark with smeared dirt, and it called to me. I pressed my palm flat against it, feeling magic spark against my skin. It swirled around me, making my entire body vibrate. Golden sparkles flickered around my arm, rising up my body. It felt almost as if they were inspecting me to make sure I was the right person.
“Whoa,” Sora said. “You’re glowing.”
I looked up and cracked a wry smile. “Guess this was meant to be.”
The words were cheesy, but they were the only ones that fit.
Her gaze flicked toward the river. “Look!”
I turned, spotting the golden sparkles flying over the river, diving into the water and making it bubble and swirl. Large boulders rose to the surface, creating steppingstones through the rushing water.