At the top of Mount Cúig, the Lake of Spirits sparkles. Fir trees line its banks, enclosing us in their embrace, but above, a surprisingly blue sky ranges.
“Why is it suddenly sunny? Has your mood changed from its default setting of sour prick?”
Ignoring me, he dismounts, pulling me down after him. As he removes his cloak, then loosens his sword belt, his lips quirk like he’s holding back a smile.
That makes no sense—I’ve just insulted him again.
“I have no effect on the air above the lake. It’s immune to my moods, no matter how dark they grow.”
“I see. This is wonderful. It’s almost warm.”
“Sit. Eat. We won’t be here long.” He throws the food bag at me, and I happily settle on the ground and shovel bread and cheese into my mouth.
While I eat, Ever unwraps the bindings on his archer’s bracer and removes it. He unstraps the leather chest armor, throws it beside me, and tugs his thigh-length tunic overhead.
I swallow my mouthful with a loud gulp. “What are you doing?” My eyes rove over his bare chest, the faded markings of a tattoo on the left—a triangle with a horizontal line through it—the ridges of abdominal muscles.
“I must bathe here. The water replenishes my magic. Stay with the animals, and do not worry. Nothing can harm you in this sacred place. I won’t be long.” Next, the sword clanks down. When his strong, elegant fingers go to his belt buckle, I turn my back, and he laughs.
“What are you frightened of, Wasp?”
Further items of clothing, boots, and I hate to think what else, thud against the earth.
“Nothing. I don’t want to be put off my lunch, that’s all.”
“I’ve already told you I have no wish to take a human lover. Besides, I wouldn’t risk it. I’d break you.”
As his shadow departs, I stretch out on the velvety grass, and Balor snuggles into my side. I scratch his giant head, and we let the sun soothe our aching bodies. Massive birds drift in the air currents high above us, insects hum. This is a good place. A safe place.
I close my eyes when I hear Ever return, and Balor greets him with deep, happy barks.
Metal tinkles and clothes rustle. “Come and stand, human. From here you can see three of the four rivers of my kingdom.”
“Are you dressed yet?” I ask.
“Of course. I am quick and agile at everything I do.”
And so annoyingly confident.
Balor frolics and sniffs through the grass, and Jinn and I follow Ever to the highest point of the ridge where a rounded cliff drops away, falling steeply toward the east.
“That is Serpent River. It snakes down to the Emerald Sea.”
“Pretty. Are there waterfalls along the way?”
“Yes, and great beasts they are.”
I hope he doesn’t mean that literally. In Faery, anything is possible.
I glance into his mercurial eyes; after his dip in the lake, they shine with something I haven’t seen in his gaze before. Peace. He swivels and points. “And north there is the River Terra, which we will follow to Talamh Cúig.”
“And we’ll arrive before nightfall?”
“Yes. And we will pass through the Dún Mountains over there.”
“Surely, that’ll take at least another day.” Hopefully.
“The land moves faster beneath Jinn’s hooves than it appears to. Did you forget that he is fae as well? In my land, you must not trust your mortal eyes. You cannot see things as they truly are.”
A notion from old tales and poems sparks in my brain as he lifts me, this time gently, into the saddle and settles close behind. In his natural form, he probably looks like E.T. or a giant slug with razor-sharp fangs shooting from his three mouths.
“Do you wear a glamor to hide what you really look like?” I ask as we descend through dark shadows between the pines, the air growing colder and gloomier.
“Of course. Mainly for play, but around those who are not our kind, the glamor clings unconsciously to my skin, like a habit.”
“So, you’re wearing one now. Can you take it off?”
“If it might scare you to see me in my true form, then yes, it would give me pleasure. Turn, human, and look your fill.”
Jinn slows to a plod, and I prepare for a horrific sight. I have to grip Ever’s sword belt to twist around. I squeeze my eyes shut. This isn’t a good idea. I’m too close. I should have waited until I stood a safe distance from him to ask to see this.
My eyes open. “You look the same!”
He smiles viciously. Then his face wavers, blurs, and sharpens. I blink, once, twice.
Over the hunter’s plain garb, gold and silver armor flickers. A fae warrior—his whole body is bigger, his cheekbones sharper, eyes brighter and fiercer. Elongated ears point beside a twisted metal crown, his hair writhes like it’s alive. He’s the same, but different. The same, but better. The same, but worse. And far too close for comfort.
He laughs, cool breath gusting over my skin. “Don’t scream. You look as though you might.”
The regal fae warrior dissolves and I’m left with a sneering huntsman, still terrifying, still beautiful, and only slightly more human-looking than the non-glamored version of Ever.
“You didn’t look that different.” Kind of a lie. And kind of not.
“Which version do you prefer?” His voice rumbles at my left ear, sending a shiver along my skin.
“Neither.” Truth.
He grunts. “Some will always choose a softer fantasy over harsh reality. They wish their world to be bland. More palatable and easier to swallow down. I wonder which type of person you are.”
“Do you have your answer?”
“Yes. Like all humans, you are a liar.”
With a sharp laugh, he nudges Jinn’s sides, quickening our pace through the pine-scented woods.
After a two-hour trek down the hillside, we burst through the trees in an exhilarating canter onto open grasslands, the Dún Mountains a snow-capped blue line in the distance.
We stop at Terra River, muddier and broader than the south-flowing Fire River, to drink and eat a little before traveling onward. Ever speaks only if he can’t avoid it, his words clipped as though forced through gritted teeth, and for once I do the same.
I’m far too tired to bother annoying him with pointless chatter as we journey through a mottled-green landscape under the usual miserable, gray sky. It takes every last bit of my energy just to keep my eyes open.
Tonight, we’ll be at Ever’s court. And at the moment, I have no idea how to stall our journey past the two nights and two days of my vow or what point there’d be in doing so if he can easily find me anyway.
Still, I should try and stay awake. Try and remember the landmarks leading to his city, in case I ever get away.
The huntsman’s heartbeat thuds in a steady rhythm. Jinn breathes and snorts, the pound of his hooves a tribal song that makes me even sleepier.
Under my coat sleeves, I dig my nails into my palms. The pain helps.
Stay alert. Learn the landscape.
Yes, I can do that. I will do that.
I will.
The last things I think of before darkness drags me under, are the creepy words Ether spoke as she sent me flying through the portal to Faery. Those words blend and muddle as I slip into the realm of the unconscious: say hello to forever for us. Say hello to forever. Say hello to Ever.