The Walls Have Eyes

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Eli was waiting for us at the fountain. He'd changed into the same uniform as Eeion - a long leather frock over a black waistcoat and slacks. I knew that both men had multiple swords and daggers concealed under their coats, and it wouldn't surprise me if they had some sort of thin armor hidden beneath their waistcoats.

His yellow eyes were constantly scanning the grounds, which I supposed was what made him such a good guard. "What's the plan?" he questioned as Eeion and I approached.

Eeion nodded at him and lifted me onto one of the pegasi. "We're going into town to acquire some necessities and register with the governance. Perhaps meet some of the locals and quell any rumors that might arise. We want to be hidden, but not so much that we're suspicious."

"Let's not stay too terribly long. Even here, her highness is easily recognizable as part of the aristocracy."

I rolled my eyes and straightened my spine just a little bit more. "Eliezar, don't fret. You chose this town because it is so far removed from the rest of Faelus. The aristocracy probably hasn't deigned to visit in years. We're what? A three weeks' ride from Mount Mori?"

Eeion chuckled, swinging himself up behind me and urging Shadow into a trot. "At least."

"That may be," Eli countered, leading us through the gates and down the winding lane toward the road. "But we cannot rely on ignorance to keep us safe."

We fell into a silence that was only broken by the soft thump of the pegasi's hooves against the snow. The wind blew cold and brittle, amplified by the thick woods we rode through. Little light penetrated the canopy, leaving the forest floor in a constant state of twilight.

The stillness was eerie. Other than the wind whispering through the trees, the forest itself was silent. There was no movement in the woodland, not even a rustling of leaves to indicate the presence of life. Where were the birds and the squirrels that made so much racket in the thickets of my homeland?

It was unnerving, to say the least.

I sent out a trickle of my power to survey the forest. It was cold and empty, more lifeless than any I'd seen before. Unwittingly, I shrank back against Eeion's chest. He was warm and alive ⎼ the exact opposite of these woods.

We rounded the final bend in the path and approached the wider main road.

The forest came alive as we turned onto the road, all the sounds I had been missing suddenly vying to drown each other out.

The abrupt switch was even more unsettling than the silence.

A shudder rippled through me, and Eeion released one side of the reins to pull my cloak tighter around me. "Cold?"

I shook my head. "I don't know about this place, alois."

He tensed at the pet name, so slightly that I would've missed it if we weren't so close to each other. It crossed my mind that he might have taken it the wrong way, but I didn't know how to fix it if he had, so I didn't address it. Instead, I continued on with what I was saying and hoped that I hadn't damaged the already weakened bond we shared.

"It feels⎼" I stumbled over my words, trying to find the right way to describe the cold emptiness I'd felt on the forest trail. "⎼Dead."

"It's certainly a far cry from Ravenswood." His voice was tight, controlled, and I wasn't sure if it was because of my earlier misstep or if it was because of the topic. I was too scared to ask, though, so I waited in silence for him to continue. "Perhaps that's just how the forest is here in the winter, Mor."