The Forbidden Lands (Wattys 2015 Winner)

Chapter Fifteen--The Stiria

"Unless--" I continued.

"Unless what?"

"I won't tell the council if you take care of Jax. He's been alone for a while now, and he needs a new family."

"I can't do that," Ferrowin said.

"Why not?"

"Jax's parents committed a crime against the council. He was shunned from the elves. No one speaks to him. No one can help him."

"What did his parents do?" I asked.

"They killed a council member," he said quietly.

"Why?" I was dumbfounded.

"No one knows," he said. "Shortly thereafter, they were killed by a wyvern, and they hadn't been punished. So the punishment was moved on to their son."

"That's not fair," I said.

"It's the way it is run," he said. "No one can do anything about it."

"I can," I said.

I immediately went to the leader of the council. "I refuse to help the elves, unless Jax is released from his punishment."

The council member looked up at me. "I cannot do that."

"Yes, you can," I said sternly. "And you will."

"His parents killed someone," he argued.

"I know. His parents killed someone. Not him," I said firmly. "He is innocent."

"I cannot just go against an elfin law. It has been around for centuries!"

I glared at him. "Fine. Then once I free the elves, I'll make sure you and your elfin law  stay around for centuries."

That got him to change his mind. Jax would stay with Ferrowin's mother until I came back to help him.

I was sad to leave, but I knew I needed to. Laurel gave me a package as I prepared to go. I opened it to see a beautiful red cloak with a hood.

"I made it for you," she said. "Stay warm. There's also a pair of boots and mittens in the bottom of the wardrobe. I wore them once, long ago."

"Thank you." I hugged her tightly, and then dressed in a fur-lined, brown dress with the boots, mittens, and cloak.

A council member drew me a map, and I said farewell to Ferrowin and Jax.

I whispered in Ferrowin's ear. "When I come back, be prepared to leave with me, Enchanter. I'll need your help."

He nodded. I turned to go.

"Wait!" Jax said. He handed me his dagger. "You might need this." He wiped his eyes. "Be safe."

I hugged him. "You, too."

I was sweating as I began my journey north. But the temperature changed soon, along with the landscape. The oak trees turned to pines, and the green turned to white. I could see my breath come out in little puffs of air. I shivered. My boots made footprints in the middle of a lonely carpet of snow.

Soon, it began to snow.

I tried to follow the path to the Stirian Palace, but the snow was falling rapidly, making it hard to see. I could hear the howls of wolves at night; the journey was growing more and more perilous. What if I had traveled off the path on accident? It was covered in snow. What if the stiria decided to kill me even if I got there? The trolls hadn't seemed very friendly at first.