Wylde Magic | Book 3

Four: A Fallen Home

Hi guys! Just a quick reminder of the Wylde Quote contest! The quotes have been submitted, and now we have through Friday to vote for them! If you have a moment, please vote for your favorite quote(s) in my Sabrina Chats book! (I'll also put a link on my profile today) Otherwise, enjoy a chapter you've been waiting for since the end of book one ;)

"How close are we?" Nassir asked. "It feels familiar, but I wasn't this far along with my senses when we were here last."

Spring in the mountains was abuzz with insects as we walked through the trees. The climb from Sulls, to the plains, to the mountains got steeper and steeper with each passing day. So much so, that we began to zigzag on the thin walking trails that were the only sign of passage between the people of the mountains and the rest of the world.

"Not far," I said. "My old home is gone, but Mila's cabin should be a great place to stay for the night."

"And tomorrow, we find out who is watching the borders," Schula added.

"Caw!" Puko agreed as he flew overhead, bouncing between the trees and catching his fill of buzzing pests.

I pushed a low hanging branch out of my way, the pine branches full of sticky sap and I grimaced as I wiped my palm on my pants. "I want a bath."

Schula giggled. "I think we all want a bath after this. I don't typically like the hot weather of summer, but you should see the baths they have in the Summer lands. Pure bliss."

"I don't know," Nassir chuckled. "The hot springs deep in the Winter's Teeth are very nice as well."

Schula sighed. "I wonder if there will ever be a day I can explore the Winter lands."

"There will be," Spaulder rumbled from the back of the line. "I'll make sure of it."

I smiled. His connection to us was already so strong. He felt her needs as deeply as I did, and I quietly swore to help him achieve that goal.

Once the ground started to even out a bit, I knew we were coming up to the places where the humans built houses. Silver lake was probably not far away, so neither was Mila's cabin.

Walking through the dying light, the crickets began to play their night songs. My stomach growled, reminding me how long it had been since we last took a break.

"We're getting closer," Schula said. "I remember this place."

"Hmm." Spaulder paused from the back of the group. "I think we need to be on alert."

That made my heart speed up a beat or two. "Do you sense danger?"

"I am... not sure what I sense," Spaulder said. "But danger is always a possibility."

"Wise words," Nassir said. "Should we increase the pace to reach the cabin?"

"We're really close," I said. "It's just over the next rise."

"Then, let us proceed," Spaulder said.

My ears twitched at every noise now, which was quite a bit since we were in the tree covered mountainside. Birds, insects, and bigger things that crawled in the trees kept catching my notice as we went.

Thankfully, the rise was easy and we looked nearly straight ahead to a small cabin with a wildly overgrown garden.

"Ahh, finally," Schula said. "I hope she has a bathtub, I can't remember from before."

I chuckled. "Sorry, Schula. It's rivers for us until the Wyldes. Do you remember how overwhelmed I was by the bathtub at the outpost?"

Her expression sank. "I do."