Page 24

twenty-four

Rivern

A s we begin our descent down the opposite side of the mountain, we come to an unforeseen end.

“Well, this is ill-fated,” Dove mutters beside me.

Everyone behind us comes to a halt as we look over the steep drop below. Hidden by trees and foliage, we hadn’t noticed the drop-off until nearly tumbling over the edge.

“Surely, there’s a way around this?” I ask in a hushed voice so only Dove can hear.

“This is one of the reasons no one makes it into Haven on foot.” Dove’ s face falls.

The villagers behind us have put their faith in us, and we are potentially leading them towards death. My only mission here is to see Dove back to Terraand destroy our bond, but I continue to feel the weight of her responsibility to these people, and it is starting to affect me as well.

I gently grasp her arm and move down to breathe into her ear, “I’ll call Solen back. He will find us a path down.” If not, I have another plan .

My earlier mentions of wisps intrigued the determined female beside me, and we had shared our sporadic knowledge about the tiny flying creatures with each other on our walk down the mountain.

Dove had come across the little creatures in her library texts, and I had heard tales about them from the elders within Terra.

We discussed how the wisps had once been the magical fairy workers of the fae. They were pure magic, a creation of the Goddess and fuelled by the fae’s connection to the land’s energetic properties. The wisps could control the elements around them—earth, air, water and fire. They helped build Haven alongside the fae, and together, the species thrived within Haven until the humans arrived.

The wisps were made for creation and joy, not destruction and death. So, when Haven was overrun, they hid when the fae fled.

However, I haven’t told her the most important part of my discovery—that the forests are littered with the small sleeping creatures if you know what to look for. Something inside me wants to witness her surprise, her wonder. I’ve already seen such an array of emotions from her, and I want—no, I need —to see how they play out on the lines of her face and the sparkle in her eyes. She is magic, and I want to watch her shine .

Solen is my first port of call. He is keeping watch over the manor in Haven for dyre wolves. On the first spotting of a dyre wolf leaving the area, I’ve instructed him to return to us.

A melodic whistle springs free of my lips, and Dove faces our throng of villagers to explain our predicament. She sounds a lot more convincing than she feels through our constantly buzzing connection.

She is worried.

The responsibility she has placed on herself regarding these people could rival my own for the people of Terra. And her growing concern for her people before her own life is concerning to me. That’s because you are bonded, you idiot .

Right now, we are her people’s only hope, and Dove is clinging to her mission like moss sticking to the many trees of the forest surrounding us.

A low squawk sounds out in the distance.

Solen is fast, and within movements, I can hear a rustle in the leaves above, his body appearing on a low-lying branch. Walking over to my intimate, careful to keep my bodily actions inconspicuous to the humans, I converse with Solen through clenched teeth. “We need a safer way down this mountain.”

“I see you have run into a spot of trouble,” he teases. My intimate always brings a light-hearted nature to any rough spot we find ourselves in.

He often levels me out when I am too serious about an endeavour. He is my compass.

“Just a spot.”

“Let me see what I can find. Hang tight.” With that, he is gone before any of the villagers know what is happening .

Puffing out my held breath, I resort to surrendering to the Goddess on this task. Surely, there is a way down, and if anyone can find it, Solen can.

Walking back towards the group, I declare, “We will rest here a movement while I scout a safe route down the mountain.” A few of the villagers try to talk at once, but Lucas stands up as their official unofficial spokesperson.

“Are we stuck?” The question rings clear in the air, only the leaves rustling in the breeze to keep them company.

Dove jumps in before I can answer. “No, we just need to find another way, a safer way. Rivern was able to get up this mountain. He’ll be able to find his way down.” Lies . They all visibly relax, hearing that I’ve defeated the mountain once. The only thing they don’t know is that I went through it, not over it.

I am learning Dove is a secret keeper. The keeper of her own secrets—the ones I feel through the bond locked up tight—and the secret keeper of protection. She would rather shoulder the burden and spare the others’ hardship at every turn.

Not waiting for Solen’s return, I begin my scouting mission along the side of the steep drop. I find much of the same: dense foliage, a perilous fall and no end in sight.

It is looking more and more like I will need to resort to plan B. If I can just find them.

As I walk along the drop-off, I keep my eyes open for the small and inconspicuous hives, leaf-shaped in appearance as a form of camouflage. I saw them on my journey down from Terra; the closer I drew to Haven—especially around the reflective lake—the more frequently I found the tiny, green-woven hives.

It isn’t long before I see shimmering leaves on the tree ahead. “Got you.” My excitement is untethered.

When I first found these little hives rotations ago, I instantly knew what they were from the old stories, and now I have a way to wake them.

Retracing my steps, I soon find myself back in front of Dove, and request her assistance. I implore the villagers to continue their rest while we check out the viability of the new path. A few of the children choose not to listen and follow us anyway.

“Did Solen find a way down?” Dove huffs as I quickly pull her along.

He still hasn’t returned, but I’m betting he’s just being thorough in his scouting, especially with all the underbrush obscuring his sight. He knows we have to get these people out. They will not survive out here. Yes, the land will provide, but it takes a keen eye and someone familiar with the Goddesses ways to coax out one’s needs. Berries are not going to cover it.

“No, I found the wisps,” I say.

Dove’s eyes bug out. “You weren’t joking about that, then?”

Stopping before the tree, I turn on wide eyes and a small, scrunched-up nose, her expression too delectable to bear. “Why would I joke?”

She shrugs and turns to look up in wonder. “I’ve seen these before,” she exclaims. “Not quite so many in one tree, though. Just a few here and there. I thought they may house a type of bug inside, but I could never get close enough to study them.”

“Don’t tell the wisps you thought they were bugs,” I chuckle. “They can hold a grudge. I’ve heard stories of how they play tricks on unsuspecting fae.”

She smiles softly as she touches one of the smooth hives. “Please don’t play tricks on us, little friends.”

Watching her so enamoured by something so small—something many people walk by without a second thought—plucks against the invisible string connecting our hearts. She is beauty in every iteration of the word, both inside and out. She has so many sides to her, and the tugging within me begs to see them all. A hard intoxication to resist.

Our bond also shows me her insurmountable pain. My own does not compare.

I hate that I will have to cause her more pain once we make it to Terra. But this bond does not belong to us. The Goddess has made a mistake. Dove is human. Surely, this can be undone.

Sensing my inner turmoil, Dove turns to face me with a slight furrow in her brow. “What do we need to do?”

Taking a step closer, I inform her, “We don’t do anything. You must sing the Goddess’s song. Sing them awake.”

I can only hope that the stories I was told were true and that the Goddess’s song will be enough—a key in awakening the wisps.

Dove makes her way to the trunk of the tree and kneels before it. Placing her hands on the tree, she gently runs her fingertips down the curves of the bark and towards the soil underfoot.

Her face is cast skyward, and with her eyes closed, she starts to sing.

The bond purrs in unity with her song, and I cannot help but stand in worship at her altar. Never in my existence could I have contemplated that I would be here with a human, utterly enamoured by her.

Her voice softly weaves together lyrics that feel like truth.

My chest tugs to touch her, to gather the power she wields. A hot and heavy prickling sensation makes its way through my body.

Magic.

She is bringing the magic back to life.

It is true. It must be true. She is the Goddess Oona’s chosen.

With the bond connection, I know its verity. But to see it before my eyes, to feel my whole body alight with her magic for the first time… Because she—my bonded, my human bonded—is the key to unlocking the missing fae magic, a feat no other has achieved.

The song never seems to end, yet finishes within the blink of an eye. Dove opens her eyes and turns to face me from her perch on the leafy floor. “Did it work?” she asks, puzzled.

Now that her singing has ceased, I notice the lack of sound around us. Not even the children who followed us can be heard.

A rustling sound comes from above our heads. Looking up, my smile grows wide. “It worked,” I murmur, careful not to scare our new little friends, who are waking up for the first movement in centuries.

Dove’s gaze lands on the silken green hives above, and she gasps.

One by one, out of the smallest of holes within the cocoon constructions, little, iridescent, glowing critters emerge with spacious, delicate wings, their bodies nothing but a small speck between.

They begin to whir around us, making a soothing humming sound, inspecting the land and inspecting us until they find her—Dove.

Hundreds of dazzling wisps hover and dance around her body, alight in celebration. Dove opens her palms to them and watches as they tickle her fingers. She lets out a small laugh, and the wisps get brighter, glorying in her joy, feeding off her excitement.

“Rivern,” Dove breathes out in laughter.

Our gazes lock, and the bond grasps for us, pulling our bodies together. I need to touch her . To kiss her. To love every part of her body.

My hand moves of its own accord, reaching out to touch just under her chin, keeping her gaze connected to mine.

The wisps, sensing our connection, make a rope around us, pulling me towards my queen. She kneels at my feet until I drop down to my knees in front of her because no queen of mine will ever kneel for me.

If I could keep her, I’d kneel for her every turn of my life.

Together, we are encased in a wisp cocoon. A cocoon I never want to leave.

In our kneeled positions, I look down at my brilliant little human. The bond drums, and I grip her face between my strong hands, pulling her face towards mine. Our noses touch, and her eyes shine bright.

“You are everything my soul has dreamt of since the Goddess’s creation,” I proclaim. Dove gasps, the surprise on her face evident and the longing through the tether of our hearts undeniable.

“Riv—” Dove tries to get out before a loud squawking startles us out of our bubble.

The wisps scatter and Solen is in my head. “ You can suck face later. The wolf is coming.”

My whole body goes rigid, and I address Dove. “The dyre wolf is on his way. ”

“Shit,” she curses.

“We need the wisps to help us make a path down the mountain and then guide the villagers to Terra,” I start to tell Dove my plan.

There is too much to organise and not enough time to do it. Dyre wolves, in their wolf forms, are fast. The wolf could be on us within only movements of the suns’ progression into the sky.

Without having to speak a word, Dove is grabbing my hand and running towards the villagers, back to their resting place.

The children gawk at us but do not hesitate in following, same as the wisps. They follow the Goddess’s song giver, their life force until instructed otherwise.

As we come upon the villagers, Dove is panting, my fae stamina longer lasting.

The villagers stand. “What is following you?” Lucas asks in surprise at the trail of flying yellow creatures behind us.

“Your guides to Terra,” I proclaim.

“But I thought you were our guide.” Lucas points a finger at me, his creased eyes wide at our flying followers.

Without further explanation, Dove turns towards the wisps following us. “Uh, hi, wisps,” she exclaims. An excited buzzing rings through my ears at her acknowledgement. “It’s very nice to meet you. We are in a bit of a hurry to get down this mountain. I am hoping you could help make a path that will be safe for us to use.” She directs the wisps to look towards the edge we need to get down, and before her arm falls back to her side, the wisps are off, fulfilling her task without question.

They work in unison, a chorus of trained precision as they connect with the elements to manipulate objects around them. Rocks start to give way to a staircase. Vines creep up the sides of the newly made stairs, acting as railings, and soft moss grows along the winding path to soften footfalls.

“Well, I never!” an older gentleman exclaims behind us.

I suspect no one—including myself—has ever seen magic such as this.

Once the wisps are done, they fly excitedly, humming and dancing towards Dove, their little wings fluttering. “Oh, wow, thank you. This is perfect,” she informs her new friends.

A bunch of wisps form behind us, trying to push us forward, eager for us to try their new creation.

Dove turns towards the people behind us. “You must go first, Lucas, and we will keep the rear.”

We . The word spins in my mind. My heart beats faster, knowing she thinks of us as an entity all our own.

Lucas, still in shock, lazily nods his head and tells his human people to form a line. They do not question him, following him down the winding mountainside staircase into the abyss below.

I question Lucas and the other villagers’ unwavering trust in Dove—and myself, for that matter—but it is hard to ignore the fortitude she excludes.

On our trek towards the peak of the range, Dove reminded me many times that the villagers who follow blindly behind us have no other options. Even if they stay in Haven, the food is becoming increasingly scarce. It is only a matter of time. They have nothing to lose. Plus, Dove does have a way of inspiring the people with her innocence and bravery. She is a wonder to watch. She is magic. And magic is enchanting, like a siren song.

It’s not long before it’s our turn to follow the villagers. “How long do you think we have?” she asks.

“I’d say maybe only a couple movements of the suns towards the centre of the sky. Wolves are fast when they want to be.”

She nods with resolve in her eyes, fire radiating through our bond. “Let’s beat that wolf.”

Her smile is infectious as she looks up at me, a fire in her eyes. She can feel it. The thread that flows through me, through her, linking us together. The more time I spend in her presence, the stronger it gets.

And something deep down within me knows for certain that this bond will never be broken.