Chapter 9
Carved Dominion
Fynn
“Are you sure you want to come with me? It might be dangerous for a young woman like you,” I ask Jodelle, uncertain if I really want her there.
Faas had invited me to join him and a few others from the group to visit Verdant Fields, and I instantly said yes.
I need to learn more about this world and understand this life, where magic has become an integral part of my being.
Jodelle wasn't as thrilled when I told her, bringing back memories of her escaping her destiny to be taken to the breeding farms in Eldririn, a place similar to Verdant Fields.
While Verdant Fields is known for its free-spirited nature, with humans and dark creatures coexisting, Eldririn is notorious for its many farms that cater to darklings, delivering blood or fresh flesh as they please.
“I am. I’ll be fine, Fynn. Ever since part of your magic transferred to me, vampires and witches keep their distance; it’s fantastic,” she says.
Since I promised myself I wouldn’t be such an asshole to Jodelle anymore, I relent, and she throws herself around my neck in excitement. Feeling her warmth fold against me, part of me softens.
“I promise, I’ll be good and listen to you. I won’t get in the way. I swear.”
She’s beaming at me with a huge smile. I make a silent plea to the old Gods, and hope Faas won’t make a fuss about her tagging along.
She takes my hand, weaves her fingers into mine, and together, we descend the stairs and leave the inn.
I deliberately ignore the witch as we pass her, unsure how to feel about Faas’s revelations and the fact that Caria lied to me about almost everything—especially our false connection.
I need time to digest it all. I feel her eyes burning in the back of my head, but I manage to keep my gaze steady, refusing to turn around.
“How do we get to the other city?” Jodelle asks.
“I don’t know, actually. I’m sure Faas arranged transport of sorts.”
I hadn’t given it much thought, but now Jodelle has asked, I begin to wonder.
We can’t all sit on Faas’s back and travel there with his vampire speed.
In hindsight, Faas doesn’t seem like the kind of man or creature who will let others use him as a mode of travel.
I chuckle softly at the idea, Faas as a means of transport.
When we arrive at the compound, we’re welcomed by Faas and four of his men, all sitting on large, black horses.
One of the horses, the largest of them all, carrying Faas on its back, snorts and tosses its head back.
The animal’s long black mane waves in the soft breeze, and its strong muscles ripple on the black coat as if they are smoke.
Its nearly black eyes watch me suspiciously, and I involuntarily take a step back.
Meanwhile, Jodelle moves in the opposite direction, pausing in front of the horse, then carefully, she lays her hand on its snout, and it snuffles softly.
She giggles while she pets the horse, mumbling sweet words to it.
“It seems to like you,” Faas says. “You can ride with me.”
He reaches his hand out to her, his pale, long fingers opening up, and without hesitating, Jodelle places hers into his.
A jolt of jealousy courses through me when his hand wraps around hers.
He pulls Jodelle up without effort, as if she’s as light as a feather, and within seconds she sits before him, both her legs on one side.
The dress she’s wearing crawls up, exposing her skin, while Faas’s muscled thighs close her in.
I swallow hard. This is not the time to be the jealous boyfriend.
“So… do I get my own horse?” I ask warily.
One of the guys bursts out laughing.
“That’s not how it works, champ. It takes time for a Mustang even to allow you to sit down on it, let alone ride it, but they’re perfect for long distances and rough terrain. Don’t worry, though, you’re coming with me.”
He taps on the back of the saddle, and as I chew on my lower lip, agitated, I walk over to him, unsure how to mount this gigantic beast. The guy, who introduces himself as Thomas, Thom for short, notices and reaches out his hand, similar to how Faas did to Jodelle.
Reluctantly, I accept the gesture, and before I know it, I fly through the air, and I plop down on the saddle.
I grimace from the impact. I glance down, and instinctively I wrap my arms around Thom’s waist, scared I might fall off.
“Cozy,” Thom chuckles, as dimples appear on his cheeks.
“Very,” I say through gritted teeth.
I quickly let go of him, as I feel my face turn a bright red, not that Jodelle notices. Her attention is solely on the dhampir.
“Alright, let's go!” Faas exclaims.
My hands reflexively grip Thom’s jacket in surprise as the beast starts to move, and the suddenness of it catches me off guard for a moment.
My throat tightens, and a lump forms as I force myself to act as if none of this affects me.
I try to sneak a glance at Jodelle, but Faas’s broad back and shoulders block my view.
Relief ripples through me at the realization she hasn’t witnessed this fearful response either.
His horse leads the way, and the rest of us follow in line.
Our trip takes longer than I expected. We make stops every hour, giving the big beasts a chance to rest before we keep going.
We stop at nearby creeks that Faas says are safe, fill our bottles with fresh water, and sleep out in the open.
Faas takes out a soft cotton blanket from his bag and hands it to Jodelle.
I scold myself for not thinking of that kind of thing sooner.
Even though I'm used to hiking for multiple days, traveling with my mother and sister, and carrying gear, I didn’t realize we'd be on the road for more than a day. Jodelle snuggles up against me, wrapped in her blanket. I’m grateful for the warmth radiating from her into my body.
After four days, we reach our destination without much trouble.
We ran into some vampires along the way, but the sight of Faas and their awareness of my magic kept them at bay.
Even Jodelle tells me that, despite her traumatic experience with the vampires who held her captive, she isn’t as afraid anymore.
The idea that some of my magic seeped into her being is enough to make her feel safe. It’s a pleasant thought.
Faas gently pulls the reins, stopping his horse, which I learned is named Vassago.
The big beast only listens to the dhampir.
As Thom helps me off his horse, I carefully observe Vassago, noticing the differences between it and the other horses.
He towers over the others, and where his eyes were nearly black before, I now see the red swirl in them.
Faas gets off his horse as well, petting it softly and whispering into the beast's ear.
He lifts Jodelle from its back and sets her down, catching my glance and my confused expression.
“I feed it my blood, hence the red,” Faas says matter-of-factly, an explanation that only raises more questions, which I don’t dare ask.
“Vassago is part demon, part horse,” Thom says softly, leaning into me. “It’s a marvelous creature. Only dhampirs can ride them; not even blood witches or vampires attempt it. Needless to say, neither do we humans.”
“Where did it come from?” I ask, sucking in my breath.
Thom shrugs. “It’s rumored these demonic Mustang breeds are forged in a fire of flames that are bright red and coal, at the Blackened Peaks, then blessed at the remains of a church building that was once owned by The Light, at Rabburgis.
And then, it’s drowned in The Lake of Ebon, because when it dies, it activates its demonic side. ”
“What the fuck?” I spin around, facing Thom. “That’s madness. So, it’s actually dead?”
“What else did you expect? The horse is part demon, of course, it’s dead, just like his owner.”
He folds his arms behind his head, looking at me, and I’m unsure if he’s mocking me. I glance at the horse, the prominent muscles, its coat glistening in the sun. I shake my head and leave Thom behind, going over to Jodelle. I kiss her on the forehead.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” I say.
“This was so much fun,” she says, beaming. “I love horses. Vassago is so sweet.”
I force a smile, pressing my lips together. I refuse to tell her she just rode a half-demon beast.
“Welcome to Verdant Fields, everyone,” Faas's voice booms, and we all look at him. “Keep in mind we’re here to scout for new weaponry, don’t get corrupted, and don’t lose yourself in there,” he reminds his men.
“And you two, stay close to me.”
He looks at us, then spins on his heel and walks toward the buzzing city.
The four men who traveled alongside us disappear in the crowd.
I intertwine my fingers with Jodelle’s and pull her into me, feeling slightly afraid of what we’ll face, the buzz and energy feeling different from Valorya—more malevolent.
A vampire greets Faas, seemingly appearing out of nowhere—a vampire trick—his eyes darting between the dhampir and us, with unease clear on his face. His gaze fixates on Faas.
“Pale Rider, what brings you back to Verdant Fields?” he inquires.
“None of your damn business,” Faas says, pushing the trembling vampire aside, who’s now visibly shaking. I watch him scurry away, speaking into other vampires’ ears, their faces all turning toward us. It’s evident that Faas, despite his nickname, is not a welcome guest here.
“So… Pale Rider, you’re kind of famous around here, aren’t you?” I ask gently.
Jodelle clings to me as she takes in the city with wide eyes, clearly shocked at the display of blatant violence and abhorrent treatment of humans. I am as well, but I do my best to suppress my emotions and not let them show.
“For all the wrong reasons, son. I used to frequent here often. Don’t taunt me, Fynn.”
His menacing smile reveals pointed teeth, with canines built to tear flesh. I nod.