Chapter 46
Seda
The terrain changed as the group gradually hiked uphill, their legs sinking knee-deep into snow and slipping often when they stepped onto sharp, icy rocks.
They walked for a couple of hours after the fight with the Mungder, trying to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the monsters in the river.
They hiked until Askold dropped to his knees, covered in snow, and begged them to stop.
The dark landscape was barren, and finding materials to build a fire was impossible.
Everyone huddled close to a growling Elco for warmth, who let them get near because of the circumstances, reminding them that it would only happen this once.
Doubt was creeping into Seda’s thoughts, and she looked to Roya and Ferona. “Do you know if we’re heading in the right direction?”
The two Corvids hadn’t spoken since the Mungder attack.
When they were a safe distance from the river, they held a small service for Feich and laid flowers on the ground where they had been growing through the snow. Ojore prayed to the Mother Goddess, and the remaining Corvids kneeled near the flowers as they kissed the icy earth.
Ferona looked at Seda with swollen, red-rimmed eyes. “We’re on the right track. The Wisps will be at the top of this mountain.”
Roya didn’t glance at Seda and stayed focused on the dark horizon. Seda drew her knees to her chest and peered around at the dark ridge behind her.
“Are there monsters here?” Benny asked. He sat next to Askold, who had fallen asleep the moment Elco agreed to protect them from the cold. Benny looked at Roya with concern and then turned to Ojore, who was sharpening his sword.
“Except for a possible Jotnar, there are no fearsome creatures on Mt. Ebenveil,” Ojore replied as he set his sword aside and looked up at the twinkling stars. “The Wisps are worrisome enough.”
Seda looked at him. “What do you know about the Wisps?”
He paused briefly, picking up his sword again, and then continued, “The Wisps are the most magical creatures that still live on Xyberus. They’re said to have been the divine servants of the gods.
When the gods left, the Wisps stayed behind.
No one knows why. But anyone who goes to them looking for answers usually has to give something in return.
That’s enough to scare me. I have no intention of asking them any questions. ”
“And yet I still have to,” she whispered.
Roya looked at her, breaking her focus on the darkness from which they had come. “The Wisps have been waiting for you, Seda. They do not intend to harm you.” She turned her gaze back to the dark landscape.
What could they want from her? Did they have answers about this mysterious power and why Lord Mordred targeted her? She had so many questions, but after what Ojore said, was it even safe to ask them? What could she offer? She had nothing to give them—no money or treasures.
Her thoughts drifted to Cahir and Kalon, thinking about how they’d both betrayed her in their own way.
Kalon had taken her necklace, likely knowing it held meaning for her.
He’d also taken her first kiss! He must have been insulted that she’d pushed him away, so he stole it as a kind of revenge? What else could be the reason?
As for Cahir… she couldn’t understand why he’d lied to her. What would a king have to gain from lying to a human and living with her for five years?
What Kalon said about Cahir spending time with women just wasn’t possible, even if he were a king. They’d been together for years, and he’d never had a relationship with anyone.
Or did he? What were all of those meetings about?
She thought about how he would always return from them looking disheveled. There were whore houses down in the Barrio. Did his meetings end there?
Her anger toward them intensified the more she thought about it, and having to wear scraps of Kalon’s shirt down there made her blood boil. She should have asked Lucja for some fresh cloth or pads, but completely spaced it when she realized her necklace had been stolen.
She looked over to her brother.
Benny sat next to Roya, who didn’t flinch or give him any harsh looks. He rested his hand on her knee and looked off into the distance with her.
So much had happened lately, and Seda had learned a lot about herself and her world. She realized she had not only discovered that surge of power inside her but also found her voice, restored her diminished confidence, and gained the potential to become the person Kalon had pretended to see.
She was Seda, not just a girl with white hair and pale eyes who endured trauma, but a woman who was healing, brave, and loyal—and she loved herself.
The sun was rising as Seda opened her eyes.
She had fallen asleep leaning against Elco, but not before she ducked behind him to change out her stupid cloth from Kalon, and his front paw had pulled her closer for the night.
She reached up and played with a strand of his mane that was tickling her face.
He purred, and the vibrations ran through her body.
“What will you say to the Wisps?” Elco asked her, pulling her out of her continuous murderous thoughts about the two men and back to the Wisps.
Seda had trouble sleeping, lying awake late, and thinking about the questions she wanted to ask them. She had no idea where to start or if questions were even allowed.
What exactly did the Wisps look like? Were they large creatures?
“I honestly don’t know,” she replied with a sigh.
They stayed silent as Seda wove a few small braids through his mane, savoring each other’s peaceful company until her friends started waking up.
That night, Benny had fallen asleep with Roya held tightly in his arms. The two of them looked so peaceful together. Despite being complete opposites in every way, they fit perfectly together.
Askold lifted his head and looked around. “Elco, that was the best night’s sleep I’ve had on this entire trip. Thank you.”
Elco didn’t respond. “What did he say?” Askold asked her eagerly.
“Uhh… he said you’re very welcome,” Seda said, and Elco growled in response, causing Seda to press her lips together to hide her smile.
Someone approached, and Seda glanced up, spotting Ojore making his way up the mountain with a small sack.
“What do you have there?” Benny asked as he rubbed his eyes.
Roya slowly opened her eyes, and her vacant gaze drifted back across the distance.
Ojore opened the pack, and a cricket hopped out. Ferona leaped at it, grasping it with her claws.
“Uhh, that’s grizzly,” Askold grimaced.
“That’s not all,” he said with a crooked smile, opening the bag wider. Inside, more items came into view: fresh winterberries, mushrooms, apples, and even more crickets.
“How did you find all of this?” Benny asked him.
“Let’s just say I have a great sense of smell.” Ojore laughed at his own joke.
“I bearly believe that,” Askold said, and Ojore looked at him with pursed lips.
Seda perked up, suddenly feeling very hungry.
Ojore held out the bag, and she accepted it, pulling out an apple and a small handful of berries, trying hard to avoid the moving crickets inside.
She then handed the bag to Benny, who took out his items and offered the bag to Roya, but she shook her head.
Ferona grabbed the bag from him and reached in for the crickets.
Everyone ate silently and watched the sun rise in the distance until the Corvids exchanged glances with furrowed brows.
“What’s up?” Benny asked them.
“It can’t be,” Ferona whispered as she looked at Roya. “There is no way he survived.”
They both shook their heads, rubbing their temples.
“What is it now?” Ojore grumbled. “What did the other Corvids say?”
The Corvids exchanged silent glances.
“Come ON… Just tell us!” Ojore raised his hands in frustration.
Roya cleared her throat and smiled warmly at Benny and Seda. “The Corvids say your father is alive. They saw him walking through Joro.”
Both Benny and Seda’s jaws dropped, causing a berry to fall from Benny’s mouth.
Seda couldn’t believe he had survived the Camp. She saw all the men gathered that day… but her father… wasn’t there.
“Are you sure it was him?” Ojore asked. “What if they got it wrong? I don’t remember the last time a man made it back from that place.”
“They know who Jason is, Ojore,” Ferona deadpanned. “They saw him. He’s alive.”
Ojore, Askold, and Benny sighed in relief, but Seda felt a sense of confusion churn her stomach, as if she were trapped in a maze of wavy mirrors.
How had he escaped the Camp? Was he injured, like so many others, after being in that place? Was he with her mom now?
“Well, is he okay or what?” Benny snipped at Ferona.
“He’s fine. No injuries… nothing. Same as he was before. They saw him smiling and walking to the Gardvord with your mother.”
“Can you ask them to continue checking, please?” Seda asked eagerly. This didn’t make sense. She couldn’t believe it. If her dad was taken to the Camp, he had to have injuries. There was no safe way out of that place.
Maybe his role was significant enough to earn him freedom? Seda smiled as a faint flicker of hope grew in her chest.
Both Corvids nodded, their brows furrowed, as they gazed out at the horizon. Then, they relaxed their expressions and stood up.
“We should head out,” Roya said, shifting into her Corvid form and taking to the sky.
“I suppose we should get up now,” Askold complained, stretching and reaching for Seda’s hand to help her stand on her aching legs.
The group climbed the steep, snowy slopes of Mt.
Ebenveil. Seda appreciated the rest she got the night before, but her nerves tingled more as they pressed on.
She kept trying to think about what to ask, what to say, and how to say it all.
She had so many questions, but was also afraid of their answers.
What does all of this mean?
The mountain grew steeper and foggier the higher they climbed, forcing them to take several breaks to catch their breath.
The group supported each other as they navigated tricky inclines and steep rocks hidden by the haze and snow.
Elco and the Corvids had taken to the sky, but they couldn’t travel far because visibility was so poor.
Elco offered to carry Seda the rest of the way, but she declined, not wanting to arrive before everyone else or leave her friends behind to hike the rest of the way alone.
They reached the top of the mountain by midday. Seda pulled herself over the last rock and stood on unsteady legs, wheezing for breath.
She gasped, taking in the breathtaking view and warmth that surrounded her.
The mountain’s peak was free of snow, as if the frigid weather from below couldn’t touch its surface. The peak was shining in the daylight, and the green foliage glistened with dew. The fog had transformed from its usual white haze to a gentle pink.
It was still hard to see, but she could spot fluttering cerulean shapes in the distance, moving between the blooming trees.
“Are we here?” Seda asked Roya as she landed beside her and shifted into her human form.
Roya nodded. “Those are the Wisps.” She pointed her finger at the fluttering shapes. “We’re right here. Go on…”
Seda hesitantly stepped forward on her weak legs and then paused to look back at her friends.
Benny was smiling at her reassuringly, while Roya and Ferona appeared tense. Ojore and Elco were scanning the area for signs of danger, while Askold nervously fidgeted.
“You’ve got this, Seda. They called on you,” Ferona encouraged.
Seda turned around and slowly moved into the dense, pink fog toward her answers.
As she approached, she noticed the fluttering shapes were coming from tiny, butterfly-winged pixies, with sparkling dust swirling around them.
Their small, nude bodies danced through the air, circling her.
How tiny they were! She had expected giant, mythical monsters, but the Wisps were so delicate and beautiful. She felt a powerful sense of love blossom through her heart.
“Hello. My name is Seda,” she nervously announced, raising her hand in a hesitant wave.
“We know,” they said in unison, their high-pitched, ethereal voices echoing around her. “We have been waiting for you, child.”
If Seda wasn’t anxious before, she definitely was now. They all spoke as one and confirmed that the Corvids were right; they were waiting for her.
“What was it you wanted to talk to me about? Can you answer my questions, too?” she asked them.
“Your journey is not complete, child. You have more to learn. We are sad to see that you are not ready. Time is running short. You must return when all is unlocked,” they echoed around her.
“Unlocked what? My power? I’ve found my power. Can you tell me what it means?”
“The winged powers,” they replied. “But…” They paused as Seda’s heart thrummed like a caged drum.
“But what?”
“You’ll need their help to succeed. Return to us once you have all four stones and are in harmony with them.
The heavens, the earth, and the dreams must unite alongside The Mother Goddess.
Place the stone of protection into the magical door you were shown, and return all to the tree in which you were born.
We will grant your wish when you come back,” they said.
“What wish?” she asked.
They didn’t answer.
Seda’s mind spun in confusion. They described a magical door she was shown…
Seda’s adrenaline suddenly surged, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was—the door Roya had led her to beyond the Gardvord.
But what was the stone of protection? She recalled that the door wouldn’t open, and there was a mark beneath the rounded part of the opening.
It was shaped perfectly like a… crescent moon.
Just like my moonstone.
Her heart raced with excitement. She had to find Kalon and get back her necklace. She knew it was important!
The pink mist began to swirl around her in a tornado of fog, with the Wisps blurring in the whirl. She felt dizzy as her hair knotted above her head. She watched the Wisps turn into blue ribbons flying through the air around her.
“Wh…” Seda tried to ask, hearing Elco’s roar behind her.
Blackness swept her under, dragging her into the darkness of sleep.
“There she is…” the familiar, deep voice said in her dreams. “Do you remember yet?”