Chapter 12 Carwynn
CARWYNN
Little huffs of hot breath warmed my skin. Small fingers traced the gash on my neck.
My throat—he’d slashed it. That skeletal phantom, that Devil, had sliced me open, leaving me for dead.
The memory of death sent an ice-prickling jolt up my spine, but the pain was gone. How was it gone?
I took my first deep breath.
My eyes were too heavy, too numb to open. So I focused on listening, holding onto that sliver of consciousness.
Footsteps. I hear footsteps.
They were distant but getting closer. Running.
A small, child-like whimper rang through my ears as warm hands stroked my hair.
“You found her! Sacred souls . . . you found her!” A man’s low, shaky voice called out. “Thank Amora, thank the Celestial Gates!” he added in a mumbling rasp.
The ground crunched, someone kneeling to my side. Large warm hands cupped my cheek.
“I’m so sorry, ma cherie.” His voice strained. “I’m here now. You’re safe. I’m going to keep you safe.” It was a wavering promise, more to himself than me.
Who? What—? My brain slowed.
Secure arms wrapped under my knees and behind my back, lifting.
Sensation trickled back into my body. I twitched my fingers.
I cracked my eyes open.
The sky looked like scoops of sorbet floating with whipped cream clouds. The sun began to rise. The coolest air of the day brushed my cheek. It made me miss autumn, miss some feeling I longed to call home.
I shifted my eyes to the stranger carrying me.
The man had a kind, yet familiar face. I couldn’t put my finger on it . . . but it reminded me of sitting cozily in front of a fireplace. The comfort of being home, not having to think beyond four walls.
Blond hair swept in the wind. Face slightly worn, yet handsome.
“W-What happened?” I asked, throat sore and gravelly.
Robin’s egg-blue eyes looked down at me, softening.
“You were attacked—by the Skell King’s men.”
A warm smile greeted me, then he pointed his chin behind me.
“Lucky for you, this little Cherub was able to track you down in time.”
Over my shoulder, a cute, chubby flying baby smirked, hovering closer with tears in his eyes.
My mind stilled.
Cherub? As in . . . those plump angels on Valentine’s cards?
It was the same winged child from earlier! My god, I wasn’t insane! Wait, or was I?
The pounding in my head was a nail through my temple. But slowly, I remembered.
The blood. My foster mom. It felt like an anaconda coiled around my chest.
The man stiffened, looking down at me. There was a sadness behind his eyes, and he gently pressed me closer.
“You’ve gone through a lot tonight. I know this is confusing, but I promise I’ll explain everything soon. Right now, you need rest.”
Those blue eyes studied my face. The corner of his mouth slightly pulled up as if recognizing something I couldn’t see.
“I’m David, by the way.”
A million questions overwhelmed the tip of my tongue, but all I could manage was a quiet. “Thank you.” My eyes darted as slowly as my thickening mind. “Oh, and I’m Carwynn.”
David looked like he was holding back a smile. “I know,” he said, shooting a nod at the Cherub.
The cherub’s roly-poly wrist wiped at his eyes. In a flash—it fluttered up to my face, planting a wet kiss on my forehead, before flitting away.
It brought a giddy smile to my lips even through the soreness. So cute.
“I’m so sorry, love.” David paused, a shadow falling over his face. “For everything.”
I didn’t understand any of it. And at the moment, I didn’t care. I was too exhausted in every way.
His steady pace was lulling me to sleep.
His voice hushed as we trekked through the forest.
“Rest. We have a ways to go.”
My heavy eyelids won the fight.
Cool ground rose to meet me. I forced my eyes open.
We must’ve been deep within the forest. The trees were thickly packed together.
What was this place?
I sat on long, smooth grass. It was the forest but in an unusual, open area. A grove of trees circled us.
There were strange carvings on the trees. Of holidays?
Disoriented, I got to my knees, and looked around.
The first tree to my left looked like a great yew with eerily twisted branches, skeletal arms reaching out. On the trunk was a simple carving of a pumpkin, horrifying skeletal face included. I immediately paled.
Next, a beautiful cherry blossom in full bloom. Strawberry-kissed flower petals danced in the air. A stunning, red-knotted heart etched at the base with a golden archer’s bow. It seemed off. The symbol looked singed. Like it was struck by lightning and burned.
A large sycamore followed, lush green leaves, dangling yellow flowers. An elaborate pastel egg in a multitude of colors marked into the trunk.
Then, a gorgeous oak with rich emerald leaves and an intricate green shamrock carved with entwining lines.
Lastly, a towering evergreen stood proud. A beautiful, yet simple, metallic gold star placed on its thick base.
I didn’t know what to make of it. It was the most wondrous thing in nature I’d ever seen. Each tree was so unique, and the carvings felt utterly magical.
Springing up unseen—the little Cherub had me flinching back. He’d reappeared, patting his palm against rosebud lips, blowing me a kiss.
What a sweet thing. My heart melted like a stick of butter.
He spun around to the cherry blossom, staring. It was as if he’d seen a ghost—momentarily lost to a haunted thought. He then darted to the oak, holding up a tiny palm, and was gone with a flash.
Maybe I really was losing my marbles. Or maybe I really had died.
Wait, holy crap. Had I? Oh no. No, no, no . . .
David’s voice interrupted my spiral.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see him again. He’s quite fond of you!”
“What exactly is he?” I asked, unsure if I heard it right the first time.
“He’s a Cherub.” David halted, as if deciding how to answer.
“A guardian of Loveland. My homeland.” He pressed his lips together, hesitating.
“It’s within the Ferie Realm—a parallel world from the Human Realm.
” He blew out a breath. “Six lands are within Ferie: Loveland, Luckland, Eostre Land, Vinterland, Hallow Land, and at its center, Soul Isle. Each land has a grove of trees, just like this one.” He gestured to the area around us. “They’re portals.”
Okayyyyy. This was beyond insane. Yeahhhh, I really was most likely dead . . .
I spun around to look at the markings on the trees again.
“Another world based on holidays?!”
David’s eyes crinkled mischievously. “Oh, my dear. Our realm is far older than the Human World could ever comprehend. Your holidays, as you call them, originated from stories about our realm. Every so often, a curious soul from Ferie would sneak into the Human World, share stories or reveal a little magic. Over time, humans took what they heard or saw and evolved it into their own cultural traditions. Into holidays.”
The palms of my hands rubbed into my eyes until I started to see stars.
“This is crazy . . . ”
Aside from his unnaturally blue eyes, he looks so ordinary . . . so human.
David knelt beside me.
“I’m sorry—it’s a lot to take in right now.
I should have come for you sooner. Your mother—” He paused, directing his eyes away.
“Your mother was my greatest friend. She passed after you were born and I made a promise to keep you safe, so we hid you in the Human World. It wasn’t safe for you in Ferie, but now, it’s no longer safe for you here either.
” He searched around as if hoping to find the words, fighting internally.
Mother? My mother?
Never in my life did I actually think that I had a mother who cared. Who didn’t cruelly abandon me.
I shook my head.
“And . . . my father?” I asked.
He sighed, immediately dragging a hand through his hair uncomfortably.
“Tonight’s been grave. Right now, we need to get you somewhere safe. After you’ve recovered, I’ll answer everything. Deal?”
It felt as though I’d taken headphones off that had been too loud. Everything was now numb, muted. I was thankful for that numbness. It kept me from falling apart. For now.
“Deal,” I agreed.