Chapter 7
CASTELIS
I’ve been walking for what feels like hours, hunting for some shelter, when I finally find a cave.
The sun had been setting when I fled my “guide,” and now the last of the light is almost gone.
I’m exhausted. When I’m not so exhausted and bleary-eyed, I’ll sort through all this, figure out what to do. For now, I’ll just rest.
As night falls, a border ward near the cave begins to glow like a second moon, casting bluish-white light even in the depths of the evening. I can feel its energy.
Though it’s a little silly, it gives me hope to gaze at it. It’s a reminder Rylian’s still there. He must be alive if the ward still holds. It’s kind of like he’s with me.
The cave is thankfully unoccupied and will do for a shelter for at least one night. Finally having some relative privacy, I measure the crystal again. Thankfully, my measuring tools had been handy when I was packing my bag. It’s still growing, still just as fast.
This close to the edge of the borders of the Autumn Court, I can see both the nearest wards and more in the distance, the magic that keeps out the Winter Court.
The Summer Court on the other side of our kingdom has no interest in war.
But here, the wards must be strong to hold apart both the seasons and the warriors.
Exhausted, I throw down what I can to make the earth a little softer, and then I curl myself around my bag and the king’s crystal. After I’ve rested, I will look for firewood and scout around my cave to figure out how safe it is.
I’m not a cave sort of girl. Or a camping one. Ink doesn’t fare well in caves, and neither does vellum. There are no desks to write on, and I’d much prefer a hearth. What am I supposed to study here? Although the rocks do have some interesting patterns.
Most importantly, I need a minute to figure out what I am going to do.