Chapter 19
WILD HUNT
My smile is wide as I sit astride a white mare with the longest mane and tail I’ve ever seen. We follow Evander on his dappled gray horse up the path that leads into the mountains behind the Great Hall.
“It’s just a two-hour ride up to the nearest farm. We’ll stop there and rest a bit before we head back. Hopefully, everyone will be cooled off by then,” he calls over his shoulder.
The trail is narrow and barely large enough for our horses. It also isn’t very worn down, which makes it difficult to see from atop the horse.
“Is this a common path?” I ask, trying my best to follow where it leads through the tall grasses.
“Not really,” he replies with a shake of his head. “The farmers take the main roads to town to sell their goods. This isn’t used as much anymore.”
My eyes strain to see where the trail leads, but I lose it when it enters the forest in front of us. The forest covers the foot of the mountain we’re about to climb and hides most of it from view.
“Do you know where you’re going?” I ask, wariness flooding through my veins.
“Yeah, this leads past an ancient temple. From there, it’s a straight shot to the closest farm.”
The ease of his answers soothes some of my nerves.
“A temple?” I scrunch my face in confusion and instantly regret it as my freshly healed nose throbs.
Evander slows so that we’re side by side. His posture is that of someone as comfortable on a horse as they are on their own two feet.
He cocks his head as he asks, “What do you know about the Mother?”
“Ummm, a little, I guess. We practiced what my mother called ‘the olde ways’, so we would worship many gods. She taught me that Danu was the Mother goddess associated with nature and fertility,” I reply.
Before the deaths of my parents and during our many travels, we would often leave offerings of wildflowers or ripe fruit at streams.
“Your mother had this place in her mind when she taught you those ways.”
His smile is tinged with sadness. My smile mirrors his. I see my mother in every bit of this place. It’s bittersweet.
We cross into the forest, and it smells of evergreens and rich soil.
“Danu, or the Mother, is connected to fertility, abundance, and the natural world. The temple on this path was erected so that people could pray and honor her. We’ll stop at it so you can offer her prayers if you wish.
The mountains we’re trekking towards are the Badb Mountains—she’s another goddess.
The ones to the west are the Edda mountains, again, named after a goddess.
We used to recognize a lot of the gods and goddesses, but we don’t anymore.
” His shoulders seem to slump with each word.
“Yeah, Odessa mentioned something about that,” I murmur as I watch the sunlight filter through the branches of trees.
“When Odin left, the rest of our gods and goddesses went with him, so there isn’t a need to worship them anymore. They won’t hear us.” His voice is carefully neutral, and his face is cautiously blank.
“Do you really believe that?”
There’s a tree directly in our path, and we separate, leading our horses around it.
Evander sighs as he shakes his head. “No. Which is why I offered to let you pay your respects to Danu.”
He glances sidelong at me, gauging my reaction to his words.
My lips kick up into a smile, and he smiles back at me nervously.
I turn my attention to the surrounding land that is teeming with stunning giant emerald evergreens.
Ruby red poppies and cascading white flowers, their petals shaped like stars, weave through feathery ferns.
The towering trees block most of the sunlight, so the journey is cool, with a constant soft breeze rustling the branches.
Birds chatter, and a few small creatures scurry across our path.
It’s a balm to my frazzled nerves. The fight with Julius, anger towards Lachlan, and homesickness slowly ease away to nothingness at the peace this land brings me.
“How’re you dealing with all of this so far?” he asks, interrupting my wandering mind.
“It’s been difficult, but I think I’ll be okay.” I don’t necessarily mean the words, but I hope that if I tell myself that enough, it will become true.
He purses his lips. “There’s something I need to tell you about Lachlan.”
“I’m not ready to talk about him.” My stomach clenches, and I shake my head.
I dreaded this moment. When their friendship would bleed over into our outing.
Evander gives me a sheepish look. “Then can I tell you something about me?”
His words are not at all what I was expecting, but his face is leeched of color, and now I’m more curious than cautious.
“Uh, sure.”
He fidgets with the reins in his grip before he blurts out, “We’ve met before.”
“We have?” My brows raise in surprise, and I nearly jerk the reins.
I relax my grip, waiting for his response.
He swallows deeply, his throat bobbing with the effort. “I was stuck in your chimney.”
A laugh erupts out of my belly, a deep, full-body laugh. Evander’s face relaxes, turning into a hesitant smile. “You’re not mad?”
Tears spill over, and I wipe them from my cheeks. “No, I’m not mad.”
“But you’re mad at Lachlan?” he asks, tilting his head.
The movement is exactly the same as when he’s in his raven form.
“That’s different. Lachlan knew me long before and kept all of this from me.” The betrayal still stings.
All that time we spent together, all that time I pined for him, and he knew.
It’s silent again, and I focus on the path before us. Branches sway in the breeze, and my horse whips her tail side to side.
“But what if it wasn’t his choice to keep it from you?” he asks suddenly.
A sigh works its way out of my chest. “I hope that was the case,” I mumble.
I realize just how much I do miss him.
The path isn’t a harsh incline, more of a gradual slope, so I don’t notice how high we’ve climbed until we come to a small outcropping of level stone protruding from the side of the mountain.
Evander leads us around the wall of stone and onto the ledge.
The land opens up, revealing looming ancient columns that support a domed roof, creating a pavilion.
The columns and roof are overgrown with heart-shaped, broad-leafed ivy. Crumbling urns, overspilling with lilac flowers, are rooted on either side of the arched entry.
Evander frowns in displeasure at the neglected temple. “As you can see, no one comes up here anymore.”
I dismount from my mare, handing off my reins to him as I climb the four wide steps into the pavilion. I grasp a single violet from one of the urns and pluck it as an offering before walking inside.
There’s a stillness inside this place, like a bated breath. A dull ringing begins in my ears, and I grasp my necklace at the familiar sound. It’s warm in my hands. Approval, it seems to say. I spin in place, looking for anything remotely questionable, but there’s nothing here.
Light spills in from the doorway, and dust motes sparkle in their glow. The stone walls are covered in faded frescos of wild animals and flowers. Only a few decaying petals skitter around the marble floor in the breeze.
But a single red petal among the mix of lilac ones draws and holds my attention. My eyes follow its glide across the stone. The sight of it begins to blur, and a sinking sensation overcomes my body, numbing me. The violet in my hand drops to the ground as I sink further and further away.
At a distance, I can hear Evander calling my name, but the sound is muffled as if I’m underwater. I struggle to tear my eyes from the red petal. I’m paralyzed, my muscles locked into place. Muffled voices begin whispering around me.
A woman’s lilting voice sings over the rest. “Come find us.” It repeats, over and over.
Rocks tumble down the mountain. The thundering sound rips me from the trance. My muscles flinch as the numbness subsides.
Evander shouts, fear lacing his tone. “Lena! Are you okay?”
I hear him walk the horses closer, their hooves on the stone echoing through the temple, but I’m already fleeing for the entrance.
“Yes, sorry! I got distracted,” I reply, while throwing glances over my shoulder as I retreat from the temple.
His eyes narrow, and his mouth pops open to question me, but two large shadows streak along the ground between us.
Our heads swivel up. Two masses of white and black wings break from the sky and descend in front of us.
Mathilda and Lachlan slam onto the ground behind our horses, causing them to cry out in fear. Evander reins in his horse while I try to soothe mine.
“Gods!” Evander yells. “Was that necessary?”
They straighten from their crouched position, their massive wings flaring at their defensive stance.
My pulse races at the sight of Lachlan with his wings out.
They’re larger than Evander’s, the black color hinting at more of a purple undertone than a blue one, like the other guards’ wings I’ve seen before.
Lachlan answers Evander first. “We ha’ to get her back right now.”
My eyes flare slightly at his voice.
It rumbles like thunder as he stares right at the blood still splattered on my leathers. It is nothing like the voice I know. It rings with power and command. His expression is grave, and even though I’m still furious with him, I long to see the familiar sparkle in his eyes.
Evander and I share a cautious look before he replies, “What’s happened?”
They both hesitate.
Mathilda finally answers, “Someone has destroyed your room, Lena; it looks like they were looking for something.” Her expression is apologetic as her eyes jump between me and Lachlan.
My mind whirls; I don’t have any belongings of significance here. Other than my necklace, I suppose, but I never take that off.
What could they have been searching for?
Unless they weren’t searching at all. This is retaliation from a certain someone I defeated earlier today.
Evander seemingly reads my mind and rolls his eyes. “Are we sure it wasn’t Julius retaliating?”