Chapter 6 Ivy
Ivy
A black wolf jumps out from the shadows, snapping its sharp teeth at my face, and I jerk back, yelping in fright.
My thin, rasping breaths echo through the darkness, and I pinch my eyes shut.
It was a dream, just a dream…
As I wake fully, I gaze around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. I’m sitting inside a damp, cold cave, and for a moment I can’t remember how I got here.
But once the memories come crashing back, I roll over onto my side and vomit onto the ground.
How could I have forgotten?
I’m trapped inside that wicked creature’s domicile, and I will probably never see the light of day again.
That’s when I realise…the cave is no longer pitch black. Faint light shines from somewhere, so I search for the source. It looks as if someone sneaked inside the cave while I was asleep and placed an oil lamp down beside my bed.
I don’t understand.
I could have sworn I saw him leaving with the very same lamp the previous evening. Did he have a change of heart?
No, that can’t be right. The Fae don’t do random acts of kindness. Well, not unless there is something in it for them.
So, what did he have to gain by giving me the lamp? Nothing, really.
It doesn’t add up.
Wiping the tear stains from my cheeks, I rise from the furs, limbs stiff as I give an awkward stretch.
That’s when I spy the dress hanging from a stalagmite, and I move across the cave, running my fingers over the smooth fabric.
The skirt and bodice are made from the finest sky-blue silk, interwoven with silver thread to form a brocaded, floral pattern.
I trace my finger over a rose, unable to contain my surprise.
The dress is beautiful and far too grand for a simple country girl like me. How on earth did he manage to procure such a gown? There’s a pair of leather boots, too, and a royal blue cloak of damask velvet.
How did he know blue was my favourite colour?
No…I can’t accept these. I did pay for them with my necklace, but I have a feeling they weren’t rightfully his to give away in the first place.
But I do need a new set of clothes. My nightdress is torn and covered in dirt, and I did have a similar cloak back home.
I finally make up my mind, slipping on the dress. The bodice hugs my waist, and it feels like wearing a second skin. When I spin, the light catches the silver thread, and for a moment I fancy myself a queen.
I try on the boots, lacing them up at the front, then tiptoe down the tunnel, careful to avoid the stalagmites that protrude from the ground.
There are stalactites hanging from the ceiling, and I feel as though I’m walking through the mouth of a mighty dragon.
Thank goodness for the lamp, for I wouldn’t have been able to find my way through the dark.
A warm glow shines ahead, and I step into the main chamber, the one where we first met.
He’s nowhere in sight. Should I be worried? For all I know, he could be lurking in the shadows, watching me.
Shaking away the thought, I decide to search the rest of his home.
We’re inside a mountain, one containing a labyrinth of tunnels. It’s going to take a miracle to find my way out.
I stumble upon a tunnel with a waterfall, and as I step closer to the cascade, narrowing my eyes against the spray, I glimpse a verdant valley of green and purple beyond.
The other side of the mountain.
It’s breathtaking, and nothing at all like the sprawling forests to the south.
A silver stream glistens in the sunlight, snaking across hills of vibrant heather. It's a true work of art, one I wouldn't mind capturing on canvas one day.
Cupping my hands together, I collect the water from beneath the cascade, then take a sip. The water is fresh and soothing, and I help myself to more, suddenly aware of the urge to relieve myself.
Let’s just hope the faerie has a privy inside his mountain somewhere...
I hurry down the tunnel, spying a shaft of sunlight streaking across the stone ahead, but my hopes are soon dashed the moment I find myself in yet another cave.
It’s a storage room of some kind, and it appears he’s a collector.
Beams of light pierce through cracks in the ore above, and as I move in the dress, the fabric whispering with each step, I stir up a cloud of dust.
I have never seen so many books—towers upon towers reaching the ceiling. There are antiques, such as a grandfather clock and an old candelabra, along with useless bric-a-brac he couldn’t possibly have any use for.
I cover my mouth, holding back a snort.
He’s a hoarder.
My eyes find a globe, and I spin it on its axis, taking note of the continents of the world. Then I approach a table strewn with metal cogs and lengths of wire, picking up a kaleidoscope.
When I’ve had my fun with the contraption, I gaze around, pursing my lips. He should really consider hiring a maid. This cave is filthy and dangerous.
There’s a bureau in the corner. That must be his office. Unlike the rest of the cave, it’s free of clutter. There are rolls of parchment stacked inside a nook, alongside a jar of ink and several feather quills.
With a glance over my shoulder, I pick up a scroll, skimming his handwriting. His scrawl is slanted and neat, though marred by several blotches of ink.
A flash of light flickers at the edge of my vision, and I turn quickly, searching for the source. What was it?
That’s when I feel a tug at my hair, and I yelp, dropping the parchment back onto the desk.
My breaths echo as I search for the culprit, certain it’s one of his little friends… just like the ones that tricked me in the woods.
But when I reach behind my head, I discover my hair has been tied into a long braid.
Before I can question the strangeness further, my eyes fall on the golden spine of a book tucked into one of the stacks.
I don’t believe it. I had the exact same book.
If I could just pull it out… but I don’t want to be crushed to death by a stack of books. Still, that fear doesn’t stop me from gripping the spine between my thumb and index finger, trying to slip it free.
If I could just…
“What are you doing?”
With a sharp squeal, I knock my shoulder into the stack of books, and the whole tower topples down.
Covering my head, I brace for the inevitable blow, but he clicks his fingers, and the books fly neatly back into place.
I stare in utter disbelief. It’s not something you see every day, and it must be nice to just click your fingers and make everything right as rain again.
Now all is silent. Save for his angry breathing.
Finally, I summon the courage to look his way, flinching when I meet those glowing eyes in the shadows.
He looks like a thing of nightmares, especially as he summons tendrils of inky darkness like some deep-sea squid.
My heart thumps, and I swallow hard, feeling the sweat dripping down my temple.
When he steps into a shaft of light, the shadows dissipate, and I meet the glossy black eye of a dead stag. He balances its weight on his shoulders, and his sheer strength astounds me.
“I… I was just looking for a way outside,” I mutter.
He speaks through clenched teeth. “Well, you’re not going to find it here.”
I’m not sure how to respond. A clock ticks somewhere in the cave, and I’m already starting to regret my choice.
I really had no business being in here, nosing at his personal effects.
But I was curious.
“Get out.”
I snatch up the lamp where I left it on his desk, scurrying out of the cave like a frightened mouse. Blood drips down his long, faded leather coat, and I quicken my pace before I end up like that poor deer.
He follows me down the tunnel, and I move faster, trying to put some distance between us. But he soon catches up.
I must be slowing him down. These tunnels are awfully narrow.
“Would you hurry along? This beast’s blood is dripping into places it shouldn’t.”
I pause, momentarily distracted by his choice of words. “Wh-what…?”
“Out of the way!”
At his flippant bark, I press my back to the wall, letting him pass. The deer’s head bobs on his shoulder when he walks by, and it looks like it’s nodding yes.
I keep my distance, having the idea to go back to my room where I can avoid him. Because I plan to avoid him a lot.
Ever the curious creature, though, I decide to follow him instead. I want to know where he’s going.
He stops several feet down the tunnel, angling his head, and that’s when I meet that ornery eye of glowing yellow. “Are you my shadow?”
My brows knit at the strange question. “No...”
“Then stop following me!”
His voice rebounds off the walls, punctuating his point, and I finally get it: he doesn’t want me anywhere near him, either.
That’s fine. We can just avoid each other. That should make life easier for both of us.
But alas, I’m too inquisitive for my own good, and like the fool I am, I reach out, “Wait.”
He turns, fixing those burning eyes on me again. My mouth dries, and where do I begin? I have no idea how to speak to him, but if we’re going to live together, we can at least be civil to each other.
“I’m… sorry for what I said last night.”
Unless my eyes deceive me, his face softens slightly.
I brush the thought aside, peering shyly at my feet. “And… thank you for bringing the lamp back to the cave. You… didn’t have to do that. Especially after what I called you.”
I hold up said lamp for his inspection.
He continues to stare at me, his expression unreadable, and my cheeks burn under his scrutinising gaze.
His jaw ticks, and it almost looks as if he’s trying to smile. But then he scoffs and marches back down the tunnel again.
I try to keep up with his pace this time. “Would you be able to point me to the way out? I…need to go outside.”
“Nature calling?” he muses, and my cheeks blush bright red.
“N-no!”
Now, a smile definitely appears on his lips, and it displays his fangs.
I shake my head, finding it hard to believe that I’m discussing my bathroom habits with a faerie.
Finally, we reach a fork in the tunnel. He points left. "That way should lead you to the foot of the mountain.”
I peer down the tunnel. It must be miles long, but needs must. “Are you going down the right cave?”
He shifts, distributing the deer’s weight across his shoulders. “Yes.”
I should probably stop and head on my way, but I can’t help myself; it’s not every day you get to speak with a member of the Fae.
Besides, he doesn’t seem to be in a talkative mood today. Last night, he spoke so freely with that silver tongue, but he was hoping to make a trade, I suppose.
Now that he’s got what he wants from me, he’s lost all interest. I wonder if he would even care if I returned once I finished outside.
“What’s down that way?”
“The pantry.”
“Oh. How interesting...”
He regards me irritably, and I have to agree. It's not the most riveting conversation I’ve ever had, either.
Finally, he turns towards the right tunnel. I hold out my hand again. “Hold on.”
He spins, anger flaring in his amber eyes. “What is it now?”
I worry my lip, twiddling my thumbs. “What… what’s your name?”
His eyes widen, and then finally, he loses the ability to speak. He swallows, brushing his gloved fingers over his cotton cravat as he mutters under his breath.
I take a daring step closer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch that. Would you—”
“It’s Tegwyn.”
I move back, repeating his name. “Tegwyn. Such a beautiful name.”
He rolls his eyes. “You humans really are good at lying.”
My mouth parts in shock. “I wasn’t lying.”
With an exasperated sigh, he moves for the tunnel. Yet before he departs, I say, “I’m Ivy. Just in case you wanted to know my name, too.”
I know he never asked, but I thought it would be polite. Besides, he only has to know the short version.
As if I would ever give him my full name.
Tegwyn stops, studying me carefully. Again, I can’t read his face since it’s shrouded in shadow, but his eyes do gleam.
He slips his hand into his coat pocket, passing me a bronze knife. "Here. Heather grows in abundance this time of year. When you return, you will find a stack of fresh linen in your room. Stuff it with heather and make yourself a bed.”
I’m not sure what to say. I was not expecting his thoughtfulness.
“Thank you,” I reply, but he’s already gone.
That’s all right. Because the first genuine smile I’ve had in over a week spreads across my face, and maybe life with the horned faerie won’t be so bad after all.