Chapter 19 Tegwyn #2
I gasp, “Tegwyn, stop! I could have started the fire.”
He regards me with unseeing eyes, his gaze clouded over with fatigue. “No. You sleep…”
The faerie gestures towards the bed for the umpteenth time, and I worry my lip, regarding him on that tattered chair.
It’s not as if I can force him at this point, so I approach the bed, shaking my head.
He really is a stubborn mule. He’s determined to spend the whole night on the world’s most uncomfortable chair, but truth be told…
I just want him beside me. I’m a little terrified of this place. It’s new and strange, and bitter cold.
As I lay on the straw-filled bed, gazing up at the rafters on the low-hanging ceiling, I wonder how I should coax him. We would just be sleeping. Nothing more.
“Tegwyn?”
“Yes?”
I shut my eyes, preparing for his imminent rejection. “Will you just get on the bed? I know you’re trying to be a gentleman, but it’s fine. It’s big enough for the two of us.”
He tenses, and I don’t dare look up. I just wait for his inevitable no.
But then, to my surprise, the chair squeaks beneath his weight, and I stifle a smile once the mattress sinks beside me. Finally. All is right with the world.
He doesn’t get under the quilts. He merely lies on his back, gazing up at the ceiling as he twirls his thumbs. It’s obvious he’s uncomfortable, and I’m rather surprised.
He never struck me as the shy type.
I bet he has been with a lot of females. That beautiful Fae with the dappled moth wings comes to mind. She seemed to be quite smitten with him. I could tell by the way she looked at him; I could tell by the way she looked at me. Her buttercup irises had been green with envy.
Well, at least she can sleep easier at night when she finds out that there is nothing between us. I’m not sure what Tegwyn and I are to each other, but it’s not much more than casual friendship. He's my keeper, and I’m his ward. As per the terms of our contract.
“Tegwyn?”
“What?”
A smile curves my lips. “Thank you for joining me. I feel much safer now.”
He snorts, rolling his eyes. “Whatever makes you happy, princess.”
I peer across the bed, glancing at his horns specifically. I always wanted to know how he slept with them, but it doesn’t look like he has any trouble at all. Yet, he doesn’t remove his boots or his cloak, and I think I spy the glint of a bronze knife in his hands.
Heavens. Does he ever relax?
But I appreciate the gesture. The knife’s not just for him, it’s for both of us. He’s really going above and beyond the terms of our contract.
Carefully, I reach across, placing my palm around his right cheek. His slitted pupils explode, and soon that faerie glow returns to his skin.
Thank goodness.
My gaze moves to his lips, and I’m so glad he removed that scraggly old scarf.
Tegwyn shouldn’t hide his face.
Again, I’m tempted to discover what his mouth feels like. I must still be a little high from the rush earlier, but before I do something stupid, I shut my eyes, letting go of his face.
Then I turn onto my side, facing the peeling wallpaper. “Sleep tight, Tegwyn.”
I don’t think he ever gets any sleep. I feel his gaze throughout the night, even long after I fall asleep.
But I still sleep like a baby. Just having him close is enough.
I wake up a few hours later to the sight of Tegwyn’s luminous eyes. I don’t even flinch, a testament to how accustomed I’ve become to his presence. He really doesn’t scare me anymore.
“Tegwyn, what’s wrong?" I ask, a yawn splitting my lips.
He whirls towards the door, cloak sweeping in the breeze behind him. “Just come along, and no questions.”
I climb out of bed, grabbing my boots. Then I drape my cloak around my shoulders, following him out of the room and down the creaky stairs.
The inn is far too silent. Even the foyer is devoid of life once we reach the ground floor.
We step out onto the cobblestone, winding through the backstreets of the city—a massive labyrinth of alleyways that seems to go on and on. A low mist hangs in the air, the chill permeating the material of my cloak.
Meanwhile, Tegwyn is undeterred by the cold, his gaze dead set on wherever we’re going.
I don’t dare ask. My sheer trust in him really will be the death of me.
We tread several more side streets before he comes to a stop, pointing towards a high wall.
A gasp draws from my lips. I’ve never seen a wall so tall. Its turrets stand proud like sentries, silhouetted against the starry night sky. The entire structure stretches for miles.
I wonder how long the stonemasons took to build this battlement.
The faerie slinks through more streets with ease. Unfortunately, I’m not so graceful, but the occupants of the wattle and daub houses are fast asleep.
Soon, we reach our destination, craning our necks as we gaze up at the wall.
My head spins. It must be at least thirty feet.
Tegwyn walks perpendicular to the wall, stopping before a tunnel that’s big enough for us both to squeeze through.
A strong, putrid smell invades my nose, and I cover my face. “Ergh, what is that?”
He replies, completely unaffected by the stench.
He must have one strong nose. “Brine mixed with sewage. The people of this city dump their waste into the river, so it flows out to sea. Observe.” He directs his finger towards a small stream that guzzles into the trench.
“The city has hundreds of these channels.”
My stomach roils, and I glance away from the stream before I turn even greener than Tegwyn.
He sniggers, “Just try to keep to one side of the tunnel, and you should be fine.”
He steps into the tunnel. Breathing sharply, I follow him inside, keeping my hand over my nose. The stream runs the length of the tunnel as we traipse along a small ledge, but despite the rotten smell, my heart thumps with excitement.
The sea is mere feet away, and I almost topple into the stream.
What if it doesn’t live up to my expectations?
The stream falls from a grate ahead, and there I spy the open sky.
Tegwyn pauses, peering over his shoulder. A distant crashing can be heard on the other side of the grate, and my heart rate spikes. Unfortunately, the ledge doesn’t go any farther.
“You won’t be able to see much from here, but if you crane your neck far enough, you may just catch a glimpse.”
My hopes are quashed, and now the grate reminds me of a cage. All I see is star-kissed night, and several white birds that hover like kites. Laughing gulls.
I hear them too, and I close my eyes, savouring the sound they make.
Now I peer into the murky water. It’s not too deep. At best, it would reach my ankles.
Before I think too much about it, I swing my legs over the ledge, then jump.
“Ivy!” Tegwyn shouts.
But it’s too late. I’m already ankle-deep in water, lifting my dress as I wade towards the grate.
All the breath leaves my body when I finally glimpse that large expanse, and it’s better than I imagined. There are no words.
It’s breathtaking.
The moon reflects along the surface, rippling and flowing with the waves, and when I cast my gaze further, I spy a solid line where the sky meets the sea. The horizon.
When I look at the waves below, my head swirls, and then I grip the barnacled grate tighter, pressing my face between the bars.
They’re as sharp as knives, roaring and crashing into the rocks below, and I gasp when a fine mist sprays my face.
Some of it gets into my mouth. I taste the salt on my tongue, and a sudden laugh escapes me.
Sea spray drips down my cheeks, and I rub it into my skin, savouring the ocean chill. Tears prick my eyes.
Sure, it’s not as blue as I imagined. Maybe dark indigo. It’s still one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I could never thank Tegwyn enough for this. He gave me a wonderful gift tonight, and I will cherish it forever.
“I finally made it to the ocean, Mama…Papa.”