Kull and I watched as evening turned to dusk across the Wult mountains, ocher light turning gray as the sun disappeared behind us. We’d stood on the deck overlooking the river until the air had grown chilly and we’d descended to walk the forest path. We held hands, and I refused to let go of him, because when I did, I knew it would be one of the last times I would ever be close to him again.
“What happens next?” I asked.
“I will walk you back to the keep,” he said, “and then I must return to Grandamere’s cottage,” he said. “She’ll worry if I don’t come back.”
The moon rose over the forest, dappling the ground with its bluish glow, enveloping us, casting its moonbeams on our entwined hands. Kull didn’t say anything, but I held his hand so tight I was certain to have crushed his bones.
He shouldn’t have kissed me, because now, leaving him behind would be a thousand times harder.
“Tomorrow,” he said, “I will return to the castle.”
“You will?”
“Yes. I can’t hide any longer. Now that you’ve recovered, we cannot afford to delay our quest anymore. I will complete the journey to track the bloodthorn, but I will make no promises to succeed. If I choose to take back the crown, it will be when I am ready.” He sighed. “I don’t know how we will track that cursed creature. He disappeared into the wild lands, and tracking anything in that wasteland is suicidal.”
“I suspect the wild lands aren’t his final destination,” I said. “He’s trying to get to the top of Dragon Spine Mountain—that’s where he tried to make me take him. That’s where the entrance to the undiscovered land is located. If we take the light-rails, we may be able to catch up before he gets there.”
Kull stared out over the mountains, his face pensive. “Something’s not right, Olive. I feel we’ve been tricked from the start.”
“What do you mean?”
He shook his head. “Something feels wrong. I don’t know how to describe it in more detail—except that I suspect we’ve been misled.”
Sighing, I couldn’t deny that I felt the same way.
“What do you know of the undiscovered land?” he asked.
“Nothing. A year ago, I didn’t even know it existed. Geth took me there once, after he’d captured Mochazon, but I know that dark magic exists there, and I know that the Regaymor, the bloodthorn, and the spider we fought in the unicorns’ forest all come from that place.”
“So, there’s a dark world beneath our own, and no one seems to know anything about it?”
“Yes. Not even my stepfather could tell me more, which is why I suspect the entrance to the undiscovered land is impossible to get through except by creating a portal. It’s also possible that this is the case inside the undiscovered land.”
“If that is so, then how were the creatures we have battled able to escape?”
“The Regaymor created portals, which explains how they were able to navigate from their world to ours, but it’s my suspicion that the bloodthorn and spider did not have strong enough magic to open the sort of portal they would need to break through the barrier.”
“Then how did they escape?”
“I don’t know. We may not have our answer until we reach the top of Dragon Spine Mountain.”
“The elven girl we met in the unicorns’ forest, could she have opened a portal?”
“I don’t believe so. Her magic would need to be incredibly powerful, and since she wasn’t even able to stop us, I doubt her power was strong enough.”
“Then we are left with a mystery as to how the two creatures escaped, and I fear we won’t like the answer.”
“I agree. It doesn’t bode well for us—or for anyone, for that matter.”
The path broadened, and I spotted the tops of the fortress’s towers, dark parapets against a star-flecked sky. I squeezed Kull’s hand, not wanting to let go, never wanting to let go.
I had trouble understanding why he refused to let me into his world of war and politics. His own father had married and found balance between being a king and husband, but perhaps the relationship I had with Kull wasn’t to the point of discussing a future between us. Still, I could only assume that he didn’t want me because I was not a Wult, and—as his father had told me once—if Kull chose to marry, it would be for the purpose of unifying the kingdom.
I was half-elf, half-human, hardly what one would consider noble blood, and I spent most of my time on Earth. I had a job there that would be impossible to part with.
Perhaps we just were never meant to be together. He was a king now, and I was still a nobody. But did that really matter to him? It never had before, and I didn’t think it would now. What then? Why did he feel he needed to keep us apart while he ruled the kingdom?
The thought nagged me until we reached the steep steps leading to the back entrance. I stood on the bottom step, but instead of entering the keep, I faced him.
My stomach suddenly soured. He was leaving me. It was happening all over again. We’d shared a moment together, but now the pain and heartache—my two closest and constant friends—would come back again.
This time, I wanted an explanation.
He’d told me it was because he was king and he’d had duties and obligations, but there had to be more to it. If it was because he didn’t love me, then I didn’t believe him. I saw the intensity in his eyes when he looked at me. He felt the same way about me that I felt about him.
“Kull,” I said, cupping his cheek, “Why?” I asked. “Why can’t I be part of your life?”
He rested his hand atop mine, then gave me a gentle kiss. “You already know the reason. You made the decision for me, and no matter how much we both hate it, we also know what’s best—not for us, but for everyone else.”
He turned away, leaving me alone on the castle steps.
I watched him go, feeling resolute. I wouldn’t cry. I’d wasted too many tears on him already. He’d left me twice now, and I wanted to hate him. I wanted every name I’d called him to be the complete truth. But instead of anger, I only felt emptiness.
When I entered the castle, unanswered questions plagued me.
Why can’t we be together? Is it really for the good of the kingdom, or is there more to it—something he isn’t telling me?
I stopped by a tall set of windows that spanned from floor to ceiling. As I looked out over the landscape, the bright moon glow lighting the forests and snow-capped peaks, a thought came to me. What if Kull wouldn’t take me back because I made him happy? Would he be betraying the memory of his father if he lived here in this castle where his father had lived, enjoying life and living happily? If that were the case, then perhaps I still had a chance with him. I only had to make him understand his own motivations. But now, I wasn’t sure I would ever get the chance.
I turned away from the window. My thoughts distracted me from keeping track of where I was going. Soon, I didn’t recognize any of the hallways I was passing through, when the sound of footsteps echoed behind me. Rounding, I found Prince Terminus walking with light footsteps toward me. His skin was paler than I was used to seeing, and the dark circles under his eyes made it look as if he hadn’t slept for a while.
“Prince Terminus,” I said, “are you well?”
He gave me a curt nod. “Yes, although it seems the crossing was quite a bit more difficult than expected and did not change us back to our true forms. I suspect the magic must not have been strong enough to transform us—or to heal our injuries. However, I am glad you have recovered. We were all worried about your health. I cannot help but feel responsible for putting you in harm’s way. This mission to retrieve our stone has not gone as smoothly as I’d expected, and now I fear I have caused great harm to not only you, but to others on Earth as well.”
His words reminded me of Brent. Was he okay? I hadn’t seen him get attacked, but in all the confusion, he could have easily been hurt… or worse. I tried not to let my thoughts go to a dark place. Brent could take care of himself. Still, when I got a chance, I’d have to return to Earth and make sure he was okay.
“Now that I have found you,” the prince said, “would you be able to come see my sister?”
“Is something wrong?”
He hesitated. “She is physically well. However, she has become quite distraught. I thought perhaps you could help her.”
“Sure,” I said to Terminus, “lead the way.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
I followed as he led me down the hallway and up a staircase. When we reached the top, we entered an open foyer and made our way to a door on the opposite end. He stopped at the door, knocked quietly, and then cracked it open.
“Sister,” he said, “it’s me. I’ve brought Olive.”
I followed him into the room, where I found the princess sitting in a high-backed chair near the room’s only window.
Delicate moonlight seeped through the window in spiderweb tendrils, lightly draping its beams on the stoic features of her young, childlike face. With her puffy eyes and swollen, red nose, it didn’t take a genius to realize she’d been crying.
“Hello Princess,” I said, coming to her side.
I found a stool and placed it near her. As I sat, I noticed she was holding a bouquet of flowers with dark purple petals that fanned out around a yellow center.
“The flowers are lovely.”
She glanced at the flowers. “Molfüsbane. They only grow here in the Wult Mountains. Terminus found them.” She glanced up at him. “He is very good to me. He takes care of me when our parents cannot.”
“You are fortunate to have him.”
She nodded, then pressed a handkerchief to her nose.
“Is everything all right?” I asked.
“I am fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Esmelda,” Terminus said from his spot near the door, “she is here to help you.”
“I understand, but… I really don’t need help. You shouldn’t waste your time worrying over me, Olive.”
“But I’m here, aren’t I? What’s troubling you?”
She shook her head. “Well, it’s…” She glanced at her brother. “It’s just… will I be stuck like this forever? It is so hard to walk about everywhere you must go—always walking.”
Her words sounded forced, making me question if something else had her troubled.
“Once we get the starstone back,” Prince Terminus said, “our magic will be strong enough to transform us once again.”
“But what if we do not get it back? What then?”
“Princess,” I said gently, “sometimes it’s best not to worry about the future, for the only moment you have power over is the one you’re in.”
She sniffled. “Yes, you are right.”
“I realize it must be frightening and strange to be stuck in this form, but it could be worse—you could have been changed into a slug.”
“Or a toad,” Terminus suggested.
She cracked a small smile.
“Or a dung beetle,” she said, playing along. “Yes,” she sighed, “I guess it is not so bad.”
“Is there anything else that has you troubled?” I asked.
She paused before answering. “I am quite hungry.”
“That’s easy enough to fix,” I said. “I’m sure we can find something in the kitchens. Shall I escort you?”
“Yes, I think that would be lovely. Thank you, Olive. You always seem to know how to lighten my mood.”
We stood, then followed Terminus out of the room and into the hallway. The torches burned bright, lighting the hallways in a serene glow. We passed through one quiet hallway after another, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the castle always remained so silent at this time of night.
By the time we made it to the kitchens and found some fruit and cheese, it was near midnight. When we returned to her room, Princess Esmelda’s mood had lightened, and she had started chatting about flowers and tea parties. I did my best to make replies when necessary.
As I walked down the hall back to my room, I wondered if I’d been too optimistic to think that Kull would take me back again. If I told him he needed to stop punishing himself for his father’s death, would it really do any good? I was certain others had tried to tell him the same thing. I’d already told him that his father had accepted me right before his death, yet Kull’s attitude persisted.
I made it to my room and changed into a dressing gown. After tossing from one side to the other on the bed for several hours, tortured by my thoughts, I finally fell asleep.