Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 120029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
My face is boiling. “But that’s just the elves…”
“Common misconception,” Kurt tells me, pointing his nose toward the sky. “It’s this realm. As long as you stay here, you just don’t age, and unless something eats you, you can live… indefinitely.”
The kelpie sniggers and chews on his hair, prompting Kurt to push at it. “You smug bastard! How was I supposed to know the mermaid was setting a trap?”
I’m so overwhelmed by the idea of living in this… beautiful paradise of nightmares until the end of time that it takes me a while to pick up on the fact that Kurt… understands the Kelpie. Unless he is one of those people who imagines their pets talking back.
“Um… you know what it said?”
He turns to me wide-eyed, and it’s as if he’s stuck buffering. “Hmm… Sorry, I’m not allowed to confirm or deny. But I heard you’re a vet, so maybe you’ll find out one day.
He can’t be serious… can he?
Tristan can literally grow wings though, so is this really such a far-fetched idea? “If I marry into the royal family?” I ask, eyebrows rising.
Kurt shrugs and spreads his arms with a grin as Stone nods. Does he… understand me?
“Does Tristan treat you well?” I whisper to Stone, and the kelpie moves its head with even more vigor.
Kurt snorts. “Ser Tristan spoils Stone rotten. He loves to take part in races, so out of all the royals, he spends most time on the back of a kelpie.”
Ah, Tristan… the charming elf who could theoretically grant me eternal life…
Am I being unreasonable rejecting him?
“So… you’ve been here a while. How does this work exactly? Is the shadow wielder the guardian of their Dark Companion? Can they make decisions for them?”
Kurt opens the door to Stone’s stall and starts getting him ready for my trip with Tristan. “I don’t think so. Sorry, I don’t have that kind of connection, I’m free as a bird. Well, when I’m not busy doing my job. But I know Luke’s really happy with the Lord. He’s always had a thing for all the goth stuff, so it makes sense he loves it here. As far as I know, the shadow wielder person can use their Dark Companion’s shadow and all that, but they need to be reasonable about how they go about it. It’s, like, illegal to hurt one.”
I flinch, remembering the horror of suddenly realizing I’ve been locked up with a predator, back on the boat ride to Gloombane’s tower. The moment my face hit the wood comes back, and all of a sudden the ground feels unstable, and the air tastes of salt. A wave makes me lose balance, and I fall, ready to protect myself.
“Are you okay?” I hear as if through the hum of waves, my heart pounding, and I blindly push away the arm trying to grab me.
“Step away from him! What’s going on?” Tristan roars, and before I can answer, he’s on the ground with me. He pulls me into a hug that stabilizes the ground beneath me.
“I don’t know!” Kurt yells in panic. “One moment we were talking, the next he lost balance!”
Tristan smells nothing like Gloombane. As long as he’s here, I’m safe.
My fingers tremble as I tighten them on his jacket and blow out a cloud of vapor. Reality seeps back, and I’m mortified, because this happened so out of nowhere.
“Not—not his fault. I’m sorry,” I whisper, because despite the tremors shaking me, I can’t have Kurt suffer because of my inadequacy.
Tristan hums and gives Kurt a long, stormy look as he helps me up. “Nothing to be sorry about. I’m back. Apologies it took so long. Is Stone ready?”
“Almost!” Kurt says, grabbing a bridle from the wall.
I know I shouldn’t cling to Tristan so much, but the fear’s getting the best of me, and I just can’t— I can’t not hold him right now. “It was just a memory. Nothing happened,” I whisper with my mouth pressed to his chest.
“We will make new memories today.”
I look up at him with my jaw dropping. How does he know what to say?
Tristan smiles and tucks some of my hair under my hat, then pulls me by the hand to Stone’s side. The kelpie has a wide saddle to accommodate us both, and I blush at the thought of how close we’ll be. Is this why Tristan decided on a riding date? Is this a date? I wish I wasn’t so suspicious all the time. My heart used to be so much more open.
I wish it still was.
He helps me into the saddle, then climbs on himself, and we set off, with him as the steady, warm presence behind my back. Tristan even has Kurt hand him a blanket, which he then spreads over my legs, to ensure that I feel no discomfort whatsoever.