Back To You

Chapter 9

"Did you know that Wales is the country with the most castles in all of Europe?" Hailey recited while reading the little information booklet she had picked up from the private airstrip they landed at.

"That's because it was a highly contested land back in the day," Gavin lazily replied. "When countless others are fighting for turf, you've got to defend yourself, and what better way than to hole up in a castle?"

"What I'm curious to know is, how did we bypass customs and immigration?" Aidan's question was met with a few chuckles by the wolves. Tyler said casually, "I told you, wolves and witches have immense power in this part of the world. There's not much we can't do here."

'If it means not having to deal with long queues and the like, I'm all for it. Keep it up, wolfies!' Aidan inwardly rejoiced. The four of them were seated in the backseat of a luxury sport utility vehicle with the other two werewolves in the front, headed from the airstrip to headquarters.

"Where exactly are we headed to now?" Aidan was staring at the unfolded tourist map in his lap, struggling in his mind to pronounce the uniquely native Welsh names of various places dotting the leaflet. "Hopefully, it's somewhere with a name I can pronounce."

Gavin leaned over to look at the map. "Here," he pointed at a spot, "is where the wolf headquarters are. It's located close to where the portal to the werewolf homeworld, Freskalran, once stood. We'll be reaching in about fifteen." Aidan studied the name on the map. 'Hiraeth Castle. That's a nice-sounding, pronounceable name,' he mused.

When they pulled up the carriage driveway and reached their destination, Hailey was not disappointed. "Oh, wow..." she said and rushed to open the car door, dashing away in excitement. Aidan followed at a slower pace, carefully soaking in the rugged beauty of the building before him.

The main entrance gateway of the castle was old but still standing. However, most of the perimeter walls and towers it was attached to were in ruin; only the remnants of its stone foundations were left as a reminder of what was now a distant memory. The two surviving towers, flanking the keep, rose domineeringly to stand four stories high, inclusive of their turrets. The original keep was a large but simple, square-shaped stone building, although a modern annexe extension twice its size lengthwise had been added to the structure, transforming the overall building into an L-shape.

It wasn't just the castle that was breathtaking; the backdrop view against which it stood was spectacular. Amidst a dusky orange sky of the setting sun, several mountainous peaks rose, casting gentle shadows on the lands below. It made Aidan think of a fantasy world of elves and men, after which he made a mental note to ask Tyler if elves actually existed.

"Welcome to Hiraeth Castle. Okay, gawking time is over, so come on, you two, and get inside. I'm starving," Gavin called out to them as he headed over to the large wooden doors of the keep, the others already out of sight. Aidan and Hailey gave each other excited grins before hurrying after Gavin.

As they pushed past the front door, a chorus of laughter could be heard from the floor above them, carrying down through the staircase. By the sounds of it, there were at least a dozen or so wolves gathered to meet them. Aidan glanced around. The inside of the old castle keep was in pristine condition, having been returned to its former glory with historically accurate restoration.

The first thing that caught Aidan's eye was the tall arched stained-glass windows, set ten feet apart on either side of the keep's walls, permitting the remnants of sunlight through into what seemed to be a foyer. Once he got over its beauty, he was then mesmerised by the ceiling and arches, which were covered in intricate and complex carvings of a mix of floral and geometric patterns.