Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 38

Kohl

Every twig that snapped, every rustle of the leaves, had my muscles tensing and ready for a fight. My eyes instinctively shifted to Icelyn for the thousandth time since entering the mortal realm. I knew it was a mistake bringing her. I have difficulty focusing on the task at hand, with my mind constantly worrying about her safety.

A fae's powers were significantly diminished in the mortal realm, and having to use a continuous glamour to cover up our fae bodies, slowly drained what little energy we had available. Then, of course, there was the fact that I did not trust my brother. I wouldn't put it past him to try and double cross us, but him, I can handle. It's the Enforcers that had me worried. They were an elite group of fae that guarded the mortal realm against other fae attempting to cross the borders, and their powers were not diminished. The longer we stayed here, the more likely they would discover our presence.

Icelyn looked back at me with a twinkle of hope in her eyes. I only hoped this trip wasn't in vain. If we were even able to free the book from the spell that bound it, then I would have to start the nearly impossible task of trying to figure out how to get the book to change her back. Isadora was the only one who could control the book, so I'm not even sure I would know how to change Icelyn back to normal once we get it.

The parade before me came to a halt, and I glanced up to see that the woods had opened up to a human village. There were houses and humans everywhere.

"Keep going. Just act normal. Our glamour is working. No one will know what we are," I said confidently and pulled Icelyn close to my side.

"Try not to stare at them. You will draw unwanted attention to us," I whispered in Icelyn's hair, and she nodded, her face still in awe at all the new sights.

We emerged from the woods and immediately got strange looks from the humans.

"Oh, look Icelyn! That is a car. I remember them from when I was younger." Jen pulled Icelyn away from me and pointed to the machine that goes by us. "Now that is what we need to find the book."

"How can you remember the mortal realm from your childhood? Changelings are switched with fae children at birth." Leon stopped and looked back at Jen, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I was not taken from the mortal realm until my eleventh birthday..."

Leon's face scowled, and he looked toward me.

"I don't know how she got to Gregorian. No one from the Night Realm brought her there. I took her in when I found her wandering in my court."

It was the truth. The appearance of Jen was a mystery, one that I had never found the answers to.

"What are you doing?" Icelyn hissed as Jen walked over to a car and opened the door.

"It's unlocked. We need a car. I don't know about you, but I am tired, and we are not even close, are we?" Jen turned to me, and I shook my head.

"No, on foot; we will likely not reach the book until tomorrow."

After careful consideration, I opened the door to the back and ushered Icelyn inside. Leon walked around and got in the front beside Jen.

"Don't worry. I got this. I was with Billy Jo when he hot-wired a car. Now let's see if I remember how it's done."

I watched Jen as she fiddled with a panel and wires. I glanced around nervously as a task that should have taken seconds turned into countless minutes.

"I am losing my patience, little one," I warned Jen with a growl.

"I'm working on it. Cars are different from what I remember. I haven't been here in about thirteen years. Give me a break."

I clenched my teeth as Icelyn put a comforting hand on my arm.

"Here, let me." Leon flicked his fingers, and the engine of the machine roared to life. I do not miss the small, grateful smile that Jen threw Leon's way.

"Ok. Here we go!" Jen's nervous giggle doesn't give me much confidence in her ability to work this piece of machinery. She fiddled with the machine until it finally started moving.

"Are we supposed to be going backward?" Icelyn whispered to me, and I shook my head and grit my teeth.

"Oops! That's reverse." Jen grinned and moved the shifter in the opposite direction.

"Bite your lip, Kohl," Icelyn warned me before I even had a chance to admonish the little human. The car finally started to move forward, and Jen scoffed at us.

"I believe you are supposed to be on the path made for cars," I told her as she ran off the path and onto the grass.

"No backseat driving!" she hissed and managed to get the vehicle back onto the black pathway.

The longer she was behind the wheel, the smoother the ride became. She could finally hold the car in a straight line instead of zigzagging all over the path.

After riding for a few hours, I noticed Jen's eyes growing heavy in the mirror at the front of the car.

"Let's stop for the night. We can all use some rest after the day we have had."

Icelyn nodded in agreement, and Jen pulled the car down a deserted pathway. We all got out and stretched our tensed muscles.

"I'll start a fire." Leon walked ahead of us, gathered branches, and set them down in a pile. I observed him as he touched the branches, causing an instant bright, blinding light to appear. Within seconds the sticks had caught fire, and we all gathered around.

"I'm not used to being cold. I don't like it." Icelyn's teeth started to chatter.

I sat in front of the fire, pulled her to my chest, and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"If you just wanted me to hold you, all you had to do was ask." I rumbled in her ear, and she pressed closer to me.

She smiled at me in turn, but there was sadness in her eyes. Even without our mate bond and the ability to feel her emotions, I could tell she was worried. I sat with her tightly tucked between my legs and waited for her to speak.

"If anything happens to any of you while we are here because of me, I'll never be able to forgive myself."

"That big heart of yours, little Snowflake, is why you are a great queen. Caring for others is not a weakness but a strength, and I promise you I will do all I can to ensure we get back to Gregorian safely."

She seemed satisfied with my promise, and I lightly brushed my lips against her forehead. She leaned back into my chest with a gentle sigh of contentment. I hoped to keep that promise.

A large bird chose that precise moment to swoop toward us. Jen screeched as the feathered wing of the bird brushed against her face.

"What the hell was that?" Jen jumped to her feet, and I watched the sky carefully.

Perched on a nearby branch is a sizeable cream-colored owl. His eyes carefully watched Jen, following her every movement.

"Shoo, get out of here!" Jen yelled and waved her arms like a maniac.

"Calm yourself, little mouse. He's probably hungry and thought you would make an appetizing meal." Leon laughed as Jen scorched him with her hate-filled eyes.

Jen eventually calmed down after her run-in with the owl and sat back down. I glanced at the bird once more. Something about it is strange. It was almost ethereal, and the way it watched Jen was unnatural, even for a creature in the mortal realm. The owl screeched again and swooped from the branches toward Jen, causing her to hit the ground.

The air around us instantly grew thick, and magic seared my nostrils. I forced Icelyn to the ground and covered her protectively with my body as the night sky lit up with electrified magic. I knew this would happen. I just didn't expect them to find us this fast.

"What is it?" Icelyn struggled, trying to free herself from underneath me, but I would not allow her to leave the safe cocoon I was providing with my body.

"Enforcers."