5. Tahlia

Chapter 5

Tahlia

R iding in Ragewing's two-seat saddle, Tahlia gripped Marius's waist tightly. Marius had braided back his long, moonlight-hued hair. He glanced at Tahlia over his shoulder.

"I'm assuming you just want to hug me and aren't feeling fatigued and in danger of falling?" he said over the wind.

"You got it, boss."

"Lady Tahlia." His tone was a warning. "We are officially on a mission at this point."

She grinned against his broad upper back. "Commander," she said, correcting herself.

He touched her hand briefly, then adjusted his grip on the reins. "We're almost there."

Almost to the Veil. What would it be like in the human realm? Would it feel different from the Realm of Lights? Would it look wildly different?

"I suddenly feel unprepared for this mission."

"Just now, you're feeling that? You're a few days behind, Lady Tahlia." His chuckle shook her slightly. "We know our orders. We will go over the king's scroll again as soon as we finish at the Witch's house."

"Tell me what you know of the human realm."

"I've only been a few times, but it is less lush than our realm. The air can be positively fetid. But it is mostly breathable. The creatures are different from what we have. No forest dragons, except those taken by humans. No mountain dragons either. But they do have a very small breed sentimentally labeled pocket dragons."

"The humans themselves… I hope they are like Queen Revna and me generally, and nothing like my father." A shudder traveled over her heart, and a longing for Lija burned through her veins.

"Humans are not worthy of our trust. There are exceptions, but…" A grumbling growl vibrated through him.

Tahlia frowned, chewing her lip. She wasn't sure she liked how he had stated that. "Good to know." She decided to change the subject. "What do you know of the Witch?"

"No more than you do, I'd guess. All right, it's time. Brace yourself. The crossing will feel strange."

Threads glittered across the sky, sapphire blue and rose connecting Marius and Ragewing. Ebony and azure threads linked her to Marius as well as the forest, the trees, the animals that scurried and leapt below in the Gwerhune. A prickling sensation started on Tahlia's nose and hands before spreading to her scalp, back, legs, torso, and feet. She hadn't realized she'd shut her eyes, but when she opened them, the threads were gone.

"They're not here," she said, feeling unmoored. She had already grown used to the thread magic that Mother Twilight had bestowed on her.

"What isn't?" Marius tapped Ragewing's shoulder and seemed to be speaking to the dragon inside his mind. They began soaring in a more southeasterly direction.

"The threads. My magic doesn't work here."

"Ah. I had wondered if that would be the case."

"And you didn't bring it up?" she asked, blinking.

"You are deadly, skilled, and brave without your thread magic. It's a non-issue."

"I had planned on kicking everyone's arse easily!"

Another chuckle shook him. "I'm sure you'll still get a chance to take some foul humans out. Even if we are meant to be undercover during this mission, such endeavors hardly ever go according to plan."

The forest below held a softer green than the Fae realm's Gwerhune. It was sparser too, with fewer leaves on the trees and fewer ground-covering ferns and flowers. It wasn't ugly—more like reserved. As if nature had to watch its back around humans, so it was keeping a lower profile.

They didn't have to fly long before they circled the Witch's abode. Trees that looked to have survived a fire reached new branches toward the sky, and a collection of Unseelie portal stones—thankfully closed by the Unseelie king a while back—dotted the clearing around the house. Of course, "house" was a pretty serious misnomer. The structure's walls were like a castle keep—solid stone and imposingly tall. Slate tiles covered the angled roof.

Ragewing landed, and soon they were rapping on an overly complicated door. An iron-worked raven descended the length of the oaken slab while gears clicked and shifted. The dramatic entrance at last swung open to show a tall female with globe-like pale eyes and straight hair that reached to her waist.

"Welcome, knights." Her voice seemed to echo slightly as if she possessed a power that worked in a way similar to Mistgold blood. No one seemed to know exactly what race the Witch came from. She was like the Druid who often worked with King Lysanael—a being singular in make and beyond the pages of historical scrolls. "Come in."

She stepped back and Marius led the way into the stone cottage. A cauldron bubbled over invisible flames in the middle of the cluttered main room. Green light shimmered over the ceiling's rough-hewn beams. A colorful tapestry showing a human farm graced the wall. In the image, Unseelie monsters hid in the trees along the border. Bundles of dried lavender, yarrow, mint, henbane, and sage hung from a row of hooks. Doors leading to other chambers hid along the dark walls. Beeswax candles flickered along a wooden slab-type table that stretched along the western side. Vials supported with wooden frames, a mortar and pestle, and numerous colorful bottles crowded the table.

The Witch's gaze felt like a press to the throat—a blade's threat, not a kiss. "I have your potions," she said quietly, turning toward the table and lifting two corked blue bottles.

"Thank you, Witch," Marius said, accepting one of them.

He spoke calmly enough, but Tahlia could tell his body was coiled and ready to attack if needed. Not that he would win. The Witch was more powerful than anyone except the Druid.

The Witch handed the second bottle to Tahlia. The glass was cool and the contents looked oily. Tahlia wasn't exactly thrilled about having to drink it.

"You know," the Witch said, "your Queen Revna took this same potion when she infiltrated your realm to assassinate your king."

Was the Witch permitted to talk about the royals' sordid past? Tahlia doubted she followed anyone's rules.

Tahlia shook her head. "Such a wild story."

Marius's features gave nothing away as he stared at the Witch.

"I have adjusted the potion because you," the Witch said to Tahlia, "were once dosed with mintbane."

"You mean ghostmint?"

"The plants are the same, though their size differs, yes. I created this potion with a lower percentage of mintbane and added more of my other ingredients so it is less likely you will lose consciousness while the magic takes hold."

Stepping forward, Marius looked from Tahlia to the Witch and back again. "Lose consciousness?"

Though her stomach turned, Tahlia gave Marius a calm down I've got this look.

The Witch glared at Marius. "You won't feel much pain at all, but humans struggle with such concoctions. Lady Tahlia already has mintbane in her system."

"But that was a while back."

"It never leaves your blood."

"Ah. Great." Ophelia strikes from the afterlife.

"Is there any chance of permanent damage to Lady Tahlia?"

"There is always the chance that the magic will do something unpredictable. I can't promise you anything, Commander," she said snidely.

"Of course. We understand."

"You don't because you don't know the Old Language and can't work runes," the Witch said, turning back to her cauldron and staring into the depths, "but I appreciate the sentiment regardless."

"Forgive me if this is inappropriate," Tahlia said, "but would you consider traveling to Dragon Tail Peak right away to heal my dragon, Vodolija?"

"I will not heal your dragon until you fulfill your side of the agreement with my queen."

"I'd be faster and more capable if she were healed. Even if she remained hidden in a forest near the mission starting point, her presence would ease my mind and improve my physical abilities. Don't you want the most capable agent working toward your queen's goal?"

"Sheathe your silvered tongue, knight. The terms have been signed and neither of us can alter them."

Sure. The Witch, arguably the most powerful being in the world, couldn't alter terms if it pleased her. Right.

"There are things you should know about the artifact." The Witch stood over her glowing cauldron. Steam blocked half of her austere features. "We have two spies inside the city. The one who will meet you at the safe house says the crown has been stored under Durniad's fortress. Traps await you; I have no doubt." She twisted, and with her long reach, she took a small leather bag from one of the many shelves.

Marius accepted the bag, then tied it to his belt.

"Sprinkle that mixture in the room where you believe the crown to be. The magicked dust will force the crown to show itself."

"Thank you," Marius said.

"The crown can flood a human's mind fully and the wearer can order those within earshot to do anything they so choose. Be warned. I don't believe it will alter your mind," she said to Marius, "but you," she said, turning to Tahlia, "must be on your guard. If you manage to take the artifact, you will feel the urge to retain the crown for yourself; its power is alluring. Even if no one knows you have it, people will be drawn to you when it is in your possession."

A shiver trotted down Tahlia's spine.

"Midhampton is packed with people," the Witch said. "It's not a large city, size-wise, so the inhabitants are practically on top of one another."

It was Marius's turn to visibly shiver. He was not a crowd enthusiast.

"Many visit the city due to the port's heavy trade business. A couple of strange faces shouldn't raise alarms. Especially during such a popular festival. Now, I advise you to take your potions at the arranged spot where you will trade your dragon for horses. The effects should last around five days. Maybe three. It's hard to say."

"What happens if our Fae features begin to show in the middle of a crowd of humans?"

"Perhaps pretend you wear an elaborate costume? That or run away very quickly."

Marius's eyebrow twitched. "That's not exactly a true backup plan."

The Witch shrugged. "I'm not the Mist Knight. You figure it out. Or we'll all die."

"How would that go exactly?" Tahlia asked.

"Durniad will don the crown at his self-made coronation. This will not be the coronation of a lesser king, of one who simply runs the city of Midhampton. No, he will name himself the ruler of all. Don't think it's impossible, after all, with the crown, he will control every human on this continent, and quite possibly those in the islands beyond. They will come for your people. For the gold. For the crops. For the joy of overrunning your realm with sheer numbers."

The hilt of Tahlia's dagger warmed her hand. No matter what, she wasn't going down without a fight.