Chapter 39

CHAPTER 39

T he morning frost cast everything around the castle in a thin covering of white. With the way the sunlight arrived, dancing and bouncing off all that white, it was breathtaking. Dra Skor rarely had snow, but it was one of those rare cold snaps where it got cold enough to frost.

Though Malachi had been groaning and complaining about the weather as we left for Rael this morning, I wasn't mad. Of course, if I got chilled to the bone, I could simply warm myself up. Truth be told, I hated beating the sun awake. But as if it understood the curse of being up early, the terrain more than made up for it, stunning us with its beauty.

The land shifters had left for Rael the night before, but as we neared the outskirts, our team caught up to their camps. The winged shifters slowed their flight as to travel together.

Ready for this? I asked Esta.

I love Rael. I'm more concerned about things in Arava.

I looked to my right to see Avril astride Malachi. Instead of looking terrified like I assumed she'd be, she looked like I had my first trip with a shifter. Like she was enjoying life .

Rael began to come into view, a spiral patchwork of fields, greenhouses, and homes separated by other such fields, all wrapping around a small town in the center. I looked to the horizon and asked Esta, How far is Rael from Keld?

An hour's flight.

As we landed in the middle of a market-type square, lots of square shaped shops side by side, a man came running over to Esta as she shifted back to her human form.

"Your Grace!" the man huffed. "We did not know you were coming."

She held up a hand as he bowed. "It was planned but not planned. For security purposes, I came without letting anyone know. Everyone thinks we went to Arava instead." A pause. "Prince Keiran wanted to see Rael and I decided it had been far too long since I checked in with you all."

The man considered that. "Your Grace, you do not have to worry about us. Particularly with everything else going on."

She laughed lightly. "That I know. If the people at Halikaara Keep were half as tough as you all, I doubt we'd still be searching for my traitorous cousin."

The man seemed to stand taller, clearly pleased with her compliment. "If you need more resources, just say the word."

"But then we would all starve," Esta smirked.

"Fair," he agreed with a laugh before his attention moved to me. He gave me a slight bow. "Apologies. My name is Ronan Slade. Would you like to see the farms? I was just on my way back to my own."

Esta gave me a little nod, so I told him, "We'd love to."

"Let me ring the bell signaling your arrival and we shall be on our way," the man offered.

As he left, walking up a street to where a huge bell sat, Esta explained to me, "They pile up their branches and things which need to be burned in the center of town. When I visit, I take care of the burning for them."

"Don't act like it's a hardship for you," I joked. "I feel your joy when you torch something."

"Since they usually bring their burn piles to the center of town to make a social event out of it, doubly so here. Sometimes farm life can be isolating. It's good that they gather together."

The large bell rang happily, and within a moment or two, various bells answered, spreading the word, farm to farm.

"Lead the way, Ronan," Esta said kindly as he came back over. "I will fly a large loop, showing prince Keiran some of the farms."

I had to admit, I loved the fields. It reminded me so much of the time I spent in Nerede. I could look at them all day. I didn't fancy myself a farmer, but something about all the growth and dirt made me breathe easy.

There were no politics out here. No ongoing hunt for Morana. It was seeds in the dirt, needing constant sunshine and water. It was simpler. More open.

We landed and the man gestured to his workers, having them come over. It appeared two or three men worked each of these farms. And based on appearance alone, I was guessing one of the men was his son.

I looked to what they had been doing. Their crop outside of the greenhouse, rows and rows of what looked to be various vegetables, was covered in what looked like giant brown sacks which they were now moving aside. They had protected the crop from the frost, I realized. But the amount of time it had to take to put them all down and move them back?

Farming took a patience I did not possess. Depending on the weather for my livelihood was a gamble I did not desire to take.

"May I?" I asked the farmer.

"May you what? Pick a pepper?" Ronan asked.

I shook my head. "I would be a terrible farmer, but I can use my Enchantment and clear those for you quicker. "

"We have heard about your talents, Prince," he said smirking. "I have to admit that I am intrigued by your offer."

I put up a hand. "I'm sorry. If it's too disrespectful, please just disregard the offer."

"Are you kidding me?" Ronan laughed. "You'll save my men a few hours, and maybe tonight we can get to town in time enough to enjoy the fire."

They are used to help from Enchanted here, Esta explained. A handful of shifters live here and help the others. They are proud, but not so proud that they do not understand that everyone needs help from time to time.

I saw a pile of the large sacks over by the weathered red barn, so I released my Enchantment to the first row, tucking under and gently lifting the coverings, careful to move slowly as to not knock anything off the vines. And then once they were all hovering, I moved them over toward the barn.

"The corn fields are fine," Ronan explained to me. "They can take the cold to a certain extent. The vegetable field, not as much. We have a greenhouse for vegetables and another for our fruit trees, but in order to keep fresh produce year-round, we do have to each plant a field of vegetables the old-fashioned way.

I kept going row by row, picking up the coverings, listening to the men chat and explain. By the time I had finished, I did not feel even remotely tired.

"That was most accommodating," Ronan told us. "Thank you."

I love Rael, Malachi told us as we took off for the next farm.

"The open spaces?" I asked.

Esta snorted a laugh. No, fresh hay.

You wouldn't understand, Malachi laughed.

I did the same thing at the next farm and helped them move some hay. And by the time we made it to the fourth farm, word had spread. At one such farm, Dex and I helped move a broken-down plow machine on wheels which ran on fuel. It had been stuck in mud a few days. The farmers seemed grateful for the help. If Dex or I could do it with the lift of a finger what took them more than an hour to do, we helped. It was something simple, but if it showed the people of Rael that I cared, that they had nothing to fear of Wylan's Enchantment, I would gladly do it. We didn't have time to visit every single farm, but for as many as we went to, I used my Enchantments to help where I could.

We had lunch at a quaint café and then went back to more farms. There was no big news from the shifters on what was going on with Arava, and we all grew a bit restless as the day went on. Avril included. While we kept visiting farms that afternoon, one of Malachi's men took her to a lovely flower garden in town, letting her sit in silence to see if that helped.

We evidently were not being attacked today in Rael, as she wasn't receiving any visions.

By the time we made it back to town, there was a lineup of wagons and the burn pile was growing quite boisterous. It was early afternoon, but a barrel of wine had been set up for people to drink, and everyone seemed to bring a dish of food with them and their families to town. I met so many farmers and people that I was certain I wouldn't remember any of their names. Still, it was good to see their faces. Good that they saw me and did not run in fear.

Esta approached two farmers near her, Malachi, of course, at her side also in his human form. "I am afraid we cannot stay too late. It is about time for us to depart. How hot would you like this one?"

"A slow burn please, Your Highness," one man answered.

The men stomped their feet when she shifted and let out a victory yell when Esta lit the pile on fire. As soon as it was lit, a song hit the smoky air. Not a sea shanty, but the Rael version of it. About life here, working in acres and rows, not shifts. It was twangy and upbeat, I imagined they sang this on the hard days, whistled it while working their crops.

I had only brought half of the Wylan team with us. Emric stayed behind to prepare for the following day's healings, but as soon as they began the second verse, I knew he'd love this one too.

Malachi's team ran a quick perimeter check and then we were in the air.

We may just have time, Esta told me as I settled between her wings . I asked Malachi and Avril both if we could run to Keld quick.

Whatever for?

I owe you time to do some flying. I promised you I'd figure out a way to let you fly, and we haven't had much time for it lately. Also, I thought you might like a quick wave ride while we are out and about.

I fought off a shiver. Esta, after this cold front, that water will be frigid. The last time we had tried to go wave riding, after I healed Zaire, we'd only talked on the shore. It had been too much too soon for Kian. Understandably.

You can warm your skin, and I haven't felt your exhaustion even with using your Enchantment some today, so you'll be all right. We have to try for Kian.

Can we truly do this? This was not on our agenda.

We can. Even with the shifters we are leaving in Rael, we have more than enough shifters with us should Morana show her ugly face. Malachi's team would destroy her in seconds.

I thought of Kian. I had hardly seen him since Savanna passed. You're right. Kian could likely use the visit.

After a day well spent, meeting the farmers and people of Rael despite no word on Morana, we headed North for Keld.

Kian told us to head to a portion of the shore around the cliffs, the same area we had Jorah and Owen arrive at months ago, a more discreet portion of the shore than the docks of Keld.

Kian disappeared to grab my board while the rest of us headed that way.

I took my jacket and shirt off and left them on the sand, opting to keep my pants on because of the cold water. I sent magic to heat my shirtless upper back and rolled my shoulders back to let my wings out. I had been letting them out often, but since we'd returned from Corsha, I hadn't flown much.

I rolled my neck. Even just stretching my wings felt damn good.

My eyes went to Kian as he came clomping over in his dragon form, my wave board hanging out of his mouth like a dog with a stick. He was thinner. In both forms. I felt a pang of guilt wash over me as I knew I hadn't made it a point to check in with him more often. "We do not have to do this today, old friend," I told him. "If it is too painful."

He exhaled briefly, set the board at my feet, and directed his eyes toward the setting sun. It was a gorgeous sunset, the clouds going a deep purple while the rest of the sky burned bright pink. I know exactly what she'd say, he told me. She'd tell us to quit being silly and seize the day.

I smirked. "Well, shall we then? Wouldn't want to disappoint."

His response was to head into the water. Don't think for a minute that just because you have wings now doesn't mean that I will go easy on you.

I grinned as I picked up the board and headed into the water. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"I saw a vision of this yesterday," Avril laughed from where she and Esta sat in the sand at the shore. "I am so glad I get to witness this in person."

Dex let out a derisive snort. "So of all the visions you could have today, this was it? "

Before I could turn and say a word, Esta snapped, "Do not . You don't get to be a prick to her just because you don't understand her Enchantment." A pause and then, "Learn from what happened in Dra Skor. All that you had a front seat for, Dex. Do not make my mistake."

I paused and turned back to them to see Dex looking good and scolded. "Dex?"

"My bad," he admitted as he gestured me on. "Go. Before you run out of light."

It took me two rides with my wings out and my previous muscle memory to figure out how to balance on the board properly with wings, and then I was reaching out a hand to the cold water, gliding along it while I could see Kian swimming alongside me, trying to throw me off with his tail.

On the third such ride, Kian threw me off, but not wanting to land in the cold water, I flew into the air, hovering above the water.

Seeing Kian in pursuit of the board, I used my magic to bring it toward me.

But before it got to me, he breached out of the water with all the grace of a great whale and snatched it out of the air. It was a wonder he didn't snap the thing in half with the teeth I knew the dragons held.

"Show off," I laughed. But as he landed, he whipped his tail down on top of the water, spraying me with cold water.

Malachi, Dex, and Miles cheered for Kian, having wanted me to get drenched since we began. Someone hollered out, "Nine points!"

By the time he came up for air, we were both laughing.

I looked to the setting sun, "We only have time for a few more." The waves were already calming, unfortunately.

On the last run, Kian flopped into the wave, helping it to get large enough that I could ride along it. As he got close to me, I used my wings to lift both the board and myself to avoid getting wet. As we came back down, I was too busy looking around on top of the water for Kian that I realized too late a dragon snout was under the water where the board sat.

Kian spit us into the air like a geyser, the board going end over end in the air while I had to veer away with my wings to avoid getting wet again.

Kian again caught the board, this time far less of a graceful smash into the water on his way down.

His cheering section erupted in applause for him.

"Ten points, if only for the look on Keir's face," Miles called.

Next time, I sent Esta as I flew for the shore, You are doing this also.

I'm going to need it to be a lot warmer before I try this, she argued.

You can both breathe fire and warm your skin.

Still, she insisted.

Kian flopped on the shore, breathing heavily, my board beside him in the sand. I don't remember the last time I laughed like this. Thank you, Princey Poo.

I grinned and immediately dried any part of myself which was still damp. "We need to do this more often."

A pause and then, Will you teach me to do this in my human form?

"Of course," I responded immediately. "Malachi was wanting to learn as well. We may have to contact Wylan about getting a few more boards."

Esta laughed. "What is Dra Skor if not a bunch of adrenaline junkies?"

Someone whooped their agreement.

As I reached for my shirt and jacket, I felt more than saw Esta's appreciative look over. Not just at my bare chest, but my wings also. You're staring again.

Yes, well, some things never change .

Like your affinity for pretty things.

"No," Avril said, pointing at me playfully. "Nope. We need to get some food and head for the castle."

I gave my head a shake. "Did you just see a rather inappropriate vision, Avril?"

Her head went back. "What? No. I don't typically see visions of that variety." The sun was setting but not so much that I missed her blush. "I mean, unless I am personally in them. But I know lusty looks when I see them."

"You might as well get used to them," I told her.

Laughing, we headed into Keld for some food. To the same tavern where I waited all those months ago.

As we finally took off for the castle, Esta sent me, You are good to our people, Keir. From the server that you knew, to the farmers you met, to Kian. You are good to them, and it is not forced.

I stilled. She hadn't said her people. She'd said our . And it made all the difference. They weren't just her people anymore, they were mine too. Not only because I had married her, inheriting a small chunk of the crown of Dra Skor, but also because I had seen their faces, helped to heal them. I cared about these people just as I cared for the people of Wylan. It took me a moment to answer, finally able to state, Only because they are good to you.