“No, you must not touch her. The magic has grown too strong. Only pixie magic can absorb her energy. I will carry her through the swamps until we reach the tree.”
“Are you sure you’ll be all right?”
“Yes. Because I possess pixie magic, it will counterbalance Uli’s. But we must hurry. I do not know how long my powers can repel the tree’s energy.”
“Do you know where to find the tree?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “There is a very old trail that my people have not used for many generations. It is fraught with danger, but we must travel it now, for it is the only way those who have not mastered flight can travel. First, we must traverse the cliffs, and then we must cross the ancient bridge. From there, we will enter the tunnels that will lead to the Everblossom.”
He turned to Kull. “Gather your men. We must leave now.”
Kull’s warriors cast suspicious glances at the pixies. Kull had always been well liked by his people, though his status had been waning since he’d met me and refused to marry the elven princess. In the Wults’ eyes, I saw their distrust, as if they were testing Kull to see if he would demand they follow the pixie.
“Pack up,” Kull said to his men. “We leave now.”
“But we’ve barely finished our dinner… or rather, our extremely scanty snack,” Brodnik said.
“I said pack up,” Kull repeated with steel in his voice, quieting all other complaints. The men stood and began packing their things. Although no one voiced a complaint, I saw the hesitancy in their movements. Whatever resentment they had for Kull grew deeper.
I felt partially responsible for the men’s attitudes. I knew I shouldn’t have felt that way—Kull had made his own choices. Yet, if I’d never been in the picture, things would have turned out much differently. I pushed my guilt aside and instead focused on finding my mirror case, a coil of rope, sleeping blankets, and my water flask. I arranged the items in my bag and then looked for a quiet spot to wait as the others packed up.
A group of gnarled trees grew along the edge of the encampment, and I made my way toward them. My boots sank into the spongy ground, masking the sounds of my footsteps as I found a suitable tree. As I stood under its branches, I kept my eyes on the water surrounding the small island where we’d prepared to camp. It lapped at the edge of the land, its surface rippling now and again as insects or fae-flies darted across the surface. The haunting song of a bog-beast echoed through the swamp. It was a deep, throaty sound, similar to the call of a coyote—a primal noise that conjured images of loneliness and fear.
Warm hands encircled my waist. I turned, surprised, to find Kull standing behind me. My tension disappeared with his nearness. We’d not had a second alone since we’d started this expedition, which was why my mind wandered to other places.
Weeks ago, I’d traveled to Kull’s home—Danegeld, the Wult fortress. While there, I’d found him in his library, which had surprised me. Kull had never struck me as the cultured type. But since then, I’d learned there was more to Kull than his appearance suggested. While he was tall, ruggedly well built, and usually wore fur or breastplates; he also had a fondness for literature, which was an odd trait to find in a Viking warrior.
I still remembered the way the smell of the wood smoke in the library fireplace had mingled with the scent of well-worn books. I had felt happy in his fortress; its sprawling mountain views and rich wooded forests had given me a sense of comfort and peace. I’d felt at home there, and there weren’t many places that made me feel that way.
In my mind, we were there in his library again, with the fire warming us as we sat in front of the hearth. I sat with my cheek pressed to his chest, listening to the slow, steady thumping of his heart. He wore a white peasant’s shirt that was open at the top, and the warmth of his skin against mine made me realize that I’d imagined him naked. The thought brought a hint of a smile to my face.
He leaned in close. “What are you thinking about?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Hmm.” His voice came out low and deep, as if his mind had gone to the same place as mine. “After this is over with, I intend to sling you over my shoulder in true barbarian fashion, and then I shall carry you back to my castle, lock you in my bedroom, and not allow you to leave for a month.”
My cheeks flushed with heat, a roiling wave that ignited throughout my body.
He kissed my forehead.
I wanted so much more, but now wasn’t the time. It seemed now was never the time. Not long ago, Kull had crossed to Earth with me. While there, our relationship had become more than a friendship. Of course, with my luck, we’d returned to Faythander and he’d had no memory of it. But while his memories were forgotten, his emotions were not, which had clued him in to what had happened there. I’d had the awkward task of explaining that I still had a boyfriend back home—one whom I had no feelings for, whom I intended to break up with as soon as I got back. But until that happened, I didn’t feel right being with Kull.
I pushed away from him. “You know we can’t,” I told him, wishing more than anything that I could say the opposite.
He ran his finger along my jaw, his touch making me melt. “Then I can wait,” he said in a quiet voice.
He pulled away as several of his men gathered behind us. They wore packs and carried swords, although some held cudgels and battle-axes, and others held torches. Their faces were
