“Yes, you are right,” Penelope agreed. “He will be fine by morning.” She looked me over. “But your back seems to be in worse condition. Lie down on your stomach and let me take a look at it.”
“I’m fine,” I muttered, as Penelope went to her table and started mixing ingredients to put on my back.
Penelope shooed Tristan and Rafe out of the room before inspecting my wounds. I lay still and let her do her work, relieved that Penelope was here to heal me. I needed all my strength for the days ahead.
I barely had a nap before it was time to leave. Sleep was out of the question.
We were in our saddles riding into the forest as the sun started to light up the morning sky above the trees. Kalen was much better, and Penelope had healed my back. It was still uncomfortable, but there was no pain. Luckily, the gashes had not been deep. We had gathered supplies for our journey ahead, and we could not waste any more time.
“What you did last night with the gorgoths was amazing,” I said to Kalen as I rode beside him.
“Maybe, but I had no idea what I was doing.” He shrugged, staring into the distance. “I guess my mother removed the spell that contained my magic. I could sense the feelings of the gorgoths, and in a way I could communicate with them through thought. I could feel their internal struggle—they would not willingly attack a member of the royal Night Court. They are being controlled by a powerful spirit-fae.”
I nodded. “Andromeda.”
He shook his head. “No, the image I got from them was of a young fae girl around our age with golden hair.”
I sucked in a breath. “Skye!” I couldn’t imagine my friend being the cause of so much destruction and pain. But she was Andromeda’s daughter, and the power she must possess to be able to control so many gorgoths made her a dangerous enemy.
“I don’t understand,” I said to Penelope, maneuvering my dappled gray mare closer to her horse, which plodded along behind the others. “Why is Kalen’s magic so different from anything I have seen before? I have never seen anyone control gorgoths like that.”
“This is exactly what I was afraid of,” said Penelope. “Kalen may have gotten his shadow powers from his Night Court bloodline, but he has spirit magic because of me.” She adjusted her reins and brought her horse closer to mine. “The Day Court spirit-fae have an affinity for all magical creatures, giving them the ability to control them depending on the power of the fae who wields it. You know how unpredictable spirit magic is at the best of times. But coupled with the royal bloodline of the Nightshades, Kalen’s powers may evolve into something we have never seen before. There hasn’t been a Night Court prince with spirit magic for centuries. The last Nightshade to have spirit powers was Rhiannon, Tristan and Kalen’s grandmother. But even she could not subdue a pack of gorgoths like you said Kalen did last night. Once Kildaren hears about this he will want to train Kalen himself. He will want him to return to Elfi and join his court.”
“Then we will have to keep him away from Elfi,” I decided. I didn’t want Kalen to fall into Kildaren’s clutches. I knew what a snake Kalen’s father could be. He was cunning and callous and would just as easily replace one son for the other if he thought it suited his purpose.
Penelope nodded as she rode forward to talk to Tristan.
“I guess we can’t take the horses with us through the portal,” I stated to Rafe, who had just ridden up to join me.
Rafe shook his head. “I’m afraid not. The passage to the portal is small, but it will save days of travel over the mountains.”
It was noon by the time we got to the base of the mountains. We got off our horses and tied them to a tree, proceeding deeper into the forest on foot. Rafe would send his guards to retrieve the horses later.
He led us to a densely wooded area and moved some bushes apart to reveal a small cave. “The portal is through there.” Rafe pointed to the cave. It wasn’t a big opening; we would have to bend to get inside. “It will take you straight into the Goldleaf Forest. From there you won’t have any problem finding your way.” He looked at Penelope. “The Silver Swords will know where Morgana’s army is camped. They are your best chance at getting into her camp. We have our own people stationed as spies within her army; they will assist you.”
“Thank you, Rafe,” said Penelope. “We will stop in Pixie Bush. I have friends there who will help us acquire fresh horses for the rest of our journey.”
“Be careful,” Rafe warned. “You are walking right into Morgana’s territory. Pixie Bush may not be as you remember it.”
Penelope nodded.
A lump formed in my throat. “Protecting the Eastern Pass will be dangerous too. Be careful.”
He flashed me his charming Ravenswood smile. “Aren’t I always?”
I shook my head. “No, not really.”
He chuckled as Tristan inspected the cave entrance and unexpectedly turned to Rafe with his arm outstretched. “Thank you for taking such good care of Kalen for so many years. My brother and I spoke at length last night, and I can see why he holds you in such high regard. He told me of everything you have done to help the fae, and that even though you are a mage, you are not like the rest of them. You didn’t have to come looking for us yesterday, but you did, at risk to your own life, and for that I am grateful.”
Rafe smiled. “I don’t think you or your brother needed my help last night. But I was glad to be of assistance.”
