So, bonus, I was going to get to see an adela tree.
As we raced through the forest, I was seeing I needed way more practice on Caspia as Frey and his men snaked at a full gallop through the trees, sometimes coming so close I could feel the wind as we whizzed by them and all the boys, as far as I could tell, did this without hesitation using nothing but instinct.
It was super cool.
I saw it before we hit it, the opaque mist that looked like dense, glittering fog that shrouded the dark trees and I noticed we were heading right to it. But as we got close, Ruben, Thad and Orion pulled back and the minute we penetrated the mist, the men were left behind.
“What –?” I started, twisting and looking around Frey to see the hazy figures of the men on their mounts quickly receding.
“The mist is created by the elves, wee one,” Frey told me and I looked up at him. “Only I can penetrate it… and you as you’re with me.”
Wow. Cool.
I looked forward, my heart beating that familiar excited beat, my blood singing through my veins and this only increased when I saw the beginnings of a golden glow that pierced the fog. It increased as we rode into the glow, becoming brighter and more intense until we were suddenly there.
The adela tree.
And it was magnificent.
Not tall, it’s thin, twirly-ended branches rising direct from the earth for the tree had no trunk. Even though it wasn’t tall, it was wide; its thousands of thin branches growing up and out. And its bark glittered bright and golden, lighting the large clearing around it almost like it was daylight, except it was cooler, more fan-freaking-tastic daylight.
And if that wasn’t awesome enough, with an ice blue flash and a bright white spark, mini elves were appearing from what seemed like straight out of the earth at the base of the tree’s stump. Once they formed, they immediately turned, touched a glittering branch and grew to the size of a normal human right… in front… of my eyes.
Unbelievably cool.
As I watched, Frey halted Tyr at the outer edge of the clearing and dismounted, pulling me down and setting me on my feet beside Tyr.
“Stay here, Finnie, yes?” he said quietly, I tore my eyes away from the elves, now numbering six with more flashes and sparks coming from the tree, all of the elves regarding us with ice blue eyes filled with curiosity under their feathered caps and I looked up at him and nodded mutely.
He grinned at me and turned to Tyr.
“Stay with Finnie,” he ordered, Tyr’s strong, sleek jaw rose up and he whinnied softly.
Frey moved into the clearing and directly to a male elf who gave Frey the elfin salute of chin bent to the side of his neck. Once he lifted his head, they started talking quietly so I couldn’t hear what they were saying and the flashes and sparks stopped coming. I counted nine elves and none except the male talking to Frey was looking at Frey. They were all looking at me.
I smiled and waved.
When I did, there seemed to be a low, cheerful twitter that filled the air although none of them spoke nor did their lips move. They looked amongst each other and then back at me. That was when I got smiles.
Through this, Frey continued to speak with the male elf and I saw that the discussion was intense but I wasn’t reading bad vibes from Frey. This reading proved accurate when suddenly they stopped speaking and both Frey and the elf turned to look at me.
And when they did Frey smiled, broad and white and my heart stuttered at the sight.
My husband didn’t hide his smiles from me but I’d never seen one like that. Never like that.
Ever.
It was gorgeous.
He tipped his chin at me and gave me a flick of his hand which told me I could approach. Without delay, I did, quickly, making it to his side with Tyr at mine in a second.
When I arrived, Frey’s arm curled round my waist and he pulled me close to his side before he said softly, “My wee Finnie, it is my honor to present you to Nillen, Speaker of the Elves.”
I looked from Frey to Nillen, who was my height, and I smiled before whispering, “And it is my honor to meet you, Nillen, Speaker of the Elves.”
Nillen smiled back and replied, “The honor is mine, Seoafin of the other world, bride of our Frey.”
I inclined my head like Mother would and told him softly, “Thank you for allowing me to come.”