what court is it?”
“None, really. Perhaps a mixture of all the courts. They tend to do their own thing and remain hidden. Who knows if they even exist still. They’re changelings, or that’s what the legends say. It’s funny because we joke about them being the Court of Void, but it seems like a serious matter given our circumstances.”
“So there’s not even an inkling of where to find them?” I pressed.
“There is. The Dark Forest near Xanathar and Lor’Lak. Stories say to enter Ascaria, you must survive the forest. No one ever has, so no one has ever been able to confirm it.”
I shivered at his words. “Would you try?”
“If I had to, yes. It hasn’t gotten to that point yet, thankfully.”
We both grew quiet. I took in the scenery, my heart content for the moment before I spoke again. “Where is Bornia from here?” I asked, recalling Kellin’s place of origin.
He slowed Starfall down to a stop and pointed to a massive mountain to our right.
“Bornia lies to the east of Dar’ish. It’s a day and a half ride from here at a comfortable pace,” he said, staring off into the distance.
“Do you miss it? Bornia?”
“It’s my home. Someday, our home. It’s always beautiful, like the summer court,” he murmured. “Once we’re married, I’ll bring you to my kingdom where you’ll be its queen.”
I swallowed thickly. I hadn’t given it much thought past one step at a time, but Kellin clearly had. I was still trying to absorb the idea of being a princess. Becoming a queen was a whole other story—one that made my stomach twist uncomfortably.
“W-why are you here and not there? Doesn’t your kingdom need you?” I asked, my voice shaking as I tried to overcome what he’d just said about marriage.
“Bornia lies on the coast. It’s surrounded by mountains and water mostly. So it’s safely tucked away between the two and doesn’t see much action due to its location. It is safe, for now,” he said, nudging Starfall forward. “But, to answer your question, the answer is simple, you. I’m here because of you.”
“Kellin, you don’t need to be here because of me,” I scoffed. “Your kingdom needs their prince too. It’s not fair for my kingdom to monopolize your time.”
“Well, to be fair, Bornia and Dar’ish have a very strong alliance. Our fathers have been friends for many years. Our marriage will basically unite our two kingdoms for a very long time. I think it’s one of the reasons our fathers wanted it.”
“Why didn’t they make it that way in the beginning?” I wondered. “Why would my father give me to the sons of Zaros?”
“I think that had more to do with your mother,” Kellin replied. “Her history with Zaros. Perhaps it was a way of trying to quell the anger over King Lauris marrying your mother. A bit of a peace offering. It would break tradition, though. Seelie and Unseelie being wed? The Elders didn’t like the idea of it. In fact, they fought your father on it until he convinced them of the possibility of eternal peace for our land. Seemed like a good idea at the time.” He shrugged. “Of course, after Xalvador’s death, you’re required to be passed to the next living heir. Who just happened to be Calixto.”
I didn’t say anything at the mention of Calix’s name. My heart still ached for him, a pain that wouldn’t soon leave. We rode in silence for a while, me watching the beauty of the landscape and the occasional wild animal peeking out at us. I was surprised to see things like rabbits, deer, and sparrows. I thought they didn’t exist here, but I guessed they were like the cows I thought weren’t here—something I still felt stupid over.
Kellin finally signaled for Starfall to stop and hopped down. He held his arms out for me, and I allowed him to lift me easily from the horse. She strolled away, nibbling on patches of tender green grass, seemingly at ease.
“What are we doing?” I asked as Kellin placed me on my feet.
“I thought this would be a good place to work on your wielding,” he replied.
I peered around and saw we were in a large clearing near a beautiful lake, its surface like glass.
“It’s so pretty,” I commented, gaping around at the trees which hid us from view. No one would know we were here if they passed by because the trees were so thick.
“Just like you,” Kellin said, taking my hands in