Six of Ruin (Heirs of Irenwell #1) ✔

Chapter 30: Wasted Six

The terrain changed. Wide, clear pathways turned narrow, overgrown and steep. My legs hurt in my stupid shoes and my ankle, which should have already healed, turned even more swollen. Pain bit me with each step.

We were also climbing up, which was not mentioned in the beginning of the journey. If I had known there would be climbing, I would have refused.

The air was also much colder here and the robe I had thrown over my purple dress wasn't enough to keep me warm. The group looked tired, too. Torvald grew even more silent than usual after the altercation in the woods; perhaps Nickeltinker's outburst reminded him he was doomed. He walked after Rixen, not bothering to engage in our squabbles.

Rixen still refused to talk to me about what happened; me accidently on purpose stumbling through his mind, kissing Danilo and Nickeltinker accusing us we were falling in love.

Danilo refused to talk to me, too. Nickeltinker's outburst was at fault as well. He refused to talk to anyone, though, he strolled ahead and pretended we didn't exist.

"How much longer?" I whined. "My legs hurt."

"Maybe you should have worn boots." Rixen's answer didn't surprise me, but his will to talk to me did. "And around two more months."

"Why do we have to climb? Isn't there a shortcut?"

Ace turned to me, "This is a shortcut." His warthog turned around and judged me for even asking such stupid questions. The more time I spent around Frank, the more sentient he seemed.

"You're only trying to get rid of me." I complained.

"You're only alive because we're not trying to get rid of you." Ace mumbled.

"And you're only alive because no god wants to deal with you." I grunted.

"You're not wrong."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nick hopped ahead. "There's nothing more boring than a straight, flat terrain."

A gush of cold air blew through my robe, freezing me to the bones. I shivered and walked faster, my leg muscles aching. Being so occupied by my own thoughts, I barely took in the change in the forest, apart from the overgrown pathways and silence.

The trees were different, denser, taller, like nothing I've ever seen before. Snow and white, almost sparkling rock covered the mountain peaks I could see, all impossibly tall. Then, there were peaks I couldn't even see; thick, grey clouds hid them from view. Looking up made me dizzy.

"Is this the Northern Mountain?" I asked, my gaze falling back on the safe ground.

Ace nodded, "The Spirit territory is located on the plateau between the four peaks of the range."

"Must be a huge area." Nickeltinker mumbled. "Is there another way in?"

"No." Rixen answered. "Only through the lake of Liu Raj. And across the peaks, but the borders are guarded and they tend to kill first, ask questions later."

My eyes shot up, glad I could use this opportunity to trick him into talking to me, "Who is he exactly?"

Ace jumped in instead, "They're not a he. Liu Raj doesn't have a gender."

"Oh." I mumbled.

"Liu Raj is the keeper of the Spirit territory." Rixen answered my previous question. "They can decide who comes in and who doesn't."

Nickeltinker hopped ahead, getting closer to Rixen, "And how are we getting in?"

"Well," Ace raised his voice, "As long as you give up a wish and share a secret with our spirit friend, you should be fine. We cannot stay long, though. Magic-less creatures aren't allowed to reside within the Spirit territory."