Folke ♥︎|| Folkelore

♥︎ 18 ♥︎

Bastien places two fingers into his mouth and lets out a piercing whistle. I flinch at the sharp sound.

    I can't figure out what he's doing until the sound of wingbeats reaches me. No. There's no way.

    "Calla, Apollo, I'd like you to meet Rhys." Bastien grins, and a terrifying black dragon comes into view, dipping down to hover above us. My lungs constrict as it looks me straight in the eye. The creature huffs and looks away. Bastien clicks his tongue three times and the dragon — what did he call it? — drops to the ground. He grabs the leather straps dangling from its neck and bows, gesturing towards the beast. "After you, milady."

    I step up, and flick out my wings. Lifting myself off the ground, I fly towards the dragon and drop onto its back. It shifts, seeming as uncomfortable as I am about this arrangement. The men scramble up behind me, Apollo's legs pressing into mine. My breath catches and my stomach dips, the feelings intensifying when the dragon lifts off the ground. Although flying isn't new to me, being on the back of a dragon is, and it's not something I want to ever experience again.

    Bastien gives a command, the words filtering through my brain without processing. When my brain catches up, I whip around to face him. "Did you say Nullalata?"

    His lips tighten, and he gives a stiff nod. My mouth drops open. I've always dreamt of seeing Nullalata. It's said to be the bridge between worlds where the path to your heart's desire is found.

    "Your dragon knows the way?" I tilt my head in interest.

    Again, Bastien nods. "Rhys is many things, but he's not mine. He belongs to the High Queen. But yes, dragon's have a natural compass to Nullalata, which just so happens to lead to C.O.R.E."

    "Core? What do you mean?"

    "Ah, I forgot you're not quite ready to rule," Bastien sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, I'm only telling you because you would find out soon enough anyways, and because the only other option is to knock you out for an extended amount of time. C.O.R.E. is the Council's Organization of Reconnaissance and Equity. The members work to keep the peace between courts. Derek and I are only two of many many members from all over Faerie."

    I cock my head to the side. "So you're spies?"

    Derek laughs. "Not spies, Your Highness. Protectors of peace. There's a difference."

    "Right," I mutter. Protectors of peace. The Council's Organization of Reconnaissance and Equity. It's almost too much to process. Cold air hits me, and I lean back against Apollo. He wraps his arms around me, and I sigh a bit at the warmth. Not the butterflies.

    Glancing up, I see a swirling door filled with all the colors of the courts. Nullalata. It's real. Rhys dives right into the door, and for a moment I feel weightless and heavy at the same time. Noise and colors bombard me from all angles.

    "Open a door," Kingston spits. Another wave of pain rolls through my gut and I almost throw up all over his shoes. That wouldn't be too bad, except he'd probably hit me or something.

    "I- I can't," I grind out, again almost throwing up from the pain. He scowls down at me, crouching to my level.

    "And why is that, Princess?" He growls, grabbing my face forcefully.

    "The iron necklace you oh so lovingly chained me with is killing me. It makes it impossible for me to use any magic." Energy zaps out of me, and I close my eyes. Kingston releases my chin.

    "Now that's a problem isn't it. I can't take off the iron because then you could kill me, but if I leave it on, you can't get us out of Faerie."