The Golden Winged Horse

Chapter 14

Flabbergasted didn't even come close to my thoughts at their peculiar request. Stay here, forever? So stunned, I couldn't even form a sentence in my mind, let alone one to speak.

Several seconds ticked by, the silence in the vast room becoming more and more unbearable.

Blodwin smirked, folded her arms over her chest, and said, "See? They're all about themselves, utterly selfish."

Her sneer ridden words jump started something in my brain and I couldn't hold back any longer. "I don't think you quite understand the magnitude of what you're asking. Considering you hate my kind so much it doesn't even make sense to me why you'd want to keep me here longer than necessary anyway."

"I don't think you understand the gravity of what you're asking," she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "You're asking us to put our entire existence in peril because of you, one human."

"But once you've revealed yourselves, that's it, it's done. I don't see why you have to keep me here."

As Blodwin opened her mouth to reply, Amode held a hand up to shush her. "I can't explain our reasons fully, Faye, but these are the conditions that need to be met. No negotiations."

I sighed. "Can I at least have some time to think about it?"

"Of course," she said, stepping back.

They all stood there, staring at me, and I then realised they expected me to think about it in front of them, right now.

"I meant out of here somewhere. I can't make a decision like this with you all stood staring at me."

Amode flickered her eyes to Calico who gave the briefest of nods in return. Izar knelt, allowing Calico to swiftly remount him. Glancing at me as Izar rose, Calico smiled and said, "Follow me."

We turned and headed back into the tunnel. I began to worry we were going back under water. With Calico's motto of 'everything eats everything' singing through my mind, I feared what other strange creatures would be lurking in the depths that could eat even invisible horses.

I recognised the path we'd come out of, that led back to the sea, as it came up on our left. Just as I readied myself to say I really didn't want to go back in the sea, Calico chuckled and led us straight past it.

"We're going to the court gardens," he said, a big grin on his face.

I pressed my lips together and frowned, then asked, "And you couldn't have told me that sooner?"

"Your anxiety of the sea is somewhat amusing."

"For you," I replied, trying to calm my racing heart. "If staying here means putting up with you, I might just go back home."

He flashed me a dazzling smile and said, "We both know you don't mean that."

My cheeks flared red and I scowled at him. "Stay out of my head. That's not playing fair."

"Whoever said we play fair?"

My hands itched for something to throw at him but of course, I had nothing. I held my tongue for the remainder of the ride through the tunnels. When a gust of fresh cool air hit me, I sucked in a deep breath and knew we were about to emerge outside.

We turned a left-hand corner and once again, bright daylight almost blinded me. Lush green grass sprawled out before us. A brilliant blue cloudless sky once again amazed me as the source of this amazing daylight failed to show itself.

Their lack of sun soon left my thoughts when I took in the court gardens. Perfectly trimmed evergreen hedges, acres of trees with hundreds of colourful fruit hanging from the branches, exquisitely carved stone ornaments of various creatures and people, it really was a sight to behold.