Bound by Frost

Chapter 5

Ella's breath caught in her throat as she followed Rylan through the towering archway of Castle, the air crisp and frozen against her skin. The cold seeped through her layers, leaving her shivering and clutching her coat tighter around her body. But she couldn't take her eyes off the scene before her.

Outside the castle was a painting come to life, each brushstroke rich with detail and depth. Gossamer curtains of mist unfurled before her like delicate tapestries, ethereal and hauntingly beautiful. Frost-kissed tendrils of ivy crept over the stone walls, their icy touch adding to the eerie atmosphere. Delicate snowflakes danced upon a gentle wind, weaving between the skeletal branches of blackthorn trees.

"Every crystal of ice, every silent snowfall, is steeped in magic," Rylan said, a witness of centuries of winters. "The Fae Lands are alive, breathing with magic that mortals can not imagine."

"Ella, do you feel it?" Rylan asked, his gaze fixed on the frozen flora around them.

"Feel what?" Ella asked, her green eyes scanning the icy landscape.

"The magic," Rylan said. "It's all around us."

Ella shook her head slowly. "I don't feel anything but the cold."

Rylan looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. "The magic here... it's like an undercurrent, invisible but ever-present," he began. His eyes took on a distant look as he tried to put words to something so inherent to him.

"It feels like a subtle vibration beneath my feet, a gentle hum that resonates through every fiber of my being." His hand moved in the air as if tracing unseen patterns. "It's not just about feeling; it's also about seeing and hearing. The vibrant energy pulses from the earth itself, creating a symphony."

His gaze returned to the frosted flowers encircling them. "Look at these plants, they are encased in ice yet they glow with life that defies this eternal winter. Their colors are more vivid against the pale snow because they draw their vitality from the land's magic."

Ella listened attentively, trying to imagine what Rylan had described. She could see the glowing flora and the stark contrast they provided against their icy surroundings, but feeling and hearing their magic? That remained beyond her reach.

Ella couldn't shake off the feeling of being an outsider in this world. She felt the weight of her humanity with every step she took. She wanted to hear the music and feel the pulsing vibrations that Rylan described, but instead, she was left feeling disconnected from this foreign place. It was as if she were a bird trying to swim in an ocean, constantly struggling against her nature.

"Beyond these lands lies the veil," he explained, gesturing toward the unseen boundary with a graceful sweep of his hand. "But I'm sure you already knew that," he grinned.

Ella nodded as she gazed into the distance, remembering crossing that invisible wall as summer twisted into winter in a matter of steps. The shimmering, fragile yet formidable veil, a wall separating their worlds.

"You speak of your people, yet I have only seen you so far. Where are they?" Her mind raced as she tried to piece together the events since entering the veil. Rylan had mentioned servants, but she hadn't seen anyone other than him. She couldn't ignore the thought that perhaps this was all a fae trick, and there were no other inhabitants in the Winter Court besides Rylan himself. But then again, she couldn't deny the feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes were studying her every move. She noticed that her clothes from yesterday were neatly folded on the table next to her, a faint scent of lavender still lingering on them. It was odd that she had encountered no signs of staff this morning. No sounds of bustling activity or faint murmurs echoing through the halls. It seemed as if it was just her and Rylan.