Lovely Dark Things

SIXTEEN (ISELEN POV)

"Oh, fuck!" I whisper with my eyes shut, gritting my teeth, but happy because I feel solid ground under my feet finally.

When Helien said that this would be a bumpy ride, she didn't lie, I feel very sick but didn't throw up and smile proudly inside my head. The human is not that weak after all... I'd stagger if it weren't for the fact that I'm still tied to Ruby's body, the assassin cuts the rope but keeps her arm around my waist to help me to stay on my feet because it's obvious that I feel dizzy. I take a deep breath, trying to hold back the nausea, while she pushes me gently so I can lean my back on a tree.

The first thing I notice is the smell of freshly cut grass, wildflowers and ripe apples. Even before opening my eyes, I know everything will be perfect, as it usually is in the Valley of Gaen, in the heart of the Sacred Forest. Nothing withers or dies here, fruits don't have dark spots, the tree leaves are always bright green, the waterfall is always clear and clean. Everything is so beautiful that looks unreal and a bit creepy, like this is the set of a terror film: everything looks wonderful and, suddenly, a demon or a monster comes out of the blue.

"Let's go, babe, we have to move before someone sees us."

"Yes, I'm sorry," I whisper opening my eyes finally. We have a mission to complete and can't afford to get caught by Alarielle's acolytes, it'll take a lot of time to provide reasonable explanations to the High Priestess so she frees us, is she doesn't decide to kill us first. The truce between two elven nations was over a while ago and the war against chaos hordes is an old memory. Besides, I bet she's angry since she found out that her husband is cheating on her and everybody around her is suffering because of her bad mood, I don't want to be the target of her rage right now. "Do you know where are we going?"

"I think so, according to legends of my people, the Gardens of Isha are in the opposite direction of the waterfall and the golden mountain where the underground temple is, I think we have to cross the apple trees meadow. Luckily, these bushes will protect us from view... The forest is quiet today."

"I assume that most acolytes and guards are in Lothern with Alarielle, helping her to kick Aethis' butt hard, and when the boss is not at home the rest of the servants relax, drinking, eating, taking a nap... that's what normal people do."

"Dark elves are not that lazy," Rubly replies squatting down behind a rock to take a quick look around, always cautious. I can't help smiling, copying her movements.

"That's because you rat each other out instead of working together and planning how to duck out of doing your duty. But I'm okay with that because it helped me to finish all my construction projects in Baalberith in time. Wacht out!"

We both lower our heads when we see two young girls walking out of the orchard carrying baskets full of fruit. Actually, they're too focused on their conversation to notice what's happening around them and walk away laughing without looking at us. In their defence, Avelorn is a safe place and no one expects to find a dark elf and a human advisor wandering around the dominions of the goddess.

"I don't like this at all," Ruby grumbles quietly while we move away from the golden mountain, running between apple trees till we reach a wall made of white stone. "The guardian won't let me in, I must wait here, hidden, while you confront him alone."

"I don't want to be separated from you either but this is our only option, we don't have another plan. Is the guardian a violent elf?"

"I'm not even sure if he's an elf, he could be any kind of Isha's creature," the assassins sighs, following the wall till we find a door with a golden gate. "Legends say that he won't let you in if you're not a decent person and only will get angry if you keep trying, but I never heard anything about him killing visitors."