Verange

Chapter 23

Hayden had remained silent for most of their trip. He felt ashamed at the way he had been acting and what he had done while drunk.  He only looked up when Elis spoke. “We’re here? Already?”

She glanced back and nodded. “Hayden… Just to warn you, this isn’t like the Verange. No one here is human except you. I don’t know how much Belden taught you, but here, I’m average. There will be many women much prettier than me and not that many less than me. Keep your head in the right place, alright?”

Hayden noticed his jaws had fallen open. He carefully closed his mouth and looked around them. “I’ll try my best.”

Her gaze told him he had said the wrong thing. “Trying will get you nowhere.  You either will or you won’t. That’s how it is here.”

He nodded quickly and lowered his head. “I will.”  She seemed pleased enough with this, for she faced forward once more and Balue took the lead. Heelio fell in behind him and Elis slowed her horse to ride beside him.

“We will have to speak with the queen first and notify her of Belden’s death. No doubt she already knows he is not with us and has suspicions.”  Balue was the one who spoke now. He seemed to be in charge now, and Elis didn’t seem to care.

He turned to glance at him with a slight smile. “Try not to draw attention to yourself. Sit straight and only look forward, between your steed’s ears. “

Hayden could only nod and do as he was told. They started forward again, but he resisted the urge to look around. He was very aware of the motion going on around him and he saw quite a few people in his peripheral vision. He also saw a very tense Elis. Her jaw was set and he could see how taunt her muscles were. She too, only looked straight ahead. He glanced upwards once to look at Balue. He was waving at people and calling out to them, openly engaging them in conversation. He could hear Heelio behind him doing the same thing.

When he glanced up again, a huge palace was before them, but it was far more beautiful than any palace he had ever seen before.  It was covered in vines, but they were all flowering and curved delicately around the doorway and windows. They had been surrounded by enormous trees for the past day or so, but these here took the prize. You could carve into one and live in it if you wished. He could probably fit his whole house in one.

Elis dismounted beside him and he hurried to do the same. A man stepped forward and took the horses from them. Hayden was shocked. The man had skin similar in color to Elis, but his face was sculpted beautifully, just like Belden’s was. He was quite handsome. He felt weird to notice it like that, but it was true. Balue and Heelio looked different, more weary, he guessed, and that’s why he hadn’t noticed them like that, but now they looked so overjoyed and full of energy.

He had to look to Elis, who just stood stiffly beside him, her face set in a hard expression. “Come on. You can rejoice later. We still have work to be done.” She stepped towards the palace and the large double doors spread inwards with no apparent help. She didn’t pause before she strode inwards. He had no choice but to follow or be left behind.

What he saw within took his breath away. More plants and vines and trees were throughout the inside as well, it was almost as if the walls were made of them.  He was too busy studying the walls to notice when the elves stopped in front of him and he ran right into Elis.

She merely stumbled, while Hayden was heading down. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to his feet. “Watch where you’re going around here.” Her voice was quiet, but she didn’t look at him. Her gaze was straight ahead. Hayden decided to look as well.

He wondered if he was going to stop breathing. Before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had raven black hair, striking emerald eyes and a figure that any woman would die for. Upon her brow was a small golden circlet and she smiled down at them.