The Iron Seer

(Bonus) Chapter 21- All Her Pawns

The underground city of Tir Na Nog was just as I remembered it: A dark labyrinth of buildings shrouded in snow and inhabited by the hissing, creeping, fluttering denizens of the Unseelie Court. The glittering ice palace towered far above it, and beyond that, the ceiling of the cavern under the lake disappeared into shadow; blue faery lights bobbing along the ceiling gave the illusion of stars on the black velvet background of night.

The last time I had been here, it had been in a carriage with Tiaothin. Today, I had ridden with Ash from Glassbarrow, with Ti, in her cat form, napping behind me on Wind's saddle. When we'd departed, she had ended up riding with me because she didn't have a horse, and as we wouldn't be returning to Glassbarrow, we did not take a carriage.

The last time I'd been here had been one Winter ago, when my father had been injured on a hunting trip and I had taken his place representing Glassbarrow at Elysium. That was the first time I'd met Ash.

It was unreal, now, to be riding back here with him. To know that I would soon live here with him, in this palace that was so unfamiliar to me and yet also his home.

It had taken a while for my father to come around to the idea of my living somewhere other than Glassbarrow. I suspected that it had something to do with the day Ash had ridden to Glassbarrow for a visit and asked to speak privately with my father. The day after he left, the Duke finally gave in. I hadn't asked what Ash said to convince him, because I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

I glanced over at Ash. Catching me watching, the corner of his mouth lifted into an easy half-smile that contrasted completely with the Ash I knew from back when I'd first met him a year ago. This was reassuring. I was sure that, given time, I would begin to see more of this side of him, as his icy exterior thawed and I caught glimpses of what lay beneath.

We rode through the gates of the palace unhindered, the guards letting us past. I supposed that being attended by a prince was a sure way to go anywhere in this city without being stopped by guards.

Once inside the entrance courtyard, Ash dismounted and handed the reigns of his horse to a servant that seemed to appear as if materializing out of mist. I reluctantly handed Wind's reins over to another servant, hesitant only because I'd never before entrusted my horse's care to a stranger. "Can you make sure she is brushed and fed?" I asked, and the servant bowed his head wordlessly, eyes lowered, before leading her off.

"She'll be fine," Ash assured me. "They wouldn't dare mistreat her."

Somehow, this did little to make me feel better about leaving my horse, and Ash seemed to notice me biting my lip because he added, "We'll visit her tomorrow to make sure she's all right."

I smiled gratefully. Tiaothin, now bright and alert, bounced on her toes next to me, back in her person form.

"Follow me," Ash said to both of us, giving her a brief warning glance that said "Don't try anything" - I'd told him about her proclivity for pranks and vandalism - and then turned and strode across the frost-covered grounds of the courtyard.

As we followed behind him, Ti stuck her tongue out at his back. I smothered a smile, shaking my head at their very different personalities, and fell into step between them.

***

"This is your bedroom," Ash said, stopping outside a door in one of the many corridors of the castle. We had only just commenced the tour and yet I was already unsure of where we were. He took a small silver key, with a handle shaped like a rose, out of his pocket and took my hand in his, clasping my wrist with his long, cool fingers, turning it over and pressing the key into my palm. "There is only one key to this room, and it is yours. No one else, even I, can enter this room without your permission."