Wylde Magic | Book 3

Forty One: Yusellia

Sleep came easier than it should have.

Once I finally managed to lay down in the unsure land of the Summer court, I managed to fall asleep without letting the uncertain thoughts that had followed me for so long now plague my mind. Schula, Puko, and I curled up with Spaulder as had become a habit. Not only did it feel protected, we were together and whole.

I couldn't say the same for Aithne and her companions. When we woke, it looked as if she hadn't slept much, and neither had the other two. They kept watches last night, and naturally we weren't asked to participate in that. They didn't say it aloud, but we were essentially prisoners. If not by law at least by custom. We did agree to see their queen, after all.

Breakfast was short but filling, and the rest of the day was relatively quiet. Spaulder wasn't one for idle chatter, but that was nothing new. Schula was back to her inner thoughts, and try as I might I wasn't able to distract her. Hells, I was barely able to distract myself. Half the time we walked my mind wandered to the ring in my pocket.

I'd seen it before. And the inscription, Isiul. The name wasn't as familiar but the ring, the ring I had laid eyes on more than once. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't picture it on any fingers. I didn't even know where I could have seen it. Somewhere in the Wyldes? Somewhere out of it?

Someone wanted my attention very badly. And to throw the acorn at me in the grove... they were brave enough. Or maybe confident. I wasn't sure which was worse.

The Summer lands were lush with green and streams and hills. Hunting was easy and the forests were brimming with food if you paid enough attention to reach out and grab it. Trees heavy with nuts and fruit, bushes and ground vegetables. Leafing edible greens and even more plants that I recognized from my books with the witches.

I appreciated the lands we were in, but I did not stop to take anything. This place was not mine, and now that we were apart from desperation and starvation I was less inclined to reach out and take. Besides, the closer we drew toward this city of Yusellia, the more I felt the Queen of Summer's presence. Where I would have been comfortable taking from Baeleon's forests as one of his own, I was less inclined to do so here.

Aithne was somewhat quiet, though willing now in her homeland to speak softly to her companions. The sprite was mostly silent, but the fae was often chatty. It was interesting to watch, now with them in the lead instead of walking behind us. I still couldn't pick them out as triquetram, but somehow I didn't think they were. They were at least very accustomed to each other though, so they had been partnered up for some time regardless.

Between Aithne and her companions and my own thoughts swirling around the ring, I was sufficiently distracted until we reached a break in the tree-dotted hills. That's when I saw it for the first time.

The Summer city of Yusellia.

Spaulder hummed when the tree line broke. We all took pause to stare up the hills to what should really be called a small mountain. in the base of it was a sprawling city. Every building was spread out from the next, a large allotment of garden or vineyard to break up the clay and stone buildings. Even between those there were streams of water though. Waterfalls from high on the mountain bubbled and danced downward until the hit the pools at the back of the city. From there, water dribbled in thin lines all over. Nearly each house was within arms reach of water. It was everywhere, similar to Thanantholl's lazy rivers but in a very different way.

Every inch of it dazzled. Space for gardens, space for art, space for impressive fountains and trees and buildings. A show of decadence, every street had parks for leisure, parlors for dining, beautiful floral arrangements. The elegance of even the street lanterns and bridge fixings were embellished in gold.