Page 35 of King of the Unsightly

Kaschel chuckled under his breath and roamed deeper into the eerie forest, leaving me behind. I scurried close enough to his side that if something jumped out to murder us all, I could easily shove him in the way and save Gren and myself. Or at least, stall whatever creature was determined to attack us long enough for me to escape. I was shameless, so what?

I trudged behind Kaschel through the thicket of ferns, and with each step he pulled a branch forward and let go, whacking me with an ungodly amount. My rage bubbled to the surface and almost burst when the forest thinned out, and a dirt path came into view.

Kaschel hurled something in my direction, and darkness shrouded me.

I ripped the thing off, glanced down at it, and back at him.

“It has an enchantment and will disguise your human scent, but you must keep your face covered. We’re inDearmad a Dhéanamh; the border between the courts. There are no laws, so don’t wander off or do anything stupid.”

I didn’t hesitate and draped myself with the black cloak. I struggled with the button in the front for a few seconds, and Kaschel’s heated glare bore a hole into my skull.

Didn’t he know the more he stared, the harder it was for me to attach it?

I fiddled with it for a couple more seconds as sweat rolled above my eyebrows and it popped into place.

I cleared my throat and avoided Kaschel’s agitated expression. Only a hint of his emotions flickered across his face, and they screamed,You’re a dumbass.

“How long do we have to be in ... this place?” I asked, choosing to ignore his patronizing look.

A chill crept down my neck, and from the corner of my peripheral, a million eyes blinked and vanished into the ferns.

I gasped and shook the nerves away.

Kaschel didn’t appear worried, or he didn’t notice them. I couldn’t tell which, so I tried not to overreact.

It’s fine.Totally normal stuff when you walk through a portal to another world.

“I need to meet with an old friend. He’ll know how to find the second key and break the spell that has you bound to this one.”

Wow, how detailed. Sounded easy if he said it like that. The sooner we got the second key, the sooner I could save Lucien. So I stayed silent and followed Kaschel down the dirt path.

We reached a stone building with a wooden sign reading Eros’s Saloon.

Creatures filled the streets; it had the same appeal of a farmer’s market, but a grittier one with carts full of oddities. The place stirred with boisterous chatter and clanking noises as the ground rattled from all the heavy foot traffic.

Kaschel shoved us past a group of, well one thing had to be a fae like him, but with jet black hair, pure obsidian eyes, and bat-like wings, but he was one of many creatures we walked by. I caught a glimpse of a centaur. She had the look of the forest with sprouting horns covered in moss and withered flowers. Ahundred tiny gray creatures shot past us. Their black beady eyes and translucent wings buzzed like a swarm of horseflies.

Their unified shrieks pierced my ears, and I launched my hands up to cup my ears, but Kaschel snatched my wrist.

No one else even flinched at the god-awful sound but me.

I yanked my wrist away, and Kaschel grunted and proceeded to the doors.

He opened the front entrance, and a hauntingly soft tune captivated me. My attention fell on a willowy creature with ghostly white skin playing a lyre harp.

A smell wafted the room and had the variation of pine needles, wheat, and coriander all muddled together; it reminded me of a shot of gin. It packed a punch but ultimately settled down and enveloped my whole body with its warm embrace. The tempting aroma drifted through the room, stronger than the smell of the sweaty creatures dancing.

My whole body tensed as we barreled through the sea of creatures, making it to the bar top; I tapped my fingers rhythmically as they squished us against it.

An ogre-like creature leaned over the bar, drooling from its tusks. I averted my gaze, and it landed on a fae. Tall and handsome, but unlike the other one I saw earlier. His hair was golden, but not the normal type of gold. A color of gold more rich and dazzling, and his eyes, a deep coral burning with so much intensity for the woman next to him. Although, in comparison to the woman he flirted with, he appeared rather dull. Her beauty overwhelmed the room; her long silver hair and icy blue stare could pierce any heart.

I snapped out of my weird stupor as I forcibly squeezed harder against Kaschel. Gren perched on the edge of the counter tilting his head at me. We were all packed together likesardines, and if I said I was uncomfortable, that would be an understatement.

Yet, I didn’t protest or make a sound as a goblin-like creature walked up to us. His skin was lumpy with a swampy, greenish tone, and he had an exaggerated crooked nose. I tried not to stare and decided to look straight at Gren with wide eyes.

Gren saw right through me and mouthed,You have nothing to fear.

I almost scoffed and spit all over the bar. It had to be his favorite line.

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