Page 59 of The Curse Between Us

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Rising to his feet, Edric moved around the table, reaching down to tug Zephyr gently to his feet. “Come. Let’s have a look at your food and water stores, and I will see if I can offer any insight into how best to preserve them.”

???

The morning light was still faint as Edric said his brief but heartfelt goodbye to Eileen. Her departure was not a simple task, and Edric felt a twinge of sorrow watching her ride out from the castle gates. The Eskarven guards accompanying her were unknown to him, but their bearing gave Edric confidence.They were both capable and sharp, and though Eileen was no stranger to danger, he knew she would be well protected on her journey back to Rafria. She turned in the saddle to offer him a crisp salute, her red hair catching the light as she led the group eastward. The mix of worry and pride stirred in Edric’s chest as he watched her disappear into the distance.

Zephyr’s voice broke through his thoughts, the sound of it gentle but firm. "She'll be safe with Dumah and Inias," he said, his eyes following Eileen’s retreating figure. With a wry smile, he added, "In fact, she'll likely be far safer than we are about to be."

Edric let out a short, humorless laugh, though there was little joy in it. The gravity of their mission ahead weighed heavily on him. He and Zephyr were dressed in riding attire, ready to set off on the next stage of their journey. His gaze lingered on the empty space where Eileen had been moments ago. She was gone now, and they were left to confront the unknown. Sighing, he swung himself into the saddle, his mind troubled by everything that lay ahead.

Zephyr mounted his horse shortly after, his expression unreadable as he settled into his seat. Edric turned to look at him, his heart aching with the quiet understanding between them. The distance between the two of them felt more pronounced now, as if the land they rode through had put an invisible wall between them and the comfort they once shared. The months of distant interactions with family and allies, of strained conversations and uncertain trust, had left their mark.

As they passed the gentle slope where Zephyr had taken him sledding on his first visit to Eskarven, Edric swallowed roughly. It had been a simpler time, or so it seemed now in the midst of everything that had followed. There had been no dire warnings, no polluted water, no sinister forces waiting in the shadows. How naive they had been, not realizing the storm that would soon consume them both.

Beside him, Zephyr’s gaze lingered on the same spot, and Edric suspected that his husband’s thoughts were following a similar path. The silence between them stretched for a moment before Edric spoke, his voice quieter than usual. “When all this is done, I want to go sledding again.”

Zephyr’s lips twitched, the faintest of smiles playing on his face, though it did not quite reach his eyes. “Of course,” he said softly, his words holding more weight than the simple promise of a future joy. They both knew that the world around them was shifting in ways they couldn’t understand, and the landscape they once cherished was changing, perhaps irreversibly.

Edric caught a glimpse of Zephyr’s fleeting smile, a bittersweet reminder of the past, and in that moment, the full weight of their situation settled over him. Living through times of wonder, as he had once imagined it, was nothing like the grand stories told by bards or whispered around campfires. The weight of leadership, the pain of loss, and the uncertainty of tomorrow had a way of turning such dreams into distant memories.

As they continued to ride, the path began to climb upwards into the foothills. The trail narrowed, and one of the guards took the lead, followed by Zephyr, then Edric, with the other guard bringing up the rear. The air seemed to grow heavier with each step they took, the wind carrying with it the faint scent of ashes, a familiar and unsettling presence.

Edric’s nose wrinkled as the smell grew stronger. “Is that—” he began, but Zephyr nodded grimly, cutting him off.

“There,” Zephyr said, pointing ahead to a crevice in the rocks where thick, grey water burbled sluggishly to the surface. The water barely resembled the spring it once had been, and Edric gagged slightly as the foul smell assaulted his senses.

The two men slowed as they passed the spring, neither of them stopping. The air around it seemed thick with contamination, the water corrupting everything it touched. It turned what should have been a life-giving source into a symbol of corruption and decay. Edric’s heart sank as the realization hit him once more: they were facing something far more insidious than they had imagined.

Zephyr’s jaw was tight, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the spring. After a long moment, he looked back to Edric. “Ride on,” he ordered, his voice firm and commanding. With a flick of his reins, Zephyr spurred his horse forward, and Edric followed without hesitation.

They passed two more springs, both in the same polluted state, the water thick with ash, before Zephyr spoke again, his tone quieter this time. “The last spring is just ahead,” he said, his voice filled with a trace of something unspoken. “The one where—”

He trailed off, his words hanging in the air, and Edric could feel the tension in him like a taut string, ready to snap. Edric placed a hand on Zephyr’s shoulder, grounding him with the simple touch. “I am here with you,” he said, his voice steady. He didn’t make any promises of safety, not when neither of them could predict what would happen next.

Zephyr gave him a grateful look, his posture straightening as he squared his shoulders. They continued on, rounding a bend in the trail, and Edric’s heart lurched at the sight of the spring ahead. The scent of ash was even stronger now, and as they neared the spot where Zephyr had first encountered Abyss, Edric could feel his pulse quicken with dread.

Without warning, Zephyr leapt down from his horse, striding purposefully toward the spring. Edric’s heart skipped abeat, panic surging in his chest. “Zephyr!” he called, urging his own horse to follow. But Zephyr did not stop.

Edric’s thoughts raced as he feared the worst—that Abyss would somehow claim Zephyr again, that the same malevolent force would rise up from the water and ensnare him. He leapt from his saddle and sprinted toward his husband, but Zephyr ignored the spring, skirting around it with purposeful strides. He came to a halt on the other side of a tumble of rocks, and Edric pulled up short, his breath catching in his throat.

“This was not here a few days ago,” Zephyr said, his voice filled with disbelief. He turned to look at Edric, his eyes wide, as if seeking confirmation of what he was seeing. “I swear to you, Edric.”

Swallowing the knot of apprehension in his chest, Edric moved closer. He could hear the murmurs of the guards behind them, but he did not glance back. The trail ahead was narrow, winding further into the heart of the mountain, but Edric’s gaze was fixed on the strange path that had appeared seemingly overnight. His mind raced, the pieces of the puzzle beginning to click into place. “I believe you,” he said quietly, his voice steady. He frowned at the trail, biting his bottom lip in thought. “After all, this is not the first pass to suddenly appear in these mountains, is it?”

Zephyr shook his head slowly, the look in his eyes darkening with resolve. “No, it is not.” All traces of hesitation and surprise faded from his expression as he raised his voice, a commanding authority returning to him. “Kelvin, Benjamin. We are following this trail. Kelvin, you may lead if you desire, or I will.” His tone left no room for argument, and Edric’s heart swelled with pride at the sight of his husband stepping back into his role as king, his strength palpable.

“I will lead,” Kelvin said, urging his horse forward without hesitation. “I do not fear what we may find here.”

Edric gave Zephyr a low bow, his voice filled with both respect and affection. “After you, my lord.”

Together, they mounted their horses once more and began cautiously picking their way forward. The path was treacherous, rocky, and narrow, twisting back on itself in sharp bends. But as they ventured deeper, Edric noticed that the stench of the polluted springs began to fade. The air seemed fresher, and a warm breeze began to blow, tugging at their cloaks and hair. It felt like a welcome relief after the oppressive atmosphere of the mountains.

The path began to wind downward, and Edric’s eyes caught a flash of color ahead—a startling red-gold that stood out sharply against the grey of the rocks. His heart quickened as he strained his eyes to see better, but the bends in the path kept the source of the color out of view.

Suddenly, the trail leveled out, and Edric’s breath caught in his throat at the sight before them. A forest, stretching wide and high, filled with vibrant trees whose leaves were painted in shades of red, orange, and yellow. The trees stood tall, their canopies offering a brilliant contrast to the grey world around them. A small animal chittered at them from the trees, then darted away, disappearing into the underbrush.

The rising breeze caught a single leaf, sending it floating gently toward them. Zephyr reached up, catching it delicately in his gloved hand, his eyes lingering on the leaf as it rested in his palm.

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