Page 63 of The Curse Between Us

As they began their ascent, Alec, riding just behind Edric and Zephyr, turned his sharp eyes to the landscape around them. The path was winding, curving slowly upward into the mountains. “What exactly is it you hope to find here?” Alec asked, his gaze scanning the gentle hills that surrounded them.“Edric mentioned the strange new forest in his last letter. Is that our destination?”

Zephyr hesitated, glancing at Edric before responding. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice laced with uncertainty. “We’re searching for some sign of Abyss’s presence. Something that might help us hurt it the way we’ve been hurt.” He glanced up at the mountains, the peaks shrouded in mist. “The only thing I know for certain is that it’s here, somewhere.”

Alec nodded grimly, his eyes reflecting the understanding of someone who had already experienced similar pain. “The way we have all been hurt,” he murmured, his voice heavy with shared history. Turning in his saddle, he beckoned Hadley to join them. She had been riding behind, a silent but steady presence, ever-watchful.

Hadley rode up with the grace of someone accustomed to the saddle. Her fiery hair stood out sharply against her white cloak, and she drew it tighter around herself as the wind picked up. The temperature was dropping with each passing moment as they climbed higher into the mountains.

“There’s a foulness to the air here,” she said quietly, her keen eyes scanning the landscape around them. Her voice held the tone of someone accustomed to sensing the ebb and flow of life’s hidden forces.

“Yes,” Zephyr agreed, his hands tightening around the reins as they reached the first of the polluted springs. The air had grown thick and still, the scent of decay and rot clinging to the land. “Just ahead, you’ll see the first of the polluted springs. The source of this plague.”

Hadley’s gaze sharpened, and her expression grew even more solemn. “A cruel but cunning strike,” she murmured. “We must be cunning ourselves, if we are to win this fight.”

Zephyr nodded, but his attention was already turning to something else. He twisted in his saddle, scanning the ridersbehind him. “The Chief Strategist did not accompany you?” he asked, his voice thoughtful.

Alec shook his head, glancing over at Zephyr with a slight shrug. “No. Despite his protests, I ordered Herbert to remain behind at the castle to oversee matters there. He and some of our best guards will hold the fort while we’re gone.” He glanced over at Edric with an apologetic look. “You’ll notice Victor isn’t among us, for one.”

“Good,” Edric replied with quiet approval. “We took a similar approach.”

Zephyr, though his focus remained on the task ahead, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of warmth at Edric’s words. It was a small thing, but it made him feel a little less alone in his role as a leader, especially now that their two kingdoms were more intertwined than ever. He glanced at Edric, offering a small smile in return, and was rewarded with a wink that sent a spark of something bright into his chest.

The first polluted spring was a chilling sight. The water was thick and brown, the once-clear liquid now tainted and foul. Clara and Hadley immediately dismounted, moving together to confer quietly, their expressions serious and tight with concern. Zephyr strained to hear their conversation, but the words were lost on the wind. He could feel the tension in the air, a palpable force that weighed on everyone present.

After a few minutes, Clara and Hadley urged their horses onward, still speaking in low voices. Zephyr turned to Edric, a soft sigh escaping him.

“I trust them both with my life and the safety of our kingdoms,” Edric whispered. “But I do wish they could be more forthcoming.”

Zephyr chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I believe one must be enigmatic to begin with to become a priest or priestess,” he said wryly, “and I imagine it only increases with time.”

Edric snorted, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Indeed.” He looked over at Alec and raised an eyebrow. “Will you be cool and mysterious just as they are if you continue your studies at the temple, Alec?”

Alec shrugged, a teasing glint in his hazel eyes. “Who can say what the future will hold?” he replied, his tone light, but there was an underlying seriousness to it.

Edric groaned as he tried to steady himself, his face flushed from the cold wind and his labored steps. Zephyr bit back a smile, the sound of Edric’s discomfort oddly comforting in the otherwise tense atmosphere. Alec, riding just behind them, caught his eye and winked with a grin that was quickly concealed behind his hand. Without missing a beat, he guided his horse over to Ollie and engaged him in conversation, the soft murmur of their voices a stark contrast to the quiet that hung over the rest of the party.

Soon, the riders reached the path that led toward the newly discovered forest. Zephyr, who had been quietly observing the landscape, raised his hand to signal a halt. He pointed in the direction of the trail with authority, his voice carrying over to the group. “This trail was only discovered a few days ago,” he began, making sure everyone could hear. “But I do not believe it poses a threat.”

A few speculative murmurs rose from the ranks, their curiosity piqued. The path before them wound between rocky outcrops that hid the way ahead, making it difficult to see what lay beyond. The riders fidgeted, clearly eager to understand the terrain, but Zephyr held his ground, waiting for them to process the information.

“And what lies beyond?” Alec asked after a few moments of silence, his voice laced with a hint of suspicion as he pointed ahead, gesturing to the area beyond the forest.

Zephyr was about to respond when Ollie, always eager to share his knowledge, spoke up first. “Very little,” he said, his voice calm. “The path ends at the base of the highest mountain there.” He pointed toward the towering peak that loomed above all others, its snowy crown a sharp contrast against the darkening sky. “This trail was only meant to give us access to the springs. It does not cross the entire range.”

Alec nodded thoughtfully, but the determination in his eyes was evident. Clara, who had been silent up until that point, now spoke with quiet decisiveness. “We should continue forward,” she said, her voice unwavering. “If we are to find any answers, it will be in the shadow of that mountain.”

Zephyr turned to Edric, seeking his input. Edric, with his usual calm demeanor, shrugged slightly and spread his hands wide. He looked back at Zephyr, his eyes shining with an unspoken agreement, and glanced at Hadley, who was nodding from her place beside Clara. Their conviction was enough to push Zephyr into action. It was time to move forward.

“Dismount here,” Zephyr instructed, his voice firm. “The path is narrow, and our horses will only hinder us.”

He motioned to two of his guards, signaling for them to stay with the horses while the rest of the group followed him. Edric did the same with his own guards, and soon the riders were on foot, with the cold air biting at their faces and the jagged terrain underfoot.

“The rest of you, follow me,” Zephyr said, glancing back at his companions. He shot Edric a teasing look, and before he could say anything further, corrected himself. “Follow us.”

With that, he and Edric led the way, stepping carefully through the icy landscape. They navigated their way over patches of ice and sharp rocks, each step calculated to avoid slipping on the treacherous ground. Edric, not as familiar with this kind of terrain, stumbled once, nearly losing his balance.But Zephyr was quick to reach out, grabbing him by the arm and steadying him with a firm grip.

“Careful,” Zephyr warned, his voice low but filled with concern.

Edric let out a sheepish grin, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks from the cold. He squeezed Zephyr’s shoulder in gratitude. “I’m glad I have you to look out for me,” he said, his voice soft. His lips were dry from the biting wind, and his cheeks flushed with more than just the cold, but to Zephyr, he had never looked more beautiful. There was something about the ruggedness of the mountain backdrop that made Edric seem even more striking, as if he belonged here, standing tall against the elements.

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