Page 16 of Protected

"No, but we can't be letting the queen, or her minions find the path to our mountain stronghold. We don't have magic like you do, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves. You'll see."

We continued along the path, taking a few twists and turns. I never did see any more people, but occasionally, an arrow would fly past us and I'd hear a death squeak. When we got to a precipice about halfway up the side of the hill, I thought we'd gone as far as we could on horseback. I wasn't looking forward to climbing up and over rocks in my dress.

But Leb didn't stop and get off. He urged the horse forward and I gripped on tight to the animal's mane thinking we were about to go over the edge, and yet trusting Leb to keep us safe at the same time.

I didn't even close my eyes, and if I had I would have missed the thin slab painted and decorated to look like trees and rocks on the edge of the cliff. Leg steered the horse behind that slab and into this hidden, short tunnel. As we passed through, the distinct scent of iced gingerbread filled the tunnel as if we were inside a cave made of the cookies.

I reached out and touched the wall, expecting to feel rock or even tree trunks, and got instead a handful of crumbs. Holy cookies, the slab, the tunnel, and the decorations were made of gingerbread. As we continued out of the darkness, first there were trees overhead blocking any view of the sky, but then world opened into a huge, bowled valley with high mountain peaks all the way around. The landscape quite literally made my mouth water.

There were dozens of gingerbread houses, a set of gingerbread Christkindlmarkt booths where more men and women with varying shades of red hair were shopping, and tucked against the furthest corner, a gingerbread Viking longhouse. I stared at one building, then another, and another. Every piece of architecture in this hidden mountain village was made of dark, but sturdy cookies, held together with lines of white icing.

Leb pressed his mouth to my ear and whispered, "Welcome to my home, Princess."

A half dozen men and women rushed around us, and several more surrounded the other two horses. Leb directed his people with quick orders. They clearly looked at him as a leader. "Take them to the longhouse and prepare a space for us all to bed down."

Within moments, they had Nuss and Zucker on stretchers headed toward the longhouse. Tau brought his mount up alongside the two of us and took my hand in his, pressing his lips to my fingers. "I'm glad you're safe, my lady. If you'll forgive me, I want to check on Zucker. He didn't look well."

"Oh, of course. I'll come with you and see if I can do the healing thing again." I could believe in magic if it helped Zucker and Nuss.

Tau shook his head. "You need rest too. You've already used a good deal of power today. Go with Leb and meet Mother Gingerbread first. I'll take care of Zucker and Nuss until your magic is recharged." He coaxed his horse into one more gallop and sped off after the others toward the longhouse.

I hadn't thought about that magic could be used up and recharged. Tau made it sound sort of like physical energy. Like after a big dance practice, when I couldn't do anything but drink, eat, and crawl into bed. But how did I recharge magic?

Leb kept a steady pace through the town greeting each person by name. There were so many, I couldn't keep track of anyone's. "You sure know a lot of people. Is it because you’re the, uh, prince of gingerbread town?"

"Gingerbread town. I like that. This is the Kuchen stronghold, and I know every single person here, man, woman, and child. Most of them are my brothers and sisters."

He must mean they were like family to him. There was no way he could have that many siblings. "Just how many brothers do you have?"

If they were all big and brawny like most of the ones who'd greeted him so far, we might have a chance against the army of mice he said would invade.

"You'd have to ask my mother that." He shrugged. "I lose count. Maybe thirty, or so."

Thirty? "And sisters?"

"A bit more than that, I think." He chuckled and I felt his laugh go up and down my chest like little bombs of lust.

"How can one woman have that many children?" She must have been pregnant her entire life.

"Many lovers."

Oh. Ohhh. Heat bloomed on my throat, and I felt it creep up my cheeks, I'm sure making me turn as red as if I'd had a bit too much wine. I hadn't even had one lover. I'd had more kisses today than in the entire rest of my life. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have so many men lust after me.

Or maybe I could. No. Yes? I was so confused.

We stopped in front of the longhouse and an absolutely gorgeous woman with long red braids, thighs the size of the Christmas tree in our great room, a chest like king sized pillows, and both a scowl and a tinkle in her eyes, stood in front the doors with her arms crossed, waiting for us. I could see exactly why she had her choice of lovers every night.

"Mother." Leb slid down off the horse and grabbed me around the waist and lifted me gently to the ground.

"Leb Kuchen. Who have ya brought me?" Her voice boomed but was somehow still warm and inviting. The affection she had for Leb was like a huge warm hug that even I felt the warmth from.

"You know as well as I do this is the Princess of the Land of Spirit and Magic." Why did Leb sound like he was proud of my erroneous title?

She looked me up and down, and I felt as if I was being weighed and measured. She tossed the fur cloak around her shoulders open and grabbed me up into a warm and welcoming bear hug. "You're the one bringing us the trouble, are ya? Well, good. We've been sitting on our arses for a sight too long and I relish a good battle. Come in and let's get ya warmed up."

I had been in trouble since before I even landed in their realm. I'd have thought that was a bad thing, but she seemed to admire me for it. She didn't wait, and I found myself scrambling to get up the stairs and follow her into the longhouse. The scent of ginger and other Christmas spices was even more strong in here.

"We've set up your men over near the fireplace. You'll be cozy with them there tonight." She pointed to the far end of the room, and Tau waved from a table laid out with piles of food.

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