Page 32 of Mountains of Mist and Magic

Julietta was grateful that they decided to take the long way around the lake to get to the Sun Realm. If they had cut through the Twilight lands and crossed into the desert, they would have had no choice but to spend the night in tents, and being alone with Triston made her somewhat uneasy at this point. Her feelings towards him were changing, and she was nervous about it. But at least now they would be able to find lodging and be separated by rooms and doors.

Julietta could just see the light at the edge of the forest, signaling that they were about to cross out of the Twilight Kingdom and into the outer boundaries of the Sun Realm. The Sun Realm territory was usually only considered as the walled city, and the outskirt areas were typically referred to as the lake region, even though the sun shone every single day.

As they left the protective canopy of the trees, Julietta sighed.

“What's wrong?” Triston asked, and Julietta was surprised he had heard her.

She shifted in the saddle, her back and thighs sore from riding all day. “I'm just always a bit melancholy when I leave the boundaries of the forest.”

Triston slowed his horse to ride alongside her. She noticed that he had a five o'clock shadow on his face, and it made him look...striking. She pushed the thought away and ignored the sensations it stirred within her.

“I always miss the Tidal Kingdom after long periods away,” he confessed, his gray eyes meeting hers briefly. He looked down again, adjusted his reins, and then patted Sea Breeze affectionately on the neck. “I miss...the scent of the sea. I know that sounds odd—”

“It doesn't,” she replied quickly. “I love the aroma of the forest, the pine and the fragrance of sap...”

Triston cleared his throat somewhat uncomfortably. “I'm sorry you're having to travel to the Sun Realm with me.”

It was the first time Triston acknowledged that they were in this together, and she found that somewhat reassuring.

“It's fine,” Julietta said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “It has to be done.”

Triston didn't say anything further but looked ahead at the path before them. Now that they had left the forest, there was no cover anywhere. Instead, tall grasses spread before them, similar to a prairie. Julietta knew there was a lake somewhere beyond the thick vegetation, but right now, there was nothing but gently rolling hills and grasses swaying slightly in the breeze.

The horses trotted happily, thankful to be out of the confines of the forest and into the open plains.

“Should we race?” Triston asked, and Julietta was taken aback once again. He was a no-nonsense person, so a race across the plains seemed...out of character for him. But perhaps she had been mistaken and didn't know the real Triston after all.

“Sure,” Julietta answered shyly, looking over at him. He gave her a smile: a true, dashing smile and she thought again how incredibly handsome he was when his frown disappeared.

“On the count of three,” he commanded, stopping Sea Breeze. Julietta followed his lead and halted Sunny, trying to ignore the sensation of Triston's eyes on her face. She finally turned, and they both looked at each other. A few seconds passed, and she felt the tug between them. Almost as if there was an invisible cord between the two, Julietta felt as though they were carved from the same stone, created from the same star. In that moment, she felt whole in a way that she never had before. It was as if she now truly existed, as if a part of her was waiting, waiting all along for her fated mate. From the look on Triston's face, Julietta knew he felt it too. His eyes widened, pupils constricting. She felt her own breath increase, and watched as his breathing synced up with hers.

Triston was the first to sever their stare, and he looked forward once more. “One...two...and THREE!”

Julietta kicked Sunny into gear, and the sweet mare took off, her hooves beating against the hard earth. Julietta was thrown back in the saddle a bit, but righted herself easily as the wind blew past her face and pulled her hair from its braids. She laughed, enjoying the freedom and the sensation of flying across the field. She glanced over at Triston, and he had a joyful, boyish look on his face. They were neck and neck, but then he pulled ahead, Sea Breeze outpacing Sunny.

Julietta was not going to give up so easily. She urged Sunny faster, giggling as a ribbon whipped from her hair, the wind swirling around it and lifting it up in the air. She turned her head slightly to follow the ribbon, but then Sunny suddenly reared up, and Julietta tumbled off her back. She felt like she was falling in slow motion, arms and legs flailing. She saw the look of fear on Triston's face, but then everything went black.

When Julietta next opened her eyes, darkness hovered above her. She could just make out a thatched roof, and her nose caught the whiff of soot from a fireplace. Her head swam with pain, all of the pressure seeming to combine together at a spot behind her ear. She tried to reach up to touch the area, but her arms felt incredibly heavy. She wiggled her toes, relieved that at least some parts of her body were moveable.

“You're awake!”

It took Julietta a split second to recognize the voice, to figure out where she was and why she was there. She was with Triston, heading to the Sun Realm...and…she had fallen. But whatever transpired after her fall was a mystery.

“What happened?” she whispered, her voice dry and scratchy.

Julietta couldn't see Triston in the darkness, but she heard him shift in his chair, as though he was anxious. His words came from her right side, and he was sitting rather close to her. She thought she could detect a hint of sea salt in the air, but she wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not. However, she was beginning to associate the scent with Triston.

“It was my fault,” he said, voice hollow, void of emotion. “I shouldn't have suggested racing.”

Ah, that was right. They had been racing, and Sunny threw her. It was odd; she had never once been thrown before. Something must have spooked the mare.

“Not your fault,” she whispered. “I was...having fun.”

It was true. Julietta was enjoying her time with Triston. He had seemed free and spirited, and she realized now that she had judged him too harshly.

“I should have kept you safe,” he argued, and Julietta braved the pain and finally turned her head to look at him.

Triston looked...terrible. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he had been weeping. She convinced herself it was just due to the dry air coming in from the eastern desert. He still hadn't shaved, and he was incredibly pale. A tiny part of her hoped that just perhaps, it was out of concern for her.

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