ICE

159. Guilt and Loss

THE INTERIOR OF the city appeared to be just as she'd left it. Wooden stands overflowed with brightly colored fabrics, organic fruits, and glittering jewelry surrounded her on all sides. A backdrop of older, wooden buildings stood behind the market. Some buildings were decorated with massive windows filled with wares, marking them as storefronts. Others were closed off as residential homes. Mountains peeked over the tops of the buildings that surrounded them. Nestled against one of the earthy brown peaks was Tylat's castle. Ravenna squinted at it. It was hard to make out any particular details about the castle — just that it still stood in its original spot.

There was only a single difference that Ravenna immediately noticed: there weren't as many humans walking through the market. There were also no ice soldiers patrolling the streets, either.

Instantly, Ravenna found their target — a single desolate building constructed with rotten wood that appeared near the back of the market. It was unmarked and partially concealed within the shadows of the tall buildings around it. She assumed that Caelan knew it was the entrance and allowed him to lead her forward.

A glittering, silver necklace caught her eye. Ravenna couldn't help herself. She slowed to a stop in front of the jewelry stand that displayed the necklace and smiled at the vendor. He was a short man with a round face. He greeted her with a beaming grin.

"The market is not that busy today," she remarked off-handedly to the vendor, pointing at the necklace. The necklace provided the perfect opportunity to learn more about what had happened in Zeporia after she left.

His expression twisted. His hands carefully lifted the necklace and held it out to her. "I am unsure what you mean, miss," he said. His gaze flickered around the market. She dipped her head lower and allowed him to fasten it around her neck.

"The last time that I visited Zeporia, the streets were filled with people," she explained. She gestured toward the somewhat empty streets with a wave of her hand. "Now, it seems as though there is hardly any one around."

The vendor made another face. This time, it was tainted with a hint of sadness. He stared at the glittering necklace that adorned her neck for a moment. "You must not be from around here, then," he told her.

She shook her head. Her fingers lifted, lightly touching the necklace.

He smiled at her half-heartedly. "A lot of folks died when the prince and his new princess left," he told her. "Those wicked magic soldiers tore through the streets. A lot of our men banded together to stop them. We were successful, but we lost a lot."

The man stepped out from behind the stand, allowing his full body to come into view. As he moved, a chorus of soft metallic creaks filled the air. He chuckled and slightly lifted the material that covered his right leg, revealing a prosthetic leg made of metal. "It was worth it though," he revealed when he noticed her heartbroken expression. He released the material in his hands and then lightly patted his legs. "We took back our home and showed those creatures who's the boss."

Her stomach twisted tight into unbreakable knots. She gently returned the necklace and flashed a smile at the vendor. "Thank you for telling me," she told him. Fresh waves of guilt settled deep within her bones. She had caused so much pain and heartache for these innocent people.

A hand appeared on her shoulder. She glanced back to find Caelan. His expression was soft and somewhat cautious. Almost as if he could sense the turmoil that roiled within her mind. "Let's keep moving," he told her.

She nodded and allowed him to guide her away from the jewelry stand.

"Do you know how to get to the castle from here?" Caelan asked her. "It has been a little while since I've visited my old friend. His entrance changes every decade or so."

Ravenna winced. "When is the last time that you heard from him?" she asked.

His eyebrows furrowed. "I am not sure."

She made a face. "Ah," she muttered under her breath.

Her response seemed to trigger something within Caelan's mind — she could see the slight shift of realization that flashed within his dark eyes. A sense of sadness appeared to seep into his facial features. He exhaled heavily and straightened his shoulders. "How did he pass on?" he asked.

Ravenna grimaced. She gently grabbed his hand and started to pull him toward the abandoned building. "Let's at least go through the portal," she told him. "Away from listening ears. I will explain everything, I promise."

Caelan trusted her to lead him forward through the streets. His eyebrow arched upward with mild interest as they approached the crumbling building. Ravenna reached out with her free hand, fingers curling around the rusted door-knob. She twisted. Nothing happened. The door refused to budge.

Confusion bristled through her, chased by a hearty dose of frustration. "What in the world?" she grumbled under her breath, yanking on the door-knob. The door rattled in its frame.

"Let me try," Caelan offered.

She stepped aside and watched as Caelan reached out, a glowing hand grasping the door-knob. It easily twisted for him, allowing the door to swing open in front of them. Annoyance marred Ravenna's expression. She glanced down at her own hand and stared at it for a moment. She heard Caelan chuckle. "As with most spelled-doors, it required magic to enter," he explained.

"I figured that," she responded. She squeezed her eyes shut and stepped forward, over the threshold. An invisible line of pressure slowly moved across her body — the forcefield that Tylat had created to keep non-magical beings from gaining access to his castle. Once the pressure vanished, Ravenna exhaled a sigh of relief and opened her eyes. She feared that, like the door, the forcefield would reject her as well.

She glanced around. They stood at the base of a familiar wooden gate. A forest of thin, wiry trees stretched out in front of them. The trees featured familiar evergreen-striped trunks and strange, alabaster colored leaves. A bead of nervousness formed within Ravenna's stomach. She turned and met Caelan's gaze. Her hand still tightly grasped his.

"I'm sorry," she told him. Her voice was soft. "Tylat passed away before we got to Zeporia. I am unsure how exactly he died. All we know is that he performed a spell before he passed that spell tied his assistant's life-force with the castle itself, keeping the castle alive. The assistant was posing as Tylat when we arrived. He attempted to kill me but was unsuccessful."

She watched Caelan's face, waiting for any sort of change within his expression. Caelan remained composed — his expression veiled behind a shield of stoicism. A frown tugged at her features. "Vyses was able to place a spell on the castle — he stayed here for a while, after I left with Eoin. I am unsure what state the castle is in currently. It could be in ruins now."

He stared at her for a moment. The stoicism faded from his eyes as he turned his gaze toward the sky above them, a sliver of sadness flashing across his dark irises. "All life has its end," he told her. A gentle sigh escaped him and he transferred his gaze to the trees that waited in front of them. "We need to keep moving. This forest will only make it harder to travel, now that it has no master to tame it."