The Truth - Part 2

'I have a feeling you don't understand that I'm here to talk to anymore,' Shadowmere says into my mind.

'Of course I do, Shadow,' I decided to shorten his name some since it was a mouthful to say Shadowmere. 'I've just been thinking about some things.'

'Well, I'm here to help you sort them out,' Shadow says letting out a snort from under me. 'We've been riding for days anyway. Might as well talk and make use of this ridiculous amount of time we have.'

I sigh and look at Donae, "How far is this place we're going to now?"

'Hmph,' Shadow says stopping, 'I meant talk to me.'

'I will but I'm tired of riding and I want a warm bed and fresh rations. I'm sure you would like a warm place to sleep and some more company,' I think to Shadow. "I think my mount is getting frustrated," I say to Donae, whom stopped because my mount decided he was gonna pout.

Donae laughs and says, "He's protesting, huh? Let me guess, you haven't talked to him in a few days?"

'No,' Shadow says beneath me.

"No, I'm not used to being able to talk to an animal or anything through mind," I say rolling my eyes at Shadow's remark.

Donae laughs again and smiles at me, "We should rest. I wanted to talk with you anyway." I nod and dismount patting Shadow's neck. 'I'm sure you'll want to know what it's about so ask when I get back and I might tell you,' I think to him while leading him to the stream we stopped by.

After tying our horses up to a tree near the stream Donae and I begin to walk through the woods, following the stream.

"So," Donae says when we get out of earshot of the animals, "I want to know about this other world. Like do you have any family there?"

I almost start to cry but compose myself as soon as Donae sees my face. "Not anymore," I say quietly.

Donae looks at me sadly, "I'm sorry. I should've known." He had read the book on my family history for the past two nights.

I shake my head, "You couldn't have known the curse had already taken my parents and the rest of my family."

He shakes his head and stoops down to splash water on his face, "The fact that you're here alone should've told me."

I sigh and put my hand on his back, "It's okay, don't feel bad. It's not like it's a big deal. I've lost everyone but my best friend."

Donae looks at me sadly, "I feel I need to help you because you're something special, Tallia. My leader sent me because our prophet sensed a light coming from the castle. Instead of the usual darkness that surrounds it."

I look into the clear water and imagine it coming onto the land and making a small statue of a girl with faerie wings. "I wish I could explain that but I know little to nothing of this world," then I look at the statue and realize it had actually formed. "Like I don't know how this happened," I say picking up the statue, which hardens to glass at my touch.

He looks at the statue in amazement, "There's only one other person I've ever known to be able to do that, and he's the one who sent me." He lightly touches the statue in my hand, "My leader Nilicas."

~~~♢~~~

"We're nearing the town now, just keep your hood up and back straight and we won't be questioned," Donae says putting his hood down, it took us two more days to get to this town and he said that our main destination was still five days off.

'I'm so ready to be able to sleep in a bed,' I think to Shadow, making him walk near Donae's mount.

'Well, I'm just glad you're getting a hold of this mind talking thing,' he replies with a snort.

I roll my eyes. "Where will we be resting?" I ask Donae as we get closer to the town.

He looks over at me and winks, "I'll handle that." Ever since I made that statue he's been winking and joking nonstop.

I glance at the saddle bag I keep the statue in and sigh, 'If you would like, Shadow, please tell me everything you know about this world.'

'Well,' Shadow says, 'first of all most people are able to communicate with anyone they are close to through mind. Although these bonds are weak and only work when they're in close proximity to each other. Animals and humans, on the other hand, have soul bonds, which are much stronger. They are able to speak through mind even when one is in another kingdom. The bond never falters and will always be strong. The different types of magik here are faerie, which have four groups; mage, which has two main groups that branch off; daemon, which has only one important group; dragon, which has three groups; and mästare, which is only held by one human that consists of all the powers in all the groups of magik.'

That last one catches my attention, 'How can only one human hold that much magikal power?'

'I don't know,' Shadow says stopping beside Donae's mount, 'ask your friend. You two seem close enough to start a war.'

'What are you talking about?'

'You really don't have any idea who he is?' Shadow snorts, which sounds like laughter, 'I'm not going to be the one to tell you that, although if you get any closer to him he might.'

I shake my head at Shadow and ride forward into the town as Donae instructed.

~~~♢~~~

"Hello," Donae says to the man behind the counter, "room for two please." The man glances at me then nods and hands Donae a key. "Thank you, sir," Donae says turning towards me and, lightly gripping my hand, leads me to the room.

"This is a lovely room," I say looking around. There is an area off to the side that has a curtain that cuts that part of the room from my view. There is only one large bed in the center of the back wall and a comfortable looking couch near the left side facing a wardrobe type dresser.

"Behind the curtain is the bath and toilet," Donae says motioning towards the dark blue curtain. "I'll let you take a bath first and there is some fresh clothes in the wardrobe, so feel free to pack some and dress how you please." He smiles and eyes me up and down.

I blush and say, "And what will you be doing while I'm bathing and dressing?"

He winks at me and says, "Don't worry about that."

I laugh and turn to go behind the curtain, " Well, have fun. You better not be in here when I come out to change."

He chuckles and mock bows to me, "As you wish, madame." He walks out of the room with a final wink.

I roll my eyes and turn to the warm bath that was drawn for them before they went to the room. 'Who is he?' I think as I slowly lower myself into the water.

Humming and lightly washing myself with the soap the inn provided, I think over everything that has happened just in the past month. I sigh as my muscles loosen and I start to realize that I'm in a world I know nothing about with a man I don't know and I don't know what I am.

I get out of the bath and wrapped the soft fabric that was provided as a towel around me.

Sighing I walk back into the main portion of the room and open the wardrobe. "Woah," is all I can say at the sight within.

Dresses and riding clothes lined the shelves and hung from any available space. The dresses ranged in color from the lightest whites to the darkest black, reds to blues, even silvers to golds. There were night gowns and evening gowns, high heels and flats, floppy hats and small hair jewels. All I could do was stand in awe, not realizing until the door to the room started to open that my towel had started slipping from around me.

I quickly secure the towel around me and glared at the person who just walked in, interrupting my gawking. "You had to come back right before I got dressed," I say rolling my eyes at Donae.

"I figured you would be done by now," he says smirking. "Need help deciding what to put on? Or would you rather not get dressed?" He starts to walk towards the wardrobe and lightly pulls out a light pink night gown.

I carefully take it out of his hand and say, "Thanks but I don't think I'm going to change in front of you."

He chuckles and walks behind the curtain, throwing his clothes on the floor where I can clearly see them. "Hope you get dressed before I'm done, beautiful," he says as I hear the sound of him sighing as he gets in the bath.

I roll my eyes and slip into the nightgown then towel dry my hair. Laying the towel on the couch and walking to the bed I start to hum the melody to Fight Song by Rachel Platten. I faintly hear the sound of Donae chuckling before passing out on the soft bed.