ICE

160. Warm and Soft

RAVENNA TRAILED BEHIND Caelan, allowing him to lead her through the forest. The trees seemed to cluster tighter together, compared to her memories of the forest. Thick bushels of alabaster leaves entwined and each striped tree-trunk stood so close that they appeared as one solid wall of vertical evergreen. It was impossible to tell which direction they were going. No castle towers poked above the treetops.

One step sent a blossom of pain racing through Ravenna's chest. It amplified with each step that she took. Her breathing became labored. She slowed down a bit, her hand lightly touching the material that covered her chest. Caelan noticed immediately. He paused and turned toward her, watching carefully to make sure that she was alright.

"I am fine," she assured him. Her voice was hoarse and strained with pain. She straightened her back and shot him a smile. She did not want to waste any more of his time with her injuries. She smiled at him and continued, "Once we get into the castle, I can just sleep it off."

Caelan frowned at her but continued walking.

The strange trees began to thin around them. More and more sunlight poked through the cracks within the trees. Ravenna moved a little faster — fueled by a mixture of excitement and adrenaline. She just wanted to get inside the castle and find a chair, or even a bed to rest in. She did not actually need sleep, but the idea of laying down in a decent bed excited her — especially after her time locked away in the dungeon. Caelan matched her pace easily, watching her from the corner of his eyes.

A small gasp escaped Ravenna as the forest opened into a familiar clearing — a clearing that rested at the base of a mountain. She slowed to a stop and just stared, her shoulders dropped and her mouth slightly agape.

Piles of jagged stones lay scattered about at the base of a partially erect stone wall. Attached to one side of the stone wall was a pair of iron doors, engraved with elegant, angry dragons that barred their fangs at each other. A small gust of wind kissed Ravenna's cheeks, sending a chill racing through her spine. The wind caused the rubble to stir, clouds of dust dancing in the air as pebbles crumbled away from the few remaining walls that stood upright.

The castle was in ruins. The sight stole her breath away. She chanced a small look at Caelan, nervous about his reaction.

Caelan seemed unfazed. He surveyed the ruins, his face void of any emotion. He moved forward toward the doors. As he approached the door, he lifted his palm and pressed it flat against the door. A flash of white rippled across the surface of the door, like a pebble piercing the surface of stilled water. Caelan paused for a moment and then lowered his palm away from the door. He stepped back a bit.

"Stay back," he warned Ravenna.

She shuffled back a bit, putting more distance between her and the crumbling ruins of the castle. The movement sent sparks of fiery pain racing through her veins.

Caelan positioned his feet wider apart, almost bracing himself against an invisible force. Swirls of bright magic appeared within his hands, dancing across his knuckles and stretching up the length of his forearms like illuminated veins. His hands moved quick, moving as if he were lifting something very heavy into the air.

The earth began to tremble beneath their feet. Small rocks and pebbles bounced atop the ground. Ravenna's eyes grew wide. She fought against the impulse to fall downward, struggling to maintain balance as the quakes became more violent. Her mouth fell open slightly as she watched the rubble in front of her lift into the air. The stones levitated for a moment, hovering above the iron doors. Then slowly the stones began to move, swirling around in the air like like dust in the wind. It moved faster and faster until it blurred completely. A glowing white sphere appeared in the center, growing until it engulfed each individual stone. A single second passed and then the stones froze mid-air.

Each glowing stone started to drop, hard and precise, into its spot. Almost like a toy puzzle violently piecing itself together. The walls of the castle started to appear, growing taller and taller. The thin towers formed, stretching high toward the heavens. Thin windows appeared within the stones. Two dragon statues flanked the either side of the heavy iron doors, their stony expressions fierce and guarded.

The glowing magic started to fade away, revealing freshly carved stones and polished iron — no leafy green vines in sight. When the magic faded completely, Caelan lowered his arms. His chest lifted around a heavy breath. He glanced back over his shoulder, gaze scanning the trees behind him until he spotted Ravenna.

She tried to smile at him, her hands curled tight around a lower tree-branch for stability. "That was really fun to watch," she wheezed as he approached her.

His frown grew more apparent. "That spell should replenish the life of the castle for a few more years. How is your chest?"

"I am fine," she tried to assure him.

He stared at her for a moment, an unreadable emotion swimming within his irises. He watched as she took a hesitant step forward, releasing her iron-tight grip on the tree branch. Pain splintered through her body, tugging on the thin skin that stretched across her chest. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes for a moment.

Hands gently grabbed her. Ravenna's eyes shot open — just as Caelan swept her up into his arms and cradled her against his chest. The swift movement allowed a pained cry to escape her as a flash of fiery pain flared across her skin. Hot tears formed at the corners of her eyes, blurring the edges of her vision.

"Let's go inside now," she heard him say. His voice sounded warm and soft. It was so close to her ears that it stirred a swarm of fluttering butterflies within her.

She nodded and rested her cheek against him. "Okay," she breathed out.