Chapter 139 - Shoulders

Standing on the top of a hill, Anastasia looked down at the vast expanse of ocean that was covered with dense white fog that had traveled up to almost where they were. She could hear the waves of the ocean splashing the rugged stones of the hill. Soft gusts of cool wind ruffled her hair. "Are we standing at the edge of Zmjia?" she asked, mesmerized by the scene in front of her. Her eyes drifted to the tall mountains on the left that were covered with white rolling mist and only the top of the dense trees was visible. 

"Nope! We are in Tongass," Ileus replied as he pursed his lips. 

Her eyes became wide with shock and then adrenaline surged through her body making her excited. Her lips parted. "B— but you said Zmjia!" She couldn't believe that Theodir was so determined to send them to Tongass.

Ileus held her hand and turned around to walk. "Yes, I did. If Theodir has sent us here, then he has a reason, which I am determined to understand," he said in a steady lower pitched determined voice. He gazed ahead of them with a set jaw as he scanned the surroundings. Pressing his lips together and holding his chin high, mentally he had already started planning for obstacles and strategizing ways to overcome them. 

The ground was covered with tall grass and trees reaching higher than skyscrapers of the modern cities stood in front of them. "Let's go," he said. 

"Where are we going?" she asked, as she started to follow him. 

"To the Ivorpool," he replied with a tight facial expression. 

As she walked through the tall trees of ancient pines, spruce and hemlocks that stood like silent sentries over a mysterious land, she heard intermittent screeches of eagles and silent growls of animals. Although she kept close to Ileus, she felt as if the forest eyes were watching her. 

Over the last few days, Anastasia's ears had become slightly pointy. Her fae features were more prominent now. Because of the right treatment at Evindal, her body was flushed of most of the poison. Still, Ilyana had given Ileus a large bottle of greenish-red potion, which was more of a paste and had instructed him to give it to her at regular intervals. She had said that it would take at least another two weeks for her body to recover completely. The result of the right medicine was that Anastasia's fae features were revealing. Her almond shaped eyes were more defined and the eyelashes had grown thicker. Her lips were fuller, red like a cheery and pouted. 

Suddenly realizing it all, Ileus stopped. He opened her hair and then to cover her pointy ears, he asked her to braid two plaits. Since her hair had also grown voluminous and flowed like streams of sunshine, he helped her make tight braids. "There, it is better now!" he said, admiring his work. It was awful. Even though her ears were covered, hair stuck out from every inch. "Don't you try to tuck your hair behind those ears, okay?" 

"I won't," she assured him and smiled proudly at him.

As they walked through the constant dance of clouds and lights, she noticed how thick fog had blanketed the leaves and woods with dewdrops. Rumble of water currents falling down and running with speed somewhere on the right marred the otherwise quietness of the forest. The temperature was mild. Occasional angry chirrups of insects sounded where their feet tread. Ileus had made sure that she was wearing hiker shorts and a breezy tee cropped at the waist with rugged leather boots. Her dagger was strapped to her thigh. 

She jumped over one of the remains of moldy ancient trees that had littered the forest floor. "Why are we going to Ivorpool?" she asked. "Theodir has sent us to Tongass, which means that we should think of a way to find the clue that he had so cryptically mentioned!" She was irritated. Looking at the vast expanse of Tongass, how the hell would one find a clue? Has Theodir ever come here? She was definitely going to question him the next time she met him. 

"Ivorpool is a part of Tongass," he replied as he removed a vine hanging in their way and held it until she walked forward. "It is the only place where I can use my magic." 

"You mean it is an enchanted area?" she asked amusedly, as her gaze traveled to the twisted roots of giant trees under which the rotting logs had become a nursery to a variety of small plants. 

"It is enchanted and the only place where I hope to find a clue." He didn't tell her how big it was. 

"And when are we going to reach it?" 

"I hope by noon!" He could feel the feather light pulse of magic that surrounded Ivorpool. He was determined to follow that direction towards the east. 

She pouted. "I miss the horses!" 

He chuckled and kicked a log to clear the way. "Once we reach Ivorpool, I will help you with travelling." 

"You can help me now too," she said. 

"And how is that?" 

"Well, I can sit on your shoulders," she suggested meekly, possessively. 

He stopped and tilted his head. "Do you know what is going to happen after that?" 

"What?" She stopped too and placed her hands on her waist. 

"We won't be able to make it to Ivorpool even by tomorrow." 

"I am not so heavy!" she retaliated.

"But you are delectable," he replied in a throaty voice, looking at her intensely. 

At first she gave him a blank stare and then… she blushed to the root of her hair. "You are obscene!" She spun and increased her speed.

"When did I ever say I am refined or morally correct?" he asked as he followed her with a half smile. 

"Oh! You should ask me!" 

"Well, why don't you point out five times when I have been obscene," he asked, now totally interested in this argument. 

"I can tell you two times when you have tried to be decent." 

"Ah! Tell me then." 

And Anastasia couldn't think of even those two times. The man had been absolutely shameless every time. Even in Sgiath Biò, he was least bothered about the others and continued his amorous play with her. She blew off a strand of hair on her eyes in exasperation. "You are too shameless!" she said as her hopes of sitting on his shoulders dashed. 

The forest had become darker. For the next one hour, Ileus continued to give her water in order to hydrate her. It had numerous small shallow brooks with pure water flowing through them. He would keep filling his canteen with that. In order to keep her entertained and energized, he told her anecdotes of his school days. 

"You were quite a naughty boy!" she chuckled at one of the stories. 

"And you are quite a beautiful woman, Anastasia," a low snarl came. 

Anastasia whipped her head to find the source and she found two men and a woman barely ten feet away. The girl bared her fangs and licked them. Standing in the middle, she rested her hands on both the men and looked at her hungrily. 

Vampirs. 

Goose bumps lined her skin. How did they know her name? Her hand went lower to her dagger.

Ileus snarled, as he came to stand right behind her.