Divided Realms, the Complete Collection by Kim Richardson

Author:Kim Richardson [Richardson, Kim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kim Richardson

16

My heart was heavy with sorrow as we continued on our journey to the capital. The road was overgrown with tall grasses and scrubby pine, but the animals moved with ease and grace, even the elk. A flock of small pink birds with long feathered tails like two strips of delicate lace flew over our heads chirping happily, free and without a care in the world.

With every passing hour, my heart pounded faster and faster. Even in the cool air, my body felt on fire. My shirt was soaked in sweat and clung to my back and chest. Beads of sweat trickled down between my breasts. I was a mess, and I smelled like a vagrant from the Pit. Hell, I probably looked like one.

I’d cry if I dared to look back at the men, and I didn’t want to arrive in Lunaris with red eyes and a puffy face. And so I rode on with an increasing dread in my soul.

The road widened. It was flat and hard with signs of frequent travel. To the south, a village cozied up to the mountains and forests. Soon, wooden and stone buildings began to appear on either side of the road. Many of them had large, lavish manicured lawns, and they reminded me of the villas back home. But as we got closer I could see that the architecture was different. The buildings were not square, but circular, and their designs included many curved shapes with bowed windows and doors. Some of them were nearly ten stories high. And what made them most interesting was that they were all decorated with magical symbols. I couldn’t help but marvel at the buildings. They were beautiful and unique. But my admiration faded as I remembered the slaves we had seen in the fields.

The main road wound between and around the buildings as we made our way through the town. I kept my head low, but I could see that the town was bustling with witches.

The women wore vibrant colored gowns. Some draped over their shoulders and wrapped around their waists baring their midriffs, while others were halter necked and backless. All of them were tailored from rich, silk-like material. They were most unlike the dull brown and tawny colors I was used to seeing back in the Pit. The men wore tailored knee-length coats that buttoned up to the collar and were made of the same vibrant silks.

One of the female witches had glowing hair the color of a hot flame, while other female witches had regular blonde tresses. Like Fawkes, all their hair sparkled in the sun like they had washed it with liquid gemstones. A few witches glanced up as we passed, but most of them completely ignored us. I thanked the Goddess that Fawkes’ spell was still working.

After a few hours of riding through outlying districts, we crested a hill and finally came upon the capital.

Lunaris was situated on a picturesque lake and surrounded by fertile green hills of towering pine forests and chiseled mountain peaks.

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