CHAPTER 161: CHAPTER 161 THE FAE’S REALM (BONUS)

(Third POV)

The late morning sun filtered through the thick branches of the pine forest, casting rays of light on the narrow path ahead. Three horses trotted steadily through the trees.

Damon rode at the front, his eyes fixed ahead. His expression gave away nothing, as they remained unreadable as stone. Beside him, Alaric shifted restlessly in his saddle, clearly not enjoying the silence, or the journey. At the rear, Theo held the reins of his horse tightly, his glasses glinting under the dappled light.

"I still can’t believe we’re doing this," Alaric muttered under his breath, breaking the quiet. His voice carried more disbelief than anger.

Damon didn’t answer. His jaw remained clenched, and his gaze stayed locked on the path.

"You hate the fae," Alaric continued, his tone incredulous. "You’ve never even stepped near their border, let alone inside. And now suddenly there’s something important for you to do there? This..."

Theo glanced between the two of them, frowning slightly. ’Is this... because of Ember?’ he thought to himself. ’But she is dead. What could be the important thing that he wants to do there? If the fae finds us we are as good as dead. Why risk our lives?’

"Too many questions," Damon said flatly, cutting Alaric off.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it left no room for argument. It brought silence back to the group like a curtain falling between them.

Theo looked down at the reins in his hands. Alaric blew out a breath through his nose but didn’t speak again.

The forest around them began to change. The air felt cooler, the wind sharper, and a strange shimmer passed between the trees. The scent of moss and damp magic filled the air.

A sign that they were getting close.

The trees thinned as the path curved toward a clearing. Up ahead, the sunlight hit something invisible and refracted back in delicate waves. It was the fae barrier.

They reined their horses to a stop.

Before them stood a wall made of nothing, yet unmistakably there. The air shimmered where the barrier stood, stretching from one edge of the forest to the other.

It rippled like disturbed water, gently pulsing with magic. And nothing could be seen beyond it, only swirling colors and faint flashes of light, as though the realm on the other side were refusing to be fully revealed.

Alaric stared at the wall and frowned. "How exactly are we supposed to get through that? Even witches can’t cross without permission."

Theo adjusted his glasses and leaned forward in his saddle, squinting. "It’s definitely fae magic. And it looks so advanced, I don’t think it is the kind you can brute-force through."

Damon dismounted and stepped toward the barrier. The wind brushed against his skin, but the closer he got, the more he felt a tingle of energy prickling along his arms. Beowulf paced inside him, he didn’t like the feeling of magic.

Damon raised his hand. It hovered inches from the wall, his fingers slightly spread.

He never thought he would rely on the magic given to him by the same fae princess he had once ripped apart. But that magic still lived inside him, buried deep beneath his own. A gift or a curse, whatever it was, it was still inside him

His fingers met the barrier, a faint light forming on his hand, then the wall split open. A narrow passage formed, wide enough for them and the horses to pass through. The swirling colors reeled back, revealing the path beyond.

Theo’s eyes widened. "What the hell..." he muttered, pushing his glasses up quickly before they fell off his nose.

Alaric blinked slowly. "Well... that’s new."

Damon turned back to them. "From this moment on, no one shifts," he said. "No growling, no baring fangs, no slipping. We’re in their territory now, and if we show even a hint of aggression, we’re done."

Midnight, Alaric’s wolf, whimpered from inside, already straining against the idea of being silenced.

"We’re not here to start a fight," Damon added. "We’re here for something far more important."

He stepped through the passage first.

Theo and Alaric followed with hesitation, guiding their horses behind him. The moment their last step crossed into the fae realm, the barrier sealed shut behind them.

......

(Damon POV)

The moment I stepped through the portal, the air changed. It smelled like rain and something sweeter. Magic hung thick in every breath, and my skin prickled, and Beowulf paced inside me, uneasy but quiet. Even he knew this wasn’t our land anymore.

I glanced behind me. The barrier had vanished, sealed again without a sound. The trees glowed faintly under the enchantment of the realm. The bark shimmered with gold veins. The grass looked too green. Everything here felt like it was alive, like it was watching us.

Theo was still adjusting his glasses, his eyes darting from tree to tree. "This place is... insane."

Alaric looked uncomfortable. Midnight was already pushing against the surface, unhappy with the magic crawling over our skin.

But I had to be here. I hadn’t told them what I was really looking for. I didn’t know what I’d find. Ember? The truth? Closure? Or maybe all of it? Maybe none?

All I knew was that the bracelet still pulsed faintly under my skin. She was somewhere in this cursed land and this time, I was not going to lose her again.

We moved slowly through the forest.

The horses’ hooves sank silently into the moss-covered earth. There were no sounds of birds, or animals moving through the trees, it was like the entire realm was holding its breath.

Theo kept looking around with wide eyes, muttering things under his breath. I could hear his heart beating faster than usual.

"Are the trees glowing?" he whispered.

"They are," Alaric answered flatly. "That one just blinked at me."

I didn’t comment. I could feel the realm watching us too. The fae had a way of blending into their environment. And I didn’t know if we were alone... or being hunted.

The path wasn’t clear, but the bracelet still tugged at me. I followed it without thinking, trusting whatever bond remained. It was faint, but it was real. And I was going to follow it even if it led me to the center of the fae court itself.