Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Other than witnessing Fenren’s gruesome death, it’s been kind of a good day, at least until we approached the River of Souls and noticed the insistent howl coming from the fjord ahead.
[What are those voices?] I ask telepathically, because that’s something I can apparently do now.
Sylvan strokes my nape with his gentle fingers. I love him so much I have the urge to wag my tail every time he does that. “It’s… the souls carried by the river. If you want, we can climb down and see it from up close, but it’s not a pleasant place.”
I miss a step but regain my footing, saving us both from tumbling to the black moss under my paws. Memories of choking, oily water, of floating without purpose, and the growing sense of doom flood back, and I shake my head. But a part of me still wants to see the place where I could have ended up, so I approach the cliff and peek past the edge, at dark, dark waters rolling forward and pouring into the ocean to our right.
A shudder goes along my back, but I don’t avert my eyes, and try to recognize human-like shapes below.
[What happens to them once they reach the ocean?]
Sylvan hums. “We believe they are consumed by Heartbreak, the monster from the deep sea. But I doubt they are conscious at that point. Their darkened hearts fuel the beast, and every time it gains enough strength, it approaches the Nocturne Court. We do not know its true origin. Whether it is a hateful creature with a mind of its own, or an event comparable to a violent storm, remains a mystery. I’ve been studying alternative ways to fight it, trying to find out what else it could be vulnerable to.”
I look away from the river below and seek another way past the chasm. Once I spot a stone bridge with torn flags floating in the air on either side of the fjord, I trot along the cliff, eager to leave this cursed place behind me. [Is it really so difficult to pull out a soul?]
“Oh, they are all desperate to get out, but have you ever tried saving a drowning man? They are so overcome with the need to save themselves they will pull you in if you are not strong enough. Many have tried using rope and the like, but no alternative method proved effective. You need to catch the soul with your bare hands. And that’s why my sister died. She overestimated her capabilities and chose a soul that easily overpowered her. I’ve heard of elves getting lucky in their attempts, but oftentimes, other souls will hang on to the one you’re trying to free. Let’s just say, I never even considered attempting the feat myself. Yet all royals, even those without Companions, are expected to fight Heartbreak when it approaches. And I… I fled. I brought shame upon myself while my brother died defending innocent lives.”
I sense his grief and shame so deeply it tears a howl from my throat. Poor Sylvan does not deserve to blame himself. [What’s the point of facing an enemy you can’t compete with? You would have died for nothing.]
“At least I would have not dishonored my family. My mother thinks honor is for fools, but she finds it important we maintain its facade in public. I failed. I think…” He squeezes my fur. “I think she’s angry I’m the one who came back instead of my brother.”
I whine. [That’s terrible! Your mom is even worse than my family, and you’ve met them!]
“I see it.” He sighs as we travel under the cover of trees. “Since I met you, all I could think of was that your presence at my side would force her to respect me in some fashion. Then, I obtained the Sunwolf Crown to further put myself into the annals of history. After years of being constantly laughed at and demeaned, I craved the taste of victory, but should spite really be the point of my existence? Your approval, my darling, is worth more than even the crown of the Nocturne Court.” He leans down and kisses me between the ears.
I’m overcome by a wave of joy and leap up as soon as he pulls his face away from my skull. I now understand why dogs enjoy being scratched there, because it’s the best. [That’s their loss and my gain. You are so smart, you know all those alchemy things, and about animals and places. You can do anything you put your mind to,] I communicate to him as we reach the bridge. It doesn’t appear to be used or frequently maintained, but nothing happens when I cautiously take my first step over the chasm, so forward it is.
Fortunately, there are walls on both sides of me, which block out wind and at least some of the noise coming from the river.