She takes her knife out again.

" Because its stupid. "

A faint metallic rustling drifted over the wind, like thousands of knives scraping together. As the Iron knight stood motionless on the hill, an enormous pack of spindly legged creatures appeared around him. Claws flashing, limbs jerking sporadically, the wire-fey crowded the hilltop like huge spiders, gleaming in the sun. Ash went pale as the knight raised a hand toward them, sending the entire pack skittering down the hill. Ash and his mount sped past Isiea, Ash grabbing her in the process and pulling her up



"Why is it stupid?"

" cause it just is. I don't want to be a princess. "

She clings to him tightly. Her fever is getting worse- he can feel how overheated she is.

"Then just consider it as a nickname and nothing more."



The faery steed ate up the ground as it charged through the forest, its hooves making almost no noise in the snow. The trees flew by at a terrifying speed as the horse plunged between trunks and over logs. Thankfully, Ash seemed to know where he was going. Behind them, the metallic skittering of the wire-fey echoed on the wind, never fading or falling behind. Ash had no idea what to do about her fever...especially if it's just getting worse.

" that's harder than it sounds. "

Her hands are getting seriously sore. But they can't do much about that, either.

"Why? It doesn't sound that hard."




The trees fell away, and a steep incline soared above them, jagged rocks covered in ice as smooth as glass. The hooves of the Winter-born faery steed charged up the hill without hesitation. It felt like they were running up a wall.

She clings to Ash silently, closing her eyes. She feels extremely lethargic, even though she slept just a little while ago.