CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I rode all day and reached the end of the continent before the sun completely set. Due south—all I have to do is ride south and I did, I stopped at the edge of the cliff and from below, the vastness of the ocean has greeted me. But I knew better than that, I know that this is some sort or an illusion that the gates are playing tricks to keep the mortals away from the faerie lands.

I tried helding out a hand but nothing happened, I didn't felt anything. But I did not gave up. Myungsoo once said that the gates are invisible, so I tried squinting my eyes, and I saw it. It is like a thin solid sheet of sparkling barrier. I held out a hand once again but it only passes through. There must have some kind of a marker or a hole.

I study the invisible gate with a squint once again and try tapping my hands into the air. Finally, my hands touched a solid part! I mounted Jem once again and veered him towards the solid part of the gate, magic suddenly hits my nose and blinding lights greeted me.

I blinked away the temporary blindedness and look around, I am back! The cold breeze of the mortal land was now replaced with the humid air of the Day Kingdom, I can't believe it! 

I rode night and day for the next three days and stop only when it is necessary. I needed to ride fast as I could because every passing minute might put everyone into a greater danger. The dry humid lands turned into autum, and autum turned into snow covered grounds. In the spand of three tiring days, I reached the winter realm, my beloved realm! 

I did not see a single faerie by the time that I reach the  frozen stone pavement of the Winter Court. I look around and push myself to listen carefully but I didn't hear a single thing, the whole court has gone silent.

Every steps that my horse take was too loud on the pavement, and my mouth has gone dry when I took in the remains of the entrance. The huge double doors were sliced into half, broken bits of the pillars were scattered on the floor, and ice—Myungsoo's ice were gleaming almost everywhere.

I unmounted my horse and had a dagger readied at one hand, then I went further inside of the court but it was empty. "Myungsoo?" I called out, my voice echoing on the empty court. "Hello? Myungsoo, are you there?" Only silence greeted me. 

I slowly went to the dining hall and found it a lot more messier compared to the foyer. What the hell happened? I tried calling out again for somebody but I keep hearing my voice only echoing back. 

"Woohyun?" I saw dried drips of blood leading upstais. I took a deep breath before placing another dagger into my other hand and decided to follow the stains.

I never held a dagger before but I better come prepared than to be sorry. My brother only taught me how to hunt, and whenever I insist on having trainings, he refused to teach me to fight or even held weapons other than a bow and arrow. The blood stains ended in a room which I believe to be my Myungsoo's and when I peered inside, I saw that there is a huge hole in the wall.

I move closer into the room to inspect the hole but I abruptly stop as I hear a soft rustle coming from my back, I turn around and saw a cloaked figure advancing towards me. I raised a dagger to protect myself from the figure but he held out a hand. 

"Stop!" I knew that voice. 

"Woohyun?" 

"What the hell are you doing in here?! You can't be here!" Woohyun furiously said as he remove the hood of his cloak. My heart instantly became at ease upon seeing a familiar face around, I smiled. 

"Where is he?" 

"I can't tell you."

"Why?" I move closer to him but he took a step back, "He is alive, isn't he?" 

​​​​​​"Yes.. b-but" 

"Everyone is alive right?" 

"No one's dead but—"

"But what? What happened? Tell me why is the court like this? Where is everyone? Tell me everything, Woohyun. Everything." 

Woohyun became still for a moment, perhaps he is contemplating whether to push me away back to the safety of the mortal lands or tell me everything that happened. He look around first and then grabbed me by the wrist and said,  "Let us go somewhere safer."

He dragged me into a hall that I haven't seen before, it is like some sort of secret passage inside the court. Several minutes later, we stop in a circular chamber lit by a dimly by a candelabra. This room must have been the storage ro