Kylia and the House of the Veil

I woke to a soft warm breeze against my bare arm. I opened my eyes to find light, though still dim as the sun hadn’t quite risen above the horizon. I sat up with a yawn, taking in my large, beautiful white marble room. Lovely marigold flowers collected for me to warm the cold winter atmosphere sat in beautiful vases.

I felt the warmth brush my arm again and smiled, “Good morning, Fritz.”

The resident Sylph of the hotel, invisible to my human eyes, brushed my hand with his touch that resembled a warm breeze. I spoke as I climbed out of bed, revealing my white nightgown, “What is it? It’s awfully early. Is something wrong?”

I felt the warm breeze against my back and turned around to see the door across the room open slightly. I could understand what he wanted, “Alright, I’ll follow you. Lead the way.” I quickly grabbed my long red robe and pulled it on around me as I headed out of the room into the silent hallway. I picked up a small lamp that sat on the tiny table outside my door, my tough lighting the magical glow of white fairy lights, and headed down the hall.

I continued on until I came to the elevator, which opened for me. I stepped on and watched the button for the lobby press on its own. I knew it was Fritz, so I spoke as the elevator headed down, “Just what is wrong, Fritz? Is it something to do with the guests?”

I felt the breeze against my left hand. That was something Fritz and I came up with so he could answer me. Left hand meant no, while the right hand meant yes.

I spoke again, “Then is it one of the residents?” The breeze touched my left hand again.

I found that a bit surprising, “What about the staff?” Left hand again. “So it’s not anyone living in the hotel? Then is it someone in trouble at all?” Warmth on my right hand. “Then who else is there? Someone outside the hotel perhaps, like Lord Atticus?” This time my right hand.

I stepped off the elevator once it opened at the floor atop the grand sweeping staircases that split and curve to either the left or the right, until it reached the beautiful lobby. Of course, the colorful fairy lights of the giant Christmas tree gave light to the otherwise dark room, along with the lights of the many other incredible decorations that continued to fill me with awe.

As I walked down the steps, I continued, “Is something wrong with Lord Atticus?” My left hand this time.

I tried to think as I slipped on a pair of boots and a long, thick coat from a storage closet by the front doors. Someone other than Lord Atticus outside the hotel?

I followed the warm breeze from the direction of the doors and stepped out into the cold winter air. The forest clearing around the grand House of the Veil was blanketed in soft snow, only adding to the beauty of the hotel it surrounded. A perfect winter morning, even if it was very cold.

As I stepped out into the snow, I quickly remembered the only other person who lived in the woods aside from Lord Atticus, “Oh no. You don’t mean something happened to Caspian, do you?” The warm breeze, which was very easy to feel against the cold of the winter winds, touched my right hand.

I hurried off, letting the soft light of the early dawn help my fairy light to guide me through the woods, “Then we must hurry. Is he hurt?” A breeze touched both my hands. This meant he really didn’t know the answer to that. I found that strange. He was hurt, but he also wasn’t? What could that mean?

I understood when I arrived at Caspian’s pond. It was a rather large pool of water, more of a very large spring really, except it was actually much deeper than it would seem at first. However, I was surprised to see it’s condition now.

The pond, which Caspian had kept from freezing through the winter with his abilities as a Nokken, was now solid ice, “Oh no. Caspian.” I hurried over, but was careful not to step out on the ice. There was no telling if it was really as solid as it looked, and I couldn’t risk falling in when it was clearly freezing.

I found a nearby branch, sat down my lamp, and struck the ice to see how thick it was. I was actually surprised when my branch broke and left not even a crack. It really was solid. I tossed aside the broken piece and called out over the ice, “Caspian? Caspian, can you hear me?” No response. He always answered me.

I felt worried. I knew Nokkens could live underwater and could handle the cold rather well, but I also knew that Nokkens needed to breathe air too. They didn’t breathe underwater, just held the air much longer than others, but certainly not forever. It was why they were always careful of fishermen, the fishing nets posing the risk of drowning them. Caspian had told me stories of evil Nokkens who would steal women and children who would be hunted by fishermen covering their ponds a full day. This would drown the evil Nokken and stop it for good.

My worry only deepened. That was why Caspian was careful not to let his pond freeze, since this was the only way to the surface for him to breathe. I then remembered his cove at the bottom. He had used his magic to create an air pocket inside it when he would bring me to visit him, but that kind of magic could only be used at night. With the dawn growing closer, he wouldn’t be able to use such a spell for long, that was if he didn’t already used it up. If he had been frozen in all night, he would have to be weak by now, and that filled me with dread. Could he have already drowned?

There was only one way to save him. I wasn’t strong enough, but I knew someone who was. I took a deep breath of the icy cold air and yelled out into the trees around me, “Lord Atticus!” I waited a moment before calling again, “I need your help, Lord Atticus! Please, hurry!”

If I were anyone else, this would have angered the fairly territorial and currently hibernating landlord, but he had told me himself that if I ever needed him, I would only need to call for him. I only hoped he wasn’t too deep in his hibernation to hear me. I didn’t actually know where his hibernation burrow was, but I knew he wasn’t too far from his cave, which was just East of the pond. He would hear me, if he wasn’t too deep in his sleep.

Just then, the ground shook under my feet. I watched as the ground not far ahead of me erupted and a large form rose to tower over me. I quickly made out the dirty form of Lord Atticus. His bare, dark-skinned torso was now darker against the white of the snow, his long black hair was hanging in a jet-black mess in his face, and I could make out the top of his red snake tail in place of his legs. However, his golden eyes were as sharp as ever as they fell on me, even if his face looked tired.

I called up to him, “I am sorry for waking you, Lord Atticus, but I need your help.”

He leaned down, his eyes squinting a bit against the bright, white snow after being underground for several weeks. He spoke calmly, his powerful voice softer than usual, “Miss Kylia?”

I nodded, “Yes, it’s me. I need help getting to Caspian. I’m afraid he might be trapped.” I turned to the pond, which pulled Lord Atticus’s attention to it. I spoke again, “It’s awfully thick. I fear he’s been trapped under there for a while, and with dawn on the way, he can’t have much time left.” I looked up at him, “Can you please help get him free, sir? Please?”

Lord Atticus gave a tired nod, “Of course.” He lifted his hand and laid it against the ice. I watched as he put pressure on the ice, causing it to start cracking loudly, before finally smashing apart as his hand broke through. He lifted his hand, holding many of the ice chunks so there was a large empty space in the ice, plenty of room for Caspian to surface.

Lord Atticus looked at the chucks of shockingly thick ice in his palm, a look of concern on his face, “How odd.” He shifted the pieces around as he spoke, seemingly speaking more to himself, “How is the ice so thick? It cannot be that cold. I would have felt it in my burrow if it had at any time gotten cold enough for such a freeze.” If this had been any other moment, Lord Atticus would have had all my attention, but I wasn't listening as I waited anxiously for Caspian to surface.

Just then, Caspian’s head broke the surface with a loud gasp for breath. I felt such relief to see him as he swam over to the water’s edge, looking rather out of breath. I carefully helped him out of the water, his short black and moss-green hair as wet as his moss-colored clothing. His bright pine-green eyes stood out against his pale skin as he looked up at me, “Kylia?”

I smiled as I took his hands, “Are you alright, Caspian? You had us worried.”

He sighed, his breathing quickly returning to normal, “I’m fine, Miss Kylia. Thank you. I was a bit worried as my air finally began to run out now that my magic has worn off, until I heard the crashing of the ice and your voice from above.”

I was deeply relieved, “Well, I’m glad.” I turned and smiled up at Lord Atticus, “Thank you so much, Lord Atticus. You saved his life.”

Lord Atticus gave a bow of his head, “I am glad to have been able to help.” He looked at the pond, “Perhaps it would be wise to return to the hotel. The way the pond froze over concerns me. I do not believe it was done through natural causes.”

I was surprised, “You think someone caused this to happen? Who? And why?”

Caspian looked over his pond, “A better question would be how.”

Lord Atticus shook his head as I noticed him rub his eyes, looking tired and cold, “I cannot be certain, but it would not be safe for you to find out.”

I helped Caspian to his feet, “Then we should hurry back to the hotel. Maybe Julian or one of the others at the hotel might know something.” I smiled up at Lord Atticus, “And I’m sure you must still be very tired, sir. Please do return to your hibernation, and thank you again for your help.”

Lord Atticus sighed, “Yes, I shall do that. Do be careful returning to the hotel. Julian would never forgive me if any harm came to you, Miss Kylia.”

I felt warmth brush my right hand, meaning Fritz was agreeing with Lord Atticus, “Yes, sir. We’ll go straight there.” I turned to Caspian, “You’ll come too, right? I would hate for your pond to freeze over again.”

Caspian sighed, “As would I.”

I took his hand with a smile, “I’m sure Julian won’t mind.” Lord Atticus watched us go, before looking back at the pond. He looked concerned, but soon slid back down into the ground.