Chapter 6 - Vampires

Edwin felt nothing as he passed the Barrier. He had a very strong body and over time learned to control the pain he felt when he crossed the border. And it seemed, from what he had seen last week, more vampires had learned to create this force and were crossing the border to kill humans. He was not sure yet if Morgaine was consenting to all that, but at no time did she denied her involvement. It worried him because she was the only person he could trust after his father's death.

He approached Alexa, looked at the horse she was bringing, and then into the woods behind her, "Where should we go?" She asked.

Edwin stared at her intently and his attention flew to the tips of her right hand that were in a purplish tone, "did you try to cross the Border?" He asked, pointing behind his back, where he had come from.

She became visibly bewildered and hid her hand behind her back, which meant a great weakness in front of him, "even though this is my part of the Land, I do not know anything beyond Amora Castle town!" She confessed, changing the subject quickly.

"I imagined wolves to be more sensitive than we to the frontier since there is no evidence that any of you has ever crossed the border!" Edwin continued trying to confront Alexa, to be better than her.

She was well controlled, although it was obvious that she did not like the situation, she could already foresee that they would spend the journey exchanging affronts, "I don't think you should brag, that much!" She complained as she got up, came very close, and looked into his eyes, "you should know that I also conceal unimaginable forces, besides that, we are going in search of something that is in my territory, and perhaps most likely we will find things that will make me even stronger while leaving you weaker! She explained without blinking once. Anger began to trickle through her veins and threatened to take over her body. She took a deep breath to control herself, closing her eyes, "So I ask you to give me a break, if we are going to do this together we should make sure that everything is fine for both sides! If this is not good for you, I will go alone! Otherwise, I suggest you stop confronting me before something happens that both of us will regret!"

Edwin clenched his fists, but soon calmed down, what she said made sense, they needed to agree if they would be together without knowing for how long, "When I was a teenager, my father told me many stories of when the land was one, without division, without kingdoms!" Edwin started, turning his back on Alexa, changing the subject so as not to admit that Alexa was right about what she was saying, and his pride kept him from bowing his head and apologizing to a werewolf, Alexa sat back against the tree.

"In the age where there were no divisions or quarrel..." She added with a sad tone, which Edwin ignored to continue.

"He showed me several books and told me how life was." Edwin leaned against a tree, facing Alexa, "many of these books had maps,' Edwin fumbled in his bag, reached for a crumpled paper, and unwrapped it. "This is a map of the whole continent!"

Alexa rose and approached curiously, looking at the traces on the paper, Edwin took a stick from the ground, "how spectacular!" She exclaimed, visibly surprised.

'The frontier is right here," he showed her, scratching a part of the map, "here, Elatre," he pointed to the top of the map, "and here is Zulcan." He stopped to look at Alexa's features.

She seemed to understand what he was showing her, but it was clear that she had never seen a map of the land, much less knew where the frontiers were, "is Zulcan's castle here?" She asked, pointing to a patch of forest.

"Probably!" He commented with a shrug. "Elatre's castle is here, not as far from the border as yours. But it's still safe!"

Edwin was not at all afraid to show where the vampire's castle was, but he knew it was necessary to make it clear that the fortress was very good.

Alexa shifted uncomfortably, "where do you think we should go?" She asked.

"Looking at the map, I could see that there are ruins in the northwest of the continent. We should go and have a look. I'm not sure if we'll find anything, but it seems like a great place to do something suspicious!" Edwin replied with conviction.

In the stories his father had told him, he always spoke of these ruins, because they were a distant place and hard to access, and with an aura of magic they could not find anywhere else, it would also be a great hiding place if he ever needed one.

The ruins seemed to be the place for something evil to be prepared, since it was in werewolf territory and for being removed, would be the place he would choose if he were behind those attacks. Edwin knew that it would not be easy to get to the ruins, he was on foot, and the queen with a horse seemed to be unable to hold out for long because it lay resting since before he arrived.

"Are you sure about that?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Not with full certainty, but it seems to me to be a good place to be breaking the rules of the treaty and not being caught!" He smiled, pleased that he had succeeded in putting his ideas to the queen and realizing that she still knew less of her territory than he.

"I don't think it will be easy to get there! It will take us a few days to get it!" the queen commented, still watching the ma, "Do you think we should get ready for some kind of fight? Should we go back and stock up on food?"

Edwin frowned in disappointment: "We can't waste time!" He answered, with some ferocity in his voice. "A natural she-wolf should have hunting skills! "He pointed, trying not to sound offensive, but failing miserably at the look on her face, "so we're well prepared! As for a fight, I do not think it will happen, but if it is I am fit for it with what I have with me and nothing else!"

Alexa nodded with a determined expression approached the horse that got up as soon as she went to him and rode him, she faced Edwin and began to gallop in the direction they had established. "Follow me if you can!" She challenged him with a laugh.

Alexa's braid fluttered and struck her back with the horse's movements, resembling a whip made of gold. Edwin jumped to the top of the tree and began to chase Alexa through the treetops, going as fast as he could. He would not accept being left behind and was willing to be faster than her horse.