Chapter 49

A sick feeling coursed through me and I made to hunch over, but the grip on my arm stopped me. I pried my groggy eyes open, and chills slid down my spine to see we'd apparated. 

White filled my line vision. Drifts of snow blew past the dark little village before us. Snow coated the leaves on large trees, gathering around the rooftops of the wooden cottages stretching down the wide settlement. A subtle note of pines and aspen tinged the air. Where the hell were we?

The hold around my arm tightened and soon I was being pulled forcefully. Lan stormed down to the first cottage in sight. Pushing open the door, he barged in, startling the little man seated at the dinning table in a corner.

The yellow bulbs above shone down on his heavily bearded face. Some strands were greying. He lurched up to his feet, his brown eyes widening as he took in Lan's bloody tunic, his scarred face, and my haggard state.

He backed away, his voice coming out hoarse and heavily