A few minutes later, I felt a vibration behind me and opened my eyes. Ashlyn was already looking at the line and waiting for me. Golden streams of power, slightly twisting, radiated from the tree and floated deep into the forest thicket.
"Finn, catch up!" – the raven cawed and having fluttered, disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Of course, he was far from being a fairy and could not walk with us along the ley lines. Although, looking into his wise midnight eyes, I sometimes had doubts about this …
"Ashlyn, so what? Are we diving?"
"Let's go!" – the banshee nodded, and we simultaneously jumped into the golden wave, tuning in to our destination. The main thing is not to lose focus, otherwise the line will take you wherever it wants. That's how I once managed to visit Dublin, which is a week's walk on horseback … So, let's not get distracted! "Tipsy Moon", catch us!
Two minutes later, as I expected, we jumped out of the hawthorn tree right at the pub doors, almost crashing into them.
"Oh, my gods!" – Ashlyn exclaimed, stopping a millimeter from the door. – "I'll never get used to this! And why did you have to plant this tree so close to the entrance?!"
"For uninvited guests, of course! It welcomes its regulars into the house without any problems, and strangers get stuck in its branches and thorns until I find them there and decide what to do with them", – I answered, gently stroking the trunk of my favorite one, which was one of the central elements of the defense system of my home. And mainly it guarded me from wild animals and dark fairies. Humans were not even able to see my house, thanks to the eye-diverting spell. Instead of a picturesque house in the forest, their eyes will see the impassable swampy bogs. That is, of course, if they even get here… The nearest village from the pub is in a two-hour walk through the forest.
The sound of Finn's returning wings reminded me that I needed to get back to business. Ashlyn was already busy in the kitchen. Bowing to the hawthorn tree with gratitude for its care and putting on an apron, I went to get tables and chairs for the veranda. The weather is wonderful today! What could be better than a glass of aromatic ale in the fresh forest air in the silvery light of the full moon?! Right! The only thing better could be a glass of MY ale!
I arranged the tables and chairs so that they would not interfere with the customers dancing and walking around chatting with their neighbors. Moved away, I glanced at the arrangement, and, having made sure that there would be no congestion anywhere, wiped my hands on the apron.
"Damn it! The ring!" – by wiping my hands, I felt the forgotten finding in my pocket. This is not good at all…
After making sure that Ashlyn could not see me, I approached the spring, which waters looped around my house and the surrounding area. It was as if I lived on an island. The spring, of course, was not a regular one either. At least because someone lived in it.
I hid the ring under a stone near the source, where its aura would be sealed by the power of the water, and no one would be able to sense it there.
"I'll ask him for advice later…" – I muttered to myself and went back to the pub. As I passed the hawthorn tree, I felt a slight vibration of power.
"Ashlyn!" – I shouted through the door. – "Guests are coming!"
