I decided to forget it. No use in pestering a creature that could kill me with the flick of a leaf. I did have to realize how disastrous my situation was. I was in Hell. With a prince who was holding me hostage but also protecting me. I dont know how favors work here but from anything I have heard from earth is that creatures take debt and favors very seriously. Of course, this info was from fantasy books and could be completely off but if the stories were true. Well, I have already seen proof of pixies and witches and lizard people so what else can really surprise me now? Please dont hold me to that statement.
"You dont have any sisters?"
"No, thats not how the Erlkings children work."
"Okay…" It really is impossible to talk to him. It's like talking to a tree. Well, maybe he is a tree? What is the erlking anyways?
"The erlking is the ruler over rot, disease, the hunt, and rebirth. He is the king of elves." I realized I asked the last question out loud. That was awkward. My head is moving too quickly to process things properly.
"Does he go to earth often?" Caligo lets out a little breathy laugh.
"No, he likes to stay in his palace and send me out instead. I quite like the human realm."
"Oh really? What do you like about it? I would think its pretty dull compared to here."
"Well, everything changes so fast on earth. Its something that can surprise me. But humans can be quite annoying."
"Hey Im human!" I exclaim, he stops and looks at me with a serious expression.
"You better forget that if you want to live. This is not a place for humans." His eyes look me up and down assessing my nonhuman body. I was only a human in my mind, and sometimes even there I was a ghoul. I avoided a pool of something thick and green with my clawed foot. It smelled strange, not bad but more like rotten grass, sickly sweet.
"Here. This is the last stop today. This is the swamp baths, we can mask you scent here. Your ghoul blood smells like gasoline."
I sniffed but only could smell that grassy smell. It grew stronger as Caligo moved aside. A huge swamp unfolded before my eyes. Trees with moss hangings divided the areas. The water itself was murky and bubbling giving loud pops every so often that left one disturbed. There were creatures here too but giving us a wide berth. Small spikey frogs croaked and hopped away.