Page 80 of Chosen By the Fae King

We studied the stones in front of us carefully, searching for any hints or clues. Astrid lifted her hand to the boulder and the dim glow of a pattern of runes appeared.

Mirrelle moved closer. “What is that? A warning?”

“A trick,” the light fae whispered.

“A deadly one?” I asked.

Astrid didn't answer. She touched a rune on the far right, a circle with three squiggly lines. Then she walked straight through the rock, as though it had been a mirage. No one moved.

Sofiya yelped when Astrid's face poked out of the illusion. “It's safe. Touch this rune with two fingers and come through one at a time,” she instructed then disappeared again.

We stepped forward. The runes flared but allowed each of us through.

“A little anticlimactic, if you ask me,” Mirrelle criticized.

Raina gave her a withering look and Mirrelle winked. I would take this kind of anticlimactic task over something truly climactic.

The path opened into a large chamber. Seven tunnels led in different directions, each glowing with a different color. Above each of the openings hung a large metallic sign stamped with a symbol.

“Those are elements,” Sofiya pointed. “Well, the ones over here, at least. I don't know what the others are.”

“They're types of magic. This one,” Raina's spear touched the sign above the orange-red passageway, “is fire. Maybe we should choose the path aligned to our gifts.”

My mind resisted the notion. “That would mean splitting up. Shouldn't we all stay together?”

Astrid looked at me. “You don't go anywhere without one of us, Aeryn. Our powers are to be tested in some way and I'm not sure what that will mean for you.”

“Trust me, I have no intentions of heading off alone.”

A blast of energy echoed from somewhere behind us. Likely back at the boulder.

“Hurry and pick one,” Mirrelle barked at Astrid and Raina, the two most equipped for the trials.

Raina moved to the center opening. “This one is water. I'll have more control here. Astrid?”

The light fae shook her head. “None of these feel like they align with me. But since you've trained the most, we should follow you.”

Raina walked through the opening and was gone from sight. Astrid made to follow and bounced off an invisible barrier.

Mirrelle threw up her hands. “Great.”

Sofiya touched the barrier. “It feels solid.”

Curious, I did the same but my hand went through. “Whoa.”

“Your well-store must be hidden from the spell,” Astrid speculated. “I guess we'll have to see which one we can each enter and you'll have to choose someone to go with.”

Easy choice, though I hated to split up. “I'll stick with Sofiya.”

Everyone tested each opening, making sure our assumptions were right. Unfortunately, they were.

“The green tunnel is mine,” Sofiya said. “Earth and woodland magic.”

Absently, I wondered if her other, more minor gifts, would allow her to pass through one of the other barriers.

“It seems white is mine, though it's not the symbol for light magic. Or, not one that I know,” Astrid assessed with a frown.

Mirrelle scoffed. “Of course I can only enter the foul yellow hole. Are you sure we need to split—”

---