Page 81 of Queen of Ever

‘Ah yes, the useless seer.’.

‘You don’t like Haddock?’

‘Is he really an oracle?So far, I haven’t actually seen him predict much of anything.’

‘Is it Haddock you don’t like or oracles?’

‘Oracles have a nasty habit of interpreting the future in whatever way they want.But the future isn’t set in stone.No matter what most of the fae seem to believe.’

‘You had your stars read, didn’t you?’I asked, a smirk tugging at my lips.‘What did they predict?’

‘Never you mind.It was a load of rubbish anyway.’

I snorted a laugh as he turned back to his task.I placed my hands on the wall, my magic reaching forward, drawing on the elements in the soil, taking the roots already there, growing thorny spikes along them, coaxing them through into the position we wanted.It took a surprising amount of effort and I felt my breath quickening as if I’d been jogging.I definitely needed more practice at this.

As we worked our way down the tunnel, the task became easier, and I found the tree roots and the elements more willing to work with me.None of the other fae spoke to us as we went, and I wasn’t sure if that was because of me or Ethan.The traitor or the woman with Oberon’s power.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanging, something striking metal, ringing out through the tunnel.Ethan stopped immediately, his head snapping towards the sound, his expression growing grim.

‘What’s going on?’I asked.

‘That’s a warning alarm.The High Fae are coming,’ he said, a seriousness in his voice I had never heard before.

And now it was all too real.

We were going to war.

Chapter 32

Tarian

Anxietyhungheavilyoverthe gathered crowd of lesser fae as they poured into the diamond-coated central chamber of the dugout.More were pouring in every minute, clutching belongings and young, finding space on the already crowded cavern floor.My gaze caught on a mosskin sylph sitting cross-legged on the floor with a child tucked under each arm, the pale green, velvety hair of her face contrasting with her huge, liquid-dark eyes.Those hiding here would be no use in a battle.They were those too young, too gentle or too untrained to do anything other than get in the way.If the fighting reached them here, they’d be sitting ducks.They’d have to take to the tunnels and find an escape or it would be a bloodbath.

‘So you think you can navigate your way out?’I asked Haddock again.I didn’t like the way he was rubbing the back of his neck, his expression pained.Like he was already apologising for failing in his task, and he seemed less and less sure of himself the more I pressed him.

‘Well, I’m not so sure, your lordship.It’ll be all chaos and fuzz with magic flying about and soldiers everywhere and me trying to rush them all along those winding tunnels.If I may be so bold as to mention it, it might be better to get us all out now, before dust flies and—’

‘We can’t,’ I said, cutting him off.‘You know that.It’s too late.They’ve committed to staying here.If they ran, they’d be hunted down anyway.So, like it or not, you’re stuck here with them.But if you try to take off early and save your own skin before it’s time,Iwill be hunting you down, understand?I’m relying on your sight to be able to tell when it’s time for them to run.’

‘Yeah, of course, of course, I’m not gonna leave ‘em all to be buried,’ he said, choking on a hysterical bubble of laughter.I eyed him, unconvinced.If he could predict the moment they would be set upon before they were, he could possibly lead them to the surface, which would perhaps mean they’d at least not be slaughtered like fish in a barrel or buried alive.I didn’t know what fate would befall them if they reached the surface, but they surely stood a better chance than being overrun down here.Maybe in the chaos of a battle, a few might escape.

I halted in pressing him further when a shudder ran through the earth around us, shaking loose a few streams of dirt, ushering a new wave of anxious murmurs from those around me.The mosskin sylph clutched her children closer.Somewhere, a baby began to wail.

Fingers lightly touched my back.‘That’s them?’Imogen asked.

‘Probably an earth wielder splitting the rock,’ I replied, keeping my voice low to prevent it carrying.‘It’s time to go up.’

She took a deep breath and nodded.‘Alright.It feels wrong to just leave them all here though.’

We waited at the entrance for all those who would be fighting to part from those they were leaving here.The goodbyes were hushed, a collection of sobs muffled against chests, hands clasped, promises to return, to survive, whispered into hair.A male caressed the mosskin sylph’s cheek before turning on his heel and following the others out as she stroked her little girl’s back and her boy sat resolutely watching the retreating crowd, his lip trembling and eyes glistening.I watched him as Imogen pressed her hands to the floor.

‘Don’t push yourself too far,’ I warned.

‘I’ll only seal the entrance,’ she said, closing her eyes.Slowly, the crystal around the mouth of the tunnel grew, reaching outwards with spiny arms, stretching towards opposite twins until they met in the middle.It kept expanding, filling the cracks, until there was a face of rough, cloudy diamond blocking the opening.I touched Imogen’s shoulder as soon as the last gap was sealed, reminding her to stop.She opened her eyes, wrenching her hands back, a brief flash of panic crossing her gaze before she seemed to find her bearings and rise to her feet.

‘Are you sure you’re ready to do this?’I asked, studying her carefully.The ground trembled slightly, another shudder rocking the underground hideaway as the assault above continued.

‘Yes,’ she said resolutely, tilting up her chin, squaring her shoulders.If I’d been secretly nursing a hope that she’d change her mind at the last minute and agree to get out of here, I knew her better than to rely on it.Even if I promised to stay and fight for her.In the time I’d known her, she’d only ever demonstrated an inclination to runtowardsdanger instead of away from it.

---