Page 87 of Mountains of Mist and Magic

“What is this place?” Phillippe turned in a circle, taking everything in.

“I think it's the same world,” Renya answered. “I don't feel sick like when I went through the portal. That involved a falling sensation. I still think we are in our world, but just...a locked part of it.”

“I agree,” Phillippe said, and he reached out and gently stroked one giant mushroom that was almost big enough to sit on.

“Well...what now?” Selenia asked. The forest seemed to be in the middle of a canyon created by the mountains on either side, but with no clear path set before them.

Renya looked back at the beach, and Selenia knew she wished Grayden was with her. She felt the same, wanting Sion. But it didn't matter, they were on their own now.

“Up we go, I guess,” Renya said, and Selenia glanced towards the back of the glowing forest. The large forest they were in seemed to be narrower approaching the mountains.

Renya took the lead, with Phillippe following behind. Selenia trailed a bit, mesmerized by the strange, beautiful little ecosystem that thrived behind the shimmering veil of magic. She supposed that Phillippe did enough traveling that not much surprised him anymore, and Renya had fallen through a portal and had lived in two different worlds, but Selenia had hardly left the Snow Lands.

A large insect buzzed around her head, and Selenia was amazed to see that its body camouflaged itself around its background. The flowers were so fragrant that she felt entranced by them. She stopped to smell one, a pretty rose-like plant with swirling shades of cerulean and seafoam green. The smell reminded her briefly of something at the lodge, but she couldn't quite place it. She leaned in, inhaling deeper and rubbing her eyes. All of a sudden, her eyes felt so heavy and tired. It had been such a long voyage, and she had earned a rest. Her muscles ached, and her limbs felt tingly and warm. Perhaps she should rest here...she sat down next to the flower, leaning against a large log. Closing her eyes, she felt a peacefulness pass over her—

“Selenia!” Phillippe's voice boomed through the forest, shaking her awake.

Renya rushed to her side, and she felt herself being pulled away from the beautiful plant.

“What? I'm just going to rest here for a bit...”

“Selenia, that plant...it was doing something to you! Hypnotizing you or something similar...” Phillippe looked at her, wrinkling his broad forehead in concern.

“What?” Selenia was still slightly dazed, her head spinning a bit and a headache forming along her temples.

Renya nodded. “We all need to stay together...and for pete's sake, don't touch or smell anything in here!”

Selenia didn't know who Pete was or why Renya was mentioning him, but she did follow her sound advice. Away from the plant, her sleepiness spell was gone, and her head was much clearer. She was relieved to be free from whatever magic was weaved within the plant but embarrassed that she was so easily drawn in. They'd been in the forest for less than fifteen minutes and she'd already been in danger.

Phillippe seemed to sense her annoyance with herself and tried to assuage her ego. “It was a pretty flower, Sister.”

She gave him a small smile before hoisting her satchel higher on her shoulder.

A tiny stream blocked their path from venturing farther than the base of the mountain. The water was crystal clear, and Selenia could see tiny fish swimming, schooling together in large groups. A loud gurgle made them jump, and a pair of orange toads croaked from the side of the stream.

Selenia and Renya both hopped on a few well-placed stones to make it across the tiny stream, but Phillippe just trudged through the water, leaving a trail of wet footprints as they continued up the path. The rocky terrain on the path wasn't easy to traverse, but they continued on, beginning to scale the base of the mountain, walking on top of and in between the rocks.

The mountains loomed before them, staggered, overlapping, and jagged, creating puzzling peaks that rose upwards to the fluorescent sky. Selenia, Renya and Phillippe climbed higher and higher, with each switchback moving them closer and closer to the peak, and whatever the mountains had in store.

After an hour of hiking, they came upon three separate paths, all leading up farther into the mountains.

“Does this mean what I think it means?” Selenia asked, already fearful of the implications.

“Yes. We're going to have to split up,” Renya confirmed, her voice tinged with resignation.

Phillippe tugged on the hilt of his sword and brought it forth. “Best to be prepared,” he said, and Selenia and Renya withdrew their own weapons.

“Do you have any inkling about what these challenges might be?” Selenia asked.

“Just an old children's tale that Cressida had found in a book from one of the first fae. Selenia, yours, the Fox, had to solve riddles.”

“Riddles? That doesn't sound so bad.”

“What about me, Renya?” Phillippe asked.

Renya paused, and for a second, something flashed across her face. Selenia caught the look before she answered. “Phillippe, you just have to be true to yourself. Be brave in the face of danger.”

Lies, Selenia thought. Whatever Renya knew about Phillippe's challenge, she wasn't sharing. But Selenia knew her sister-in-law well and knew that if she wasn't sharing the full truth with Phillippe, there must be a reason.

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