Page 23 of The Night Prince 3
“And you’ve gone down really far. Farther than anyone?” Finley’s eyes flickered to the Night King.
But Vex just smiled.
Ahead of them was Illithor. The many purple towers punched upwards towards the cavern ceiling so far above their heads that it might as well have been the night sky. Glowing lichen–at least that’s what Finley guessed it was–twinkled up there rather like stars. Light came not from a Sun or a Moon, but from large clusters of crystal that burned blue or red or dark purple. They studded the ceiling and the ground. As they passed one large chunk, Finley swore he heard a faint tinkling sound. He reached to touch it, but Vex caught his wrist neatly with two fingers.
“It will burn you,” Vex explained.
“Oh! Good to know,” Finley said and brought his hands tight to his sides after Vex had released him.
The Night King’s touch was always seemingly brief. Finley wondered why. Would touching Vex hurt him too?
Illithor was surrounded on all sides by huge stone walls that rose up like mountain ranges. He’d read that Illithor was bounded by a great underground ocean of night black water where glowing things lived and ate unwary sailors. But that must be on the other side of the city. This was the land side. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that the avenue they were on continued off into the vastness.
I wonder what other places this road leads to?
He turned back around, feeling that tug of discovery, but knowing that Illithor was more than enough to occupy him for this visit. He assumed it was a visit. Surely Vex would open a rift for him to go home. Surely Vex would come too. For Declan.
I have so many questions to ask him! I don’t know where to begin!
Vex was humming a tune under his breath. It was beautiful, but sorrowful at least to Finley’s ears. He didn’t seem at all in any hurry to get to know Finley better or say anything at all. But what was time for someone like Vex who had eons spooled out behind him and endless ones ahead?
Finley opened and closed his mouth half a dozen times, trying to find that perfect beginning. It was absurd to stay silent when the elf he had long admired–and maybe it was a little more than admiration–was right there. He didn’t know if he’d get another chance to speak with him. But if he was Declan’s father then there was no rush.
“Oh… the gates… the gates of Illithor!” he gasped.
“Taenaron. That is what they are named,” Vex corrected. “The mouth that devours.”
“That seems accurate.”
Golden gates stretched up over a hundred feet above their heads and barred their path into the city. They shone as if lit from within. Finley wondered how they would get in. Would Vex use magic to open them? Would he simply fly them over the wall? Or perhaps he would teleport them inside?
Without a word or gesture, the gates suddenly began to swing open of their own accord. There was a clanking sound as internal machinery moved the massive doors. Finley’s lips parted. They were going into Illithor. They were really going inside! He would be the first in how many millennia? And he would have the Night King as his guide! Suddenly nearly dying seemed like a very small price to pay for this.
“Is this why you’re here? To visit your old city?” Finley finally asked. “Or is it to see Declan?”
This was a risk to bring up his best friend. If he were wrong about what Declan was to Vex or if he misunderstood that it was Vex that had secreted Declan away on Earth, he could be putting his best friend in danger. But if Vex knew about him–and he clearly did as he knew Finley’s name!--then he must know of Declan. In fact, his relationship with Declan must be the reason that Vex claimed to want to get to know him.
Or it could be because of Rhalyf. He is Vex’s nephew. But I’ve just met him. That’s too new a friendship to attract the Night King’s attention.
Vex’s smile at the name of his best friend had Finley’s heart lifting. Whatever else might be true, Vex had seemingly very good feelings towards Declan.
“My Rahven!” He put one elegant hand against the center of his chest. There were delicate tattoos across the backs of his fingers. Finley wondered what weapons they were. “I am most eager to be with him!”
Eager? That’s good. I hope that Declan is eager, too. Or will it be a shock?
“Rahven?” Finley clarified. “Is that Declan’s, ah, real name?”
A nod. “Prince Rahven Vaeduzor Zinsandoral Vex!”
A frown. Zinsandoral? I swear I’ve heard that name before. Oh! Declan asked me if I’d ever read about anyone with that name. He asked me about it just last night at the inn. Was Declan recovering some of his memories even then?
“Why did you take Declan’s–I mean Rahven’s–memories?” Finley asked. “He doesn’t–or maybe didn’t–even know he wasn’t human. He didn’t realize he should stay out of the Sun and–”
“But now he knows,” Vex murmured.
“Yes, yes, uhm, he figured that out.” Finley did not want to say how Declan had figured that out or that it was Vex’s nephew who had helped him figure that out. For all he knew, Rhalyf was right to think his uncle still thought him a traitor. Maybe Vex wasn’t even aware that Rhalyf was in Tyrael at all and–
“How do you like my nephew?” Vex interrupted.
