Page 6 of The Night Prince 3
Elasha couldn’t hide her disbelief there. “That sounds quite wondrous.”
“It was. And we should be working to bring it back. Power it by magic instead of fossil fuels, of course.” Finley balled his right hand into a fist. “The Separatists can seem ridiculous–can be ridiculous–but trust me when I say that there were some things about the old world worth saving. That was even better than what we have today.”
She shifted from foot to foot. “Cara, uhm, she’s a human friend of mind, says some of the same things. I admit that when she speaks of certain activities like flying in the air and such, I do have a feeling of wonder.”
“Maybe it’s something to build a bridge over,” Finley said. “Instead of just saying that everything human is bad and has to be eliminated.”
“I don’t think that!” Elasha cried, but there was a slightly guilty light in her eyes.
“Maybe not. I guess I’ve just not heard anything from many elves about what they’d like to preserve. It’s all about reclaiming. Though I don’t think there’s much worth keeping around here.” Finley turned back towards the broken doors that were hanging off their frames as if people had simply smashed through them in their panic to escape the Leviathan.
Maybe they had. While the first rifts had opened in Lightwell, Declan imagined that the Pedway–or any underground area really–would have suited the Leviathan quite well in terms of their rifts. While they were not fond of electric light or any light really, that light did not hurt them in the same way that sunlight did. It was thought that many of the rifts opened in people’s basements. The subway system here must have been an incredible place for rifts.
“We should go in. Finley, where is the entrance to this Pedway?” Aquilan asked.
“Downstairs. The interior is fully open with offices and stuff all along the outside. But there was a food court at the bottom and three entrances to the Pedway from there. Are you certain that the horses and HT will be safe up here on their own?” Finley asked a little anxiously as he saw the Sun had dipped far enough in the sky that the shadows were growing longer in the streets. The horses and Helgrom’s pony were swishing their tails and touching each others’ noses.
Aquilan smiled. “Yes, I have strengthened all the enchantments over them. Nothing shall hurt them. And they will know to run back to Tyrael if anything is to go wrong.”
“Horses scared of dark,” Snaglak chuckled. “Not make war like Glom. Glom kill good.”
“Horses have a hard time using stairs, Snaglak,” Finley reminded the orc. “And they aren’t meant to kill things. They’re meant to be ridden.”
“Glom meant to be ridden and kill things,” Snaglak nodded sagely even as Glom attempted to take a bite out of his butt. “Hey! No eat!”
Snaglak smacked the naki on the head. It didn’t hurt the great beast just reminded him who was–supposedly–boss.
“Oh, I guess you don’t smell funny then?” Rhalyf asked dryly.
Sensing that he was missing something when Finley snickered and shook his head while saying, “You really can’t get over the fact that Snaglak doesn’t want to eat you. As if that’s a bad thing!”
“As I’m sure that any intelligent creature knows, I am delicious! So yes, I am offended,” Rhalyf proclaimed.
“Stringy,” Snaglak muttered under his breath.
“I’ll tell you what, Rhalyf, I’ll slice some meat off your bones myself and cook it for Snaglak next time we’re in the inn,” Helgrom promised.
“Well, maybe we don’t have to go that far.” Rhalyf looked at the dwarf askance. “I am stating a fact that everyone knows without actually taking a mouthful.”
“I don’t know you’re starting to make me feel a little peckish, too,” Helgrom chuckled.
Everyone laughed, but Declan saw that Aquilan’s smile was faint as he regarded the others. He imagined that under other circumstances the Sun King would have been chuckling just as loudly, but Aquilan’s mood had become darker and darker since he’d heard about the potential rifts to Illithor. The tension had risen in the Sun King’s strong shoulders to the point where Declan imagined if he touched Aquilan it would have been like touching stone.
Of course, he’s feeling worried! The voice supplied.
The voice had been surprisingly quiet on the way here. Well, not quiet. He had been humming a little tune, but had said little. The humming was actually quite tuneful and a little sad.
Why? Declan asked.
Did you not hear Helgrom? An Aravae in a Kindreth city? Attempting to loot its magics? The voice tutted.
Yeah, but Darcassan is only going there because he wants to keep people safe against the Leviathan, Declan reminded the voice. He thinks the Leviathan are massing in the Under Dark, readying a huge attack. And he believes that there are weapons in Illithor that can defeat them.
Oh, there most certainly are! The voice agreed.
You… you know this?
More and more Declan was certain that this voice was a man. No, not a man. An elf. A Night Elf to be exact. He did not sound like Vulre and he had expressed the desire to kill the other Kindreth, but he was almost certain he was a Night Elf. He definitely could not be Lady Ashryn Zinsadoral as he was clearly a “he” and she was a “she” or rather they presented as such. Besides, he would know her presence immediately. And this person was nothing like her. Not exactly…
