Page 24 of Kingdoms of Shadow and Ash

'No. It was nothing but a stone tunnel when I was here before.'

'So this is an illusion?' Fyia asked.

'What is an illusion anyway?' said the old man. 'I can touch, and smell, and taste this forest. If I eat the berries, they will kill me. Is that not real enough for you?'

'I …' Fyia couldn’t think of words to respond, then remembered she didn't answer to this man.

They approached a large weeping willow that bowed over the edge of a lake, a small boat peeking out from under it.

'The lake was here before,' said Adigos. 'It's full of magical creatures. One nearly pulled me under when I got too close.'

'Gods,' said Rouel, stepping away from the edge.

They all eyed the water nervously as a sea of swirling lights came to life beneath the surface.

'What is that?' said Fyia, awed by the spectacle.

'The children of the lake,' said the old man. 'Seems as though they like you. Come, we should not keep Axus waiting.'

'Axus, not Isa?' said Fyia.

The old man laughed. 'Isa does not deign to speak with the likes of you.'

Fyia's blood burned hot, but she heard the Spider in her ear saying,play the game. She gave a curt nod and followed the man, wondering what would happen if she pushed him into the lake. The surface of the water rippled sharply, suddenly punctured by … well … what punctured it, Fyia couldn't really say, but water droplets showered them.

'Gods,' said the old man, 'they haven't done that in … since … well, I … come along.'

The forest fell away as they continued. They stepped out onto a rope bridge suspended across a chasm, which wobbled and groaned dangerously as they crossed.

'This here last time?' asked Fyia.

'No,' said Adigos, 'although I'm not sure I came down this tunnel.'

Fyia wondered how many tunnels the mountain hid in its depths, where they all led, how many secret doors let Fae'ch or Black Hood spies into her kingdom …

They left the bridge behind and walked through an archway to where a series of large stones lay in an almost circular pattern on the floor. Smaller stones sat within the crooked circle, most with a shiny pebble on top, the pebbles a seemingly random array or colors. Lines of metal wire connected everything together, and Fyia moved towards the structure, her mind trying to make sense of it, but nothing seemed to fit.

'What is this?' she asked, admitting defeat.

The old man gave her an indecipherable look. 'This way,' he said, then led them through another arch. They found themselves in a chamber with a domed roof full of stars, mats laid out on the floor beneath.

'Sit,' said the old man. He disappeared behind a wide pillar of stone, a younger man appearing from its other side the same moment.

'Welcome, Fyia Orlightus. Fire-touched, magic-touched, Cruaxee, and Queen of the Five Eastern Kingdoms,' he said, with a half bow. 'Your honor us with your visit.'

To the Fae'ch, her magical abilities were of far greater import than anything she'd done to make herself Queen.

'Thank you,' she said, inclining her head. 'Axus, I assume?'

'Correct.'

'Isa's consort?' she said, probing for conformation of the rumor. The man was tall but reedy, with sandy colored hair, brown eyes, and pointed ears that marked him as fae.

The Fae'ch counted a plethora of magical creatures among their members, from the tiny, mean-spirited fairies, who traded magic dust for ear bones, to the regal winged fae, whose magic was largely unknown, to pixies and sprites and witches and dryads, and every other kind of magical being, who between them boasted all manner of magical faculties.

When the Five Kingdoms had outlawed magic, the magical had fled here, the only place they could find to call home … the only place they could make into a fortress and defend.

Some of the magic-folk had tried to fight back, but magic had weakened after the dragons disappeared, and their power hadn't been enough.

---