Those ethereal glow bugs lifted from the path before them, rising into the night like burning embers of a fire. Layala reached out several times to catch one in her palms but they always slipped through. They stopped at a stream for water where the horses drank deeply. Layala splashed her face and washed her hands and forearms. For having been in the carriage most of the time she was remarkably dirty. Her mind drifted to home. Aunt Evalyn was left with a huge mess to clean on her own—hopefully that was all. If Thane was right and it was the pale ones, likely the leader who wrote on the wall, Evalyn was safe. But still, she worried that they could have hurt her after Layala was gone. Maker, she missed Evalyn already. If only there was a way to get a message to her.
They were so close to Castle Dredwich now. Her stomach ached at the thought. If the rumors were true it was a place of dread. Even its name spoke of it. Thane protected her thus far but would that change once they arrived? What would they do once they reached the castle to get her to use her power? She could only imagine the kind of pain they’d inflict. Her escape must be swift.
When they emerged from the forest and rode to the top of a green grassy knoll, they stopped at its peak. Below was a great valley of houses and shops and farms, all the things of a large city. There had to be thousands of elves down there.
At the far end of it all rose a stone castle of thundercloud gray, built into the hillside. A waterfall roared to one side of it. There were many peaks to the castle, but the tower dominating the center was the highest. A navy blue flag flew at its top. The three emblems on the flag were a white sword crossed over an arrow and a war hammer through the center of both. The sun lifted until its golden light illuminated the city below like a beacon. All the roofs of the buildings were gold, and when the sun hit them everything glowed.
“Welcome to the Valley of the Sun,” Thane said.
Something wonderful in her stirred. She’d never seen anything so fascinating. She heard stories of the Valley, but the words hadn’t prepared her for its beauty. A part of her wanted to live here among her own people where she wouldn’t be different, yet now that she was, she didn’t know what to think. Her mind was caught somewhere between awestruck and panic. There wasn’t much time now. Soon she’d have to kill the High King and doing so would cause chaos and disarray. She’d prepared for this time, but to think about something and actually do it was severely different in this case. She’d never assassinated anyone.
They didn’t ride through the cobblestone streets or past the soon-to-be bustling shops. She’d hoped they would so she could see the buildings and architecture up close. See the elves at work on a normal day, a place she wouldn’t get to see again, at least not for a very long time.
Instead, Thane took them around the city, riding along the lip of the valley until they reached the castle’s stone bridge that carried them over a wide river. The waterfall sprayed them lightly as they crossed, and the thundering of it drowned out any other noise. The gate was a massive thing of silver swirling metal and spikes. When they approached it lifted.
Beyond the bridge, a cobblestone path led through the short-trimmed green grass. They passed trees with pink blossoms and luminors with the star leaves, shrubs and fountains and bushes of roses. They passed under archways of twisting branches with ivy vines wrapped around them. There were no bodies hanging from the walls as rumors said. No telltale signs of evil atrocities.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” the driver said, watching Layala. With his hood back she finally saw his eyes, like swirling pools of cinnamon that contrasted beautifully with his black skin. “I don’t know if I ever told you my name, but it’s Fennan.”
She brushed a stray hair behind her ear, remembering the name being mentioned before but she’d kept silently calling him the driver. “It’s wonderful, Fennan. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“He is one of the three, other than myself, you can trust here,” Thane turned back slightly. “You know the other two as well. Piper and Aldrich.”
She wouldn’t trust him or his friends or anyone else for that matter. Fidgeting with the dry skin around her fingernails Layala asked, “What does that mean? Will someone try to hurt me here?”
“I honestly don’t know what might happen. But I do know that there are many with an unhealthy obsession with trying to obtain you.” He paused. “You are still the only known elf born with magic in recent times. The others are dead or their magic has faded. Mage Vesstan is spent, living out the rest of his days in Calladira with the woodland elves.”
“He’s the one who bound us?” She knew, but she wanted to see what he’d say about it.
“Yes,” Thane said. “He used one of the Black Mage’s spells.”
Something in her recoiled. She hadn’t known that. “Why would anyone use anything created by him?”
He shrugged. “Because the Black Mage was the most powerful mage to ever exist. Because he had the spell. No one else creates them.”
She’d known that too, but to use magic that the Black Mage created was foolish. She’d studied his life, of the ruin he made of the world. When he was finally killed by an elf named Rhegar, after three hundred years of his destruction, Rhegar went mad. As if the Black Mage’s final act was to poison his killer. She didn’t know how he created the Void or the pale ones but it was him.
Thane cleared his throat. “This is your home now. You can have almost anything you want as my future queen.”
Almost anything except freedom. She didn’t respond. In her heart she belonged at the cottage in Briar Hollow. This would never be her home. She wanted to train with the men in the arena, search for magical plants with Aunt Evalyn, bathe in the river, live her life in peace without wondering when the High King would come for her.
When they reached the bottom of the agonizingly long set of stairs to the entrance, they dismounted the horses. A trio of guards took the steeds, barely giving her a glance.
“You must be hungry,” Fennan said. “I know I am. Ready to eat a feast!”
Layala shrugged. She was hungry after their meager rations on the road, but she didn’t want to eat with them. “I’d like to freshen up and I’m rather tired.” Then she could work out her plan to escape. Poison wasn’t an option anymore.
A pair of maids with simple white dresses and black aprons met Layala as soon as they stepped into the entry. The staircases seemed to be endless, as did the ceiling. The glossy, gray stone floors sparkled like a starry night. Faint footsteps of patrolling guards echoed in the vastness above. She’d never been inside anything so grand before. Although it was magnificent and its beauty unmatched, the sheer size, and its foreign nature made her long for her small comfortable cottage. Unseen danger could lurk around every corner here.
“Please show this young maiden to the Starlight suite and see that she gets something to eat,” Thane said, and didn’t wait to see that it was done before he walked off with Fennan at his side.
The two dipped their heads and motioned for her to follow. One had hair of fire, darker orange at the roots and fading to almost blonde at the ends. The other had her dark tresses pulled into a tight bun atop her head.
“Welcome to Castle Dredwich. I am Reina,” said the dark-haired elf.
“My name is Pearl.” They walked on either side of her like a pair of guardians. “How do you know our High King?”
She didn’t sound as if she was prying, simply making conversation with a stranger. But of course they’d wonder who the female guest of the king was. Not knowing if she should say her name or not, she pursed her lips. He said to trust no one except the three she’d been brought here with. But who could she say she was? “I’m an acquaintance.”
The two exchanged a look. “My, how interesting,” Pearl said. “You’re the only maiden he’s ever brought to the castle, apart from those who work for him. And none have ever stayed in the Starlight room.”
“He doesn’t have mistresses?”
Reina and Pearl exchanged smiles. “None that we’ve ever seen.” Pearl leaned in closer. “But don’t think none of these scandalous maids haven’t tried to move up in status.”
“What does that mean?”
Reina nudged Pearl. “The dear is speaking of things not proper.”
“So you must be special,” Pearl blurted out.
What of the lovers that were said to go mad… was that a lie? She was beginning to think that the rumors she heard were simply that. So what was true about him and what was false? His lethality against the pale ones was evident. That was no lie.
Perhaps the maids simply wouldn’t speak of it. But if she was the only one that meant the two servants would likely know exactly who she was or at least someone important to him. There was no point in hiding it then. “I’m Layala Lightbringer.”
They both gasped and then slammed their mouths shut. Layala thought they might explode if one of them didn’t speak soon. They climbed a set of glossy stairs and entered the first room to the left. When the door closed, Pearl all but squealed. “I cannot believe you are her! The High King’s mate! The one who will destroy the Void.”
Blinking in surprise, Layala rubbed her forehead. Surely, she hadn’t heard that correctly. “Destroy the Void?”
Pearl’s lovely face fell into a frown and she dropped her hands to her sides. “You’ve come to save us, haven’t you? The kings have been looking for you for such a long time. Stolen away on your testing day. What a tragedy.” Reina brushed her hands down her apron.
What sort of horse dung had these people been fed over the years? Stolen? “King Tenebris murdered my parents, and a dear friend took me to get away from him.”
They exchanged another glance. “Is that what you’ve been told, sweetheart? You poor dear,” Reina cooed.
Pearl had a hand over her mouth, shaking her head as if she felt sorry for Layala. “Fed numerous lies no doubt. At least King Thane was able to rescue you now. You are safe here.”
Painting Thane as her rescuer? She should have seen that one coming. Forcing herself not to roll her eyes, she stepped forward and examined the room. Ornately carved windows lined the wall on either side of the ivory bed. Green vines with sprays of pastel flowers grew from the ceiling like a chandelier and draped over the sheer fabric of the canopy. The same vines wound around the windows and could be pulled to act as curtains. The whole room smelled like fresh greens.
She ran her hand over the top of a silky chest at the foot of the bed. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw something small in a red hat scurry across the floor with quiet footsteps, but when she turned that way there was nothing. Interesting. She continued looking around; the room was stunning, more elegant than any she’d ever seen let alone stayed in, but she couldn’t forget why she was here or be distracted by luxury. So she asked, “What happened to King Tenebris?”
“He died three weeks ago,” Pearl answered and bowed her head momentarily as if to honor him. “Killed by a pale one in battle. Such a brave, honorable High King. I only wish he could have been here to see you, our savior.”
Her stomach coiled, and a shiver wracked her. She couldn’t be their savior. She had little idea of what she was even capable of with her magic but she knew for certain that its dark properties couldn’t save anyone, least of all the entirety of Palenor.
Layala set her sights on the oversized plush bed again. The soft ivory covers and mound of pillows looked like heaven after being trapped in the uncomfortable carriage for so long. “I need sleep. It’s been a long ride here. Please leave me be.” She’d lose her temper if they didn’t get out. She always had a harder time dealing with stupidity when she was tired and talk of Tenebris being brave and honorable was the epitome of it.
“I’ll bring you up some hot tea and a little something to eat.” Reina dipped her head and the two of them left her alone to think.
When Reina returned with a cart of food and tea as promised, Layala sat up. “You can leave it next to me. Thank you.”
“I hope it’s to your liking, Lightbringer.” She said the name with awed reverence then dropped into a bow. After lingering for a moment, as if she wanted to say something, she turned and made for the door.
Picking up the tea, Layala sniffed; it smelled of citrus and something else she couldn’t quite name, Valeri Root perhaps, to aid in sleeping. She set the cup down on the wooden tray. “Wait, where is the High King’s chamber?”
“Oh,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “It’s the room on the other side of this wall.” She pointed to the left where a massive, marbled stone fireplace dominated.
“Thank you,” Layala said with a feline grin. It was better they thought she’d want to go there for intimate reasons than what she had in mind.
