Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Senara
My heart raced as I darted through the fae court's corridors with Thorn, the echoes of King Sulien's enraged voice still ringing in her ears. The ethereal walls shimmered with an iridescent glow, their beauty a stark contrast to the danger that lurked behind every corner.
"Guards! Seize them!" Queen Esylit's command had reverberated through the halls as soon as we'd left the audience chamber, her voice cold and sharp as she tried to seal my fate.
Thorn's hand tightened around mine as we ducked behind a towering pillar of living crystal. The translucent structure pulsed with an inner light, casting dancing shadows across our faces. I held my breath as a patrol of guards rushed past, their silver armor gleaming in the soft light of the court.
As the sound of armored footsteps gradually faded into silence, we cautiously emerged from our hiding spot. The rough stone walls seemed to cling to my sweaty hands, the stone digging in where I couldn't quite let go as though the wall was keeping me safe. Enchanted vines sprawled next to us, their tendrils clinging to the stone similarly to my fingers, while their luminescent flowers seemed to whisper secrets in an ancient language I could almost understand.
Finally, as we got the courage to do more than just inch away from the wall, a voice I knew well called out in a soft whisper, "Senara! Thorn! Over here!"
Wyn stepped out of the shadows, her silver-white hair casting a gentle glow in the dim surroundings. Relief washed over me as I rushed to embrace my friend.
"How did you find us?" Thorn asked, his eyes darting warily down the corridor.
Wyn's eyes twinkled with a mix of mischief and concern. "I knew you were being summoned by the courts. I... may have set up a little magical tracking spell. Just in case."
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You can do that?"
Wyn nodded, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. "It's a new trick I've been working on. I had a feeling you might need help."
Thorn's expression darkened. "If you can track us with magic, do you think the courts could do the same?"
The question hung in the air, its implications heavy and foreboding. A chill ran down my spine, and my Moon Mark tingled with an uncomfortable warmth. The thought of being hunted, of having nowhere to hide, made me feel trapped, even amidst the vastness of the faerie realm.
Wyn bit her lip, her brow furrowing in concentration. "I... I'm not sure. The magic I used is quite specific, and it relies on our connection. But the courts have access to powers we can only imagine."
A distant shout echoed down the halls, reminding me of the urgency of our situation. My mind raced with possibilities.
Thorn's eyes lit up with sudden realization. "I know where we might find a way out," he whispered urgently. "The Sun King's side of the court. There are secret passages there, hidden escape routes. Plus, the Moonlit Court's guards will be less likely to search for us there, since they don't enjoy going into Sun Court territory."
We hurried through the winding corridors; the atmosphere shifting subtly as we crossed into the Sun Court's domain. The air grew warmer, filled with the scent of sun-kissed meadows and golden honey. Walls of honey-colored amber pulsed with an inner fire, casting dancing shadows that mimicked the flicker of flames. Delicate threads of gold traced intricate patterns across the floor, forming sigils and runes that hummed with barely contained power. Tendrils of light danced along the floor patterns like sunbeams through leaves.
Thorn led us through a series of smaller chambers, each more resplendent than the last. One room boasted a ceiling of living stained glass, where iridescent butterflies fluttered between panes of jewel-toned crystal. Another held a fountain of liquid sunlight, its golden droplets chiming like bells as they fell.
As we moved deeper into this unfamiliar territory, I marveled at the contrast. Where the Moon Court had been all silver and shadow, here everything pulsed with vibrant life. Flowers of impossible hues bloomed from cracks in the stone, their petals unfurling before my eyes. Butterflies with wings of spun gold flitted past, leaving trails of sparkling dust in their wake.
"It's beautiful," I breathed, momentarily forgetting our peril.
Thorn nodded, but his face was grim. "Beauty can be as deadly as blades in the fae realm. We must find those passages quickly. They should be around here somewhere, but I'm not sure of their exact location."
Wyn stepped forward, her fingers tracing the air as if following invisible threads. "I might be able to find them with a seeking spell," she offered, her voice tinged with excitement and apprehension.
But a gnawing worry tugged at my thoughts. "Wait," I said, grasping Wyn's arm gently. "Before we do anything else, can you check if we're being magically tracked? We need to know if the courts can follow us. If they can, then we at least need to account for that as we move."
Wyn's face grew serious as she considered my request. She closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration as she murmured words in an ancient tongue. The air around her shimmered, and I felt the hair on my arms stand on end as she wove her spell.
After what felt like an eternity, her eyes fluttered open. "I don't sense any tracking spells on you or Thorn," she said, relief clear in her voice. "But..."
"But what?" Thorn pressed, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword.
Wyn's gaze met mine, worry clouding her features. "There's something else. A presence I can't quite identify. It's not following us, exactly, but it's... aware of us. Watching."
I gave her a nod. "As long as it doesn't seem to come from the courts, then we can deal with that later." I had at least a couple of ideas about who would be keeping an eye on us, and a chill ran down my spine at the thought. The beauty of our surroundings suddenly felt oppressive, as if the very walls were observing our every move. I glanced at the flowering vines creeping along the corridor, wondering if they were more than mere decoration.
"We need to move," Thorn said firmly. "Wyn, can you locate those passages?"
Wyn nodded, raising her hands as tendrils of golden light wove between her fingers. The magic danced and swirled, forming intricate patterns in the air before us.
As Wyn worked her spell, I held my breath, acutely aware of every sound echoing through the corridors. The distant clanking of armor sent my heart racing anew. Were the guards getting closer?
Suddenly, Wyn's eyes flew open, blazing with an inner light. "There!" she exclaimed, pointing to a seemingly ordinary section of the amber wall. "The passage is behind that panel."
Thorn wasted no time, his powerful hands searching for a hidden latch or mechanism. I joined him, running my fingers along the warm, smooth surface, feeling for any irregularity.
A shout from down the hall made us all freeze. "Check every room! They can't have gone far!"
Panic clawed at my throat. We were out of time.
Just then, my fingers brushed against something, a slight indentation, barely perceptible. I pressed, and the wall shimmered, revealing a narrow opening.
"Quick!" I hissed, ushering Wyn and Thorn through. Just before I slipped in myself, a familiar voice rang out behind us. "Going somewhere?"
I spun around to find Volker standing at the entrance to the room, his expression unreadable. My heart leapt into my throat. How had he found us? And more importantly, whose side was he truly on?
Thorn's hand flew to his sword, but Volker raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not here to stop you," he blurted. "I want to help."
"Why should we trust you?" I demanded, even as hope fluttered in my chest. I knew he was Wyn's mentor, but that didn't mean he'd be okay committing treason against the fae courts, which was exactly what helping us was at that point.
His gaze softened as it met mine. "Because I made a mistake in letting Wyn come here alone and I won't let her put herself in harm's way again." He looked at each of us. "Let me come with you. I can help."
I hesitated, torn between the need for allies and the fear of betrayal. But time was running out, and we could hear the distant sound of approaching footsteps.
"Fine," I said tersely. "But if this is a trick..."
Volker nodded solemnly. "I understand. Lead the way."
I jerked my head toward the passageway and followed him inside; the panel sliding shut behind us, plunging us into darkness.
“You know, I half expected you to be Ronan,” I murmured, mainly to myself.
Thorn didn’t miss it though and he whispered, “Ronan’s family lives far to the south and he went to check on them to make sure the corruption hadn’t reached them. He won’t be back at court for a while yet.”
I nodded and then realized he probably couldn’t see me since we were standing in utter blackness, with the echo of our words and ragged breathing the only sounds. Before I could speak again a soft glow emanated from Wyn's palm, illuminating a steep, winding staircase that seemed to descend into the very heart of the fae realm and stealing any thought of our friend who was, I hoped, safe with his family.
"Where do you think this leads?" Wyn whispered, her voice tinged with both excitement and fear.
Thorn's face was grim in the ethereal light. "To safety, I hope. But in the fae world, nothing is certain." Volker murmured his agreement softly, which wasn't particularly encouraging.
As we began our descent, the stairs seemed to go on forever, twisting and turning in ways that defied normal geometry. The air grew thick with magic, making it hard to breathe. Strange whispers echoed from the walls, speaking in languages I didn't recognize but somehow understood on a primal level.
Halfway down, Wyn stumbled, nearly losing her footing on the narrow steps. I caught her arm, steadying her, and noticed her face had gone pale.
"Are you alright?" I asked, concern coloring my voice.
Wyn nodded weakly. "It's just... there's so much magic here. It's overwhelming."
I understood. The very air thrummed with power, making my skin tingle and my Moon Mark burn. It was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.
Just as I thought we might never reach the bottom, the staircase opened up into a vast cavern. Wyn's light seemed feeble against the immensity of the space, barely illuminating the ground at our feet.
Thorn took a cautious step forward, then another. "I think we're safe for now," he said, his voice echoing strangely in the cavern. "But where are we?"
As if in answer, the cavern suddenly blazed with light. I gasped at the stunning beauty that enveloped us. Thousands of luminescent crystals embedded in the ceiling and walls flared to life, bathing the cavern in a warm, golden glow, but not the kind I associated with the Sun Court, just…light.
We revealed what had seemed like an empty space but was actually a breathtaking grotto. A vast underground lake stretched before us, its surface so still it mirrored the crystal ceiling perfectly, creating the illusion of infinite space. Around its edges grew strange phosphorescent plants I had never seen before, their fronds swaying gently despite the absence of any breeze.
"The Twilight Caverns," Volker breathed, his eyes wide with wonder. "I thought they were merely a legend."
Thorn's brow furrowed. "I've heard stories of this place. Didn't think it was real either."
Volker nodded. "A neutral ground from ancient times, before the division between the courts grew so... pronounced."
I approached the edge of the lake, my reflection rippling as I knelt. The water sparkled with an inner light, and I could see tiny motes of gold and silver dancing beneath its surface. My fingers hovered just above it, drawn by some inexplicable urge to touch the shimmering liquid.
"We need to keep moving," I said, forcing myself to look away from the hypnotic waters. "Which way leads out?"
Thorn scanned the cavern, his gaze settling on a narrow path that wound around the lake's edge. "That seems our best option. It appears to lead deeper into the cavern system."
As we followed the path around the water, I noticed strange markings etched into the stone walls, ancient symbols that seemed to shift and change when viewed from different angles.
"Can you read any of these?" I asked Volker, who was studying the markings with intense fascination.
"Some," he replied, tracing his fingers over a complex glyph. "This one speaks of the 'paths between worlds.' And this..." He moved to another symbol. "This warns of guardians who sleep beneath the lake."
A chill ran down my spine. "Guardians? What kind of guardians?"
Before Volker could answer, a low rumble shook the cavern. Tiny ripples disturbed the mirror-like surface of the lake, spreading outward in concentric circles.
"I think we may have woken them," Wyn whispered, her voice tight with fear.
The water began to bubble and churn, its once-placid surface now roiling with unseen movement. I felt my Moon Mark pulse with heat as I backed away from the lake's edge, pulling Wyn with me.
"Stay behind me," Thorn commanded, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. The blade caught the crystal light, scattering it in prismatic shards across the cavern walls.
Volker raised his hands, fingers splayed as he murmured an incantation. The air around him shimmered with protective magic, forming a translucent shield that encompassed our small group.
"What exactly sleeps beneath the lake?" I hissed at him, my eyes never leaving the churning water.