33 LONNIE
UNDERNEATH
My legs wobbled as we made our way down the gangway to the dock, the crew trailing behind us. I swayed slightly, and Ambrose threw out a hand to steady me. “You’ll get used to dry land again within a few hours. Until then, perhaps hold on to my arm.”
I sighed, but took his arm anyway. As we stood, watching the crew unload all manner of crates and barrels, a tall, thin man approached us down the long dock. He wore a robe of deep crimson, the same shade as the distant mountains, and an expression that was neither pleased, nor particularly hostile.
“Say nothing,”
Ambrose muttered under his breath.
“Why?”
He shook his head, indicating that I would have to wait for explanations, and turned to face the oncoming man. “Good evening.”
The man stopped in front of us, and I pressed my lips together to keep from gasping out loud. From afar, I’d assumed he was human, but up close I could see that his eyes were a green far too bright to be normal, and slitted, almost like a snake. I silently wondered what else might be hiding beneath his long billowing robes. Scales perhaps? Did he have a tail?
“Lord Dullahan,”
the snake man said stiffly, reminding me a bit of Mordant—the Everlast’s unpleasant household advisor. “Welcome to the dark court. The king was expecting you several days ago.”
Ambrose stiffened at my side. “Odd then, that you’re waiting here to collect us.”
“Not at all,”
the servant said without inflection. “We see all that goes on beyond the Hedge.”
Ambrose barked a bitter laugh. “As if I could forget.”
The servant glanced at me. I caught a glimmer of recognition in his eyes—swiftly masked—but not before sending a shiver down my spine. He looked back to Ambrose. “Will it be you alone joining us in the palace, or…?”
“Me, and my companion,”
Ambrose said shortly. “The crew will find their usual accommodations.”
“Very good, my Lord. If you’ll follow me, the King is eager for you to join the court for supper.”
The docks of Underneath, and the market place beyond, were far more lively than I would have expected. There were hundreds, if not thousands of shoppers, chatting, laughing, and stopping to admire the various stalls. It might have looked like any other market square in Elsewhere, except that I’d never seen so many Unseelie as long as I’d lived.
Unseelie were rare within the city of Inbetwixt, and nearly non-existent within the capital, but here it was we who stood out among all the horns and teeth and bright, scaly skin. Ambrose had been right—his mask did blend in far better than his too-perfect Fae features.
“Might I speak now?” I hissed.
Ambrose gave a tight shake of his head, causing his mask to wobble. “Later.”
Furrowing my brow with annoyance, I entertained myself watching the crowd as we passed by vendors selling foods and glittering gems I’d never seen before. There was even a group of small, green skinned unseelie children crouched on the ground, playing some game that looked like a mixture of checkers and tic-tac-toe.
We trailed behind the servant as we exited the marketplace and emerged onto a bustling main street. Here, the houses that lined the street were constructed from stone and clay instead of brick or wood, and the road itself was paved with large, orange-red stones that resembled thousands of raw-cut rubies. In the center of the empty road stood a massive black carriage, pulled by two enormous black Fae horses, with eyes that glowed as if they were fueled by an inner fire.
The snake-like servant held the carriage door open for us. Ambrose strode in first, his long black cloak brushing against the servant’s red one. I hopped in after him, and the servant followed me.
As if anticipating the questions I was burning to ask, Ambrose shot me a warning glare. I slumped down into my seat, tapping my foot impatiently as the coach took off.
After what felt like hours, the coach finally came to a stop and I eagerly leaned out the window. I gasped.
There was a huge, ornate castle, seemingly built into the side of a mountain. Its black towers looked like shards of glass, and the last rays of the setting sun bounced off the polished glass-like surface, creating a dazzling spectacle of red and gold. Running alongside the castle, almost like a moat, a huge volcanic chasm, stretched as far as the eye could see.
Finally, I could not keep my mouth shut a moment longer. “How are we meant to cross that?”
“Bridges,”
Ambrose said roughly, his brow wrinkling with annoyance. “Nearly everything is accessible by bridge the further you go into the mainland. That chasm stretches almost the length of the entire wall, so without being able to cross, they would lose access to half their land.”
“Why not build within it?”
I asked. “It is, after all, called ‘Underneath.’”
Ambrose chuckled. “They have. The bottom of the rift is home to many creatures that I doubt you would want to meet.”
When we finally made it to the other side, we stepped out of the coach with relief.
“Will you be wanting your usual room?”
the servant asked.
“Yes,”
Ambrose replied.
The servant glanced at me, addressing me for the first time. “And for you?”
“She’ll stay with me,”
Ambrose said, before I could answer.
I looked down, avoiding his gaze. I didn’t feel like debating over where we would sleep tonight. We had been sharing a room for the past week. Plus, this city was notorious for its danger - possibly the most dangerous on the entire continent - and I didn’t want to be left alone to face the wrath of the Unseelie.
The servant beckoned us inside the massive castle, and my eyes traced the intricate carvings on the stone walls as we walked through dimly lit corridors. On the third floor, he stopped in front of a large, round-topped door. “The king has requested your presence in one hour.”
I frowned. One hour was hardly enough time to, not only rest, but discuss our next plans. Apparently, the king was eager to discuss business with The Dullahan, and my presence here didn’t change that.
The servant scurried off, and Ambrose opened the door to our room, ushering me inside. Velvet drapes kissed the floor with a regal elegance, and golden chandeliers overhead dripped with crystal, like frozen rain touched by Midas himself. It was as if the room breathed in wealth and exhaled extravagance.
And I didn’t care for any of it.
Ambrose closed the door behind us with a heavy snap, and I immediately rounded on him. My voice dripped with derision. “Am I allowed to speak now, your highness?”
He pulled off his mask, and rolled his eyes. “Would it matter if I said ‘no?’”
“Not at all,”
I snapped. “What the fuck is going on?”
Shaking his head, he pressed his finger to his lips, then grabbed my hand and half dragged me behind him across the room. Out of habit more than fear, I resisted, digging my heels into the carpet. “What are you doing?”
“Shhh!”
Ambrose threw open a door to the attached bathing room, and pulled me inside. Like the bedroom, the bathing room was a luxurious space with polished marble floors and golden fixtures. The large shower stood in one corner, while a freestanding tub sat in the center of the room, beckoning me to soak in its depths.
Ambrose turned on both faucets, filling the room with the soothing sound of running water. “I forgot to tell you,”
he hissed, looking furious with himself. “Within the lands of Underneath, King Gancanagh can hear anything you say after dark, and if he chooses, he can see you as well.”
I raised an eyebrow. “How is that possible?”
Ambrose shook his head. “I don’t truly know how he does it, but it’s quite disturbing to watch. His eyes roll into his head, and he can look upon anywhere within his kingdom.”
“Ah,”
I said quickly. “Like Bael.”
“Shhh!”
Ambrose hissed, glancing at the running faucets with apprehension. “Do not say his name. I doubt this is doing us much good as far as muffling our voices.”
Dread sank in my gut, at the realization that if the king could hear, and worse, see us, we would not be able to immediately go searching for the dungeon as I’d planned. “Then how are we going to discuss…”
I searched my mind for words that wouldn’t give away exactly what I meant. “What we came here for?”
“The king’s power is strong, but it is limited only to the hours of darkness. Simply try to remember not to mention anything you would rather not overheard unless it is daylight.”
I nodded stiffly. “Fine.”
Ambrose relaxed slightly, a mirthless smile flickering at the edge of his lips. “There is one other thing. The very stones of this castle are mixed with Gancanagh’s dust. The dust is used here to neutralize magic within the castle’s walls. Except for the king, all magical abilities are rendered useless.”
My mind raced, piecing together the implications. The absence of our magic meant no premonitions to guide us. It also landed some much-needed clarity on how Bael and Scion could ever have been captured.
“Great,”
I muttered, feeling as if a stone dropped into my chest. “So we’re as helpless as lambs in a lion’s den. Perfect.”
“It’s not only that. There’s a high likelihood that you’ll find your inhibitions lessened.”
I cocked an eyebrow at that, already feeling heat creep up my neck. “Meaning?”
Ambrose stepped closer, his silver hair a stark contrast against the shadows that played hide and seek across his features. “Meaning, I would be careful to think twice over any decisions you would not normally make. The king is the basest form of our kind, as such, he enjoys a spectacle as much as a cruel trick.”
“Understood,”
I replied, though my stomach coiled tight with anxiety. Without magic, every step was a gamble, but for Bael, for Scion, and for my mother, I was willing to play the odds.