CHAPTER 68
Across Elphame, from the tiniest villages in the Whelky Lands, to the darkest lanes of Bogshollow, to the sparkling high towers of Lugh Bridge, windows were being shuttered. The Choosing Ceremony was in two days.
Creatures, from nobles to witches to trolls, were packing up and seeking refuge in the less traveled countryside, or in ancient mounds beneath the earth.
Wild things tumbled in the wind, flying in hasty flocks to the southern islands to wait things out in caves, and forest sprites disappeared into the deep crevices of ageless trees.
It’s almost time, a warning message whispered from fae to fae, whisked through hearts and hollows.
Mae packed up too, but when she came to her chest of gold, she paused, and her eyes glittered.
It was getting harder to lift, but that was what centuries of prudent hoarding accomplished.
She would need to employ some stronger magic to lift it this time.
It warmed her gristled heart to know how much she had acquired in the last century, and usually in the easiest of ways.
Fae were foolish things. But with the city shuttering windows and locking doors in anticipation of the ceremony, there were no customers coming to her store anyway, and that meant no more gold to fill her chest. It was best to move on, at least for now, to someplace in the country, away from the nonsense of kings and queens.
Maybe she would return to Queen’s Cliff, and stir up sightings of hungry dragons.
She could always count on royals to give up handfuls of gold for information, whether it was true or not.
She peeped through her shutters. Yes, the streets were empty, everyone fleeing for less tempting targets in the country.
There was no sense in staying. She swept her hand over a lustrous bolt of silk as she went back for her chest. It was an expensive fabric, and she hated to leave it behind.
She paused, rubbing her bristly chin. Why leave any of it behind?
She opened her bag of belongings and swept her hand through the store, all the bolts and goods tumbling and swirling and disappearing into her small bag.
The goods would never come out quite the same on the other end, but it was better than losing it all.
It would still have some worth. She prided herself on being a shrewd businesswoman.
She hoisted up her chest of gold and left.
In the end, she would come out ahead. She always did.
Of all the fae packing up, the steward of Elphame was surely the most reluctant and frightened.
He was charged with bringing the Cauldron of Plenty to the Choosing Ceremony.
He carefully wrapped and packed up the cauldron, sealing it in a sturdy crate for transport.
He had dreaded this day ever since the queen died suddenly and her duties fell to him.
Within days, the first attack on Elphame was launched.
Fomoria had mostly been a forgotten, brutish territory on the northern border of Elphame, but always kept in check by the larger and stronger kingdoms. Not anymore.
The power Fomoria wielded was crushing. The steward had never expected to be in this position.
Would he even survive handing it over to the new ruler of Elphame?