Journey into the Realm: The Stolen Child (Journey into the Realm Series) (31 page)

Nighttime with the dwarves wasn’t all that bad. After finishing their meal and drinking what I assumed was some kind of alcoholic beverage, they sang a few horrible tunes and passed out, leaving the camp quite peaceful. A few stayed awake to stand guard but didn’t make a lot of noise.

Our group chose to sleep near each other, a little way off from where the dwarves camped. Not only did they smell of sweat and grime, they also snored…
really loud
.

Huddled next to Nathan, I couldn’t help but wonder where Ellie was and how she was faring after our tense conversation. She wasn’t with the dwarves or with us. Where had she decided to spend the night? I was angry at myself for wanting to know, for being concerned. But I couldn’t help it. It was either think of her or my nightmares. Surprisingly, she was the lesser evil.

Joseph trusted her. Why? What had convinced him? Could whatever it was convince me, too?

She admitted she had joined the rebellion out of guilt. At least she was being honest. But she wasn’t invested in the rebellion’s cause, just her own. How, then, could she be trusted?

I was so frustrated. I didn’t know what to do, what to think. I finally gave up trying and welcomed sleep.

Amazingly, I didn’t dream. Perhaps because I didn’t have time. I opened my eyes to darkness and the feeling of someone tapping my shoulder. I looked up to an unfamiliar face watching me, the rest of her body hidden by a dark blue cloak. Her eyes glowed like sapphires in the blackness of the night. She put a finger to her lips and started walking toward the edge of camp.

She wanted me to follow her, but I didn’t know if I should. Her appearance was suspicious. Why was she summoning me in the night? Why the need for silence? Also, she shouldn’t have been able to pass the protective barrier, yet here she was. The only explanation was that someone had brought her within the border, and I wouldn’t know who unless I followed her. In the end, curiosity got the better of me. With one quick glance at Nathan to make sure he was still asleep, I rose quietly from the ground and hurried after the visitor.

The visitor paused near the same tree where Ellie and I had shared our earlier conversation. I hoped that was simply a coincidence, but my instincts warned otherwise. The visitor turned to me and removed the hood of her cloak, revealing cascading blonde tresses that shone under the moonlight.

“Who are you?” I whispered.

“My name is Des,” she said. “I’m from the rebellion.”

“Why are you here? I already have two Element fairies and a horde of dwarves to escort me,” I said.

“I’m not here to bring you to the rebellion. You see, I’m a friend of Ellie’s. She wants you to see someone in Etain, and I’m the only one she trusts to take you.”

I blinked. “Excuse me? You expect me to follow you into a city whose ruler wants to destroy me?”

“You won’t cross paths with Vortigern, I promise you,” she whispered urgently. “We’ll remain on the edge of the city, away from the palace.”

I shook my head. “No. This doesn’t make any sense. If Ellie wanted me to meet someone, why didn’t she approach me herself? Why send you?”

“She knows you don’t trust her,” Des replied. “She believes you’ll be more open to traveling with me.”

“A complete stranger?” I pondered her words for a moment. “I suppose I’d trust anyone over Ellie, except for King Vortigern. But how do I know this isn’t a trap?”

Des held out her hands. I watched as pools of water appeared and then began to rise from her palms, developing into two liquid discs.

“You’re a water fairy,” I realized.

Des nodded. She dropped her hands to her sides and the water fell to the ground, dissolving quickly into the earth. “As fae, I cannot lie to you. I swear that I am part of the rebellion. I wholeheartedly believe in Joseph’s cause. While entering Etain is not a safe venture, I will not intentionally put you in danger. I will defend you with my life if it’s necessary.”

I believed her, but the reason for her appearance at this specific moment was still unclear. “Why come to me in secret? And why is it so important that I meet someone in Etain?”

“The fairy you will meet in Etain has information Ellie believes you deserve to hear before you reach the rebellion. Unfortunately, Joseph and Eder believe otherwise, hence the secrecy,” Des explained.

I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to believe Des’s words, but I knew they must be true. Eder was keeping yet another secret, and Ellie of all creatures wanted that secret revealed to me. Although history made me hesitant to accept Ellie’s sudden interest in helping me, Eder had already proven himself unreliable many times in the past. I had no doubt he was keeping something from me. Despite my lack of faith in Ellie, I had a stronger desire to bridge the informational gap Eder had created between us. I wanted to know what he knew, not only because he wanted the information to remain a secret, but also because I wasn’t prepared to pledge myself to the rebellion’s cause unless I was fully informed.

I nodded. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

She smiled. “Excellent. Thank you for trusting me. I hid a cloak similar to mine behind a tree just past the protective barrier. You’ll need to wear it while traveling in the city. No one other than the fairy we’re meeting can realize your true identity.”

“I have one condition,” I said.

Des blinked. “Yes?”

I bit my lip. “I’m not going alone. I’m bringing someone with us.”

The water fairy frowned. “I don’t believe that’s a good idea. We have to remain unnoticeable by the general population. Traveling with too many is a risk to your safety.”

“I’m taking a risk just by agreeing to go with you,” I argued. “No matter how many times you promise to keep me safe, in the end, I don’t trust Ellie. I have absolutely no reason to have faith in her.”

Des nodded slowly, considering my words. “All right. You may choose one from your company to join us, as long as it’s not Eder.”

I sighed. “Believe me, I’m not even tempted.”

***

Des chose to wait outside of camp while I returned to wake up Nathan. Convincing him to accompany me to Etain was fairly simple. He didn’t trust Ellie either, but he saw the sense in learning whatever secret Eder was keeping from us. He also brought up a good point I hadn’t considered: our visit to Etain could act as a scouting of sorts for when we returned for Vortigern’s crown. We wouldn’t be traveling near the palace, but we would at least gain some aspect of the city’s layout, which could aid in future efforts.

While I was confident in Nathan’s ability to protect me in case this turned out to be a trap, I still felt uneasy, so I made a last minute decision to rouse Rafik.

“Hmm?” he said groggily, rubbing his eyes.

“Stay silent and follow me,” I whispered, Nathan hovering by my side.

Rafik was a seasoned soldier, so I knew he would accept my request without question. When we were far enough away so as not to wake anyone else, I gave Rafik a brief summary of the situation.

“So what is it you want me to do?” he asked once I was finished. “The water fairy said you could only bring one companion, and I’m assuming that’s Nathan.”

I nodded. “Yeah, but I still don’t feel comfortable relying on a close friend of Ellie’s. When we first met, you said you had the ability to turn yourself into shadows. I’d like you to use your ability to follow us into Etain.”

Rafik smiled. “I can finally put my ability to good use. I promise no one will detect my presence.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “Nathan and I will both feel safer with you along. If something goes wrong, and we have to fight, you can reveal yourself. Otherwise, remain out of sight.”

Rafik nodded. “Understood. Since my ability doesn’t conceal noise, I’ll travel some distance behind you. Wouldn’t want the water fairy hearing any unexplainable sounds.”

I took a deep breath, amazed that in a matter of hours, King Vortigern and I would be in the same city. The possibility of discovery weighed heavily on my spirits and brought me a great deal of anxiety. What if someone recognized me? What if this was a trap, and Des intended to bring me straight to the King?

Still, I wouldn’t change my mind. I wanted to learn whatever information Eder and the leader of the rebellion had planned to keep from me. I was also eager to see how the Etain I envisioned compared to the real city.

Besides, I couldn’t avoid King Vortigern’s domain forever. Despite how apprehensive I was to place my trust in a stranger who considered Ellie a friend, it was time I accepted the inevitable.

I looked from Rafik to Nathan as I said, “All right, I guess it’s time to journey into enemy territory.”

***

Our trip was mostly silent, Des speaking only to give us an idea of how much farther we had to travel until we reached Etain. I was greatly impressed by Rafik’s trailing skills; I never once heard him following behind.

It was morning by the time we left the dense jungle. Now, stretching between us and the capital was a mile of barren land. The contrast was shocking. According to Des, early on in his reign Vortigern had cleared any foliage within a mile radius of Etain so enemies couldn’t approach the city in secret. I had to give Vortigern credit; he had made a smart, calculated move in clearing the land.

I was grateful to the cloak hiding my true nature. Without it, I would never make it past the city gates. Using Glamour magic, Des had fashioned a cloak for Nathan because she hadn’t expected him to come along. I prayed no Element fairies would be able to examine our facial features up close. Our emerald eyes and pale skin worked against us, but Des assured me that as long as we didn’t draw attention to ourselves, no one would notice.

Etain stood impressively in the distance. Surrounded by a great rock wall, I could only make out the tops of the plentiful stone buildings. The city looked like a cold fortress. Element fae were vivacious creatures. I couldn’t imagine them living in such a desolate dwelling.

When I asked Des about it, she pursed her lips and sighed. “It’s unnatural, what Vortigern’s done. Etain used to be immersed in jungle life. Fairies lived across the Realm in tree houses and huts rather than stark stone buildings. But when the war began, Vortigern decided he would do everything he could to ensure the survival of our race, no matter the cost. In doing so, he robbed us of our natural way of life. He crowded us into one city and surrounded us with stone.”

“You mean every Element fairy who isn’t part of the rebellion resides in Etain?” Nathan asked.

Des nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. Another one of Vortigern’s strategic moves.”

“How does Joseph feel about that?” I wondered, interested to hear a bit more about the rebel leader I would soon meet.

“He’s concerned, of course. But he’ll find a way around the challenge.”

“You must have a lot of faith in him,” I commented.

She smiled. “I have more than faith. I love him.”

“Oh,” I said. I hadn’t expected that kind of response. “Are you two…together?”

“Yes,” she answered, still smiling. “Our separate responsibilities make spending time together quite difficult, but I value his love more than anything.”

After encountering so many Element fairies fueled by violence, hearing Des speak so fondly of love was a welcome change. Knowing firsthand that Element fae like her existed filled me with hope for the future. Maybe with the end of the war and Vortigern’s tyrannical reign, the Element fairies could possibly shed some of their ferocity and create better relations with the other Realms. Nathan reached to take my hand, and I could tell he shared my thoughts.

The entire Element fairy race hadn’t been doomed because of King Vortigern’s cruelty. Their possible redemption would serve to further strengthen my commitment to the destiny my mother had bestowed upon me. Perhaps this was what Lady Rosina had intended all along – for me to gather my own reasons for restoring peace to the Realms based on personal experiences. Thinking about her in this light dissolved some of the anger I felt toward her control over my life.

When we reached the city gates, Des asked us to remain silent as she interacted with the guards. In addition to the four at ground level, I spotted at least a dozen Element fairies stationed atop the wall. Seeing so many of Vortigern’s soldiers made me nervous, but I couldn’t show my insecurities. I had to remain calm and still in order to preserve my identity.

Des exchanged a few words with one of the guards. Whatever she said, it was convincing, because afterward they motioned us through without hesitation. I tried to keep my steps even as I walked past. My heart raced and my palms were slick with sweat. I desperately wanted to run, run far away from the guards. I feared that at any moment they would call us back and look directly into my elfen eyes, pull back my hood to reveal the gold strands in my hair. I could barely contain my anxiety.

“Relax,” Des whispered. “They didn’t suspect anything.”

I sucked in a deep, unsteady breath. “Are you sure? What did you say?”

“Don’t worry about what I said,” she replied. “Just keep moving. We’ll reach our destination soon.”

I shared an uneasy glance with Nathan and continued following Des. The roads of Etain, like the buildings, were also made out of stone. Everything within the city was unfriendly and gray. I couldn’t imagine being trapped in a place like this. The Element fairies, because Vortigern forced them to assemble here, seemed like prisoners to me. I didn’t understand why any of them would side with him over the rebellion.

Very few Element fairies occupied the streets. They moved with obvious purpose, none lingering in one place for too long, almost as if they were being propelled forward by an invisible force. I wondered if they moved with Vortigern in mind, if they were apprehensive of what actions he would take against idleness. Could it be that these fairies lived in fear? Was it possible that they were driven by terror and not a desire to kill? Or were they just as cruel as their king?

Seeing where the Element fairies lived, how they lived, definitely made me question their motives. I realized I had never taken their feelings into consideration. How did they feel about the war? Did they agree with Vortigern’s actions? Were they just as exhausted as the elves from the endless fighting? If given a choice, would they continue to defend their ruler or abandon his quest for control? Did they even know control was what he intended to gain? Or were they simply mindless drones serving their monarchy?

“We’re here,” Des whispered, disrupting my thoughts.

We stood before a desolate stone building, different from the others only because its second-story windows were covered by iron bars. I was mystified. Iron bars in a fairy city? The measure seemed absurd. Iron was poisonous to fae. Why would Vortigern want any traces in Etain? I noticed the first story windows were open and bare. I inferred that whoever claimed the second level was a prisoner, and the windows were covered with iron to keep him or her contained in the building. It was only a guess, but it seemed plausible to me. Maybe this prisoner had information regarding Vortigern and that had been the reason for his or her imprisonment.

Before I could confirm my thoughts with Des, the water fairy rapped against the wooden door three times. A female earth fairy with dusky brown hair opened the door. She wore plain brown clothes and, like all the Element fairies I had seen in the city, her wings were furled. The earth fairy nodded to Des and stepped back, beckoning us to enter. We followed Des into the building and ascended the steps leading to the second floor. The presence of stairs was odd, only because I had assumed most fairy structures wouldn’t incorporate stairs considering fae could just use their wings.

“The iron prevents fairies who enter here from flying, so we are forced to use stairs to reach the second level,” Des commented, noticing my puzzled expression. She was very intuitive. I wondered if this was characteristic to water fairies or even Element fairies in general.

The second floor was one large room, vast and mostly bare except for a sturdy wooden desk with a chair and a pile of blankets in one corner. An unlit candle, a stack of papers, and an inkwell covered the top of the desk. Early morning light streamed through the barred windows, creating strips of shadows on the floor. A feminine figure claimed the chair, her shape recognizable even under her heavy hooded cloak. She looked up upon our entrance and pulled back her hood, revealing white-blonde hair and a face with full lips, seemingly fathomless gray eyes, and high cheek bones. From her features, I gathered that she was an air fairy. She was truly radiant, but it was the diamond encrusted crown atop her head that drew my gaze.

“Ramsey, Nathan,” Des began, “may I introduce to you Queen Anastel of the Element Fairy Realm.”

I heard Nathan breathe sharply beside me. Queen.
Queen
. The Element Fairy Realm had a queen. I felt paralyzed in shock. How had this been kept a secret from the Elf Realm? Everyone had believed King Vortigern was the sole ruler of the Element Fairy Realm. How had we missed this?

“Des,” Queen Anastel said to our escort, “please, find a few chairs for my guests. We have much to discuss.”

The water fairy nodded briefly and then disappeared down the stairs, leaving us alone with Queen Anastel.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Why did Des bring us to you? Why are you kept here like a prisoner? Why didn’t anyone in the Elf Realm know that the Element Fairy Realm had a queen?” I couldn’t stop the questions from pouring out of me.

“All of this will be addressed once everyone is seated. It is not proper to begin a serious conversation whilst standing,” she replied, her voice even and graceful.

Finally, after what seemed like endless silence, Des returned with chairs for Nathan and me. She chose to stand guard by the door. I wondered where Rafik stood in the room and I prayed his presence wouldn’t be discovered.

Once we were seated, the Queen cleared her throat to gather our attention. “It is true that I am wedded to King Vortigern and claim the title of queen. However, it is also true that I have not shared a word with him in over, well, many years. He confined me to this prison when I began questioning his motives for war. The public knows nothing of my imprisonment. To them, I simply vanished. They require no explanation. One never expects clarification from King Vortigern.”

“What kind of questioning did you do to warrant your incarceration?” I asked.

“I noticed him experimenting with foreign magic I had never witnessed but had heard of many times before, magic that has no place in this Realm,” the Queen explained gravely. “Dark magic.”

“You mean the magic our enemies used during the Dark Times?” Nathan asked.

During my journey to end the current war, I had nearly forgotten the greatest war in magical history, the Dark Times. They had occurred shortly after Queen Titania created the Magical Realms, the consequence of the great amount of magic needed to produce so many worlds. A side effect, of sorts.

Queen Anastel nodded. “Only dark spirits, goblins, and others of the like are supposed to wield dark magic. Element fairies are not born with that ability. During the Dark Times, elves, fairies, and mermaids banded together and supposedly rid the Realms of dark beings and their particular form of magic. Yet I watched black fire stream from Vortigern’s palms, so naturally, I was suspicious. I knew his elemental power must have been corrupted by darkness.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

Queen Anastel pursed her lips. “I confronted him, of course, although I should have gathered a few followers first. I asked him how he had gained access to that type of magic and why he was using it. I wanted to know if dark magic had anything to do with the war. Vortigern provided me with no answers. He only grew enraged, realizing that I had spied on him and learned his secret. He told his personal guards that I was mad, and they believed him without question. He had me placed here, in this prison, constantly guarded by soldiers with iron on the windows to keep me from escaping.”

“I can’t believe this,” I expressed. “Vortigern has access to magic that shouldn’t even exist anymore. You first discovered it years ago. Who knows how well-equipped he is now?”

Queen Anastel nodded. “I am worried that he has become a master of dark magic in the years he’s been able to practice.”

“Why go against him?” Nathan wondered. “Why not side with your king?”

The Queen’s eyes flashed. “Because tampering with unnatural magic is wrong. Vortigern should be held accountable for his dastardly actions.”

“And what about the war?” I asked, trying to get to the root of her character. “Apart from his use of dark magic, do you believe in Vortigern’s effort to control the Realms?”

The Queen lowered her head and sighed. “I once thought I did. In the beginning, I supported his desire to remove the High Queen from her throne. That was before…,” she trailed off.

“Before what?” I questioned.

She straightened and looked me in the eyes. “Before he banished my son and turned my daughter into a monster.”

“What?” I had been dealt another blow. Not only did Vortigern have a queen, he also had children.

“This is why you are here. In order for you to properly understand the motives of the rebellion you seek to join, you must learn their identities. For as many years as I have been trapped here, I have been connected to the rebellion,” she disclosed. “However, I believed in their cause long before that, for the reason I said. Vortigern ruined the lives of my children in his bloodthirsty quest for power.”

“What do you do for the rebellion?” Nathan interjected.

“Currently, Des acts as a conduit between the rebellion’s leader and me. I have spies throughout the city, gathering whatever information they can from Vortigern. I give that information to Des and she delivers it to the rebellion. She then updates me on the rebellion’s progress.”

Wishing to return to the subject of our presence, I asked, “Who are your children, and why is it necessary that I know their identities before I join the rebellion?”