Aberforth stopped walking and turned around to face them. Sabine frowned and looked around, but there was no sign of any city. They were surrounded by nothing more than the desert.
“Behold,” Aberforth said, bringing his walking stick down hard on the sand. The air in front of them shimmered, and a nearly transparent doorway appeared. She inhaled sharply, recognizing the magic.
Aberforth and his people were manipulating the in-between to hide their city from view. The gods had created these magical doorways, and only the Fae should have the keys to open the locks. She’d used them back in Akros to give the human children a place of refuge, but this was something completely different.
The mark of the goddess on her wrist began to warm, but she wasn’t sure whether it was a warning or something else. Unfortunately, she couldn’t risk asking Blossom about it. She didn’t want Aberforth to know about the goddess unless it was necessary.
Aberforth gestured for them to enter the doorway. Sabine walked toward it, taking note of his walking stick as she passed. As she’d thought, it was a branch from one of Faerie’s silver trees and allowed him to unlock the doorway. The royal families didn’t need such trappings since their magic was closest to the gods, but sometimes objects of power were given to loyal servants to better perform their tasks. That walking stick should never have left the possession of her people, unless Aberforth’s party had somehow stolen it. But magic couldn’t be used if it hadn’t been gifted. Something wasn’t right about this.
She took Malek’s hand and led him through the doorway, using their connection to cement his reality with hers. It was impossible to know whether a dragon could navigate the in-between, but she wasn’t going to risk losing him. Blossom was still touching her, but she pressed up even closer against Sabine’s neck as they crossed over.
The tingle of magic coated her skin, and for a brief moment in time, she was suspended in silver nothingness. This was the in-between, the space between worlds where magic was born. It was deadly for most people to pass through without a guide, but Sabine had grown up learning how to walk in the footsteps of the gods.
The walking stick may have opened the door, but there was no way to know where it led. Sabine wasn’t sure if this was another trick. Summoning her power to guide them, she reached outward to determine whether the doorway was safe. Impressions of greenery, light, and the smells of forest flitted through her mind, and Sabine frowned. Wherever this place was, it wasn’t part of the desert.
Sabine emerged on the other side of the doorway, her eyes widening at the sight in front of her. Trees never seen outside the Silver Forests stood straight and tall, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze. Flowering plants of all sizes and colors surrounded them and she inhaled deeply, breathing in the sweet and intoxicating perfume. Magic unfurled inside her, replenishing her dwindling supply. She released Malek’s hand, too shocked to even form a coherent thought. This shouldn’t be possible.
“I thought their city would be underwater,” Malek murmured, moving to stand beside her and looking up at the blue sky overhead. “What is this place?”
“Faerie flowers!” Blossom cried, darting off Sabine’s shoulder to investigate.
Sabine reached out and pressed her hand against one of the trees, marveling at the silver webbing interwoven through the bark. The tree responded to her, sending a sliver of awareness through her in greeting. She returned its power, connecting with the magic of this place.
Something wasn’t quite right with the tree, but she’d need to see more of this place to know what was wrong. It could simply be a different flavor to the magic since they were so far south, but her instincts warned her the trees were ill. She needed to be careful not to take too much from them.
One of the branches reached down and caressed her with its leaves, making her laugh in delight. With a grin, she said, “Welcome to Faerie, Malek. I believe you’re the first dragon to visit here.”
“Faerie? How is this possible?” Malek stepped toward her, staring up at the tree that still hadn’t released her. “They’re similar to the trees you showed me in your memories.”
“Mmhmm,” she agreed, running her hand along the rough bark. “This must be an independent pocket of Faerie. I’d heard many such places like this still exist throughout the world.”
“That tree appears to like you,” Aberforth said from behind her. “I’ve never seen it respond to anyone like that.”
Sabine turned and found Aberforth had removed his glamour. As Sabine had suspected, he was much younger than the human persona he’d adopted. If she had to guess, she’d say he was a few hundred years old and in his prime.
He was similar in appearance to Ilwan, the Merman they’d met on Malek’s ship. His blue-green hair was long, falling almost to his waist. His skin shimmered from what appeared to be scales, and his ears sloped upward into a point. The only difference was he’d traded his tail for a pair of legs and very large feet.
Out of courtesy, Sabine lowered her own glamour. There was no point in hiding her identity here. Once they met more of Aberforth’s people, they’d learn who she was anyway. Besides, the tree liked her silver markings. The branch was still rubbing against her, wanting her attention.
She glanced at Aberforth. “How did you come to occupy a place in Faerie?”
Aberforth sealed the doorway behind them. “We claimed this lost city for ourselves when the Fae retreated from this region centuries ago. It’s been our home ever since.”
The silver tree wrapped a branch around her, easing her closer in a protective gesture. The wind rustled its leaves, and Sabine idly ran her hand along the branch, understanding what it was trying to tell her.
“Shh, it’s all right,” she murmured, leaning against the tree trunk and sending a wave of reassuring magic over it. “I know he’s a dragon, but he won’t harm you.”
Malek did a double take. “The tree is speaking to you?”
Sabine smiled and continued to listen. Her magic was rapidly spreading through the root structure. Other trees were paying attention and investigating her magic simultaneously. Even the wind had changed directions to announce her presence to the other plants. The flowers were turning toward her, eager for the touch of her power. In return, they were offering theirs.
“It’s more of an awareness based on impressions,” she replied, looking up at the tree with affection. It had been too long since she’d been able to listen to their song. “They don’t really speak the way we do, but they understand words and intentions.”
Malek took a step toward her. “What is it saying?”
“They remember the dragons and were preparing to defend me. I was reassuring them you don’t mean them any harm. They’re spreading the word now.”
Sabine patted the trunk, and it released her. “I hadn’t thought I’d see any of the silver trees again until I returned home.”
Aberforth frowned and said, “We have tried to tend to them as best as we can, but we’ve never been able to communicate with them. They’ve never reached out to any of us the way that one did.”
Sabine turned toward him. “You’ve never sent an emissary to Faerie. Why?”
Aberforth hesitated. “I’m afraid I can’t answer all of your questions. When you awakened the underground spring, we sensed your arrival. But we weren’t sure how much power you had readily available. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to our Elder. He will want to discuss these issues with you.”
Sabine nodded and followed him down the forest path. Malek walked beside her, his hand lingering close to his weapon and scanning the surrounding area. It was tempting to do the same, but she didn’t want Aberforth to know how unsettled she felt. It wasn’t the pocket of Faerie that had her concerned but rather the people who had claimed the city for themselves. With every footstep she took, she knew something very wrong had happened here.
The plants reached out and brushed against her, and she held out her hand to caress them as she passed. She’d never seen so many trees and pl
ants all starving for magic. Like humans needed plants to breathe, they needed the Fae to sustain themselves. Something had kept them alive for so long, but there was a sickness she couldn’t identify that became more apparent the farther they walked.
One of the plants reached out and wrapped its vined tendrils around her ankle. Sabine nearly tripped and muttered a curse at the insistent vine.
Malek’s mouth twitched in a smile. “They don’t want you to leave.”
“No, but it needs to remember its manners,” she chided gently, but she didn’t put any real heat into her words. She couldn’t bring herself to get angry with the plant since it had been so long since they’d last seen another Fae. Sending another pulse of her magic over the plant, she mentally instructed it to share her power with the others. It caressed her skin one last time before retreating.
“The city’s just up ahead,” Aberforth said, gesturing at the path in front of them. Sabine nodded and continued to walk. None of the other plants tried to stop her again, but she could sense their eagerness at her arrival.
They cleared the ring of trees, and Sabine’s eyes widened in shock. Tall crystal spires in a rainbow of colors swirled upward, touching almost to the sky. Trees, as large as any near her home, were scattered around the crystal structures, but they were withering or possibly even dying. One of the branches reached down to touch her, and she stared at the leaves in shock and horror. Instead of the deep green she’d expected, these had turned nearly yellow. The silver veins were more gray and spidery than strong and pulsing with life.
Sabine sent a trace of her magic over the tree, and it shuddered. The leaves changed to a normal healthy color, but it wasn’t enough. The sickness was still there. She needed to locate the heart of the forest to see what was going on. This was the wrongness she’d felt since the moment they’d stepped through the doorway. The goddess must have sensed it too.
“This is incredible,” Malek said, staring up at the crystal spires that towered overhead. “These crystals remind me of the ones in the dwarven city.”
Aberforth arched his brow. “I take it you haven’t seen Faerie before? I’ve heard the Fae have similar buildings in their city up north.”
Sabine frowned and put her hand on Malek’s arm before he could respond. Something warned her it was better not to let Aberforth know Malek had never been to Faerie. She’d been surprised at his willingness to allow a dragon here. “Your city has some similarities to my home, but the dwarven influence is much stronger here. I expect it’s due in part to your proximity to Razadon. Don’t you think so, Malek?”
Malek glanced over at her and nodded. “That must be it.”
Sabine relaxed, grateful he’d understood her silent warning. “How many of your people live here, Aberforth?”
“Only a couple hundred,” Aberforth replied, turning down a path leading to one of the largest spires. Sabine frowned. A city of this size could easily support several thousand. The True Folk weren’t prolific, but even the Fae who had been slaughtered during the Dragon War had thousands living in their cities.
Several of the True Folk were going about their tasks, and they all stopped in their tracks at their approach. They stared at Malek and Sabine with a combination of fear and apprehension, but no one challenged their presence. It was a little surreal to be in one of her people’s cities and not see any Fae.
A heavily armed Merfolk woman was standing at the bottom of a crystalline staircase. She wore clothing in a similar style to the desert hunters, but her long blue hair was threaded with a combination of seashells and pieces of crystals. Like Aberforth, she also had exceedingly large feet. Sabine studied them thoughtfully, wondering if it was connected to their ability to swim.
The woman gaped at Sabine and said, “She’s Fae! She’s the one Marsious sensed?”
Aberforth nodded. “Yes. She goes by Sabine. Is Marsious upstairs?”
The woman nodded and straightened her shoulders. “Yes. He’s been waiting for you. He sent me down here once we received word the doorway had been opened and you’d brought someone here.”
Aberforth turned toward Sabine and said, “This is Lausianne, and Marsious is our Elder. After you finish speaking with him, Lausianne will show you to some rooms so you can refresh yourselves. She’ll also arrange to have a meal brought to you.”
Sabine nodded and walked toward the crystal lift situated beside the spire entrance. It was one of the largest structures in the city, an indication it was used to house guests and also as a central meeting hall.
“We’re going to need to take the stairs,” Lausianne said, gesturing at the spiral staircase that led upward to a nearly dizzying height. “Unfortunately, we’ve never been able to figure out how the lifts work.”
Sabine frowned. The stairs were usually only there in the event repairs were needed in areas the trees couldn’t easily reach. The idea these people had been walking up and down them for centuries was surprising. It would have made more sense to occupy some of the ground level structures. “I should be able to make it work. Would you like a ride to the top?”
Lausianne hesitated, a trace of fear in her eyes. It was quickly gone, and she shook her head. “No. I can’t attest to how safe it is. As our guest, your safety is paramount.”
Sabine hesitated and then shook her head. This would at least give her a chance to get a better look at the city and to speak with Malek privately. “I’ll take my chances. I release you from your guesting rites and assurances to our safety only insofar as riding on the lift.”
Lausianne and Aberforth exchanged a look. Sabine kept her expression neutral and lifted her hand. The nearby tree grasped the top of the crystal rings with one of its branches. With a creak and groan from disuse, it moved the platform to rest beside her. Both Lausianne and Aberforth gasped, stepping away from her.
Sabine ignored them and opened the door to the lift. Malek chuckled and joined her on the platform.
“Quite a show,” he whispered, his eyes dancing with amusement.
She bit back a smile and checked the floor for any sign of damage. Only a bit of dirt and fallen leaves marred the pristine crystal flooring. The domed top was made from the same crystal material, and it appeared a little weathered, but it was in remarkably good shape considering it hadn’t been used for ages. Vined ropes were threaded through the interlocking crystal rings on the top of the dome and fastened to a nearby tree.
Sabine closed the door, placed her hand on the railing, and sent a trace amount of her magic through the lift. It slowly raised them into the air.
Sabine waved her hand, encasing both her and Malek in a soundproof bubble. Turning to Malek, she said, “We don’t have long to talk. I’ve ensured they can’t hear anything we say for now, but I’ll need to lower it at the top so they don’t get suspicious. I’ve asked the tree to take us up slowly to give us a bit more time.”
Malek frowned, studying the people on the ground who were pointing up at them. “Did you notice these people are afraid of you?”
She nodded. “I don’t know why. I thought they’d be more afraid of you.”
Malek rubbed his chin and nodded. “I was a bit surprised too. Although, pretending to be your dragon pet is setting them off guard. I don’t have any experience with the Merfolk or Faerie, so I’m thinking it would be best to follow your lead.”
Sabine bit her lip. “Something’s wrong in this city, Malek. I’m not sure my limited experience is going to help much. That’s why I wanted to get a better look at everything from up here. I think the entire city may be dying.”
His head whipped toward her. “What? Why do you think that?”
Sabine scanned the surrounding city, trying to get a better idea of the condition of the land. She pointed at the yellowed leaves on the trees. “There. I wanted to see how far the sickness has spread. It’s strongest near the northern part of the city. That’s where the royal families would have lived and where they would have nurtured the heart of the city. Whatever they’re d
oing to keep this place running is corrupting the balance.”
“Shit,” Malek muttered, pointing at the piles of crystal rubble sparkling in the moonlight. “The entire north section of the city is nothing but ruins. Is that a symptom or the cause?”
Sabine blew out a breath. “I’m not sure. As a normal routine matter, the Fae living here would offer up their excess power to the crystals to store. It’s similar to what we do with our silver markings on our skin. When those crystals shattered, the magic would have seeped into the soil. It would have been enough to allow the forests to survive for centuries without us, but it’s not renewable.”
“Can the city be saved?”
“Not without a Fae here to tend it,” she replied, wondering if this was why they’d wanted to know how much power she possessed. When the trees died, the city would die with them. They had to be seeing the signs. “It might be possible to reconnect this city with the rest of Faerie. Then the Fae could care for the trees and plants.”
He arched his brow. “Can you reconnect it?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure. In theory, yes. But I’ve never done anything on such a large scale without a more experienced tutor to guide my magic.”
“If you were to reconnect it, how would it work?”
Sabine bit her lip, trying to figure out how to explain. “This isn’t common knowledge, but all of Faerie is connected through the in-between. It has different names, but it’s essentially a sticky web connecting different areas of our reality. The gods gifted us with the ability to use doorways to the in-between to travel over large distances, but when the Dragon Portal closed and the gods left us, the doorways became more difficult to locate and use.”
Malek rubbed his chin. “So they’re like smaller portals to different areas within this world?”
Sabine nodded. “Yes, but unlike the Dragon Portal, these doorways can usually only be opened by a Fae or someone gifted with the knowledge. I’m thinking it would be best to send word to Faerie to let them know this city still exists. They could send one of the Elders to reconnect it to their realm. I’m just not sure these people can wait that long if the city is already dying. I think that’s why they tested my magical strength back in the desert.”
By Blood and Magic Page 29
