by Sela Croft
I tried to focus on the scene below, to take in the beauty and majesty of the Isle of Skye. But it was difficult to relax. I hadn’t ridden a raven before, and my perch didn’t seem all that secure. I kept thinking that I’d slide off the oily feathers and plummet to the earth.
However briefly, I was back in the outside world. It wasn’t Oregon, by a long stretch. There were no thick forests and I didn’t see any inhabitants. The sky was decorated with grayish clouds. The landscape was green; the lowlands had some rolling hills. A scraggly tree grew at an angle out of rock.
From above, I watched the land race by. The flat land led to the rocky slopes of the island’s peninsulas. The dramatic mountain scenery took my breath away. The area was sparsely inhabited, if at all. We soared high over patches of water, called lochs if I remembered correctly.
The flock let the wind push them up and we glided over a huge body of water. I wasn’t sure if it was the Celtic Sea or the Atlantic Ocean. Riding a bird was ever so much more scenic than flying in a plane. I was able to see more, so felt in touch with the environment. I rested my cheek against my escort’s feathers. The bird seemed sentient, as though it was aware of my presence and my reactions.
I should have been cold, rising higher into the atmosphere. But the bird’s warm body radiated heat and kept me comfortable. My hair blew as the air whipped by and I squinted against the wind. The panorama shifted, making me uncertain of our location.
The scenery below changed, becoming unrecognizable. Forms, colors, and light faded. My ability to discern my surroundings was lost. The bird dove and I gripped his neck, holding on for dear life. The joy of the trip was replaced by fear of falling. I dreaded to think how far below the earth was, if we were even still on the isle.
Thankfully, Logan’s bird was right next to mine. He glanced over, giving me a nod to reassure me. It helped me manage my anxiety, as the birds sped toward our destination. My heart pounded, and I wished my feet were firmly on the ground.
The view was nondescript. I couldn’t see anything, which was freaking me out.
Without warning, the birds jetted upward, dropping Logan and I from their backs, and we fell toward whatever was below. I screamed and plunged to the fate that awaited us.
I spotted Logan not far from me. We tumbled down, down, down. It seemed like we might just keep falling. Then a platform rose from the utter darkness. It glowed and was shaped like a huge hand. We landed in the curve of the palm and I gasped for breath.
The raven flock had vanished. No harm had come to us in landing on the platform. Our fall had been slowed by a cushion of air, but the source was unknown. I reached for Logan’s hand. “Where are we?”
Logan stood then pulled me to my feet. “I trust that the birds transported us to the prison. Or else, Morrigan has betrayed me, which wouldn’t surprise me all that much.”
There was no way off the glowing hand. All that surrounded us was inky darkness.
Logan put his arm around me and we surveyed our platform. There was an opening in the hand’s palm and a stairwell that descended into its depths. I couldn’t see beyond the first few steps.
“Our only choice seems to be to climb down these stairs,” Logan said.
“I wish you hadn’t said that.” But I knew he was right. We couldn’t very well stay where we were.
The stairs were narrow, so Logan went down first. I followed closely behind. There was just enough light to see where to step, but I longed to have a wider view to see what was beyond the stairwell. As it was, I could barely see where to place my foot.
Each time Logan took a step down, he vanished into the darkness ahead, and I rushed forward, so as not to lose sight of him. I daresay he wouldn’t have abandoned me, but something might steal him away without me seeing.
The farther we went into the depths of the structure, the brighter the glow on the stairs became. The steps widened, allowing me to take Logan’s hand. “Stay close,” he said. “I’m guessing that this illusion is treacherous. It’s important that we don’t get separated.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” The thought of being alone, swallowed up in darkness, terrified me.
The stairs were stone, as were the walls that appeared around us. The wooden railings curved and aligned with the spiral staircase. It was safer not to lean on the railing, since I didn’t know how real it was. Or if it was, how sturdy it might be.
The structure was an ancient castle, although I hadn’t spotted any rooms. The only thing presented was the stairs, making our route clear. The air was musty, as though the castle had been around for centuries but hadn’t been recently occupied.
I sneezed from the dust then rubbed my eyes.
Torches appeared at intervals on the stone block walls, providing more light. But that wasn’t much help. We had been going down, but it seemed the stairs had reversed so we were going up. I was quickly lost.
There was no linear progression. The stairs twisted and turned, then went up and down. We rounded a corner, then another. The décor didn’t change, and I didn’t see a soul. It appeared that I might have walked the stairs to the landing where we stood. But it was impossible to tell.
“Can you tell where we’ve come from?” I said.
Logan looked around. “There were too many turns and too much shifting. We’ve gone some distance, but I wouldn’t have any idea how to get back.”
“I wonder where the stairs are taking us…”
Logan didn’t answer, because I’m sure he didn’t know anymore than I did. “These stairs are very confusing.”
I linked my arm through Logan’s. “Maybe my sister is in here somewhere.” I called out her name but heard no reply. I shouldn’t have been as disheartened as I was. It was too much to expect that this castle funhouse would offer her up so easily.
“I’m not confident about continuing,” Logan said. “This could be a trap.”
I walked to the edge of the landing and called, “Rosamon…Rosamon…Ro-sa-mooon!” But I was met with only silence. It was very unnerving.
We were wandering about in a crumbling castle, just as lost as my sister was.
Yet Morrigan had sent us here. I was convinced that Rosamon wasn’t far. I called her name again. Then I took one step down and called once more. I glanced at Logan, noticing that he was frowning.
“This doesn’t look promising,” Logan said. “Maybe we should try to go back up.”
“I can’t do that. My sister is here somewhere, and I’m determined to find her.” For several minutes, I called out my sister’s name, then kept quiet for a moment to listen. The huge castle seemed unnaturally silent.
The lack of response dragged down my morale. I had been so hopeful that once Morrigan transported us to the prison, we’d find my sister. It wasn’t looking so good.
“This doesn’t even look like a prison,” I said. “From what I remember from when I travelled with Morrigan, this place is different. It’s frustrating. I’m beginning to think that we’ve been sent to a different location.”
“I’ve been wondering that too,” Logan said. “This seems like an exercise in futility.”
“Don’t say that. I might not have another opportunity to find Rosamon.” I refused to give in to negativity.
I called my sister’s name again, expecting to be greeted with more stony silence. My pulse quickened. I’d heard Rosamon’s voice. “Did you hear that?”
“What?” Logan said. “I didn’t hear anything.”
I called her name and got a reply. “I heard her. She’s here.”
“Then why don’t I hear her?”
“Maybe it’s my connection with her. But I am positive that she is here.”
“Are you sure you aren’t imagining that you hear Rosamon?”
“No, it’s not my imagination. It’s very real,” I said. “She’s calling back to me.”
Logan went still, trying to hear what I did.
“Even if you can’t hear it, I’m telling you that my sister is com
municating with me.” I took Logan’s hand. “We must keep going down the stairs.”
“I think this is a bad idea…but I don’t have a better one.” Logan squeezed my hand, then followed me deeper into the prison’s depths.
Chapter 15
Callie
The stairs seemed to beckon us. The environment was more inviting, as if willing us downward. The castle interior took on more form. The stairwell wasn’t floating is space but was within the walls of a massive castle.
The décor was elegant if somber. The floors below were made of marble and balconies with ornate railings were at different levels. There were floor-standing candelabras with the rows of lighted candles. There were a few plush chairs that had seen some wear. And even stained-glass windows that probably looked out onto darkness.
We descended into the bowels of the structure, taking each step with more confidence. The castle looked more tangible, less filmy. It was a good sign.
Rooms appeared, so we inspected each one as we passed by. But there were no occupants or any signs of life. Yet I felt that we weren’t entirely alone. Maybe we were being watched. I couldn’t say.
Logan stayed by my side. “Do you sense a presence?”
“You can feel it too?”
“I’m starting to.” Logan looked out at the castle’s interior. “I can’t tell if its good or not.”
“Let’s keep going. We must be getting closer.”
We couldn’t give up, so we continued. Each time a room appeared, I was hopeful. Yet each time I was let down. So far, we were the only ones in this gloomy castle, at least that I could see.
After a while, we reached another room. I had no expectations, but we entered to see what was inside. I walked down the middle of the room. “This has to be it, Logan.”
The room was full of mirrors of various types and sizes. I went from one to the other then gazed about the room. My heart fell. There was no sign of Rosamon.
“I can’t see her, but I sense her presence. My sister is here, or she has been in this room.” I remembered the time that Logan, Noah, and I had entered the Fae realm though a mirror. “It’s possible she’s gone through one of these mirrors.”
“If so, it’s going to be quite a task to find her, if we even can.”
“Rosamon?” I anticipated her response yet didn’t hear any. “I don’t hear my sister anymore, but I feel her. She is close. I’m certain of it.”
My eyes focused on the mirrors. It was odd that they didn’t reflect the room. Patterns swirled in the glass, then images appeared.
“Do you see that?” Logan said.
“Yes, I’m looking.” I stepped in front of a full-length mirror framed in ornate gold. “It’s serves as a window to other places.”
Logan stared into the glass. “I know that place.” He watched so I watched with him. “That is on the border between Fae territory and ours.”
When the mirror cleared we went and stood in front of another. Each one showed different places and things that had gone on. They were like windows for viewing, able to show present and past. “It’s astounding,” I said.
A round mirror brought Crystal City into focus. “I recognize that place. It’s the central location where your office is.” There was much discord, but we were unable to hear all of it. Logan didn’t look pleased, so we moved to another mirror.
I gaped at the activity before us. There was Amalia in stunning attire, her deep blue eyes glowing. For once she wasn’t looming over me, taunting me with her tricks. She walked down a hallway with purpose. A guard halted her then they had a brief conversation.
The mirror went blank, so I was unable to see where the princess went.
The next mirror showed scenes from my home. I recognized the lush green trees, the river, and the cozy houses. I choked with tears at realizing how much I missed Astoria, even if it was a small town with not much going on. I could use some of that about now.
“Is that your home?” Logan said.
“Yes, you haven’t been there. It’s lovely isn’t it?” I said through blurry eyes.
“It’s very different.” Logan studied it with interest. “It’s not too sunny.”
I laughed. “No, it’s not. It’s often cloudy and drizzly.”
The school came into view and I stared at the students walking to class. “That’s our high school,” I said. “I had thought it was so mundane. And some of the boys treated me badly. Well, the girls too.”
Logan put his arm around me. “It’s interesting.”
“But looking at it, the place doesn’t seem bad at all. I don’t think I appreciated its value when I was there.”
“Do you want to go home?”
I looked at Logan. “I miss it. I’d like to see my adoptive parents, stroll through the forest on my favorite path, and banter with friends, even though they are totally annoying.” I smiled. “But I don’t want to leave you. And there’s so much I love about Shadowland.”
I turned in a circle to look at all the mirrors. The magic was impressive. We could look at many places, in any realm. “Do you have mirrors like this in your kingdom?”
Logan shook his head. “It seems to be a creation by the Fae. Although I didn’t think their magic was that powerful. Possibly, I underestimated them…and that can be deadly.”
“Why would a prison have this sort of thing?”
Logan furrowed his brow. “That is a very good question.” He stepped around the room, studying the mirrors, appearing to be deep in thought.
“What is it…what are you thinking?” Fear gripped my belly, but I didn’t fold under the emotional strain. I’d come too far for that.
Logan stood in front of me. He touched my cheek with concern creasing his brow. “This isn’t good. There’s too much powerful magic in here.” He took both my hands in his. “When you travelled to the prison with Morrigan, the sorceress returned in a disturbed state of mind.”
“She said that we had barely escaped.” I could hardly breathe. It seemed that we within the grip of some evil that we couldn’t fathom.
“I’m worried that Morrigan might have been right.” Logan took a deep breath and his shoulders sagged. “We shouldn’t have come here.”
Chapter 16
Callie
Logan held tight to my hand. “You’re scaring me,” I said, trying to hold back panic.
With me in tow, he strode to the door of the room. “We should leave.” He stepped into the hallway and looked up at the stairs.
“Where would we go?” There didn’t seem to be anywhere to go. We were a victim of the stairs and where they decided to take us.
“I don’t know,” Logan said. “There must be a way.”
“I’m not sure if we can get out,” I said. “When Morrigan brought me, our minds were here. But the ravens carried us, so we are here…physically. That has to make a difference.”
“I’m certain that it does.” Logan stood in the doorway, as if unsure which way to go. “It might make it impossible to get out.”
That terrified me. “I don’t want to leave without my sister. But if we can’t get out, then we won’t be able to save her either.”
“I don’t know how we can escape,” Logan said, “but staying is extremely dangerous. If we delay, we might not make it out at all…just as Morrigan warned us.”
Before we could make another move, the building began to vibrate. I stepped back into the room. The floor was unsteady. I glanced at Logan.
He didn’t hesitate but grabbed hold of my hand. Then he swept me into his arms and carried me to the back of the room where there weren’t any mirrors. “I don’t know if those mirrors are indestructible or not, but it’s better to stay clear of them.”
I wasn’t about to argue. Logan pressed my back to the wall, then stood in front of me as protection. The vibration increased, then the whole building shook. It was like an earthquake. I wrapped my arms around Logan’s waist and pressed my cheek against his firm body.
The ru
mbling continued, and the structure swayed. I chanced a peek at the room. It didn’t appear that the masonry was at risk of collapsing around us. There were no crumbling walls.
Logan put his hand on the back of my head and pressed me close. It was as if he was trying to keep me still in the middle of the violent rocking. I had no idea how long the quake would continue or what damage it would do to the prison.
With my cheek against Logan’s chest, I heard his heart beating. I thought of how much I loved him, and I hoped this wasn’t the end. It would be sad indeed if he survived the violence and I didn’t. I was still only human, after all. And what of Rosamon? If I couldn’t make it through the quake, then she might not either.
I closed my eyes. The building wavered on its foundation as if it was made with children’s building blocks. Then the shaking stopped as instantly as it had begun.
Logan released me then we stood for a moment, barely breathing. “I think it’s over,” he said.
We walked to the middle of the room, only to discover that we weren’t alone. We shared the chamber of mirrors with Noah and Rosamon. I could hardly believe my eyes. My persistence had paid off: I’d found my sister!
And Noah was with her.
I screeched and flew into my sister’s open arms. “Rosamon…I missed you so much.”
Noah smiled at me, then stood off to the side by Logan. I glanced over at him. “You came for her. Thank you so much.”
With utter disregard for anything but my sister, I began to talk, excitedly pouring out what had happened. As if I had all the time in the world, I chatted on about Shadowland, skipping no detail about what had transpired since I’d entered the realm. I told her what I’d seen, and about all those I’d met and become friends with. And I informed my sister about those who were my enemy, and thus, her enemy as well.
I lingered over the tale of Amalia, explaining how she’d tried to coerce me to her side, always taunting and teasing. “You must be aware of how dangerous she is. Princess or not, she is Fae and she has ulterior motives for all that she does.”
