Did he say fourteen years? Seriously?
“So… what?” Fae asked. “I have to choose which of my siblings to help out?”
“Well…” Meister Roderick seemed to have picked up on Fae’s frustration, shuffling his maps and files. “They may not both need help. I can see a bit of what they’re dealing with, and help guide your way. As a brief impression, it seems that Delilah and her group are lost, while Caleb seems to be going exactly where he wants to go.”
So what the heck are you doing, Caleb? Is the Enchanted Dominion calling out to you like it is to me? Are you looking for answers, too?
Maybe I’m not the only one who needs to be here.
So do I help Delilah? She has two Hunters with her — what could I honestly do to help?
And…
I have my own questions. Isn’t that really why I’m here?
“What about me?” Fae asked. “You said you have some clues for answers to my questions, right?”
“Yes, of course,” Meister Roderick said, moving things aside to make room for two maps: “City of Anguish” and “Plains of the Fallen.” “These are two locations that should help point you in the right direction.”
“Oh, great,” Jupiter said, leaning back as she rolled her eyes. Her sandwich was already gone, the first of the group to finish eating. “Either Crying Town or a freaking graveyard. Come on, Meister, these can’t be right.”
“The Plains of the Fallen have an artist’s alley of sorts,” Meister Roderick said. “Gerick Irsotz lives there, and he knows more about magical artwork than anyone. And the Gallery of Wounds is within the City of Anguish — Esmerelda, the Gallery’s Curator, may know exactly what’s going on, or at least have a clue of who’s been calling out to young Fae.
“You’re sure there aren’t any nice places that could be helpful?” Jupiter asked.
Meister Roderick shook his head. “It’s possible, but these are your best starting leads,” he said.
“Well, we’ve been to the other two,” Neptune said. “The Plains of the Fallen isn’t so bad. And the City of Anguish —”
“Will make you wish you’d never been born,” Jupiter said. “Seriously. Let’s not go there again.”
“I liked it,” Mercury said cheerfully. “Everyone’s super dramatic. It’s kind of like a comedy.”
“You’re nuts,” Jupiter said.
“I think Fae should be the one making the decision,” Neptune said, her one visible eye focusing on Fae.
“I… don’t you three have things you wanted to ask, too?” Fae asked. “I don’t… this is kind of heavy, you know? I’m trying to wrap my mind around things.”
“We’re here for you,” Mercury said, smiling. “Don’t worry about us. We always just explore. Plus, you don’t want to travel the Dominion alone. You’ll need us.”
Why are you being so generous?
“So… okay,” Fae said, looking to Meister Roderick. “The Wood of the Wisps. Is it safe? Is my sister going to be all right?”
“Oh, there are no dangers there,” Meister Roderick said, smiling. “In fact, I think it’s a place young Delilah needs to go. She’ll be delighted she visited. Really wonderful timing there.”
“What about Midnight Bridge?” Fae asked.
“It isn’t… dangerous, per se,” Meister Roderick said. “But… well, let’s put it this way: if Caleb is going there of his own volition, then he’s likely going to meet with Mister Midnight in order to learn more about Time Magic. It will be dangerous, but it’s a danger that he chose, likely for good reason. And it’s a danger that’s completely avoidable — Mister Midnight will warn him properly before anything begins.”
So basically, Caleb and Delilah are fine. Caleb can handle danger, and he chose to go there. And Delilah’s going to some happy place. Which means I can focus on my own journey.
Is that really okay? To just put myself first? I asked about Caleb and Delilah. I did my part for them, right? Is it okay for me to do what I want now? That wouldn’t be selfish, would it?
It looks like the places I have to go to are both not too happy. In a way, it’s like I have it worse off than Caleb or Delilah. So it shouldn’t be any harm for me to do my thing.
“Can we take a Cartographer with us?” Fae asked, remembering what the sisters had said. She knew it was a no, but she wanted to know why. “So we can navigate? It sounds like we’ll be going to a number of Locations.”
Meister Roderick shook his head. “Unfortunately, no,” he said. “We Cartographers are bound to the Waystation. We only really have our navigational abilities on this small island — once we leave, we know nothing of the mysteries of the Dominion.” He picked up his files and time tables. “These are the sources of our knowledge, and they cannot update properly outside of the Waystation. However…” He gestured at the maps. “That is why we draw maps. For those we deem worthy, we can bestow maps. We can even look ahead, for a short distance, and give you time tables up to a certain point that will help you navigate for the next few hours. If you’re lucky, we may even be able to manage a full universal day’s worth of perfectly precise predictions. And…” Meister Roderick looked at the three Star sisters, “these three appear to not have told you as much as I had expected.”
“What’s that mean?” Fae asked, looking at Mercury suspiciously. Mercury raised her hands innocently.
“Hey, I thought you should find things out organically,” she said.
“The Star sisters have spent a great deal of time in the Dominion,” Meister Roderick said. “They can serve as navigators through most Locations, and will be able to fill in the blanks that our maps unfortunately leave out — we can only be so detailed, after all. They’ve spent enough time here at the Waystation, and young Neptune even studied with us for a time, so they can help provide direction once you’ve left our safe halls.”
“So… where should I go?” Fae asked, looking to the sisters. “And is there anything else you’ve conveniently left out that I should know right away?”
“Not that I can think of,” Mercury said.
“We’ll do our best to answer your questions,” Neptune said, “and to provide you with insight and guidance. So — where will we go?”
“It’s up to you, chief,” Jupiter said, grinning.
“Between the City of Anguish and the Plains of the Fallen, where would you go?” Fae asked.
“We haven’t met Gerick or Esmerelda,” Mercury admitted, “so it’s hard to say.”
“The Plains of the Fallen is more peaceful,” Neptune said. “There are less distractions. But the City of Anguish has many people, and quite a wealth of knowledge. I’m not sure what’s the best opening call.”
“I can provide you with time tables,” Meister Roderick said. “So you can easily get from the Plains to the City. As long as you don’t spend more than sixteen hours in either Location, you’ll be able to jump directly from one to the other.”
Fae nodded, standing up. “Let’s go for the Plains first,” she said.
I’m not a crazy person like you, Caleb. You’d probably go straight for the place that sounded the most dangerous. I’ll start things off easy.
I hope.
“Sounds good to me,” Mercury said, as the sisters stood up as well. “Meister, thanks for having us again. Hopefully it won’t be quite so long before our next visit.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Meister Roderick said, chuckling. “You have your own adventures to embark on. I’ll look forward to your next visit, but don’t feel obligated.”
“So… where do we go?” Fae asked. “I mean, to leave. Is there a boat?”
“Nope,” Mercury said, leading the group out a side door to a wooden porch. From the side curved a cobblestone path, winding its way down to the beach below. “Follow along. This is super cool.”
“Fae Greyson,” Meister Roderick said, stopping her. “I just want you to know… we’ve heard very much about you. For whatever reason, you’re important to someon
e here in the Enchanted Dominion. I hope that you find what you’re looking for. But be careful. Not all of us within the Dominion are friendly. Stay on your guard, and keep your wits about you.”
“Thank you,” Fae said, shaking Meister Roderick’s hand. “I’m glad to have met you. And I hope things work out.” She looked back, out across the vast, endless green ocean.
One way or another, I’m on the very first step of my own journey. Caleb, Delilah, don’t hold this against me. It seems the two of you are here for a reason, too.
I hope we all find what we’re looking for.
Chapter 21: Will Wisps
— G —
Delilah stood at the prow of the Dreamtide, the ship that was transporting their group from Hollow Island. They were moving quickly, so sweet spray splashed up now and again, but Delilah didn’t mind.
In her hand was the note left behind by her brother.
You knew you were overdoing it with your Time Magic, didn’t you? I love your optimism and easy smile, but you have to learn when to be serious. If you had, you could have avoided this entirely…
Well, he probably would have needed special training eventually. Caleb never did have a teacher for Time Magic, and it was something people always worried about. But Caleb had been so good at Time Magic, had come into it so easily, that mom and dad had ignored the warnings and let him go for it.
“Deep thoughts?” asked a rough voice that had become familiar to Delilah on this voyage at sea. She turned to the captain of the Dreamtide, Rothus. A burly man, his blue and white shirt had the sleeves cut off entirely because his shoulders and upper arms were simply too large to fit into ordinary clothing. His long white hair and well-trimmed white beard stood out against his heavily tanned skin, as did his eyes, which shone with a pale blue brilliance, their pupils not black but silver, shaped like cresting waves. Even though he towered over little Delilah, she wasn’t the least bit intimidated by him — he was a big softy, and that had been apparent within moments of meeting him at Hollow Island’s port.
“Not really,” Delilah replied. “Just ordinary thoughts.”
“Very focused for such a young one,” Rothus said, placing his large, scar-covered hands on the metal railing. He had a large mouth and chin, making even the small smile on his face appear quite prominent.
“I guess you could say so,” Delilah said, staying with the captain at the railing. She held some of her hair out of her face, turning to look back at the rest of the ship. Chelsea and Lorelei were talking at a table within the ship’s cabin, easy to see through the large windows running along its entire perimeter. Isabelle was sitting on the cabin’s roof, kicking her feet over the edge and giggling every time water splashed up high enough to reach her. Next to her was Gwen, a fellow passenger who seemed to know far more than she let on. They talked now and then, but mostly Gwen watched Isabelle, smiling at the girl and her childish joy.
Gwen was a young woman who seemed like she was from some extremely high-class or even royal household. She dressed in a muted red outfit — pants, heeled boots, and open jacket — with golden shirt, buttons, tassels, and trim. Her wavy auburn hair was cut short and seemed to glisten in the light. Along with her golden eyes, she had a magical air about her.
In a storage area below decks was the mysterious Anastasia. Delilah had only seen her for a brief moment before the woman had vanished down below, and she hadn’t come up since.
As Delilah had expected, the Dreamtide was powered by magic. It even had its own sort of auto-pilot function, meaning that Rothus didn’t need to man the helm at all times.
“How well do you know Gwen and Anastasia?” Delilah asked.
“Curious about the others, are ye?” Rothus grinned, turning to look back at Gwen and Isabelle. “Gwen’s a native of the Dominion, like m’self. She likes to help out on the ship from time to time, even though I don’t need it. The Dreamtide takes care of herself, I say. But it’s no bother. I like her company. She’s a kind lass, and quite smart. You should see if she’s interested in sticking with your group. Seems like you could use a guide.”
“What about Anastasia?” Delilah asked.
“She’s a mystery,” Rothus said, shaking his head. “First met her just a few hours a’fore your group showed up. She doesn’t talk any more’n she needs to. Can’t say more’n that.”
“You seem like you know Isabelle a bit, too,” Delilah noted.
Rothus smiled. “That I do,” he said. “Taken her once before. And I’ve been to the Library of Solitude once before, but… it seems everyone who wants to go there is having trouble getting there nowadays. Quite the mystery. I’ve had no better luck.” He gestured out at the rolling waves of the ocean. “The tides decide where we go. I’m as much a slave to them as the rest of you. It’s a crying shame, if you ask me. Isabelle’s a charming girl. I wish I could get her home.”
“Do you know where the tides are taking us yet?” Delilah asked.
“Well, let’s take a look, shall we?” Rothus asked. He led the way to the glass-encased cabin.
Inside, Lorelei and Chelsea took interest in their destination as well, so they all crowded around the table as Rothus spread out a sea chart. Despite being paper, the images across it were constantly shifting and updating, like two invisible hands were at work — one drawing, the other erasing.
“Looks like land there,” Chelsea said, pointing as a rocky formation was drawn into existence.
“Aye, but we’re passing it,” Rothus said, scratching his beard. “Good thing, too. You don’t want to visit the Forlorn Peaks.”
“Doesn’t sound like a fun place,” Lorelei said. “So what’s this?” She pointed at a different landmass forming on her side of the chart.
“Ah, now that’s a sight for sore eyes,” Rothus said, eyes twinkling. “The Wood of the Wisps. Yes indeed, that’s a fine destination.”
“But what is it?” Delilah asked.
“It’s the home of the Will Wisps,” Rothus said.
“And… what are Will Wisps?” Delilah asked, staring at the captain.
“You’re a Summoner, right?” Gwen asked, entering the cabin with Isabelle in tow. “This is one place in the Dominion you don’t want to miss.”
“What do Will Wisps have to do with Summons?” Delilah asked.
Gwen just gave her a mysterious smile, her golden eyes sparkling. “I shouldn’t say more before you see them for yourself,” she said. “Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything once we’re there.”
“It’s good to experience things for yourself first,” Rothus said, nodding in agreement.
“How close is the Wisps place to the Library of Solitude?” Isabelle asked. Her eyes only barely made it up to the top of the table, so she stood on tiptoe to look at the chart.
“Can’t say without a Cartographer,” Rothus said sadly. “And even then, things are always changing in the Dominion. I’m sorry, lass.”
“It’s okay,” Isabelle said, smiling. “I’m glad we get to go somewhere new. And if it’s important for Delilah, then I’m happy to go there with her!”
“Thanks,” Delilah said, not sure when Isabelle had grown attached to her. They’d barely spoken, with the girl spending almost all of her time with Lorelei.
“I’ll come with you,” Gwen said, walking up to stand behind Isabelle, placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “I have a few inklings of where we might be able to go next. If we’re smart, careful, and lucky, then we might just manage to get this little one home before you girls have been gone from Grimoire too long.”
“You mean it?” Isabelle asked, staring up at Gwen hopefully.
“It’s a lot of ‘ifs’,” Gwen said. “But yes. There’s a chance.”
“I can go home…” Isabelle said softly. Rather than her usual exuberance, she was subdued, her eyes glimmering with a hopeful desire.
“Well, we should make landfall sooner than expected,” Rothus said, heading for the stairs to the lower areas. “I’ll go let o
ur mystery passenger know.”
“I don’t know about Anastasia,” Chelsea said under her breath. “She seems like she’s hiding.”
“Maybe she’s shy,” Gwen suggested with a shrug. She reminded Delilah a bit of Caleb, the way she was so casual and carefree, quick to smile and believe in others. “We don’t know anything about her.”
“Miss Anastasia says she’ll be disembarking at the Wood of the Wisps as well,” Rothus said as he returned.
“Oh, Rothus, you’ll be all alone. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
Greysons of Grimoire Page 24
