“You know, I’m glad Davek warned us that leaving today wasn’t a good idea. That would’ve been unpleasant to be in,” Korima said, shivering as she pulled a blanket close around her. “Brr.”
“It’s not that cold in here, you know,” Tadrick replied dryly. “Besides, the sooner we leave, the sooner we’re back in a warmer environment.”
Ruethwyn glanced back at her friends, smiling wryly as she did so. Despite the common room of the guest quarters being made of ice, the room was a comfortable temperature, and most of them were on a pair of sofas, and Tadrick and Korima bantered while Sella studied a book. It was somewhat surprising to Ruethwyn that Sella was so focused on magic right now, but she hadn’t come up with a good way of asking why just yet.
As she looked back outside, Ruethwyn paused as she caught a glimpse of her reflection again, still trying to adjust to it. She’d never been beautiful before, even before her face had been half-destroyed by Resvarygrath, but now that had changed. After undergoing the tests of the fair folk, Ruethwyn had been reborn as part fey, and her face and body had changed. She still recognized the shape of her face, but it was as though a master sculptor and artist had carefully molded her face to remove many of the imperfections and given her perfect skin, while her long, flowing hair was now a deep red that would stand out like a beacon anywhere but in the midst of a garden of bright red tulips. Even her eyes had changed, though the blue wasn’t nearly as different from her previous eye color.
“It may not be cold in here, but that doesn’t mean that seeing the blizzard doesn’t give me chills!” Korima retorted.
“Do you really have to argue? It isn’t like it’ll help the weather clear up any faster,” Sella asked, glancing up at them in exasperation. “I’m trying to study a little, here.”
“I didn’t start it!” Korima protested.
“Why don’t we go out for a bit instead?” Ruethwyn interrupted, not wanting to let things go any further. “Or did you explore the city while I was in the test?”
“Um, well… we went out a little, but the city’s really different, and with you gone, we couldn’t focus,” Tadrick said, his tone awkward.
“That, and it took you most of the day to recover after you asked Essryl to spar with you,” Sella added, giving Tadrick a chiding look.
“He did what?” Ruethwyn asked, spinning around to stare at Tadrick, whose face flushed slowly.
“Yeah, he asked her for a friendly match! A bunch of the locals came to watch, too,” Korima confirmed quickly, the kitsune’s ears flicking as her face brightened with enthusiasm. “He got completely overwhelmed, and she didn’t even use a weapon!”
“Um, do you really need—” Tadrick began, but Sella spoke first.
“They decided to have five matches in total. I don’t think Tadrick ever came close to hitting Essryl, despite her not dodging until the last moment,” Sella explained precisely, slowly smiling herself. “By the time they were done, he could barely walk, and she didn’t even look like she was breathing hard.”
“I believe it,” Ruethwyn said, still looking at Tadrick incredulously. “Whatever possessed you to try fighting her? I warned you that she’s incredibly powerful!”
Essryl had left the day before, and the dark elf caused incredibly conflicted feelings in Ruethwyn, as without her she wouldn’t have survived Resvarygrath’s attack on Mellesyn. In fact, a tiny part of Ruethwyn thought that the deadly woman was beautiful, but she buried it as best she could. It was relatively easy, since their last conversation had confirmed that when Ruethwyn reached the dragon’s palace, they’d be facing one another in battle.
“Well… I figured a sparring match wouldn’t be too bad. I just wanted to know exactly how good she was,” Tadrick admitted, looking down and shifting his weight uncomfortably.
“Oh? And what did you learn?” Ruethwyn asked, crossing her arms and looking at Tadrick skeptically.
“I learned that I’m so much weaker than she is that I couldn’t convince her to take me halfway seriously,” Tadrick said bluntly. “She could have taken me down effortlessly but kept dodging just so she could see more of my skill. It was kind of humiliating.”
“She did say you had potential,” Korima pointed out.
“That doesn’t make it any less embarrassing,” Tadrick replied, sighing heavily.
“You’re crazy,” Ruethwyn informed him, shaking her head in confusion. What had possessed him to do that was beyond her.
“That he is. Essryl reminded me of a snake. One of those ones that watches silently, then strikes so fast you can’t see it move,” Sella said, shivering slightly. She hesitated before adding. “Not that she was quite as emotionless or cruel as I anticipated… she was more… I don’t know how to phrase it.”
“She didn’t care what we thought of her,” Korima said simply. “I’ve seen it before in some people. It isn’t being a narcissist or being arrogant, though the latter is close. It’s also not the sort of attitude where people don’t care about others at all. It’s just… confidence in herself, as far as I can tell. I’ve only met a handful of people like that before, and it’s always unnerving.”
“That seems accurate to me, though…” Ruethwyn paused, remembering how worked up Essryl had gotten when Master Mara had been talking to her and the Illisyr had grown offended on Ruethwyn’s behalf. After a moment, she shook it off and shrugged. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter. Our best chance in the future is to simply avoid her.”
“I can agree with that,” Tadrick said, nodding and slowly relaxing.
For a long moment, the room was quiet again. Then Sella spoke up. “Where were you thinking to go, Rue? I got distracted, but you suggested going out.”
“Mm, mostly I was curious about the palace-like building. The tower wasn’t nearly as interesting as it might look, and I don’t care for the Tower Lord. He may be powerful, but I think he was a jerk,” Ruethwyn said, shrugging slightly. “If you want to stay inside, we can, but I’m getting a little restless.”
“But it’s cold out there!” Korima protested promptly.
“And I can easily cast a spell to keep you warm, and you have your enchanted scarf, too,” Ruethwyn retorted, her eyes narrowing. “Sella and Tadrick have far more legitimate reasons to not want to go out in the cold.”
Korima pouted for a moment, her ears drooping, but Ruethwyn ignored her, knowing that the kitsune was just trying to manipulate Ruethwyn. After a few seconds, the kitsune spoke reluctantly. “Well, if they want to go out, I suppose I can live with that…”
“A bit of exercise wouldn’t be amiss. I haven’t been doing my full morning routine here, since I don’t want to cause any issues with the locals,” Tadrick agreed, looking outside. “Besides, it looks fairly calm out there. Their ability to control the weather is impressive.”
Sella seemed to consider, then closed her book with just a hint of reluctance. She looked at Ruethwyn, pursing her lips for a moment before nodding. “Sure. I don’t suppose you could cast the spell to keep me comfortable, Rue? I know it’s something of a drain for you, but it’d be nice.”
“It isn’t that it’s an enormous drain, it’s more that the spell takes a moderate amount of mana,” Ruethwyn corrected. “It’s actually somewhat efficient on the whole, but I was trying to fully recover my mana last time Korima asked about it. Now, though? My mana core is larger, I recover mana more easily, and we’re not going anywhere until tomorrow. I’d be happy to cast it for you, and for Tadrick if he wants it.”
Tadrick’s eyes lit up and he nodded quickly, speaking happily. “That’d be wonderful! I almost forgot that your transformation helped you that much, to be honest. It’s stunning that something like it is even possible.”
“Yeah. I’ve heard of some reincarnation spells and rituals, but they’re all really powerful, and what happened with you seems quite different,” Sella said, looking Ruethwyn over again. “Maybe I just don’t know enough, but that’s what it seems like to me.”
“Yo
u aren’t wrong, Sella. What happened was far more than I’d ever imagined either,” Ruethwyn agreed, looking down at her right hand again, still stunned by what had happened. She wished she could tell them that a goddess had helped her, but sadly, she couldn’t. Instead she smiled and said. “How about you get ready and we can go? I’ll cast the spell just before we leave.”
“Sure!” Tadrick replied, and he quickly headed for his room. Sella took a bit longer, as she put a bookmark into the book she was reading and got up.
As the two left, Korima let out a soft sigh, shaking her head. Ruethwyn watched the redhead for a moment, curious what Korima was thinking. Just as she was about to ask, the kitsune spoke.
“They still haven’t worked things out. Not that Essryl being around helped, but I would’ve thought that they’d have decided by this point,” Korima said, letting out another sigh. “That’s what you were going to ask, right?”
“Not quite. I was more wondering why you watched them leave and sighed,” Ruethwyn replied, amusement bubbling up inside. “That’s what you were thinking about, then?”
“Oh! Well… pretty much, yes,” Korima said, blushing slightly. “Sorry, I suppose you don’t have the same concerns there as I do.”
“Not really, no. Their relationship is their own business unless they ask my opinion or drag me into it,” Ruethwyn said, shrugging slightly. “I was curious, though… you asked if I could answer questions about what happened in the tower, yet Zaria said you’d been given some information you could use for the story you plan to tell. Was she right?”
“They did, though in nowhere near enough detail for my taste. Some of it seems a bit ridiculous, though,” Korima said, frowning. “What she said was that you met the Tower Lord and were given the opportunity to face a major challenge through the portal on your way to the palace of their queen. Along the way, you were challenged by your doubts, which included an epic struggle against your greatest fears, along with temptations of that which you longed for most. Then you were reborn from a massive flower in the midst of a frozen wasteland. It was more detailed than that, but that’s the gist of what I was told.”
Ruethwyn blinked, startled by how accurate large parts of the story were. Not all of them, and not necessarily in that order, but she’d expected Korima’s story to be largely fabricated. Though when she thought about it, the true story was ridiculous enough to make most people doubt her if she’d claimed it was the truth. After a few moments, she replied. “Hm, interesting. I wish I could tell you more, but alas, I cannot. What I can say is that parts of that are true.”
“Really? Well, I suppose some of it has to be. You met the Tower Lord, after all,” Korima said, then her expression brightened as she continued. “Well, it is an impressive story, either way! I imagine it’d make a wonderful series of scenes in a play!”
Wincing, Ruethwyn asked plaintively, “Do you have to continue with the play idea? I’d prefer that idea to be shelved. Permanently, if possible.”
“No. I like the story, and I plan to share it,” Korima said firmly, finally starting to get up and to remove the blanket she’d been huddling in. “Like it or not, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Ruethwyn let out a sigh, and moments later, Sella came back, still putting on her coat, while holding a pair of gloves, a scarf, and a knitted cap. The young woman blinked, looking between them before asking, “What’s wrong? Rue looks disappointed.”
“She wants me to abandon my plans to share her story, and I said no,” Korima explained.
“Ah! Well, good for you, Korima,” Sella said, smiling broadly as she glanced at Ruethwyn. “Someone has to give her credit where it’s due, and she’s never going to ask for it.”
“Traitor,” Ruethwyn told Sella, frowning at her. All her comment prompted was laughter from both women.
Tadrick entered the room, blinking as he adjusted his hat, asking, “What’s the laughter for?”
As the other two laughed, Ruethwyn sighed and shook her head. “Nothing important. I’ll cast the spell and we can go, hmm?”
Tadrick nodded, still looking slightly confused as their laughter died down.
Chapter 2
Pausing outside the structure, Ruethwyn studied it for a moment. While she’d seen the building from a distance when they’d first arrived in Valisair, this was the first time she’d had the chance to see it up close, and the palace-like structure was impressive.
The building’s foundation and lower walls were built of marble of different types, ranging from mottled white to black, and even some blocks with blue or green veins through them. By about halfway up the walls, nearly twenty feet up, they were instead formed of ice, and spires rose about fifty feet into the air above the roof. Ruethwyn looked at the doors and smiled slightly. From the looks of them, they’d never been closed, or at least hadn’t anytime recently, considering how much ice and snow was built up in the gap below the hinges.
“Why are the doors open? It lets the snow inside, after all,” Sella asked, looking up speculatively.
“That is the question. Presumably because they don’t want to close them,” Ruethwyn replied, shrugging and stepping to the side, trying to get a better look at one of the doors. They were stone, but since they opened inward, she didn’t have a good angle to examine them from. It looked like there were carvings on the doors, and something about them prompted a nagging sensation of familiarity.
“If that’s the case, why would they even put doors there? An open archway would be easier,” Sella said, frowning at the opening.
“Why do some people leave gifts for the dead on their doorsteps over Midwinter Night?” Korima asked, shrugging as she stepped forward. “Really, it just comes down to different places having different traditions. What seems strange in one place is normal elsewhere. Like that elf with the mask from the desert.”
That was true enough, Ruethwyn realized. The man in question had looked incredibly out of place in Selwyn, with the ivory mask he wore, as well as the enveloping robes and ivory gauntlets. As she took a step forward, though, Ruethwyn suddenly stopped, stiffening as she got a good look at the doors at last.
Carved into each of the doors was the image of a dragon, and ice crystals were set into them to show their eyes. Seeing the doors was a shock, because the carving was so familiar, as Ruethwyn had seen the exact same pattern carved into a pair of silver doors during her test. Looking past the doors, Ruethwyn realized that the room beyond looked eerily like the room just outside Imris’s throne room, and the realization sent a shiver up her spine.
“Rue? Is something wrong?” Tadrick asked, his voice almost causing her to jump.
“Huh? Oh, sorry, I just…” Ruethwyn paused, then nodded at the doors, choosing a half-truth as she continued. “I was startled by the carvings of the dragons on the doors. They’re quite realistic, aren’t they?”
“Um, I really wouldn’t know. Unlike you, I’ve never seen a dragon in person,” Tadrick replied, looking at the doors curiously as he approached them.
Korima followed him, but Ruethwyn noticed that Sella was looking at her skeptically. Fortunately, her friend didn’t say anything, instead following them after a moment.
“Is this really that close to a real dragon?” Korima asked curiously. “I’ve seen a few illusions of dragons before and they’re similar, but this is somewhat different.”
“Yes, at least mostly. I’ve been doing research, and dragons vary as much as elves or kitsune do, though perhaps not as much as the fair folk. I believe that these represent ice dragons,” Ruethwyn said, following them and reaching out to touch the cold stone gently.
“You’re right about that.” A cheerful voice came from behind them, and Ruethwyn turned to see the cook from the guest quarters, Davek Gale. The incredibly handsome man wasn’t wearing as much as them, though the long-sleeved tunic was enough to keep most of the snow out, and he was carrying a basket under one arm. He smiled broadly as he nodded at the doors. “The one on the left is Selka
x, and the one on the right is Wovai, a pair of brothers who’re intermittent guests of the city. They’re from the far side of the portal, so they don’t spend much time here.”
“Davek, I didn’t expect to see you here!” Tadrick said, sounding surprised. Ruethwyn did catch a note that she hadn’t heard often to his voice though and wondered why Tadrick didn’t sound as happy to see the fair folk.
“I do get out on occasion. There aren’t many guests that visit, so most of the time I’m not at the guest house,” Davek said, then grinned as he nodded to Ruethwyn. “And may I say that you look lovely today, Miss Sylaris?”
“Thank you, Davek,” Ruethwyn said, warming slightly to the fair folk. He really was handsome beyond belief… but it still didn’t make her interested in him. Instead, she nodded at the doors. “So these two are what… residents of the city? Allies?”
“I’d call them allies, possibly even guardians. The Tower Lord is more powerful than they are, but having more allies never hurts,” Davek said, shrugging and stepping inside the doors.
“That sounds reasonable,” Sella said, nodding with a bit more enthusiasm, then flushed as she added, “Oh, I suppose I should ask… is it alright if we look around here? The building looks like it’s open to anyone, but we didn’t actually ask, I realized.”
Korima’s eyes went wide, and Ruethwyn just barely heard her mutter. “Oops.”
“Don’t worry, the palace is open to everyone,” Davek assured them, and Ruethwyn could see the others relax as she felt her anxiety ease. “Just don’t go near the throne. That’s a good way to end up dead, with as much power as it contains.”
“The palace? Why’s it called that?” Korima asked, and as Davek started into the broad room, they began following him.
“What else would we call it? The building looks like a palace, so it’s the best name I can imagine,” Davek replied, though Ruethwyn realized he was adroitly avoiding the question. Nodding at the stage in the corner of the huge room, he continued. “Most of the time we use the palace for festivals or gatherings, but it’s also a stronghold in the case of a major attack. Valisair has many defenses, but all of them can be overwhelmed. Here is one of the safest places, though it might not look like it.”
The Obsidian Palace (Through the Fire Book 3) Page 2
