Below us, Gatlin Grove passed by at a leisurely pace, the lush green trees, massive and shading the sun for the elves below, hid most of the beauty that was our capital. The eye could still see a few of the red pointed tiled roofs of larger homes, the beautiful Fae statues in a clearing, sheep grazing on a hill, and the many waterfalls that crested over higher ridges. What you couldn’t see were the many shops and squares, the hustling elves preparing for customers at the markets, children waking from their beds for school, that odd elf that always sings every morning by the center fountain and wears his clothing backward, fisherman at the lakes casting their reels, and so many other wonders that boggled the mind.
My home was breathtaking. And I had missed it dearly.
My satisfied smile slid from my face as the four points of the Blood Forest came into view, where all kingdoms on land came together at one lone intersection. The space between the four points held the Fae-created domed glass building, with red and green ivy braided over the entirety of the structure reaching far into the sky—the building aptly called High Pointe. All travelers were required to go through High Pointe before entering a kingdom not their own. Each kingdom’s guards were stationed at all entry and exit points, with only approved individuals allowed admittance.
If a person tried to cheat the Fae born system…
Well, the Blood Forest came alive and destroyed them.
It was an utterly gruesome affair. Blood splatters painted the red leaves of the Blood Forest trees where the four points pressed against the domed building, not ever washing away in the spring rains. War paint that never disappeared, remaining as a warning to those who thought they were stronger than the Fae—the Fae who had created us all.
High Pointe was also where the royal summit was always held. I swallowed down my choke of fear. If I just focused on something else, it would make it better, surely it would.
I looked down below us, instead of gawking at my fate.
Small, pristine thatch-roofed inns and taverns now dotted the lone, wide road below us that led to High Pointe. There were no travelers on the dirt street today, the lane clear of all people and looking desperately lonely and bereft. Father kept flying, though, apparently, not wanting to travel the rest on land, even if High Pointe wasn’t that far from here—Gatlin Grove was extremely close to the cross-sections.
I took the little remaining time we had to gather my courage, not looking up since that truly did not help matters, but a flutter of movement to my left brought my internal pep talk to a halt.
I jerked my head to the side…and stared.
Another pegasus was flying in the air over the Caster Kingdom. On its back rode Queen Mikko, the caster queen. We were still far enough away that I couldn’t make out any of her facial features, but I could tell the ruler was staring right at us.
“Let her look away first!” Father called loudly over the rushing wind in our ears. “Do not appear weak!”
All right, apparently, she wasn’t staring atus.
The tender hearted queen was staring right atme.
Her stare didn’t feel so ‘tender’, either. More like an alligator waiting to snatch and roll you away into a swap. If this ruler was the nicest of all of them, then I was already in over my head.
I cleared my throat, still holding her stare. I shouted, “Father, I’m not positive I am ready for this!”
King Traevon peered back at me over his shoulder. He sent a wink in my direction. “You have me! There is nothing to worry about! If they upset you, I’ll simply kill them where they stand!”
“Please tell me you’re not serious!” I hollered. Finally, the damned caster queen looked away, allowing me to dart my attention to the king, who had not answered. “Father! Youmusttell you’re not serious!”
The smirk he wore gave me shivers. “Time will tell if I’m serious or not!”
“Holy Fae,” I mumbled under my breath, my eyes wide and drying out in the wind. “This is most definitely going to be a hideous day.”
Father was unable to hear me, but he got the gist of it from the look on my face. He started laughing so hard his entire body shook, his shoulders bouncing up and down, causing Javon to glance back at his owner in worry. The king petted his Fae-gift’s flank, and a sharp order left his mouth that I couldn’t understand.
Penelope did, though.
Javon and she both started our descent to High Pointe.
We had arrived for this wicked day of dread.
The structure built by the Fae to keep us all safe loomed closer the lower we flew. The stained glass peeked between the knotted ivy, twinkling in the morning sunlight, all stunning shades of color, a monumental gem of supremacy. King Traevon’s personal guard waited in their elven royal colors of red, standing straight at attention in front of the entrance—the normal border guards stood four steps aside, gifting the personal guards their respect for their higher rank.
Javon’s hooves touched down on the cobblestone grand entrance only a beat in front of Penelope’s. Fortunately, there was enough space for a stress-free landing between the structure and the stairs that led down to a small open market where elves sold their wares to new arrivals. Those visitors had a long way to travel—on foot only, no horses allowed for the other kingdom’s people,nothingthat could give them an advantage over us—on the dirt road to Gatlin Grove, so the market always did well.
Although, the market was deserted right now.
Not even the elves who sold their trinkets were there behind their permanent stands. The silk covers of their tables fluttered in the breeze, while their wares were left untouched—and unsold—inside their stalls.
I glanced at my father. “Why is no one here?”
