The tunnel gave way to a rich ocean world. Fish of all kinds darted in and out of brightly colored corals. Ornate seashell homes littered the bottom of the sea floor, and mermaids swam in and out of view.
A few days ago, I had seen only the darkness of my first thirteen years of life and then Moss. Now, I looked upon creatures I’d only read about in books, in a land almost impossible to reach. The thrill of adventure sang through me as I watched an entire world ebb and flow. Even if I did not succeed in Dwindle, at least I saw wonders along the way there.
“Welcome, my friends, to Lore Isles. May the darkness following you not overcome you.” With one final mischievous smile, Marielle dove back into the depths below.
Hesper and I swam to the light above. We emerged into the balmy breeze, and I gulped it down in mouthfuls. She began to swim toward the shore, but I stopped her.
“Hesper.” She wouldn’t look me in the eye, but I knew she listened. “Thank you for sharing your story. I know it had to be difficult.”
“Nothing some ale can’t fix.” She made an attempt at her usual cheeriness, but her smile did not reach her eyes. I swam closer to her, taking her hand in mine. She seemed surprised.
“I—um—I’m certainly not a bard with my words, but the darkness you walked through alone brought hope to many.” My words were minced, not enough. What could I have possibly said to her? I had no words of comfort, I only had what I knew to be true. “So, whatever you still carry with you, I hope you allow some light in, too. Because that’s what you did for the realm—let light in.”
She looked at me then, her eyes soft and glassy.
“Well, thank you,” she said hoarsely. “Princess.” She winked and made for the shore.
“Don’t call me that!” I splashed wildly in the sea.
Already, I could hear music bursting from the shores. A different kind of music than I’d ever heard before—more percussive than melodious, like a heartbeat. The smell of spices filled the air with new aromas I’d never experienced before. Lore Isles was already everything the books said and more.
An adventure waiting to happen.
And on a tiny island in the midst of the sea rested treasures only found in pirate maps, music only heard by the gods, magical folk only read about in books.
—opening line attempt 83
As soon as we got to shore, I tore off my travel pack, rifling through the contents inside. Everything was dry, including my clothes. Seeds were intact. There wasn’t a drop of water anywhere.
“Marielle’s magic,” Hesper answered the question in my mind. “The waterways ensure the traveler stays safe and dry. No use getting to your destination soaking wet.”
Despite our moment of levity in the water, Hesper’s eyes still had that haunted look about them. I wanted to fix it, but I didn’t know how. Perhaps the town might cheer her up.
Securing my pack once more, we made our way into Lore.
Cottages and quaint villages, forests and meadows surrounded me throughout my entire life. But Lore Isles was home to nothing of the sort. Instead of cottages, they hadtall, slender buildings painted bright colors and decorated with intricate mosaics. Instead of ale carts and pastry carts, they had awnings stretching out on each side of their streets. Tables were filled with fruits of all colors, meats that smelled impossibly rich, and sweet, syrupy golden treats as far as the eye could see. Even the cobblestones beneath our feet were a work of art—bright white and carved so that they all fit perfectly together. Nothing was upturned or out of place; everything was a vision to behold.
Edge and Warty landed beside us.
“Have a nice swim, Madame?” Edge asked.
“I did.” I laughed. “How did you get here before us?” They had to have flown over the entirety of the flatlands and sea to get to Lore Isles. Even for a magic crow, that would be a task.
“The wind was in my favor,” he said cryptically.
Warty nuzzled my ankle. I scooped him up and kissed him on the nose. He gave a happy chirp and then plopped on my shoulder—his perch for the day.
“We need to find a place to sleep for the night and secure a boat for tomorrow,” Hesper said. She looked worn already, her story etching lines of sadness in her face.
No, what we needed to do was to get one of those syrupy golden treats. Maybe it would cheer up my dreary protector. I was usually the one moping about, but Hesper had taken up that spot today—and for good reason. Underneath all of that leather walked someone scarred.
“All right, let’s get a room and a boat, and then, let’s explore,” I said, putting my hands on my hips. Hesper looked up at me in shock; some of her former darkness seemed to lift for a moment.
“You want toexplore?” She crossed her arms, studying me as if someone else had taken up residence in my body.
“Why is that so surprising to you?” I may not like surprises, but I could be surprising. Sometimes.
She hooked her fingers underneath my chin, tilting my head up toward hers. Up close, her fae heritage was written across every part of her—how did I not realize at the start? The hulking height, her muscled frame, her rough, honed beauty. I leaned into her gruff touch without realizing until our bodies were touching.
