Our carpet stayed a few stories above the ground as we followed Norivun over hills, icy streams, and snowy valleys. Above us, the floating meadows continued to shift and sway in the sky, and I wondered how much distance they covered. The meadows seemed to go on forever.
But on the ground, everywhere I looked was crystalline snow and ice. Forests were visible, too, in the distance, and a few crops appeared as well. The entire Solis continent was a wintery wonderland, yet amazingly, life still grew here.
It didn’t take long to reach the facility that held the gemstones. The building kissed the edge of the nearest town, and the city appeared to be rather small, maybe several thousand fae in residence. Farther into the city, shops and homes were visible. Smoke curled from chimneys. Flying fae dotted the skies. And the sound of the town’s hustle whistled to us on the breeze.
The facility we traveled to wasn’t overly large either. It stood about a story tall, but it spread out over two blocks.
Norivun landed lightly at the main doors, and Jax glided our carpet to land on the snow at his side. His four guards touched down just behind us.
“Ock, weather’s brisk today,” the grumpy one—Nish—commented.
Haxil clapped him on the back, his round cheeks bright with cold. “’Tis a lovely northern day, Nishy. The Mother has blessed us. Don’t you all agree?” he asked me and Jax’s friends and guards.
I offered a polite smile while Jax’s guards all commented on the weather, chests puffing up since, as I was guessing, none of them wanted to admit they felt the cold.
As the male boasting continued, I turned my attention to the facility. My heart began to strum once more. Inside this building, answers might be waiting to questions I’d been asking my entire life.
Constructed mostly of metal, the facility blended into the landscape. It had no windows, only the entrance doors, and a sign hung over them readingHartivul Mine Processing Facility.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the vague name was to deter any would-be thefts. While I was certain it was common knowledge to the residents in this city what occurred behind these walls, I had a feeling most fae on the Solis continent were ignorant of the precious gems locked within it.
Jax drifted closer to my side, his brow furrowing. Inhaling my scent, he dipped his head. “We’ll not stop until we find that female who forged the anklets and, hopefully, your collar too.”
I took a deep breath and nodded.
As the other males and guards turned their attention to the facility, Norivun strode toward the double doors, and when he reached them, he knocked on one sharply. Both doors were frosted, impossible to see through, but a shimmer appeared around the middle of one, and then a male’s face appeared from inside.
I jumped, the door’s magic and security guard taking me by surprise, but Norivun calmly stated, “Good afternoon, my guests and I would like admittance, and I’ll also need to speak with the archon in charge here.”
The guard’s eyes widened when he beheld Norivun’s imposing figure. Through the door, he uttered, “Of...of course.” He bowed quickly, and then another shimmer appeared around the door’s handle.
The lock holding it in place disengaged, and all of us strode inside, save Bastian, who Phillen had to carry.
We entered a simple reception area. Several metal chairs, and a small fire burning in a hearth waited before us. In addition to the woodsmoke, metallic scents permeated the air. Phillen shuffled to the nearest chair and set Bastian down. The half-breed slumped to the side, barely maintaining a sitting position.
The security guard twisted his hands and bowed at Norivun. At his back, his wings stayed closely locked together. “I’ll, um, still need you to pass clearance. I do apologize for the formality.” He waved toward a crystal ball at the metallic reception desk.
Behind the desk, another wide-eyed male was watching all of us with a slackened jaw. Like all Solis fae, both the receptionist and security guard had white hair, blue eyes, and black wings.
“No need for apologies. I would expect nothing less,” Norivun replied as he strode to the crystal ball. “Appearances can be deceiving, especially if one has an illusion affinity or is skilled at glamours.”
“Yes, precisely.” The guard bowed again. “If you would.” He waved toward the crystal ball. “Your guards and guests will need to do so as well.”
One by one, we all placed a hand on the crystal ball while the receptionist watched on.
With each new palm that was placed on the sphere, the ball warmed, then our names and addresses were scrawled across the reception ledger. The only fairy who wasn’t scanned was Bastian. Both the guard and receptionist eyed Jax’s brother curiously as the ball’s magic accurately identified each of us, cataloging our identities and residences.
“As you can see, I’m who I appear to be.” Norivun smirked slightly.
“Indeed. It’s truly an honor.” The receptionist brought a fist to his chest and bowed, then glanced at the security guard. “Those that have been cleared may go back. I can take them to Archon Oniville.”
The security guard grunted and nodded toward Bastian. “This one will have to stay here since he hasn’t been identified.”
“Bowan and Lars, would you stay with Bastian?” Jax asked them.
“My guards can stay with him too,” Norivun added. “For extra security.”
Bowan, Lars, Nish, Sandus, Haxil, and Ryder all moved to stand around the sleeping half-breed, effectively caging him in. Bastian, unbeknownst to the fact that he was surrounded by six large males, still slumped unconscious on the chair.
