I tried desperately not to lose that last little thread of hope, gripping it fiercely. “I can do this,” I whispered to myself as we turned a corner where the cave mouth leading to the court opened wide.
But this time, daylight streamed out.
“WHAT... WHAT HAPPENEDto the ceiling?” I gaped as we stepped out into the cavernous space from the night before. It was the same and yet totally different.
Blue skies overhead held fluffy white clouds.
After a day underground, being under the open sky felt like a weight had lifted off my chest.
Along the edges of the gaping hole, it looked almost like a bomb had taken out the roof. Trees stretched out bare winter branches, as if reaching toward one another across the distance, yet everyone below went about their business as usual.
“It was like this last night,” Gwen said. “Not very observant, are you?”
“I didn’t...” I stammered. “I thought...” It would sound stupid to say, “I thought it was magic.”
Though maybe it was, since the air here was just as warm as last night despite it being the middle of winter.
“It’s more noticeable during the day,” Lore cheerfully chimed in.
Still slightly awed, I managed to say, “It’s beautiful.”
All the trees, grass, and flowers made a lot more sense now. Roots from a nearby tree poked above the grass and dirt, practically mocking me for not noticing last night. How was this huge hole not on national news? That magical barrier I’d crossed when chasing my family must be stronger than I’d realized.
We followed the curve of the room until the thrones came into sight high above. In the sunlight, the stained glass over them created a vibrant tapestry of colors that shimmered over the empty thrones. Below, the court full of fae held a feast spread across multiple banquet tables.
“Are we allowed to be here?”
“We have a standing invitation to court,” Soren replied, finally joining our conversation. Then he hesitated and added, “Though no one expects us to use it.”
“Is it because of the whole Hollow Court versus Shadow Court issue you guys have?” I glanced over.How’s that for observant, Gwen?
“To say the least,” was all Soren replied, making it clear I was still missing a lot of information.
Instead of moving farther into court, he held a hand out to me. I took it without thinking. His fingers gripped mine firmly, and I tried not to react as he tugged me to the side, stopping by a patch of flowers and mushrooms that grew on the wall.
To the others, he said, “Go fill your plates. I’d like to check Brynn’s glamour.”
