long sigh. “The lake is sacred, there is a magic over it, and it... pulsed,” he explains, trying to think of the words in my language, so I nod to show I understand him. “We came to investigate to see what caused the...pulse,” he finishes, and I make a noise in my throat.
So that’s how they knew, we must have set off some sort of magical trigger. I’m surprised I didn’t feel it, usually I can sense magic. Then again, this whole place is magical, and a constant, low buzz of this unusual elvish magic seems to cover everything, so it would be easy to miss a simple spell like that.
“What will happen to me when we get to Galandell?” The last couple of days have been so physically tiring, coupled with the fact I’ve been so focused on reaching Galandell and getting Vaeril help, that I haven’t really thought about what will happen to me when we get there. He’d promised me I would be safe, but instead I’m arriving as a prisoner.
“You will be taken to the dungeons until someone comes to question you.” His voice has hardened again, as if remembering who I am. “What happens after that will be up to the queen.”
This is the first mention of a queen, and I find myself surprised. Sure, I knew someone must be in charge of the elves, Vaeril had said that the high elves kept everyone in line, but I assumed it was a council or something. In Arhaven, a woman cannot rule, so to have a female ruler fills me with surprise and hope. If the elves are open-minded enough to let a female rule, then perhaps they are fair and will judge me without letting my race cloud their decisions.
“I won’t cause you any problems, I just want Vaeril to be safe,” I assure him simply, glancing up at him again. Feeling my gaze, he looks down at me, frowning.
“You are not what I expected for a human.”
I can’t help but laugh quietly at that, shaking my head as I turn away, watching Vaeril’s still frame again. “I’ve been hearing that a lot recently.”
I don’t expect him to speak again, so when he does, a small seed of hope forms inside me. “I’ve never met a human before.”
Smiling to myself at this change, I shrug. “Before Vaeril, I’d never met an elf either.” I turn in the saddle as much as I can so I’m properly facing him. “I’m Clarissa, human and friend of Vaeril. What’s your name?” I’m not sure why I felt the need to introduce myself like that, I never would usually, but some part of me insisted it was important.
“I am Elier, son of Saeril,” he replies formally, his head tilted to one side. “Is it true, are you really friends with him?” He nods towards Vaeril. “An elf?”
“Yes,” I answer genuinely. I want to frown, to ask if it’s really that hard to believe, but then I remember how we were when we first met. The distrust, the hate, and fear towards each other, but as we got to know one another and the situation we were placed in, we managed to form a friendship. It’s a fragile bond, but we’ve relied on one another to survive, and somehow, through all that, we came to care for one another.
Elier goes to ask me something else, but the older elf barks something in elvish at him, and he suddenly sits up straight, his curious expression gone and replaced by the blank mask.
Conversation over. There goes any hope that I might have another ally when we arrive, given my only one is currently in a magical coma, my thoughts point out, and my nerves churn at the unknown.
After a couple of hours, the trees start to thin out, and we reach a winding, paved walkway. The trees seem to be getting even larger the farther we go, some with massive, twisting vines that wrap around them, and when I look up, I gape. Houses…there are little houses built into the trees, and I can see some diminutive faces peering out at us as we pass by. When we turn the final corner, my mouth drops open at what I see before me. Vaeril told me the city was beautiful, but even in my wildest dreams I hadn’t imagined anything like this.
When we travelled, the lake turned into a river that we still follow, the mountains jutting up around us as we walk