Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“The Cavern is the deepest and oldest part of the Palace—the place where Lolth’s power is the strongest,” I told him. “It’s also a place where an imposter like Mordren won’t dare to go—for fear that the true power lingering there will expose him for what he is. His eyes didn’t used to be that color, you know,” I added. “They never had even a hint of Royal Purple in them before about fifty years ago. I suspect he’s been taking amethyst tincture to gradually change them.”
“The Cavern of Lolth would overwhelm a Mortal,” he pointed out.
“Not if she’s truly of Royal blood.” I nodded at the little female in my arms, who was still staring around herself in wonder, too caught up in her inspection of the Palace to hear our murmured conversation. “And since the Markings of Lolth I bear are tingling—and I wager yours are too—we know it won’t be too much for her to bear. It will protect her and help her true self to emerge from out of the human shell that’s formed around her Fae core.”
“All right.” He nodded. “The Cavern it is. I’ve only been there once, though—what about you? Do you know a way to get there that won’t be watched?”
“Leave it to me,” I said confidently. “I know every secret passage in the Palace. There’s a hidden way that leads straight to it at the back of the Throne Room.”
“Then let’s hurry. They’ll be bringing the Silver Throne as well as Mordred’s Regent’s Seat back in from the Hallowed Clearing soon,” he said.
I nodded.
“This way.”
And I led him deeper into the Palace, holding the Princess protectively close to my chest. If we could get her to the Cavern of Lolth, she should be safe from assassins, but until then she was vulnerable. Especially since she was, at this point, more human than Fae.
I just hoped we could change that and help her realize her full potential before it was too late and Mordren found a way to get to her.
5
Lily
The Fae Palace was so amazing all I could do was stare around me in awe as Krynn carried me over the Medieval looking drawbridge and into the main structure.
The whole thing was made of some kind of white marble that glowed softly in the night like a giant nightlight. It looked like that castle in Germany—you know, the one Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland is based on? It had a romantic, fairytale feeling to it that made me expect to see a knight in armor riding up at any moment.
But if the outside was impressive, the inside completely blew me away. There was a vast entry area, at least four stories high, with a mosaic worked into the white marble tiles of the floor. The stones used in the mosaic shimmered—black with reddish undertones. Bloodstone, whispered a voice in my head that seemed like a long forgotten memory or dream. They formed the shape of an enormous spider web, as big as a baseball diamond, with a spider in the center that was ten feet across. It looked like a giant version of the tiny birthmark on my forehead.
The web and spider were also the same shape as the tattoos that both Krynn and Seldarin wore on their necks and both of their tattoos seemed to be glowing. Was that because of me? But no—surely not. I couldn’t really be this Lost Princess they kept talking about…could I?
I was aware that the two Dark Fae were having a conversation as Krynn carried me swiftly through the main hall and deeper into the Fae Palace, but I was too busy looking around to pay much attention.
Whoever had designed and built this place must have had expensive tastes and unlimited money, I decided. Everywhere I looked I saw golden mirrored ceilings and silver filigree trimmed doors. There were priceless tapestries and statues everywhere as well as portraits of gorgeous Dark Fae all staring down at me with glowing eyes that seemed to follow our progress through the marble halls.
We went through a large empty room that looked kind of like a ballroom hung with gold and crystal chandeliers and another, even larger room which looked even more enormous because the walls and ceiling were all mirrors.
“What is this place?” I breathed as Krynn carried me to the back of the room. I thought about protesting that I could walk now that we were out of the forest, but I wasn’t sure I could keep up with their long legs.
And besides, the big Fae with the golden streaks in his hair smelled nice—he had a kind of warm, spicy scent almost like cinnamon with a masculine undertone. Seldarin had a wilder aroma—like the smell of the air when lightning is about to strike, though I had barely had time to notice it while he carried me.