eyes.
“Follow me,” Pretica said. “The wyverns know the way.”
Lilae held onto the neck of her new ride and looked ahead. Flying was something Lilae never imagined herself doing, but as they soared like birds, she couldn't help but smile.
Stars littered the sky above Nostfar. Such a land with rumors of being a desolate, dangerous place confounded her.
From what she’d seen, Nostfar was dark yet beautiful. She realized that not all Shadow Elves would be like Dragnor, and an entire realm was more than rumor and folklore.
The wings of the wyvern flapped gently as they flew higher and higher. Lights ahead caught Lilae's attention. She sat up a little taller, holding tight to the neck of the wyvern.
“Do not worry,” the wyvern said. “I will not let you fall.”
Lilae's eyes widened in surprise at hearing the wyvern's soft male voice.
“Thank you. I am Lilae. What are you called?”
“Triste.”
“I like that name, Triste.”
“Thank you. My first master named me Boris. I like Triste much better. Please, don't change it again.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Good. I thank you, Lilae.” She smiled. What a peculiar creature. She'd never spoken to an animal before. The thought had never crossed her mind, and to find such an intelligent creature speak to her was oddly enchanting.
“Are we going to a safe place?” She kept her voice low, glancing at Ely, who flew close beside her.
Ely had black hair that was cut short and long legs that led Lilae to believe that the Shadow Elf woman was, at least, seven feet tall. She looked away.
“Yes,” Triste said. “Pretica is a good chief. She won't harm you. And neither will the village-folk.”
“Why do they need us?”
“Pretica’s youngest sister and cousin were stolen.”
“Oh my,” Lilae said. “That’s horrible.”
“Almost there,” Triste said.
Lilae nodded. His voice reminded her of an old man's, deep and wise.
She braced herself as they flew to a clearing just before a white path that led to a black mountain much like the one Lilae and Liam had met on. She rubbed her cold ears as they landed. She paused, watching Liam jump off his wyvern and come to assist her.
“Thank you, Liam. I can get down by myself.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Of course, you can,” he said, looking away. “My mistake.”
When she jumped to the ground, her bare feet sank into the black mud. She groaned. Maybe she should have accepted his help. Now her feet were a few inches deep in the thick, cold substance.
Lilae left Triste to join Pretica and the other Shadow Elves onto the white path that was lit by tall torches stuck into the dirt. White dust that made up the path stuck to her mud-covered feet.
“This way, friends,” Pretica said, leading the way to the mouth of a massive cavern that jutted out from the base of a gray mountain.
Keeping close to Delia, Lilae followed Pretica, who stood almost taller than she with a body that was slim and toned.
On either side of the torch lit path awaited a thick, dark forest. The buzz of insect life filled the silence as they headed to Gollush
Lilae paused at seeing the four Shadow Elves guarding the black door that protected Gollush. The elves wore the same green armor that seemed to mimic tree moss. Lilae imagined it would help them blend into the surrounding woods.
“We are honored by your presence,” Pretica said as she approached the guards.
“I am pleased to hear it,” Liam said. “Just hours ago, my companions and I were attacked by Shadow Elves just within The Barrier to Kyril.”
Pretica glanced back at Lilae and Liam. A frown creased her forehead. “I apologize. Not all Shadow Elves share the same beliefs. I assure you, we are friends. You’d be surprised by all that I know about the two of you.”
Each guard bowed their heads and made way for her. A latch was released, and the door lowered into the ground by a mechanical device.
It was intriguing to see a
“Follow me,” Pretica said. “The wyverns know the way.”
Lilae held onto the neck of her new ride and looked ahead. Flying was something Lilae never imagined herself doing, but as they soared like birds, she couldn't help but smile.
Stars littered the sky above Nostfar. Such a land with rumors of being a desolate, dangerous place confounded her.
From what she’d seen, Nostfar was dark yet beautiful. She realized that not all Shadow Elves would be like Dragnor, and an entire realm was more than rumor and folklore.
The wings of the wyvern flapped gently as they flew higher and higher. Lights ahead caught Lilae's attention. She sat up a little taller, holding tight to the neck of the wyvern.
“Do not worry,” the wyvern said. “I will not let you fall.”
Lilae's eyes widened in surprise at hearing the wyvern's soft male voice.
“Thank you. I am Lilae. What are you called?”
“Triste.”
“I like that name, Triste.”
“Thank you. My first master named me Boris. I like Triste much better. Please, don't change it again.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Good. I thank you, Lilae.” She smiled. What a peculiar creature. She'd never spoken to an animal before. The thought had never crossed her mind, and to find such an intelligent creature speak to her was oddly enchanting.
“Are we going to a safe place?” She kept her voice low, glancing at Ely, who flew close beside her.
Ely had black hair that was cut short and long legs that led Lilae to believe that the Shadow Elf woman was, at least, seven feet tall. She looked away.
“Yes,” Triste said. “Pretica is a good chief. She won't harm you. And neither will the village-folk.”
“Why do they need us?”
“Pretica’s youngest sister and cousin were stolen.”
“Oh my,” Lilae said. “That’s horrible.”
“Almost there,” Triste said.
Lilae nodded. His voice reminded her of an old man's, deep and wise.
She braced herself as they flew to a clearing just before a white path that led to a black mountain much like the one Lilae and Liam had met on. She rubbed her cold ears as they landed. She paused, watching Liam jump off his wyvern and come to assist her.
“Thank you, Liam. I can get down by myself.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Of course, you can,” he said, looking away. “My mistake.”
When she jumped to the ground, her bare feet sank into the black mud. She groaned. Maybe she should have accepted his help. Now her feet were a few inches deep in the thick, cold substance.
Lilae left Triste to join Pretica and the other Shadow Elves onto the white path that was lit by tall torches stuck into the dirt. White dust that made up the path stuck to her mud-covered feet.
“This way, friends,” Pretica said, leading the way to the mouth of a massive cavern that jutted out from the base of a gray mountain.
Keeping close to Delia, Lilae followed Pretica, who stood almost taller than she with a body that was slim and toned.
On either side of the torch lit path awaited a thick, dark forest. The buzz of insect life filled the silence as they headed to Gollush
Lilae paused at seeing the four Shadow Elves guarding the black door that protected Gollush. The elves wore the same green armor that seemed to mimic tree moss. Lilae imagined it would help them blend into the surrounding woods.
“We are honored by your presence,” Pretica said as she approached the guards.
“I am pleased to hear it,” Liam said. “Just hours ago, my companions and I were attacked by Shadow Elves just within The Barrier to Kyril.”
Pretica glanced back at Lilae and Liam. A frown creased her forehead. “I apologize. Not all Shadow Elves share the same beliefs. I assure you, we are friends. You’d be surprised by all that I know about the two of you.”
Each guard bowed their heads and made way for her. A latch was released, and the door lowered into the ground by a mechanical device.
It was intriguing to see a
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