involved in other characters’ messes. Much more interesting that way.” He pressed something into the palm of her hand. “But if you have need, put on this ring. It will help you see clearly when things seem confused. From the look on your face, I’d say you might need it.”
The ring felt hot in her palm, and Una uncurled her fingers to look at it. She glimpsed a solid gold circle before Kai folded her hands up again.
“Not here, lass,” he scolded. “Don’t be a fool. Only use it if you have great need.”
Una slipped the ring into her pocket. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”
Kai waved a hand in his now-familiar gesture, and Una knew that his moment of seriousness was over. The others at the table were watching them, and he raised his voice. “As you like. Thank me if you like. Or not. Stay if you like. Or go.” The lines were obviously part of a well-known song, for as soon as he said them, his companions joined in, and soon the little room was filled with the sound of their singing.
“I will then,” Una said, something no one heard over the noise. But Kai gave her the faintest of nods as she pushed back from the table and slipped out the door.
Chapter 8
T he madman kept singing some stupid song about the man in the moon eating a bowl of porridge, and Snow felt like smacking him. Her mother had said they were looking for an Ivory Gate, whatever that was. Snow was keeping a safe distance from her, not that it would do any good. Snow knew she was no match for an Enchantress. Snow wouldn’t even learn how to properly deflect an enchanted voice until third-year Elocution, and she wasn’t very good at Elocution to begin with.
Suddenly, the madman stopped before a section of the wall that looked identical to every other stone they’d passed before. He turned and surveyed the desert behind them. Snow didn’t know what he was looking for, but after a minute, he appeared satisfied.
“Come see,” he said, as he let the sand trickle through his fingers.
Her mother dropped down by his side and touched the ground. “Look at this, Snow,” she said.
Snow’s skin felt crawly. Was her mother trying to enchant her? Snow didn’t feel the compelling wish to do whatever she said, like she had when they first learned about enchanted voices in Elocution. In fact, she still felt the ambivalence toward her mother that she always did. Snow took that to be a good sign. “What is it?” she asked, and tried to keep her tone neutral. Maybe her mother hadn’t enchanted her, but it still wasn’t a great idea to make her angry.
“Feel here,” her mother said, pressing her hands down into the sand. Snow reached to touch the silvery-white granules, but her fingers felt only air. It was the queerest sensation. For all her eyes saw, she was running sand between her hands, but there was nothing there. She looked up at her mother, who had something close to a smile on her face.
“We’ve found it, Snow,” she said in a whisper. “The way out.”
“Out where?” The old man drew closer. “This is the door to Nowhere Else. It doesn’t go out.”
“Yes, of course, kind sir,” Snow’s mother crooned. “But the dreamers must be waiting for you. Shall we look for them?”
The man wagged his head up and down and grinned. “Yes, yes.” His gnarled fingers traced an arch across the face of the wall. “Wait and see.” And then he stood back and stared at the spot.
Nothing happened. Or at least it seemed that way. But when Snow looked up at her mother and then glanced back, it was different. Parts of the stone were fading away, the dark gray rock melting to reveal a yellowed surface beneath. After some time, the wall was entirely gone, and in its place were two towering gates, covered with creamy carvings of sleeping creatures.
“The Ivory Gates. They mark the boundaries between sleep and waking, enchantment and reality.” Her mother ran her fingers across the surface. “This is the way through
The ring felt hot in her palm, and Una uncurled her fingers to look at it. She glimpsed a solid gold circle before Kai folded her hands up again.
“Not here, lass,” he scolded. “Don’t be a fool. Only use it if you have great need.”
Una slipped the ring into her pocket. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”
Kai waved a hand in his now-familiar gesture, and Una knew that his moment of seriousness was over. The others at the table were watching them, and he raised his voice. “As you like. Thank me if you like. Or not. Stay if you like. Or go.” The lines were obviously part of a well-known song, for as soon as he said them, his companions joined in, and soon the little room was filled with the sound of their singing.
“I will then,” Una said, something no one heard over the noise. But Kai gave her the faintest of nods as she pushed back from the table and slipped out the door.
Chapter 8
T he madman kept singing some stupid song about the man in the moon eating a bowl of porridge, and Snow felt like smacking him. Her mother had said they were looking for an Ivory Gate, whatever that was. Snow was keeping a safe distance from her, not that it would do any good. Snow knew she was no match for an Enchantress. Snow wouldn’t even learn how to properly deflect an enchanted voice until third-year Elocution, and she wasn’t very good at Elocution to begin with.
Suddenly, the madman stopped before a section of the wall that looked identical to every other stone they’d passed before. He turned and surveyed the desert behind them. Snow didn’t know what he was looking for, but after a minute, he appeared satisfied.
“Come see,” he said, as he let the sand trickle through his fingers.
Her mother dropped down by his side and touched the ground. “Look at this, Snow,” she said.
Snow’s skin felt crawly. Was her mother trying to enchant her? Snow didn’t feel the compelling wish to do whatever she said, like she had when they first learned about enchanted voices in Elocution. In fact, she still felt the ambivalence toward her mother that she always did. Snow took that to be a good sign. “What is it?” she asked, and tried to keep her tone neutral. Maybe her mother hadn’t enchanted her, but it still wasn’t a great idea to make her angry.
“Feel here,” her mother said, pressing her hands down into the sand. Snow reached to touch the silvery-white granules, but her fingers felt only air. It was the queerest sensation. For all her eyes saw, she was running sand between her hands, but there was nothing there. She looked up at her mother, who had something close to a smile on her face.
“We’ve found it, Snow,” she said in a whisper. “The way out.”
“Out where?” The old man drew closer. “This is the door to Nowhere Else. It doesn’t go out.”
“Yes, of course, kind sir,” Snow’s mother crooned. “But the dreamers must be waiting for you. Shall we look for them?”
The man wagged his head up and down and grinned. “Yes, yes.” His gnarled fingers traced an arch across the face of the wall. “Wait and see.” And then he stood back and stared at the spot.
Nothing happened. Or at least it seemed that way. But when Snow looked up at her mother and then glanced back, it was different. Parts of the stone were fading away, the dark gray rock melting to reveal a yellowed surface beneath. After some time, the wall was entirely gone, and in its place were two towering gates, covered with creamy carvings of sleeping creatures.
“The Ivory Gates. They mark the boundaries between sleep and waking, enchantment and reality.” Her mother ran her fingers across the surface. “This is the way through
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