Read Online The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7) by Amy Sumida - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amy Sumida
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center by protrusions. I frowned at them and at the total lack of land in all that water. The only land to be found was what we stood on and the ring of cliffs which seemed to hold back the sea.
“ What are those things out there,” I pointed at the protrusions.
“ Air shafts,” the High King looked out at them grimly.
“ Could some fey fly in through the shafts?” I looked back at him.
“ They're too small,” he shook his head, “only a flying pixie would fit and frankly, the small ones are useless without us.”
“ Oh, right,” I frowned, looking once more across the ocean. There was water as far as I could see but in the distance straight ahead of us, I could barely make out a bit of smoke. “Is that smoke on the horizon?”
“ From the volcano,” King Cian nodded.
“ Oh, right,” I remembered something Arach had told me. “Each kingdom ends in its elemental opposite, the element that doesn't border it.”
“ Yes,” the High King smiled, “it's a way of completing the circle of magic. The volcano actually flows beneath the Forgetful Forest and back to the Kingdom of Fire, just as a river of water flows underground from the Tine that borders Fire, and returns to the Kingdom of Water. With the Earth housing them and the Air above, everything meets at the heart of Faerie, through the Castle of Eight, and is joined by Spirit.”
“ Wow,” I thought about the waves of energy I could usually feel in Faerie. It was because of the brilliant use of the elements.
“ King Fionn,” The High King called, “King Cahal, please take your groups across the bridge and down through the left tunnel. We will meet up at the outpost and go forward together from there.”
The Kings nodded and led their groups across the bridge that crossed the river.
“We'll go through this one,” King Cian said to the remaining groups. “After the outpost, the way condenses to only one slightly larger tunnel and then the Under city will be next.”
My heart started beating rapidly. Was I really going to go down there, a pane of faerie glass the only thing separating me from all that dark water? Oh hell, I guess I was. I walked forward grimly, morbidly fascinated with the smooth transition the tunnels made from land to water. The edge of the tubes followed the line of the water's surface, cut so that it looked as if the water was held back by the will of the air. In no more than five minutes, we were completely enclosed in deep water, sunlight only a fond memory as it tried to penetrate the weight of the ocean.
Thankfully the tunnel came equipped with floating faerie lights, glass orbs that hovered around the ceiling like mini blimps, or we'd have been stumbling around underwater in the dark. Gasp. My heart raced just to think about it, even though I knew my lion eyes probably wouldn't fair so badly.
“ Is this a special kind of glass?” I trailed a finger along the cold wall of the tube.
“ It was made with the help of Fire,” Arach grimaced.
“ Each of the kingdoms helped make the others,” King Cian said a little reproachfully. “Faerie exists partly due to the harmony of the elements. It's why the kingdoms are placed as they are. Air receives its hot and cold currents by the melding of Fire on the right and Water on the left. Fire is fanned by Air and fed by Earth on its right. Earth is renewed by Fire and nourished by Water on the right. Water is restrained by Earth and circulated by Air to its right, and in the center of it all, Spirit holds them together.”
“ That's kind of beautiful,” I said quietly. So there was even more to the magic, Faerie was full of layers it seemed.
“ Yes, it is,” the High King smiled. “It's also why we must take action fast against Queen Dubheasa. We can't allow her to throw off the harmony of Faerie. There has always been fighting between the Houses but never has an attempt been made against a ruler. That is unacceptable and threatens the stability of the realm.
“ What are those things out there,” I pointed at the protrusions.
“ Air shafts,” the High King looked out at them grimly.
“ Could some fey fly in through the shafts?” I looked back at him.
“ They're too small,” he shook his head, “only a flying pixie would fit and frankly, the small ones are useless without us.”
“ Oh, right,” I frowned, looking once more across the ocean. There was water as far as I could see but in the distance straight ahead of us, I could barely make out a bit of smoke. “Is that smoke on the horizon?”
“ From the volcano,” King Cian nodded.
“ Oh, right,” I remembered something Arach had told me. “Each kingdom ends in its elemental opposite, the element that doesn't border it.”
“ Yes,” the High King smiled, “it's a way of completing the circle of magic. The volcano actually flows beneath the Forgetful Forest and back to the Kingdom of Fire, just as a river of water flows underground from the Tine that borders Fire, and returns to the Kingdom of Water. With the Earth housing them and the Air above, everything meets at the heart of Faerie, through the Castle of Eight, and is joined by Spirit.”
“ Wow,” I thought about the waves of energy I could usually feel in Faerie. It was because of the brilliant use of the elements.
“ King Fionn,” The High King called, “King Cahal, please take your groups across the bridge and down through the left tunnel. We will meet up at the outpost and go forward together from there.”
The Kings nodded and led their groups across the bridge that crossed the river.
“We'll go through this one,” King Cian said to the remaining groups. “After the outpost, the way condenses to only one slightly larger tunnel and then the Under city will be next.”
My heart started beating rapidly. Was I really going to go down there, a pane of faerie glass the only thing separating me from all that dark water? Oh hell, I guess I was. I walked forward grimly, morbidly fascinated with the smooth transition the tunnels made from land to water. The edge of the tubes followed the line of the water's surface, cut so that it looked as if the water was held back by the will of the air. In no more than five minutes, we were completely enclosed in deep water, sunlight only a fond memory as it tried to penetrate the weight of the ocean.
Thankfully the tunnel came equipped with floating faerie lights, glass orbs that hovered around the ceiling like mini blimps, or we'd have been stumbling around underwater in the dark. Gasp. My heart raced just to think about it, even though I knew my lion eyes probably wouldn't fair so badly.
“ Is this a special kind of glass?” I trailed a finger along the cold wall of the tube.
“ It was made with the help of Fire,” Arach grimaced.
“ Each of the kingdoms helped make the others,” King Cian said a little reproachfully. “Faerie exists partly due to the harmony of the elements. It's why the kingdoms are placed as they are. Air receives its hot and cold currents by the melding of Fire on the right and Water on the left. Fire is fanned by Air and fed by Earth on its right. Earth is renewed by Fire and nourished by Water on the right. Water is restrained by Earth and circulated by Air to its right, and in the center of it all, Spirit holds them together.”
“ That's kind of beautiful,” I said quietly. So there was even more to the magic, Faerie was full of layers it seemed.
“ Yes, it is,” the High King smiled. “It's also why we must take action fast against Queen Dubheasa. We can't allow her to throw off the harmony of Faerie. There has always been fighting between the Houses but never has an attempt been made against a ruler. That is unacceptable and threatens the stability of the realm.