by Martha Carr
"I didn't go in."
"I didn't say anything."
"I feel judgment from you anyway."
"That's you projecting."
"Your TV viewing has moved on to Dr. Phil."
"Don't make this about me. But yes, the man gets right to the point, unlike you right now... in the middle of the night..."
"I went to see Hagan, I missed him."
"Understandable."
"And I told him what we're trying to do. He was at a crime scene right around the corner so we walked around the block, and there she was!" She pounded Correk's leg for emphasis. My God, that Elf has muscles for days. Focus, Leira. He's your cousin. She gave off a shudder.
"What was that for?"
"Nothing." She shook her head, feeling her face warming in the dark but quickly went back to talking with her hands, waving them around in the air, bouncing in her seat. "I think this may just work," she whispered. "I know where we need to tempt the dark mist to come after me and at the same time have a good shot at Nana being ready to go."
"You're determined to do this. We still need to find a Willen."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to go in the morning. There's no time to waste. That thing is hunting me and it'll keep trying so why give it so many chances. Toni's already talking to the community at large. All we still need is to gather background on the world in between."
"Don't you have to work?"
"Not if a magical bad guy doesn't appear. I'm on twenty-four, seven call."
"Where we're going there's no phone reception. You'll be out of range for a while."
"I'll let the general know. You up for this?"
"Of course, I said I'd help you. I meant it. Light Elves keep their word, no matter what."
"We leave at dawn."
"Fine, I'm not even going to ask. You realize we're going to a place that doesn't know what a dawn is. Not really."
"We can go now instead."
"Dawn it is. Make sure you bring cash. At least a hundred dollars. We'll need to exchange it once we get to our destination."
"Done and done. I keep a stash in the house for emergencies. And I'll leave Mom a note." We'll leave before she can insist on coming with us. Leira felt the excitement grow inside of her. Fucking feelings. Not all bad. Who knew?
Chapter Twelve
Correk and Leira were out of the house early, just as they planned. A post-it note was left on the bathroom mirror.
'Off to see a Willen, back as soon as I can. Took Correk with me this time.'
"If you want this to work, this is necessary." Correk and Leira were walking across the dry, rocky terrain of Lavender Rock State Park. Correk stopped for a moment, looking in the direction of the oversized crystal in the distance and the direction of the rising sun, shading his eyes. He turned his back to the sun and planted his feet, drawing on the energy from the crystal as the glowing symbols appeared on his arms and his eyes glowed. He formed a ball of light in his hands, pinching at it till it flattened out, stretching it into a screen.
"Never seen you do that before." Leira got closer, peering over his arm so she could see what he was doing.
"There's a lot of things you've never seen me do. Let me focus." Correk moved his hands around the flat rectangle of blue light, moving his fingers as a map made of light overlaid the ground they were on. A bouncing red dot marked the spot where they were standing.
"You have your own apps," Leira whispered, her eyes widening.
Correk moved his fingers into different shapes again and another blue dot appeared with a connecting gold thread that glittered between the two points. Coordinates appeared on the virtual blue screen, pointing away from Lavender Rock.
"This is like an iPhone 25.0. How many bars do you need for that thing?" Leira reached out to touch it as Correk batted away her hand.
"It's not a toy. Light balls are very personal. Never touch someone else's light ball without asking first," he snapped.
"Got it. No means no when it comes to your light balls."
"And you wonder about your mother and her man-chest fetish."
"It's not a fetish, just a break in a long dry spell. She's burning off the top layers. She'll go local eventually."
Correk looked up from the small screen in front of him. "You have someone in mind?"
"Really? We're diving headfirst into my mother's old love life in the middle of a moonscape with a few trees as we're about to go to an underground world to look for a talking rat?"
"Most of our days sound like that description. I fit in topics when I can."
Leira drew her mouth into a straight line, mashing her lips together.
"Okay, moving on." Correk looked back at the screen.
"I don't know. There was someone but Mom hasn't said anything about him and I haven't told him she's out."
"A name? Seems a little cold hearted." Correk didn't look up. He tapped the screen and slid his finger across the top, gathering information.
"He works with Ralph. Donald Entin, another mechanic. I'll tell him, or I'll ask Mom if she wants him to know. I don't know. How did this get to be my business? Can we focus here?"
"That was my point about five minutes ago. Alright, we need to walk just a few yards in that direction. I have the address of someone who should be able to help us find the right Willen. You brought the cash, right?"
"There's an address out here? I live by the big red and beige rock. Can't miss it. Yes, yes, I brought the cash," she said, patting her pocket.
"And not your gun."
"Thought about it but something told me that was a bad first impression."
"It would have gotten us kicked out and banned for a month. This way."
They walked till they got to a cluster of nondescript boulders at the edge of the park.
"How did you even know this was here?" Leira squinted, looking around at the vast terrain of different-sized rocks, cacti and short, twisted trees in similar shades of brown or pale purples. "It all looks the same to me, and I'm from these parts."
"There is a detailed map available to anyone in our community. Shows the underground cities beneath all the kemanas in your world."
"I'm living in a giant nesting doll. You open one world and there's another. Oh wait, there's another world inside of that one."
"This is only the third kind of world, if you can call it that. It's really part of Earth, just underground."
"Everywhere."
Correk gave a half shrug. "Not exactly everywhere." He pointed to Lavender Rock in the distance. "They're all centered around the giant crystals that are pushed deep into the Earth. The last time the gates were fully open a lot of people from Oriceran wanted to stay. But some are not as suited to be out in public all the time. Like the Willens. They also wanted to make sure they had access to some level of magic better than what the Earth gave off naturally."
"So they fired up these beauties."
"Exactly. They poured magic into them, turning these spaces into something more than a relic. They're very powerful. It would be a lot easier to just show you." He looked at the screen again and back at the rocks. "It says we're right on top of the entrance. There it is!" He crouched down, holding his hand over his eyes as the sun rose slowly over the park. In front of him were three symbols carved into the rock. A circle, a square and the infinity symbol.
"What are those?" Leira bent over to get a better look.
"An alarm system as well as an entrance." Correk waved his hands and the screen in front of him changed into dust, blowing away in the strong breeze. He crouched down and gently pushed against the infinity symbol as the ground beneath their feet rumbled.
"What happens if you push the other two?" Leira put out her hands for balance, feeling the vibration in her legs.
"Knocked out in various ways. Electric shock. Magical sleeping gas. They're the alarm system."
"Like one method wasn't enough."
The air around them grew colder as rays of gold
light spread out from between the pile of rocks in front of them, circling around them.
The rocks pulled apart as the ground beneath them ripped open, revealing a set of wide stone stairs that wound deep into the ground.
"Ladies first," said Correk, nodding his head.
Leira looked at him and at the steps. "Why not?" She headed down the stairs, her hand running along the wall. Everywhere she looked there were glowing lavender crystals embedded in the wall, lighting the way. She looked back at Correk who was only a step behind her, as the ground above magically closed over them without caving in. A fine shower of gold dust fell on their heads.
"Is every underground place like this? What do you call them? Towns? Cities?"
"They're just like places above ground. Some are hives of magical creatures living in caves, one on top of the other. Others are more like villages with a little more space. Depends on the place. The largest is in Santa Barbara. It's called Fairhaven. You'll find a little bit of everything there."
Leira kept walking down as the stairs curved round and round. The lower she got the more light came spilling up the stairs to greet them. "This is Texas, so I'm guessing things are more spread out down here."
"Accurate guess if the reviews I read were correct."
The noise picked up as Leira descended the stairs until they finally turned the corner and were greeted by a hearty, "Hello!" from a passing female Light Elf holding on to the hand of a youngster. Leira stopped in her tracks, her mouth open, staring at the scene in front of her.
"It's an entire fucking village!" she said in awe.
"It's actually a city. Welcome to the city of Hilldale."
She was looking at a town square deep under the ground just outside of Austin. In the center of the square was the large lavender crystal. "Lavender Rock is huge," whispered Leira.
It was giving off a glow bright enough to light everything around her. Grass surrounded the crystal, swaying back and forth. "I recognize that from Oriceran." She looked back at Correk.
"Everyone wants things that remind them of home," he said.
A paved road ran around the square and there were shops set back on every side, even flanking the large steps up to the surface.
"Coming by you, on your left." Leira stepped to her right to get out of the way as a large Kilomea came down the last steps carrying a stack of wooden boxes taller than Leira with peaches stamped on the side. He bustled off down the street, disappearing into the crowd that filled the streets.
"I take back what I said about wide-open spaces."
"This is the center of the town down here. There will be fewer people the further out we get. Come on, we need to go exchange your money. There's supposed to be a place on the opposite side of the square."
Leira walked along beside Correk looking in all the shop windows. The music store had guitars hanging in the window, playing themselves. The small art gallery showed paintings of Oriceran alongside Texas landscapes. The elves in one painting walked across the gilt frame and into the wooden frame of another to admire the hill country. A grocer was putting out a sandwich board by crates of fruit and vegetables with the deals of the day.
Most of the things for sale Leira recognized but there was a dark green oblong fruit the size of a peach she had never seen before. "What's that?" she asked the grocer.
He smiled, sweeping his hand across the top of the display. "Hairy limeolas. Very sweet this time of year. Actually, down here, year round! Two pintas," he said, holding up two fingers. "You need an exchange?"
"We do," said Correk, taking Leira by the elbow and bustling her inside, passing the grocer. "This is our first destination. It's a money exchange. Come on."
Leira kept looking to both sides, taking in all the strange produce, wanting to reach out and touch things. Another time. Singleness of purpose.
"We can come back sometime," Correk said, watching her pull her hand back from a box of bananas that were in the shape of a spiral. "We should come back here. You would learn more about the other part of who you are." He stepped up to the counter.
"I'll trade you twenty dollars for five pintas." Correk bargained with the grocer, glancing over at the sign with the day's exchange rate.
"Three," said the grocer, holding up three fingers that ended in claws.
A new creature, thought Leira. Looks almost human. I have so many questions.
"Five or I go down the street to your competitor. It's a fair exchange."
The grocer stared at Correk and glanced at Leira. She narrowed her eyes and stared back.
"Fine," he said, blinking. "Not bad," he said, smiling. "Today, you got me. Maybe next time, favor will be on my side."
Leira waited till Correk gave her a nod and she pulled out the cash laying it on the counter. The grocer laid down diamond-shaped pieces of metal with different symbols stamped in them. They were the same color as the crystal in the town square. He quickly scooped up her money.
Correk counted the pintas and put it in a leather pouch, drawing the strings. "Here, keep track of this. We'll need to bribe the Willen to even talk to us."
"Oh, Willens," snarled the grocer, wrinkling his nose. "Steal you blind!" He waved at them in dismissal but quickly went back to smiling. The Kilomea was in the back of the store putting down the crates of peaches and heading back out to the square. "Elves," he muttered as he passed them, looking Correk up and down. He nodded at Leira. Correk arched a brow and watched him pass but didn't say anything.
"No love lost?"
"He's a Bracken Kilomea. They come from the swamps, originally. They don't really like anyone but he seemed to admire you. Come on, time to go find a Willen."
They got back out to the square, dodging a gnome pushing a stroller with a baby gnome tucked inside, and a troll peering out that blew Leira a kiss.
"Trolls! There's more of them on Earth."
"Of course there are. They are choosy about who they agree to attach to but it happens all the time. For life."
"Yes, I got that part before, thank you."
They walked another block before Correk took Leira by the hand and pulled her down a side street where the light was dimmer, shaded by elm trees. Homes lined the street, pushed up against each other and painted in different pastel colors. Many of them were lavender.
"Trees underground. This is all very trippy. Do humans ever come down here?"
"They're not very welcome. A certain kind of anonymity is required for these places to survive and humans are too chatty and too easily spooked. Word would get out. You realize this isn't some kind of tourist attraction," he said, as they hurried along. Leira realized the paved streets were giving away to cobblestones and the houses were growing shabbier.
Correk was watching the house numbers, still holding onto her hand as they came to a worn-down wooden cottage with the white paint peeling off and the numbers one four one. Narrow, cement stairs twisting left and then right led up to the red front door with a large window on the top half of it.
"This is it. Our Willen lives here."
"With all the stealing they do, you'd think they'd have better digs."
"This is by choice. They like to go by unnoticed and live in areas where others are reluctant to visit. That and their idea of hygiene is disturbing."
"A lot of the humans I dealt with on the force would love it here." Leira headed up the stairs, easily navigating the twisting angles, running to the door, her fist raised, ready to knock. She looked at Correk who gave her a nod as she gave two sharp knocks.
The door opened a crack, a long, gray furry snout appearing, sniffing around the edge. Two beady eyes followed as the Willen worked his way cautiously around the door. He looked Correk and Leira up and down, his long claws still holding the door ajar.
"Elves, fine." He opened the door wide. "Do come in. Can't be too careful these days. So many making the crossing. Some bad elements."
Leira pressed down on Correk's arm, stopping him from asking what the Willen meant by
bad element. They were there for a different reason.
"We're here to strike a deal," she said, pressing ahead. Leira was used to bargaining with cons. Just because this one has a tail and whiskers doesn't make it any different.
She handed Correk the pouch and he took out three coins, holding them in his palm. "For your consideration."
The Willen sniffed the air and walked over to Correk swiftly removing the coins and sliding them into the folds in his skin. Leira did her best not to stare at any of it. There was too much riding on getting his cooperation.
"I'm listening," said the Willen.
"We need information." Correk was slowly reeling out the information, drawing in the Willen.
"My favorite kind of deal."
"You have to go to Oriceran to get it."
The Willen sat back on its haunches, still upright. "This will cost you."
"We understand and are ready to bargain."
"I'll want something special. What do you want from Oriceran."
"We came to you for this because even above ground they say you can do anything." Correk needed to appeal to the Willen's ego before he said the next words. "We need you to steal the secrets of the world in between from the Gnomes who guard the library."
The Willen was unable to hide his surprise and he started sputtering. "Impossible. Ridiculous. Joke."
"Name your prize," Leira said evenly. She held her breath, saying nothing, waiting for the Willen's response.
The Willen rocked forward, rubbing his paws together. There's something he wants and can't get, thought Leira. She braced herself for the request.
"Bring my family here from New Jersey."
Leira looked at Correk and back at the Willen wondering if she heard right. Her brows drew together, puzzled. There has to be a catch. "How many Willen are we talking about?"
"Five," said the Willen, tapping his nails together, his whiskers twitching. "My wife, my boy, my mother and two uncles. Dad had unfortunate timing with the D train in New York City and is no longer with us."
"We bring your family here to you and you steal this information?" Leira gave the Willen her best icy stare. Better he doesn't realize how much she wanted this.