by S. M. Boyce
He snapped his fingers, and the golden light around them shimmered. Through it they could see rows and rows of cars, a few trucks, and even a bus.
Audrey's mouth dropped open, and Victoria was sure hers had, too. Without pausing, Audrey tossed the keys to the creature, who caught them effortlessly. He snapped his fingers yet again, and a golden ticket appeared out of thin air and hovered in front of Audrey. She snatched it, examining the tiny black font on it. Victoria couldn't make out the writing from her angle.
“Enjoy your time in Fairhaven,” the creature said with a tiny bow. He snapped his fingers a final time and disappeared into the air. The engine revved to life behind them, only his ears visible over the dash.
Audrey leaned in. “If he wrecks my car—”
“I'll buy you a better one.” Victoria grinned.
“Ferrari, you hear me? I want a Ferrari.”
“Yeah, right. Not sure I love you that much.”
Audrey stuck her tongue out and faced the newly formed hole in the wall. “Well, let's do this.”
“Don’t let anyone see your artifact,” Shiloh said, gesturing toward Victoria’s arm.
“Why not?”
“They will kill you on sight.”
“Jesus,” Victoria muttered under her breath. She grabbed her wrist, a little nervous that there was nothing but a thin sleeve between her palm and the artifact she couldn’t control.
Audrey put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Thanks for the intel, but that would have been better to know much, much sooner.”
Shiloh shrugged, arms crossed as he stared into the forest.
Victoria frowned. “What if that valet had seen it, or—”
“He didn’t,” the ghost interrupted.
“But if he had—”
“He didn’t,” Shiloh repeated.
Victoria’s cheeks burned with annoyance, but she took a breath to cool off. This ghost would be the death of her if she wasn’t careful. “We don’t need these—people, I guess—in Fairhaven knowing you’re a ghost. You should disappear now since the valet can’t see us anymore.”
“Fine.” With that the ghost disappeared into thin air. No poof, no warning. He was simply gone.
“Not—” Victoria glanced around, but Audrey’s car was rumbling down a row of sedans and kicking up dust so thick she could barely see it.
“God, he’s annoying,” Audrey grumbled.
Victoria pursed her lips, biting her tongue in the very likely case he could still hear her. To distract herself, she led the way down the stairs. Hand brushing the wall as she descended, she kept her eyes peeled for any change in the shadows. The air cooled with every step. Her mind buzzed as she let her imagination soar at the thought of what Fairhaven might look like. She hadn't realized it would be underground, so perhaps it would be nothing more than a dull network of caves connected by tunnels she would have to learn to navigate. This could be bad. If they needed a quick escape, it would be hard to accomplish with such a long trek to the surface. She wondered how they would find a wizard in a confusing labyrinth below the ground, and how—
Around the next bend, the tunnel ended in a massive cavern that stretched for miles. Birds flew high above, no more than tiny silhouettes. Shimmering green stalactites hung from the cavern’s ceiling, bright and brilliant as they glowed with a fire all their own. The one in the center of the cavern reached nearly to the ground to meet a tall white spire ascending from far below, the tallest tower in the city. A white stone palace surrounded the spire, and a network of roads spiraled from the castle like rays from the sun. Crowds bobbed and weaved along the paths far below, thousands of tiny shadows bustling through the massive city. Buildings lined the roads, some of them tilting at impossible angles, some of them swaying slightly.
Beneath their feet, the tunnel became stairs etched into the cliff as it descended to the base of the cavern. It would easily take half an hour to reach the bottom. She gaped as her eyes scanned the underground city.
Audrey whistled. “We’re sure as shit not in Kansas anymore.”
Victoria nodded, not quite able to form words. This was it—the place where she would find answers, help, and training. Here she would learn everything she needed to know to control the dangerous magic embedded in her body.
She would not rest until she had mastered it all.
CHAPTER 9
At the bottom of the stairs, Victoria couldn’t help but pause and stare. Fairhaven was too much to take in all at once.
Despite the glowing green crystals above, nothing had an emerald tint to it. The wide road would have fit four cars across easily, but was instead filled with a bustling crowd of creatures Victoria had never seen before. Some towered a good two feet above her, the ground shaking a bit as they walked, and metal plates not unlike armor covered their shoulders. Some looked like the gremlin who had taken Audrey’s car. Most of the crowd were elves like Luak, but they wore elegant gowns and suits. She tensed at their presence, stiffening on instinct, but these elves smiled gracefully. They had class and grace, which Luak lacked.
Everyone who passed stared at her and Audrey, bewildered expressions on more than one of their faces, and she stared right back in wonder.
Her trek into Fairhaven became more intimidating with every step. An unfamiliar underground city. Strange creatures. Only one contact, and she didn’t even know what he looked like.
“This might be even harder than I thought,” she mumbled.
She walked down the street with no idea of where to go first. Elaborate shops made from black brick lined the road, every window filled with something to sell. From ornate dresses with lace and frills to a massive battle axe coated in blood, there was something for everyone: leather bags, glowing potions, bubbling cauldrons that radiated steam. It seemed as though anything could be bought on this one street alone.
Too bad they had no idea what Fairhaven used as currency.
A little nervous, Victoria pinned her right sleeve hem under the fingers of her right hand, careful to make sure no one could possibly see the artifact in her arm. Every set of eyes seemed to follow them, and no wonder—they were the only humans here.
As they meandered down the busy street, Victoria caught glimpses of life in Fairhaven through the many windows. A little gremlin pointed to a knife in a display and tugged on the shirt of a slightly larger gremlin. In another shop, an elf wearing a tan gown with a black apron over it handed an elaborate leather satchel to a fellow elf whose long blond hair hung in a loose braid over her shoulder. The blonde dropped four crystals into the shopkeeper’s palm, and they nodded to each other, muttering words Victoria couldn't hear through the glass.
It clicked for her in that moment: the crystals her parents had left her were the currency here. She shot a fleeting glance toward Audrey's bag, suddenly itching to grab the pouch and keep it close. They hadn't realized what they were before, but now they had to be extremely careful to protect them. It was all they had to survive on, and as strangers to the city, they would need to make every crystal count.
Though most of the shops had nothing set up on the street outside their doors, one store had boxes filled to the brim with what looked like odd, bumpy fruits. The sweet and tangy aromas of mango and pineapple wafted from the boxes, and Victoria’s mouth watered. As she studied the display, however, a massive creature emerged from the store, stairs creaking as it descended. The creature reminded Victoria of a bridge troll in a dress. Long black curls framed her round face—at least, Victoria assumed this was a female from her attire. The shopkeeper grinned as Victoria caught her eye, and Victoria returned the smile. Through the window, half a dozen rows of shelves filled the store, each surface lined with trays of meats and casseroles.
The creature said something in a boisterous, high-pitched voice, watching them as she smiled broadly. It was probably another language, but to Victoria, it sounded mostly like humming.
She hesitated. Crap. She hadn’t even thought of a language barrie
r as an issue. Desperate and going out on a limb, she cringed a bit and asked, “Do you speak English by any chance?”
“Ah, English. Certainly,” the troll-like creature said.
Audrey’s eyebrows shot into her hairline. “Wow, I can’t believe that worked.”
“To succeed in Fairhaven, it helps to know what everyone’s saying, even those from above,” the shopkeeper said, winking.
Victoria hesitated. Good to know. “Do you get a lot of human visitors?”
The shopkeeper’s smile wavered. “No, we don’t. Mostly it’s the witches and wizards who speak English. I thought you were one of them. You’re human?”
Double crap. Victoria had apparently given them away. She would have to be more careful. She tensed, ready to run if necessary. “Is that a problem?”
“Not to me, but don’t go bragging about it,” the shopkeeper said, winking.
Phew. Victoria relaxed a bit in relief, though Audrey still watched the crowd, many of whom continued to stare.
“My name is Bertha, and I’m happy to serve anyone who enjoys food. You look hungry. Eat!” Bertha gestured to the bins of fruits. Silver peaches filled one of the lower crates Victoria hadn’t noticed before, and a half-dozen other types of fruits filled the rest. Now closer to the store, the sweet aroma of the food was tantalizing, almost irresistible.
Audrey nodded, leaning in to whisper. “I'm famished. I think the crystals are currency. You mind using some of them for food?”
“Not at all.” Victoria grinned, grateful Audrey had picked up on that too. She knew her friend would always catch anything she missed and confirm the things she didn't.
Bertha gestured to the bins. “What will you have?”
Victoria hesitated, eyeing the shopkeeper. Bertha seemed kind enough, was certainly happy, and she had been the first person to speak to them so far. Hopefully, she wouldn’t take advantage of them and their ignorance of the city. Truth be told, Victoria had no way of knowing even if she did price-gouge them. Unless…
Time for a test.
If a leather briefcase as fine as the one Victoria had seen cost only four crystals, food had to be far cheaper. Time to see how honest Bertha really was.
Victoria reached into Audrey's backpack, careful not to pull the pouch out as she selected six of the smaller crystals. She offered them to the shopkeeper, palm open. “What will this get us?”
Bertha flinched, standing a little straighter as she stared at Victoria's hand. “Little one, that will buy you feast.”
Good. This creature was honest. “A feast it is, then.”
***
About one hour and a good meal later, Victoria leaned back in her chair, satisfied and about to burst from all the food. She eyed the leftovers still on the table in the back of the shop, wondering what on Earth she would do with the extra. There was enough left to last them at least two or three more meals—which they would certainly need—but she didn't have any way to preserve it.
“Do you want anything else?” Bertha settled into the chair at the head of the table, her massive frame blocking most of the dark shop behind her. She was an ogre, they had discovered, and more than happy to tell them whatever they wanted to know about Fairhaven and the creatures who lived here.
And they didn't even have to bribe her.
“No, thank you. This was amazing,” Victoria said, smiling.
Bertha laughed, a loud and boisterous sound that filled the room and hurt Victoria's ears. “You are too kind, little one. I don't usually get compliments as fine as yours.”
Audrey quirked an eyebrow. “Are you kidding? That was some of the best food I've ever eaten in my life.”
“No, no, my food is mediocre compared to what you'll find here. Fairhaven is a culinary capital, the kemana with the best food in the world.”
“Kemana?” Victoria tilted her head in confusion.
Bertha hesitated and squinted a little, as if surprised by the question. “Are you asking me what a kemana is?”
Victoria nodded, palms a bit sweaty as she tried to get a feel for what she was supposed to know. Even the most innocent of questions was met with complete and utter shock, as though this were all common knowledge.
If only Victoria still had that damn notebook.
Bertha studied her for a moment, almost as if she were trying to decide whether Victoria was playing her for a fool. Finally, she answered. “A kemana is a magical city, one tied to Oriceran, of course. Magic is stronger here thanks to those crystals above us, which store the power and give us the energy we need to thrive here on Earth.”
Oriceran—there was that word again. The alternate world where magic lived and breathed like a creature of its own. Apparently, its magic had spilled onto Earth.
“Ah. I figured that's what it was,” she lied, forcing a smile.
Audrey shot her a quick glare, the one that meant, Good going, idiot.
Victoria squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose. Shut up.
Bertha tilted her head, hiding her mouth as she coughed. “Anyway, no one can beat our food. If you like to sample new tastes, I think you’ll enjoy your stay.”
“I already am,” Audrey said, sighing happily as she sank into her seat.
“Food is one of the reasons I came here. I'm surrounded by my kind.” Bertha surveyed Victoria, an odd expression on her face that Victoria couldn't quite figure out. Perhaps it was confusion, or mild curiosity blended with a bit of fear.
Her throat tightened a bit, and she couldn’t help wondering if Bertha had somehow figured out what was embedded in her arm. Unconsciously she held her wrist, the solid metal of the dagger under her sleeve still foreign to her touch.
“If you don't mind my asking,” Bertha said, leaning in and hunching her shoulders as she lowered her voice, “why are you here?”
Victoria tensed. “What do you mean?”
“You’re human.”
“You said that wasn’t a problem.”
Bertha sighed heavily, her thick fingers tapping the table. “Not a problem, but confusing. By law, mankind should never discover us. Those who perform magic outside of a kemana can be put to death for risking the exposure of the magical world. Through the millennia we have found it best if humans don't know we exist. Even the witches and wizards aren't human, although I can't really tell you lot apart. You all look the same to me.”
“That’s a little racist,” Audrey mumbled under her breath.
Bertha continued, apparently not hearing. “Humans don't come to Fairhaven, and on the rare occasions they did in the past, it usually ended in bloodshed.”
“Awesome,” Audrey muttered again, rolling her eyes.
Victoria leaned toward Bertha. “If humans mean trouble, why did you let us into your shop?”
The ogre smiled, revealing the small white boulders that served as her teeth. “Because I know good from bad. You're strange, ugly little things, but you're good at heart.”
“Hey,” Audrey muttered at the insult. Victoria grimaced, but she figured it was a matter of perspective. Bertha certainly wouldn't have won any human beauty pageants herself, but she had been kind to them, and Victoria liked her laugh.
Bertha grinned. “You could have tried to cheat me out of my food, or left without paying. But here you are, asking questions and trying to figure out where you fit into our world. My question is why?”
“Fair enough,” Victoria said, catching Audrey's eye.
Audrey stiffened, furrowing her brows in concern. Don’t you dare.
Victoria gently shook her head. It's fine.
“We’re looking for Fyrn Folly,” she said before Audrey could protest.
Bertha laughed, which was not quite the reaction Victoria had expected. The sound filled the room, almost echoing off the walls. Victoria winced at the sheer volume.
“Why is that funny?” she asked softly, suddenly afraid of the answer.
Bertha wiped a tear from her eye. “You poor, dear things. You came all the way here, des
cended into our city, and all to find that sad excuse for a wizard? That's a lot of effort put into a mistake.”
Fabulous.
“What—”
“He doesn’t talk to anyone,” Bertha interrupted. “If he walks past someone, he doesn’t look them in the eye. He does his errands and he goes home, and that's it. There's talk that he’s not what he used to be, or that perhaps he wasn't anything special to begin with. No, if you want help from a wizard, you should see Diesel Armstrong. Diesel is the king’s wizard and widely revered. Even though the king doesn’t seem to care about his people, he does care about power, and Diesel is the best. But we all love him because Diesel always looks out for those of us who live in Fairhaven.”