by Brandon Mull
The air stirred, and Kendra smelled freshly tilled earth, ripe bananas, frosty pine needles, sea spray, cave minerals, mint leaves, and dozens of other aromas, some more familiar than others, simultaneously distinct and jumbled. The room brightened as the fairy statue glowed.
Kendra, I fear for my son, came the familiar voice of the Fairy Queen in her mind. Feelings of grief and worry washed over her.
“So do I,” Kendra said, tears in her eyes.
Alas, I cannot send anyone from my realm to help you, the Fairy Queen communicated. If my astrids, fairies, or any other minions were to enter the Under Realm on my orders, it would constitute an act of war. We simply cannot afford a war with the Underking.
“I’m willing to go,” Kendra said. “Can you help me succeed?”
There is one way, the Fairy Queen expressed. It involves great risk for both of us, and it would not protect any of your companions. Success will be hard-won. It will depend on your determination and courage.
“I won’t let you down,” Kendra promised. “I won’t fail Seth or Bracken, either. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Kendra felt the warmth of approval. Turn around and reach under the water.
Still on her knees, Kendra turned and reached down, discovering that the water was inexplicably deep. She leaned forward until her face was just above the surface, both arms extended straight down without reaching the bottom. A hand brushed hers, passing her something metallic and circular.
Kendra lifted a beautiful circlet out of the water, wrought of a metal like radiant silver and inlaid with pristine gems, including a large white jewel in the front. The details were exquisite, the circlet formed by multiple strands in a perfect simulation of woven vines. Kendra knew instinctively that she had never held an object nearly as valuable.
My crown, the Fairy Queen explained.
In the emotion that accompanied the words, Kendra could feel the import of the gift. She got the feeling it was unprecedented. “You’re giving me your crown?” Kendra asked.
Return it to me after you triumph, the Fairy Queen directed. The crown will offer protection when you enter the darkness. You shine so brightly, Kendra, yet many lack eyes to see your light. As a mortal with a wellspring of energy inside, you can light this crown as no other. Use it when you enter the Under Realm.
“Will it fit?” Kendra asked.
The crown always fits perfectly, the Fairy Queen conveyed. The protection it provides depends upon you maintaining your courage. If the light within you dims, so will the crown.
“The crown won’t protect others?”
Any who join you will face much greater jeopardy, with little chance to alter the outcome.
Kendra considered the implications. Could she really walk into the Under Realm alone? She supposed it would be better than endangering anyone else, especially if having backup wouldn’t change the outcome.
“I’ll return with Bracken,” Kendra said.
Do not lose my crown, the Fairy Queen admonished. You would leave my kingdom vulnerable, and I would not long remain queen. Take nothing that belongs to the Underking, only that which he has stolen from the world above. You must prevail.
The air stirred with uncountable aromas, and Kendra knew her connection to the Fairy Queen was severed. She stood up, holding the crown in one hand. She tested the depth where she had reached for the crown, only to discover the water was shallow again. After a final glance back at the inanimate figurine, she stepped out through the waterfall.
Inexplicably, passing back through the curtain of water dried her, except for her feet, which remained submerged. All of the tiki statues had their heads inclined toward her as if bowing. The moon and stars shone overhead. Kendra strode away from the pool determined to embark for the Phantom Isle before sunrise.
Kendra heard someone chopping wood as she approached the beach. Dawn was just beginning to color the sky, and birds had started to sing in the treetops. When Andressa led her into view of the lagoon, Kendra found six menehune hollowing out a tree trunk with axes and adzes. Two others were shaping outriggers.
Savani stood on the beach to greet her, accompanied by the Himalayan cyclopses. Kendra changed the way she was holding the crown so her body shielded it from view. Was it smart to carry something so precious in the open like this?
Savani approached Kendra and gave her a welcoming hug. Lips near her ear, the caretaker asked, “Is that what I suspect it is?”
“I can’t believe she entrusted it to me,” Kendra whispered back.
“Who are you?” Savani asked, clearly impressed. “Would you like a bag to conceal it?”
“Yes, please,” Kendra said.
“Are you exhausted?” Savani asked.
“No,” Kendra said. “I woke up energized. It was dark but I wasn’t sleepy.”
“One moment,” Savani said. She went and gave orders to a menehune, who scampered off. Then she waved for Kendra to join her by the cyclopses.
“Greetings, Kendra,” Tal said.
“You had rare success at the fairy shrine,” Hobar said.
“You gained the respect of its protectors,” Baroi said.
“They pointed the way for me,” Kendra said.
“Tell us your plans,” Savani invited.
Kendra looked over to where the menehune were now vigorously shaping the exterior of the dugout canoe. “Is that for me?”
“That depends on your intentions,” Savani said.
“I’m going to the Phantom Isle,” Kendra said. “Alone.”
“You seek the Sunset Pearl,” Tal said.
“You are prepared to venture into the dark,” Hobar said.
“The way is fraught with peril,” Baroi said. “There will be opportunities to fall.”
“The cyclopses woke me,” Savani explained. “They had a premonition of your intentions. You can journey into the Under Realm alone. But getting there is another matter. You will need assistance.”
“I really don’t want to drag others into this,” Kendra said.
“I already have two volunteers,” Savani said. “They will help you get to the Phantom Isle. You’ll be on your own for the Under Realm.”
“Thank you,” Kendra said. The thought of having others to help her navigate the ocean was a relief.
Red hair tousled, Grady approached, holding the nova song by a slender chain with one hand and a burlap sack with the other. With the fairy above him straining against her tether, it looked like he was flying a small, beautiful kite. “Will this do?” Grady asked, holding out the sack.
Savani accepted the sack and handed it to Kendra. “Grady is one of the volunteers.”
He smiled at Kendra. “A final voyage for me.”
“Grady is a selkie,” Savani said. “He was caught stealing from a village a couple of years ago and is working to earn his skin back.”
“What does that mean?” Kendra asked.
“I can turn into a seal,” Grady said. “But only if I have my skin.”
“I’ll entrust his sealskin to you, Kendra,” Savani said. “Once you arrive at the Phantom Isle, it will be his payment. Receiving his skin back should give him a good chance to escape.”
“Don’t give it to me early,” Grady said. “I won’t be able to think straight. My instinct will be to go home to my people.”
“You won’t try to take it from me?” Kendra asked.
“There have been occasions when I wanted to steal it,” Grady said. “Would have if I could have. But I believe in this mission to retrieve the Sunset Pearl. I vowed to Savani, and I vow to you, come what may, I won’t take my skin until you offer it.”
“All right,” Kendra said. “Who is the other volunteer?”
“You’ll join up with him after you embark,” Savani said. “When I first arose, I sounded the conch to solicit help from the
merfolk. They sent envoys to the surface, and I explained our need. Before long they sent a hunter called Faro to escort you.”
“I know him,” Kendra said.
Savani nodded. “He and Grady will help you reach your destination. After that, all will depend on you. Do you wish to bid anyone farewell?”
“I’d rather just slip away if I can,” Kendra said. “While I feel good about it.”
Savani issued a command in a language Kendra could not understand. A menehune approached and handed Savani a folded packet wrapped in banana leaves and tied with twine. She passed the bundle to Kendra.
“That contains the sealskin,” Savani said. “Keep it at the front of the canoe with you. Down by your feet is fine. But Kendra, if I were you, I would never take my hands off that sack. What it contains should never be set aside or entrusted to another.”
“I agree,” Kendra said, holding the crown close.
“Your craft is ready,” Grady said.
Kendra turned to see that the menehune had gone and the two-person canoe was complete, with an outrigger on each side. Handing the nova song’s chain to Savani, Grady kicked his sandals off and cast his shirt aside, then grabbed the front end of the canoe and dragged it into the lagoon. Kendra liked the smell of the freshly cut wood.
“They asked if we wanted it painted,” Savani said, returning the bright fairy to Grady. “I told them we had to hurry.”
“They were fast,” Kendra said.
“They placed their best enchantments on it,” Savani said. “It’s watertight. Shouldn’t be splintery. The canoe will eagerly go in the direction paddled. It will normally be ignored by dangerous creatures and will gently summon the kind of fish you might want to catch.”
“Will we be fishing?” Kendra asked.
“I hope not,” Savani said. “It depends how far you have to go to find the Phantom Isle.”
Grady stood in the water beside the dugout canoe. He had fastened the delicate chain of the nova song to the front. The scaly white fairy stood on the bow. Kendra realized it was time to depart.
“Tell my friends I love them and I’m sorry to sneak away,” Kendra said. “I’ll be back.”
“I will help them understand,” Savani said.
“You can expect fair weather,” Tal said.
“Hold fast to your mission,” Hobar admonished.
“Return with honor,” Baroi said. “Many depend on you.”
“I know,” Kendra muttered. She wasn’t sure how she could feel much more pressure.
Kendra waded out to the canoe, stashed the wrapped sealskin in the front, and climbed in. Grady handed her a paddle, then pushed the canoe forward and climbed in the back with a paddle of his own.
Looking over her shoulder, Kendra waved. Savani and the cyclopses raised their hands in return. She helped Grady paddle out of the lagoon. What was she doing? Was she out of her mind? Was she really heading off to invade the Under Realm alone? Who did she think she was? Feeling the shape of the crown inside the sack on her lap gave her confidence.
As the canoe exited the lagoon, a familiar figure rose out of the water, clutching a spear that ended in the likeness of a crab claw. “Welcome, Kendra,” he said. “Well met.”
“Hi, Faro,” Kendra said. “You’re going to see us safely to the island?”
“When Savani sent her message, I knew I had to get involved,” Faro said. “Not only did you get rid of the people of the deep and restore our golems, you eliminated a demon who has threatened our safety for centuries. Now you are on a quest to rescue this sanctuary. You will need help getting past Jibarro. If you are willing to venture into the Under Realm alone, I am determined to help you evade the great sea dragon.”
“Does Savani call the merfolk often?” Kendra asked.
“Not often,” Faro said. “And, truthfully, we do not always respond. Let’s just say that after all of your help, our ears were more attuned to the needs of those on the surface.”
“I’m Grady of the selkie,” Grady announced from the stern. “We’re grateful to have your assistance.”
“It’s my honor,” Faro said. “We need a heading.”
Kendra looked at the nova song, still standing on the bow. “Where do you want to go?” Kendra asked her.
“You ordered me not to go toward the darkness,” the fairy replied. “I am repressing the urge.”
“I promised you could follow your instincts before long,” Kendra said. “You can now.”
“Thank you,” the nova song said. “And I promised that when you allowed me to obey my nature, I would share my name. Mizarine.”
“Thanks, Mizarine,” Kendra said.
“Thank you for not commanding me to share my name earlier than I preferred,” Mizarine said. She flew until her chain pulled taut. “The darkness is this way.”
“We have a heading,” Grady said, paddling. “Ask her how far.”
“Is it far?” Kendra asked.
“For me, unchained, less than two hours,” Mizarine said. “At our present speed? Half a day, maybe more.”
“Half a day will suffice,” Grady said. “I can go faster than this, and I don’t tire easily.”
“You’re fortunate,” Faro said. “The Phantom Isle can range far and wide on the seas. It might have been many days away.”
“What if it moves before we get there?” Kendra asked.
“Possible,” Faro said. “Only one way to find out.”
Kendra started paddling.
“Save your strength,” Grady said. “I have this.”
“I’ll go underneath the stern and push,” Faro said. “I can use the exercise.”
A moment after Faro disappeared beneath the surface, the canoe sped up significantly, gliding more rapidly up and down the swells. Kendra looked ahead at the nova song fluttering on her tether.
“Mizarine, you can rest on the canoe,” Kendra said. “Just correct us if we go off course.”
“I have been bound to a perch for a long time,” Mizarine said. “I want to stretch my wings.”
“If you should get free, I command you not to ditch me,” Kendra said. “Let me keep pace with you so we can find the Under Realm together.”
“I will let you come to the darkness with me,” Mizarine said, “if that is your wish.”
“The darkness of the Under Realm is dangerous,” Kendra said. “You don’t have to go there.”
“I must light the darkness,” Mizarine said. “For me there is no choice. I must fulfill the purpose of my existence.”
Kendra watched as Timbuli diminished in the distance. She enjoyed moving over the ocean in the canoe. It seemed like an activity a tourist might pay to do. A glorious sunrise led to a mild day, with a light breeze and scattered white clouds. Kendra felt in no hurry to reach her destination. Whenever they got there would be soon enough.
Kendra knew the realm of the Underking would be full of horrors. She remembered the terrible undead creatures that had attacked Blackwell Keep, the revenants and wraiths. The Under Realm was an entire domain packed with those kinds of beings and worse. There were no guarantees the crown would fully protect her. This could be her last day of her life.
But she had faced days like this before. Kendra was willing to do anything to save Bracken and Seth, and for a long time she had known no way to help, so it felt good to be able to take action, even if it was risky. She had been warned to keep the light inside of her burning bright, and part of that meant remaining hopeful. Kendra felt sure the Fairy Queen would not have lent her the crown unless she believed she would get it back.
Kendra glanced down at the packet wrapped in leaves and twine. “Grady, you have been a prisoner?” she asked.
“More an indentured servant,” Grady said. “Working off my crimes.”
“You were stealing?” Kendra asked.
&nb
sp; “Being a selkie means having a dual nature,” Grady said. “When we have spent enough time in the sea, we start longing for dry land. We always have the option of shedding our skin and walking about like a human. Occasionally we are coaxed out of the water by a pretty face. Other times we might crave a certain food or miss the experience of standing on a hilltop. Sometimes we get up to mischief.”
“What were you trying to steal?” Kendra asked.
“A jade figure from a memorial to the oceanids,” Grady said. “I took a fancy to it and decided it belonged in the water instead of on land. When we shed our skins, we take a risk. If somebody gets our sealskin, we can’t return to the water except as a blundering human.”
“Savani got hold of your sealskin,” Kendra guessed.
“I have no hard feelings,” Grady said. “She was within her rights. It has happened to me before and will probably happen again. After I spend enough time as a human, it begins to feel like my native state. But the longing for the sea grows over time.”
“Your mind-set alters when you become a seal?” Kendra asked.
“Considerably, yes,” Grady said. “Becoming a seal represents a different form of existence, complete with new abilities and instincts. Once I’m in my seal form, my human inclinations melt away until the next time I come up on land.”
“Thanks for helping me,” Kendra said. “I know this is dangerous.”
“Whether I’m looking to my interests as a seal or a man, retrieving the Sunset Pearl would be good for the sanctuary,” Grady said. “Anyway, I’m not doing the hardest part. I’m in awe that you’re willing to go into the Under Realm alone. My role is minor compared to yours. And besides, I get my skin back early this way.”
The sun was climbing high in the sky when a smudge appeared on the horizon directly ahead of them. As they drew nearer, Kendra saw it was a patch of gray mist, like a low, murky cloud.
“We’re almost there,” Mizarine said.
“It’s in the fog?” Kendra asked.
“Yes,” Mizarine said, batlike wings fluttering harder. “Isn’t it thrilling?”