by TJ Green
The Silver Tower
Published by Mountolive Publishing
©2020 TJ Green
1st Edition 2017
All rights reserved
Cover Design by Fiona Jayde Media
Editing by Sue Copsey and Missed Period Editing
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
To Lawrence Durrell, my first love
And every marge enclosing in the midst
A square of text that looks a little blot,
The text no larger than the limbs of fleas;
And every square of text an awful charm,
Writ in a language that has long gone by.
– Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92)
Titles available in Rise of the King Series
Call of the King
The Silver Tower
The Cursed Sword
White Haven Witches Series
Buried Magic
Magic Unbound
Magic Unleashed
All Hallows’ Magic
Undying Magic
Crossroads Magic
Crown of Magic
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Contents
1. Vivian’s Request
2 The Holloways
3 The Hollow Bole
4 Nimue’s Secret
5 The Chase
6 Scarface Fell
7 Blind Moor
8 Nimue
9 The Silver Tower
10 Without a Trace
11 Spells and Potions
12 Merlin’s Cave
13 Insidious Spell
14 The Summoning
15 The White Woods
16 Risky Business
17 Enisled
18 Ceridwen’s Cauldron
19 Vivian’s Request
20 Around the Campfire
21 The Attractions of Magic
22 Blood and Bone
23 House of the Beloved
24 The Price of Dragons
25 Objects of Desire
26 Under Seven Moons
27 Flight from the Hollow
28 The House of Smoke and Glass
29 Tower of Winds
30 Excalibur’s Song
31 Decisions and Deal Making
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Chapter One - Vivian’s Request
Tom leaned on the parapet that edged the throne room of the Aerie and looked across the vast expanse of Aeriken Forest, thinking how different it was now from when he had first visited so many months ago.
The air of brooding intensity and fear was gone, and now the whole place rustled with life and vitality. He could feel it, even so far above the canopy. The Aerie, the palace where they had battled Queen Gavina, otherwise known as Morgan le Fay, had been transformed, too.
A few weeks earlier, Tom had returned with his cousin, Beansprout, to visit Brenna, their bird-shifter friend and heir to the throne, and to help with some palace repairs. Now, it was virtually complete. He turned his back on the forest views to look at the room behind him.
The throne room had severe black granite walls, tall columns that stretched to the open sky above, and shallow pools of water that rippled in the breeze, but everything looked different from that fateful night.
They had swept away the shale and flint that had slipped from the walls, and the throne was back in its proper spot after Prince Finnlugh had magically dragged it across the floor. Huge swags of branches and leaves now hung from the walls and columns, brightening everything, and an air of hope filled the air.
The copper-embellished doors swung open at the far end, and Beansprout stuck her head inside. “Here you are! I’ve been looking for you!” She crossed the space to join him. “You like it in here, don’t you?”
Beansprout, like him, had decided to stay in the Otherworld. It suited her here, he realised. Her long, strawberry blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, and she glowed with health. It sounded silly, but Tom couldn’t think of a better way to describe it.
He smiled at her. “I do. I love the view. And I love the fact that this place looks so different now, since Morgan has gone.”
“It feels good, doesn’t it?” she said, leaning on the parapet next to him. “I like that we made a difference.”
“What now, though? It’s finished. The Aeriken don’t need our help anymore.”
“True. We could head back to Vanishing Hall and see Granddad.”
“I’m not sure Arthur’s there. He was going to see Vivian,” Tom reminded her.
“I think Woodsmoke went, too,” Beansprout said thoughtfully. “But that’s okay, they’ll be back.”
Vanishing Hall was their fey friend, Woodsmoke’s, ancestral home. He lived there with his father, who barely ventured from his tower, his grandfather, Fahey, who was a bard, and now Tom and Beansprout’s granddad, Jack.
She continued to speak, her gaze distant as she surveyed the forest. “I think we should venture beyond the village when we get back, see some more of this world!”
“Maybe see Finnlugh!” Tom suggested, feeling excited. Prince Finnlugh, Head of the House of Evernight, and Bringer of Starfall and Chaos, had helped them defeat Morgan, and had welcomed them to his Under-Palace for a visit. “I miss him. And it would be good to see his palace when it’s not stuffed full of sprites.” He shuddered remembering his encounter there, when he’d rescued Brenna.
“Yes, let’s! And we can travel back home without an escort, too. That will be fun.”
The Aerikeen had spent the proceeding weeks opening up all the paths across the forest, and hunting down the final sprites that still lurked in the furthest reaches of Aeriken. Tom had helped them clear the main path to Vanishing Wood, and now felt reasonably confident to travel without getting lost. Where the paths had branched, signs had been placed, too. Although the trip would take a few days, it was now perfectly safe to travel alone, and Tom secretly enjoyed their independence from everyone, and he knew Beansprout did, too.
Before he could answer, there was a whirr of wings above them, and a black bird swooped into the hall, transforming before their eyes into Brenna. “You too look like you’re up to something!” she said, a glint in her eye.
“It doesn’t matter how many times I see you do that,” Tom said, “it’s still amazing.”
“I wish you could do it, too. It’s the best feeling in the world!” She narrowed her eyes at them. “But you haven’t answered the question! What are you plotting?”
“Not plotting,” Beansprout said, laughing. “Planning what we do next. You don’t need us anymore, so we thought we’d go home.”
“Interesting you should say that,” Brenna said, smoothing down the tiny feathers that edged her hairline. Now she didn’t have to disguise herself, she looked like the other bird-shifters. Feathers threaded thickly though her long hair and edged her forehead, her eyes had become darker, and her eyebrows more pronounced. She looked, Tom had to admit, seriously hot, and he tried to push th
ose thoughts to the back of his mind. She continued, “We’ve just received a message from Woodsmoke and Arthur.”
“Have we? How?” Beansprout asked.
“By bird, idiot,” Tom answered.
Beansprout glared at him. “I’m not an idiot.”
“Well, we haven’t got telephones anymore!” he pointed out. Or TV, or cars, or radio, or any electronic anything, and Tom didn’t miss them one bit.
Brenna swiftly intervened. “Private bird message. Woodsmoke used a carrier pigeon from Vanishing Village. They’re travelling on to Holloways Meet, and they’ve asked us to join them. Shall I say yes?”
“Yes!” Tom said immediately. “What’s Holloways Meet?”
“It’s a place where all of the Holloways converge, making a small town. It’s a hub for all sorts of news. You’ll like it.”
“And the Holloways are?”
“Sunken lanes that cross this part of the Otherworld. You’ll see. Beansprout, do you want to come?”
“Of course!”
“We’ll need more supplies than we have here, so we’ll stop by the village, too. We’ll be a few days behind them, but that’s okay. Woodsmoke said he’ll leave another message there just in case there’s a change of meeting place, but that’s the plan for now. We won’t have time to stop and see Jack and Fahey, though.”
Tom sat on the huge throne, and threw his legs over the side arm. “But why are we going? It sounds like we have to rush.”
“Our special friend Vivian has asked for Arthur’s help. One of her priestesses called Nimue has disappeared, and she’s worried about her. Arthur has agreed to find her. I don’t know the details, but yes, we need to leave today.”
She was referring to Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, who had summoned Tom to the Otherworld all those months ago. But Nimue? “Who? Oh, wait. I think I know that name.” Tom had always read lots about King Arthur, and he remembered that she was one of the famous women in the tales.
“She lives on Avalon, too, apparently,” Brenna said.
Tom nodded. “Yes, she had some sort of love affair with Merlin, I think.” He could hardly believe that these people had really existed. That some still existed. “But I didn’t see anyone else on Avalon.”
“She probably remained in the temple buildings while you were there. Anyway, she’s gone and could be in trouble, so she’s asked Arthur to find her. We’ll find out more when we join them. As it’s still early, I thought we could leave today.”
Beansprout looked at Brenna, arms across her chest. “Shouldn’t you really be staying here?”
Brenna’s guilty look swiftly disappeared. “No! I have done what I promised to do. The Aerie is clean, the paths are open, and the dead are buried.”
Tom groaned, knowing exactly what Beansprout was getting at. “But you’re their Queen!”
“Don’t you start with that. I’m not. I haven’t agreed to be, and I’m not sure I’m going to.” Brenna held her hand up in a stop sign. “No! I will not discuss this now. I need to get out. This is the perfect opportunity!” She dropped her voice, and it became a plea. “I need this. They keep asking me about when I’m going to have my coronation. It’s driving me insane!”
“Who’ll lead them when you’re gone?” Tom asked.
“I’ll ask my cousin, Orel. He’s competent, smart, and everyone likes him. And most importantly, he’s trustworthy.”
Tom nodded, knowing who she meant. He’d spoken with him a few times over the last few weeks. “That’s a good choice.”
“Exactly. Can you be packed in an hour? No, say two, so I can say my goodbyes and reassure everyone.”
Tom leapt to his feet, as Beansprout started walking to the door. “Yep! Saddle the horses!”
“See you in the stables, then!” And Brenna quickly changed form and plunged over the parapet to the stables below to organise their departure.
They had had been travelling through the quiet of the forest for days, so it was a shock to emerge into bright sunshine. The light bouncing off the river dazzled Tom and he blinked, holding a hand across his eyes to shield them from the sun that was high overhead. On the opposite bank, he could see Vanishing Village and the high bridges and walkways that spanned the buildings.
He grinned at the sight. It had been weeks since he’d been there. How could he have ever doubted that being in the Otherworld was the single greatest gift of his life? Everything here seemed to have an intensity he hadn’t noticed before. The air was perfumed with a delicate blossom and honey scent, and the colours seemed bright and sharp with a richness that his Earth didn’t seem to have. He could hear bees buzzing and birds singing, and the sounds of fey from the village drifted across the river with a clarity that startled him.
“You all right, Tom?” Beansprout asked, smiling.
“Absolutely,” he said, unable to stop smiling. “I forgot how much Otherworld villages are so different from our own. I’m glad I stayed. I’m glad you helped me make the right decision.”
Beansprout hugged him unexpectedly. “I’m glad you stayed, too. Although I think it was Arthur more than me who made you see sense.” She turned to look over at the village and threw her arms wide. “This place feels full of possibilities, and it’s so odd, but so cool at the same time! I love it!”
“For the record, I’m glad you stayed, too,” Brenna said looking fondly at both of them. “But I’m afraid we haven’t got time to linger. I’ve organised supplies, so once we’ve picked them up, we’ll push on.”
They threaded through the narrow streets of the village, surrounded by the bustle of fey of all different shapes and sizes. Tom would have loved to be able to look around the place for a little longer, but after packing their saddle bags with supplies, Brenna picked up Woodsmoke’s latest message from the pigeon carriers on the edge of the village, and scanned it quickly.
“There’s no change in the plan, so we’re still to go the Meet. They’ve stopped at another couple of villages to ask questions, but no one remembers Nimue, and he’s asked us to ask anyone we see, too,” she shrugged. “Just in case. Let’s go.”
They headed along a road that led in the opposite direction from Avalon, towards the rolling hills in the distance. Over to the right was the river Tom had travelled along in Fews’s boat on his first visit, and beyond that was Prince Finnlugh’s labyrinthine House of Evernight.
It was a road unlike any Tom had been on before. Before long, it had burrowed into the surrounding fields, becoming rutted and worn. High banks topped by hedgerows shielded them from view, and trees arched above them, plunging them into a green and shadowy place. It smelt of pollen-soaked earthiness and it was quiet, the horses’ hooves muffled by the dusty path.
“What’s so special about the Meet?” Tom asked, shuffling on his horse, Midnight, trying to find his rhythm. He still wasn’t comfortable riding, despite the fact that he’d had a lot more practice.
Brenna, effortlessly graceful astride her horse next to him, said, “Woodsmoke said it’s the last place Vivian knew Nimue had been.”
“What was she doing there?”
“I think it was just a place to stop on the way to Dragon’s Hollow, where she was going to meet the sorcerer, Raghnall. She would have probably restocked for her journey there.”
“How long will it take us to get there?”
“A few days. We just keep following this road and we’ll get there eventually. We’re on one of the old Holloways now. Some people call them the hidden ways. They run all across the Otherworld like warrens between places.”
“It’s like travelling in secret,” Beansprout said, lit up by the pale rays of sunshine breaking through the leaf cover.
“Except they’re not a secret, not really,” Brenna explained. “They’re used by all sorts of creatures. I’m sure we’ll meet a few as we travel. These paths were mostly formed by the Royal Houses as they moved back and forth between the various Under-Palaces.”
“So we’ll pass other Under-Palaces?” To
m asked.
“We’ll pass close by. But don’t get too excited. We probably won’t see anyone from them. And you would never know if we passed by an entrance, because they would be disguised as part of the landscape.” She gestured at the bank, covered in grasses and flowers. “That could be one. How would we know? Anyway, we’d better pick up the pace,” she said, urging her horse to a trot, and Tom and Beansprout hurried to keep up.
They travelled for the rest of the day, breaking only for a brief rest mid-afternoon by a stream where the horses could drink. Every now and again they passed steep paths that led up to the fields around them, and eventually, as the sun began to set and the Holloway filled with billowing clouds of midges, Brenna led them up one of these paths and onto the meadows above them.
They gathered some dry wood and made a fire, preparing to camp for the night, and Tom watched Brenna preparing her bow to hunt.
“You know,” Tom said warily, looking at Brenna, “that you do need to make a decision on your future at some point.”
She groaned. “I’m trying to forget it for now! And anyway, why do you care?”
“Because you’re my friend, and I think you’d be good at being a Queen! You helped me make the biggest decision of my life!”
“I’m aiming to put my decision off for as long as possible. I feel very guilty for having left them in the first place to go into hiding, so I don’t feel I deserve it now.”
“You were in fear of losing your life!” Beansprout reminded her.
“So were many others.”
“Not like you. Morgan killed your parents.”
“She killed a lot more than that in the end,” she said, shaking her head with sorrow. “And I like travelling around with my friends, and I don’t want to think I’ll be shut up in the Aerie all day, making boring decisions.”
“But if you’re Queen, surely you can choose to rule however you want?” Tom suggested.
“There are still responsibilities. Things I will be expected to do.”
“It didn’t seem to stop Arthur when he ruled. He travelled, led battles, went everywhere he wanted... Well, if what I’ve read is true. There are so many stories. It’s hard to know what was real and what was made up. If anyone can give advice on leadership, it’s Arthur. You should ask him.”