Heart of the Fae: A Young Adult Fantasy (Earth Magic Rises Book 3) by A.L. Knorr

Author:A.L. Knorr [Knorr, A.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Intellectually Promiscuous Press
Published: 2020-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

When I stepped through the archway and into the gloom, a pair of torches on the walls flickered to life. Stopping there, I waited for my eyes to adjust. A corridor was illuminated before me, with steps leading down to a landing. A smell drifted up from the interior.

"Why does it smell like sulfur?" I asked, my eyes glued to the first landing and the darkness beyond it. Making a face, I put my hand to my nose. "It smells a bit like an otrikar. Not exactly a comforting aroma given recent events, if you catch my drift."

"That would be Brejarvak's brand of magic." Laec stood so close behind me that I could feel his breath on my hair.

I took the steps down slowly, breathing through my mouth. Laec followed, footsteps silent. When my feet struck the landing, more torches illuminated the next level down, which curved to the left. I could see no further than the steps in front of me, about eight of them at a time. I descended and Laec followed.

"Have you been down here before?" I asked, taking a delicate sniff. At least the smell wasn't getting stronger, or maybe I was just getting used to it.

Laec's voice began to echo. "Once, but it was a little different than this. I think the magic changes depending on who is accessing the vault."

My fingers grazing the cold stone wall, I arrived at the next landing as more torches, again to the left, illuminated the next level. A quick glance behind Laec revealed that the torches behind us had already gone out as if snuffed by some preternatural wind.

"This is eerie, if Brejarvak doesn't mind me saying so." I faced the front and continued down.

"Well, it is a vault. What do you expect?"

"I don't know. Cute fae men in security uniforms? Chandeliers and champagne? At least I'm starting to get used to the smell."

Laec chuckled. "That's because you yourself now stink of sulfur."

"Wonderful."

Just when it seemed like there would be no end to the steps, platforms and torches, we hit the last level. A gently winding hall stretched ahead of us. More torches illuminated the corridor, sweeping along like a fae runway. A simple round door with a handle dead center waited at the end. As I passed the torches, they flickered and died, leaving Laec in darkness. It was like the magic knew I was the important one between the two of us. No wonder he was trying to stay close. Behind us lay a velvety blackness so thick and suffocating one might easily let the terror of being underground get the better of them.

"Welcome, Georjayna Sutherland," a deep and disembodied voice with a strange accent announced.

"Sweet Jiminy!" I jumped and put a hand to my heart. "Hi ... hello. You scared the bloody bejesus out of me!"

"It's Brejarvak's voice," Laec said calmly, looking around for some clue as to how our presence had been sensed. "And its magic, he can't actually hear you."

"Step to the door, please," the voice continued.

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