The Twilight Kingdom by Anthea Sharp

Author:Anthea Sharp
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: urban fantasy, fantasy series, computer games, faeries, fey, ya romance, teen adventure, video gaming, futuristic fairy tale
Publisher: Fiddlehead Press

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The Twilight Kingdom disappeared the moment Tam stepped within the circle of glowing mushrooms, and icy cold seized his bones. Coughing from the frigid air slicing his lungs, Tam landed in the center of another ring, Jennet beside him. At least this time they’d both managed to stay on their feet.

“Hurry,” Puck said, dancing just outside the boundary of eerie mushrooms. “Ere the hounds catch your scent once again.”

Tam was glad the Wild Hunt wasn’t waiting this time as their welcoming committee.

Jennet swayed, and he caught her elbow.

“You alright?” he asked.

“Yeah.” She blinked and straightened her shoulders. “Let’s go.”

White-barked trees rose above them as they hurried down the path behind Puck. The stars were pinpricks of light in an impossibly dark sky.

“Here,” Puck said, stepping into another clearing with the usual white-dotted mushrooms in the center. “I shall see you anon.”

“What about the quest in the beta game?” Tam asked.

“All is in readiness for your return,” the sprite said. “As before, the items you need will be provided to you.”

“But we have no idea what we’re supposed to have been doing,” Jennet said.

Tam thought back to accepting the quest in-game. It felt like a hundred years ago.

“We’re supposed to be choosing something from the castle’s treasury,” he said. “Just describe a generic treasure room, Jennet. You know, piles of gold, shiny weapons. Think like a game designer.”

“Enough chatter,” Puck said. “Go.”

A long, wavering wail curled through the sky. It wasn’t the howl of the Hunt, but the Unseelie Court boasted plenty of other nasties.

Tam stepped into the center of the faerie ring with Jennet. Giddy golden light swirled over his senses and they tumbled into the clearing in the hedge outside Stronghold Castle. On the grass surrounding them a faint echo of white-spotted mushrooms faded.

Jennet pushed her hair out of her face. “Back to the princess?”

“With the gifts we chose out of the royal treasury.” Tam checked his inventory. A small silver box had been added to his items. “I guess I got a box. A new sword would have been nice.”

“Boys.” Jennet shook her head. “Oh, sweet. I got a box, too. And there were probably piles of jewels lying around the treasure room.”

Her hand went to her throat, as if feeling an imagined necklace there.

“Girls.” Tam gave her a half-smile, then pushed his way out of the hedge. He knew she was rolling her eyes at him, behind his back.

Their footsteps crunched on the gravel of the empty pathway as he and Jennet headed to the green garden of Princess Paloma. As before, the pastel ladies-in-waiting sat on benches surrounding the white-garbed princess. Soft music played in the background, and the princess watched them approach with her unblinking violet gaze.

“Your highness.” Tam swept her a bow. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jennet curtsey.

“Brave adventurers,” Princess Paloma said. “Let me view the rewards you chose from my treasury. What have you claimed, Knight?”

She held out her hands, and a rectangular silver box about four inches long appeared.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.