Wyrmrider Ascending: An Underwater Magic Urban Fantasy (The Fomorian Wyrmriders Book 1) by Theophilus Monroe

Author:Theophilus Monroe [Monroe, Theophilus]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

"What you ideally require is Fomorian magic," Marie said as we walked with her through the French Quarter—my pants dry but still covered in algae from the swamp. I suppose algae and unicorns beat state flags and bare butts.

"And you know where we can access some of that, here?" I asked.

Marie smiled wide. "Given your powers, you might already sense it nearby."

Maire directed us into Jackson Square and faced the St. Louis Cathedral.

"Fomorian magic in a Catholic church?" I asked.

Marie laughed. "There is a place beneath the cathedral."

"Like a crypt?" I asked.

Marie shook her head. "No, not like that."

"A basement in New Orleans?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. Suddenly, I felt as dumb as Pee Wee Hermann must've felt when he asked the Alamo tour guide to show him its basement.

Marie didn't laugh. At least I was spared that part of the humiliation from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. But Marie, like everyone else, knew basements weren't viable in a city that was, in some areas, below sea level. "There is a whole... how shall I put it... city of sorts beneath the cathedral. For centuries it has been utilized as a refuge for Vodouisants. In the antebellum years, in fact, it was a place where some of the priests secretly brought slaves who hoped to learn to read and write."

I shook my head. "How is that even possible?"

Marie smiled wide and squeezed my shoulder. "Don't you feel it? It's possible because of Fomorian magic."

I tilted my head and inhaled. "I do feel it... but it's distant still. Not close enough, I can siphon it."

"Come this way," Marie said. "Agwe himself helped establish the city. It was some time ago. He had a different host at the time. But it was his doing. Since the city itself was well beneath the water table, a firmament of sorts had to be established."

"Like the one that guards Fomoria itself?" I asked.

"Much like it," Marie said. "It was Agwe's guidance, combined with the Fomorian king's generosity, that permitted the establishment of Vilokan."

"Vilokan?" I asked.

"That's what we call the subterranean Voodoo city beneath where we stand."

Tahlia slithered her way around my neck. "Who was the generous king at the time who allowed this to happen?"

"King Conand," Marie said. "He's king still, is he not?"

I cocked my head. "But you said this happened before the Civil War..."

Marie nodded. "I did. That's what antebellum means, child."

"I know," I said. "Wasn't my question. I mean, I know Fomorians live longer lives than most humans. But... that's a long time for one man to be king of anything."

Marie chuckled. "The Fomorians must not have term limits."

"Doesn't sound like the King Conand I know," Tahlia said. "The king is something of a nativist. Wouldn't grant me refugee status in Fomoria. Why would he bother to help a bunch of human slaves find refuge?"

Marie pressed her lips together. "Perhaps you've misjudged your king's motives."

"I don't think so," Tahlia said. "Agwe has petitioned him several times to grant me citizenship. Every time he refuses.

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