The Valley of Lies (Lightkeepers #1)

Chapter TWENTY-TWO: Liss

Soon, she would need to seek an ally she could trust, one who might help her free her people from Hona's curse.

For the second time in as many minutes, she wished Dev had come with her. Everything would be so much easier if she wasn't alone, if she had a friend to experience all this with.

The shock of excitement wore off, and she noticed an abundance of noise leaking through the floorboards, along with an occasional savory whiff that set her stomach rumbling. From the view out the window, she'd surmised she was on an upper level, but she hadn't considered what was below her. Some kind of great hall, it seemed like, with many dishes passing between hands. The voices sounded happy enough, which she hoped meant the food was good. Maybe she'd venture down and ask for something to eat. 

There was only one door out of the room. She stood in front of it for some time, building up her courage. Why venture through a magical rift to prove a better world existed, if she wasn't brave enough to face it?

With a final measured breath, she reached for the pitted metal knob, grasping it in her hand, and turned. The door moved so fast it almost hit her. A dark form low to the ground rolled backward with it, thumping at her feet. A groggy groan followed, muffled against the wood floor.

Someone was lying there, wrapped in a familiar-looking dark cloak. Was that...

"Dev?"

Liss was on her knees before her joints could protest, bending over the cloaked figure. A hood covered his face, but the pointed tip of one ear was visible poking through the fabric.

Another groan. Was he sick? Why was he lying on the floor?

"Dev?" she said again, more quietly.

"I'm sorry, priestess, I don't know what you're trying to say."

Liss' eyes widened. Priestess?

Whoever it was–-it certainly wasn't Dev, not with that accent–-turned their head, reaching up a hand to draw back the hood from their face. The hand was non-threatening, slender with five fingers, two of which were encircled with woven leather rings. The skin was a couple shades darker than Liss', as though this person lived under a vibrant sun.

She hadn't realized just how close she was leaning in, until the hand slipped away and she came face to face with the accidental intruder, a boy with an appearance so shocking she forgot to breathe.

"Green," he whispered, looking every bit as stunned as she felt.

Liss fell backward on her heels, catching herself before she tumbled to the ground beside him. Her burned palm smarted from the impact, and she winced in pain.

The boy jumped up, impressively nimble, twisting to face her. "Are you ok?"

"You're an elf?" she muttered breathlessly, clutching her bandaged hand to her chest.

"I am?" He reached up and prodded the tips of his ears. "I guess I am. Surprise."

She stared at the top of his head so intently her eyes burned. Although most of his features and his lean stature were clearly elvish, the boy also had horns... growing out of a nest of curly dark hair hanging in disheveled clumps around his face. The wild black hair offset his strange eyes, which looked more like a cat's eyes than an elf's. His pupils were narrow and ovular instead of round, ringed with deep golden irises that lacked a distinct edge. Altogether, his appearance was captivating in a way that made her feel embarrassed to look at him, as if he would judge her for it.

"Well," he said, holding out his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you. I apologize for frightening you, I didn't mean to fall asleep on watch. My name's Zan."