Chapter 8

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Valerie woke the next day physically stronger. Still, her magic was absent—it was like missing a limb. Even on Earth, she could feel the magic trapped inside her, even if she couldn't access it. She quickly met with Thai and Chisisi to tell them what had happened, but her visit was brief. They were making arrangements to ship Zaki's body back to Egypt, and they were about to talk to the police about what had happened.

Her mind returned to the Globe, and she stepped back into the little room where they had met Elden the night before. Henry was pacing by the fire, which had diminished to glowing embers. "Finally, you're up. I knew you needed your rest, but we've got to get to civilization so we can see if there's any news about Kanti."

She rubbed her eyes and nodded. "Let's get moving. Where are Azra and Elden?"

"No idea," he said.

He opened a door at the end of the room, and Valerie's eyes widened at what lay beyond it. They were in the middle of a city entirely settled in the branches of the trees. Houses were perched at different levels, one or two per giant tree. The roads were made of entwined branches that formed living walkways and platforms from tree to tree. Wildflowers in glittering shades of pink, yellow, and purple bloomed everywhere, making the city look as if it was decorated for a holiday. Long ropes woven from a golden material formed ladders that fell to the ground, which was about one hundred yards below.

The people were busy, children racing among the branches, adults pulling wheelbarrows and selling food from little stalls carved into niches of the trees. They heard the gentle clop of Azra's hooves come up behind them.

It is a wonder, isn't it?

"Are these people—elves?" Henry asked hesitantly.

In human legends, that is what they are called. But the People of the Woods would be very offended if you used that term.

"This place is beautiful," Valerie said, breathing in the scent of flowers and growing things.

"I thank you for your words," Elden said, approaching them from a nearby stall. He handed them a doughy food that crumbled in Valerie's mouth. It was warm, salty, and filling.

"How did you ever build this place? Magic?" Henry asked.

"Some. But mainly from patience. We have guided branches and vines into place over hundreds of years to form this city. We never rob a tree of life, but only encourage it to grow in a direction of our suggestion. Now come, we must move quickly. Word of your arrival has begun to spread, and there are those who are calling for you to be cast out before your human ways can spread among us like a disease. Or so they believe."

Valerie guessed that he added his last comment for Azra's benefit, but she knew that they should be grateful for his help, however grudgingly it was given. Elden led the way down a vine-covered path, and they hurried after him. The road wasn't easy to navigate, because it wasn't smooth like the roads on Earth. At one point, Henry's foot caught on a root and he fell to the ground.

"You okay?" she asked.

He dusted himself off. "Not the best city for those of us who are spatially challenged."

She had a prickly feeling on her neck, and she saw two people with long, dark hair glaring at them from a nearby branch. She wondered if Henry really had been clumsy, or if they had "encouraged" the root to trip him.

She and Henry hurried to catch up with Azra and Elden, who had stopped at the edge of the platform that they were currently crossing. They joined them next to a golden rope ladder that went over the edge and fell toward the ground. But they were so high in the trees that the ladder disappeared into fog, and Valerie couldn't see the land below.

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