Half Wylde | Book 1

Fourteen: The Autumn Palace

"You said yesterday the palace was inside the grotto?" I nudged the subject away from the courtiers and to where I was about to be paraded around. The grotto opened up only yards from us. A cavern mouth that was surprisingly clean and polished. A lazy arm of water swept through it, and the only access further in was a golden bridge. The ballroom floor and decorations lay just beyond the bridge, and even now several high fae were being entertained there.

"Yes, beyond the mouth of the cavern there. We can't see it behind the corner yet, but it's quite a sight." Eberon stopped his pacing and approached me, straightening my shirt and inspecting me.

"She's fine, Eberon." Thain growled. "Get your hands off of her."

"Let's just go inside if you're going to mother hen us." Schula stood and brushed off her brown leggings. She wore a yellow shirt in a similar style to mine, her long white hair was loose.

"Right, sorry." Eberon cleared his throat. "Yes, let's go."

The air in Thanantholl always had a slight crispness to it. It was a land of a never-ending season after all. The grotto however, breathed a chill into my skin as we crossed the ornate bridge. It was wide enough to trot six horses at once. The embellished stones underfoot were carved lightly to look like a bed of leaves.

"How old is this place?" I found myself whispering. Eberon and Schula looked to the dark fae at our backs.

"I don't remember a time when it wasn't here." Thain said. A shiver crawled across me.

This place was... old.

The water under us carried leaves away silently. On the other side of the bridge, the floor came into view. A shiny white stone lay in a pattern to make a large dance floor. Tables and chairs were arranged around the grotto for a party, decorations and all. A few courtiers drank tea and chatted by the water as servants scurried around them cleaning. As we finished crossing the bridge, many curious eyes followed our path.

Past the dance floor and around a bend in the slick cave wall opened a breathtaking palace façade. More of the shiny white stone, cut into gold-embellished bricks, walled the back of the cave off. A door, two stories tall was left half open and well guarded. The white wall held balconies, windows, and columns just as a real palace might. Red and gold banners hung from several places, displaying a maple leaf and crown.

"This, is the Autumn palace." Eberon said. "The wall is ten feet thick. This is the only way in or out. The rest of the interior is carved from within the cave and surrounded by the cliffs around Thanantholl."

"I've only seen one human castle when I went to Sulls. This, this is beautiful. It makes the jewel of the plains, Sulls, look like one of the mountain villages." A tear crawled down my cheek. I took a calming breath as the magic in me danced and cried to leap out of me. The urge was so strong it was painful. Schula looked at me sideways, a knowing sadness in her eyes.

"I felt the same way when I first came here." Schula put a warm hand on my back, rubbing along the seal under my clothes, soothing it. I sighed in relief.

As we came closer to the doors, Eberon walked ahead and spoke to one of the decorated guards. After a brief exchange we were waved inside.

"It seems dangerous to have only one exit." I said as we walked down the polished halls.

"From your eyes, that may be so. You've seen a lot of war in your lifetime. More than most fae, despite the difference in age." Thain gave me an odd look. "We haven't had war between the courts in centuries. Disputes? Constantly. But little bloodshed."

"Besides," Eberon added. "I wouldn't dare attack a king in his own palace. The magics of the Wyldes have a way of working with those who care for the land. Even the very rocks can surprise you, if they like you."

I didn't know how to feel about that. My heart aches for Mila and I wish I could have at least brought Puko along but he had flown off this morning and hadn't returned yet.

"That's the throne room, at the end of the hall." Schula pointed to a set of obvious golden doors with mother of pearl inlays that looked like willow trees.

"Just breathe, we're here with you." Thain whispered in my ear as we approached. A pair of guards crossed an arm over their chest in unison, fists hitting their left shoulder. Then, they swung the doors open.

"Hells take me." I squeaked, and Schula's hand firmly guided me in the room.

"ANNOUNCING LORDS THAINALAN, EBERON, AND LADY SCHULA." I hadn't seen the herald, and I nearly jumped out of my skin as he shouted. "ACCOMPANYING THE YOUTH, WREN OF THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS."

You could hear a pin drop in the cavernous hall. That and I'm certain my heart racing echoed off the walls.

"Come in, friends. Please, join me." At the end of the long room stood an ancient stone throne. The round dais held only the throne and two guards, below that was a lower dais that surrounded the first, and the floor below that was more polished stone. Red carpet made a path from the door to the dais. It was the onlparton of the floor not covered in a huge mob of fae nobility in extravagant clothes and jewels.

I nearly fainted.

Eberon tugged my elbow forward. "Welcome to the Autumn Palace."