Chapter 9

R o quickly figured out that one peak in the mountain range had become their target. They were headed straight for it. Even when their course veered, they always managed to end up in front of this particular peak. It had to be the home of the Wyvern tribe they were seeking. The cloud kingdom.

Gabriel came alongside her. "My lady, we are going to make a brief stop. Now would be the time to prepare yourself in whatever way you wish. Our next stop will be to make contact."

"Okay."

When that stop was made, everyone dismounted. Ro pulled her makeup bag and jewelry pouch from one of her saddlebags. With the little mirror from the makeup bag, she fixed her face. Nothing much. A little concealer, a little eyeliner, blush, mascara and tinted lip balm.

She wanted to look her best to meet these hill people, not just for herself, but because she was representing the kingdom of Summerton. The citizens deserved her best effort in every regard.

She put her circlet on, adjusting it to sit firmly and evenly over the braids that had thankfully held beautifully, even after sleeping on them. She added the earrings, necklace, and rings, then made sure the dragonfly brooch on her cloak was positioned properly. Hard to do with the small hand mirror, but it was all she had.

She caught Gabriel's eye. "How do I look?"

"Like a queen," he answered. He smiled. "Strong, beautiful, confident. They will find no fault in you."

"I hope not."

They mounted up and rode on. Only a half hour had gone by when a shadow passed over them. Ro looked up. A huge bird with an enormous wingspan, a long tail, and a neck like…nothing she'd ever seen in real life before. She pointed up. "What is that?"

Gabriel glanced skyward, shielding his eyes. "That is a Wyvern. They know we're here." He looked forward again. "Ren, expect a welcoming party."

Ren, leading the party again, nodded in understanding.

Not long after, two men and a woman walked out of the woods ahead of them. They were deeply tanned, with green-gold or brown eyes, hair braided back, the men's shaved on the sides. They were in dark brown fabric tunics, leggings, and boots. Each had a dagger, but no more weapons that Ro could see.

The oldest man, maybe Gabriel's age, stepped forward, tipped his head back and breathed a plume of fire into the air. "Halt and announce yourselves. You approach Hythe."

Ren brought their party to a halt. Gabriel rode up next to him, then dismounted and walked toward the man. "We are fae, from the kingdom of Summerton. We come to Hythe in the name of peace and unity. Our queen wishes an audience with your king."

The man looked from Gabriel to Ro, his gaze lingering on her circlet. He narrowed his eyes at Uldamar before speaking to Gabriel again. "You brought your queen all this way?"

Gabriel nodded. "This trip was at her request." He stuck his hand out. "I am Gabriel Nightborne, Queen Sparrow Meadowcroft's personal guard and First Professor of Palace Security. Beside her is the First Professor of Magic, Uldamar Darkstone."

The man hesitated, then shook Gabriel's hand. "I am Captain Hull. One of the King's Guard. I cannot guarantee you an audience with his majesty. Who he sees is up to him."

"We understand," Gabriel said.

Hull smiled. "I suspect he will be curious about such a bold queen, however. You may follow us." He looked at all of them as he spoke the next line. "If there is any deception, any hint that you mean us harm, there will be no leniency. We do not take prisoners. We eliminate them."

"We understand," Gabriel said. "The weapons you see on us are for our own protection, not to be used against you."

Hull gave him a nod, then stepped aside. The other man in his party did the same. The woman started walking.

Gabriel mounted his horse and let Ren take the lead again, waiting until Ro was beside him. At that point, the second Wyvern man walked alongside them. Hull took the rear position, following them.

The land flattened out slightly as they approached the base of the peak they'd been headed toward. More Wyvern began to emerge, most from openings in the rocky slopes around them. Ro could only assume they lived in those caves.

The closer they got, the more of the peak's base she could see. There was a wide opening, giving them a glimpse into the enormous cavern beyond, and more people were filing out. A lot of the women were in long, simple gowns. The men were dressed more like the party that had greeted them, but in a wider variety of colors. Lots of blues and greens.

They came within a few yards of the opening and the woman leading them stopped, turned, and held up her hand. "You will wait here."

Hull came from behind them and walked into the cavern, disappearing into the dark.

"Stay mounted," Gabriel said softly. "Unless we're asked to do otherwise."

Ro gave him a little nod. Her heart was racing. She smiled at the people. No one returned her smile. One small boy, clinging to his mother's skirts, waved.

Ro's smile widened. She waved back. He ducked behind his mother.

It seemed forever before Hull returned. He walked to them. "The king will see you. Your mounts will be well looked after, but they cannot enter our citadel."

Gabriel dismounted. "We understand. One of our guards will stay here to assist. Warhorses can be temperamental." He looked at Flynn, giving him a nod of silent command.

Ro slid off her horse, as did Uldamar and the guards. As promised, Flynn stayed with the horses. The rest of them followed Hull.

Stepping through the cavern's opening left Ro blind in the sudden darkness. After a moment, her eyes started to adjust, and she realized it wasn't as dark inside as she'd imagined. In fact, it wasn't dark at all, because it wasn't really a cave.

The center of the cavern was open to the sky, allowing sunlight in, a wide, solid shaft that focused on a sparkling blue pool of water at the cavern's center. There were clusters of trees at the water's edge. A wide swath of grass and flowers surrounded the pool, and birds flitted through the air. Children played in what looked like a park area.

The air, which she'd expected to be a bit dank, was bright and fresh with the delicate perfume of flowers.

Ro looked up and up and up. Row after row of homes, carved into the walls of the cavern, surrounded them. Candles and lamplight shone through the windows. Each row was served by walkways that spiraled down into one another, joined by stairs every so often. Vines trailed along the lower levels on one side where the sun must reach as it shifted through the open ceiling.

People moved freely, going about their day, most seemingly unaware of Ro and her party, although the longer they stood at the cavern's opening, the more people noticed them.

"This way," Hull said. He led them forward, down a slope of flattened earth that eased them toward the water. As more of the cavern's interior came into view, she saw what she assumed to be the palace. If it wasn't the royal residence, it had to belong to someone very important.

It sat elevated and slightly back from the water, with several large balconies that took advantage of the placement. The views of the pool were probably great from there. Lots of potted plants and flowers decorated the balconies, as did colorful banners bearing what looked like a royal crest.

"I would have never guessed all this existed inside the mountain."

"Nor I," Gabriel said. "I imagine that's the point."

They followed Hull inside, past more guards, these with swords, and into a large reception hall. Great shards of rock crystal pierced the ceiling at regular intervals. The crystals blazed with light. The walls were painted with battle scenes. Wyvern soaring across the skies, breathing fire, and bearing the bodies of their enemies in their talon. Sunlight shown on their scales, which glimmered in green and blue with flashes of red and purple.

It was…illuminating.

The entire floor was a mosaic of white, brown, green, and blue stone. The pieces were tiny and done in diamond shapes. Thick rugs and seating areas with comfortable-looking leather chairs and couches made the room cozy despite its size. If Ro hadn't walked through the cavern, she'd have never known she was inside a mountain.

Two footmen in royal livery of tan and green came through an entrance against the far wall, which she was pretty sure was opposite the front of the palace. The double doors they flanked were left open.

Another footman walked through. "Their majesties, King Ehlzar and Queen Varyana." He bowed and stepped away.

King Ehlzar came through, his wife, Queen Varyana, on his arm. They were dressed very similarly to everyone else Ro had seen, except their clothes were of finer fabric, the colors brighter and truer, and the garments adorned with lavish embroidery and fur trim.

At the halfway point between the doors and Ro, King Ehlzar left his wife and continued on by himself until he reached Ro. He wore a gold crown with three enormous pieces of rock crystal interspersed with diamonds. Around his neck, on a thick gold chain, he wore a single sparkling, crystal shard nearly as big as a dagger. "You are the Summerton queen?"

"I am. Queen Sparrow Meadowcroft." She was glad she'd taken the time to put her own jewelry on. "It's my pleasure to meet you, King Ehlzar."

He studied her for a moment, looking over her clothing and jewelry, tipping his head to see her ears better. She felt like a horse at auction. Then he met her gaze again. "Do you know, in all the years my people have inhabited Hythe, not one royal from any nation has come to pay their respects? You are the first."

She smiled at him. "And you are the first Wyvern I've met. Your home, both this palace and everything I saw on my journey here, is spectacular."

He smiled back, giving her a nod. He reached his arm behind him and made a motion that brought the queen forward. "Kind words. Thank you. Have you traveled long? I don't know how much time it takes on foot."

Because the Wyvern could fly. It was a startling realization. "About a day and a half."

"You must be tired and in need of rest. My staff will prepare rooms for you and your people."

"That is most kind of you."

"My lady wife, Queen Varyana."

Ro shook her hand. The younger woman's dark blond hair was done in elaborate braids woven with gold thread and she wore a crown of diamonds and chunks of crystal, with more diamonds and smaller, polished crystal pieces at her ears, throat, wrists, and fingers. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness."

Varyana smiled. "And you, your highness. Your jewels are exquisite."

"Thank you. So are yours."

Ro turned her body slightly toward Gabriel and Uldamar behind her. "May I introduce my people?"

The king nodded. "Please."

She gestured to Gabriel. "First Professor of Palace Security and my personal guard, Gabriel Nightborne." Next, she indicated Uldamar. "First Professor of Magic, Uldamar Darkstone."

"Welcome, all of you, to the kingdom of Hythe." The king tipped his head at them, but his interest was obviously with Uldamar. "Magic, you say?"

Uldamar nodded. "Yes, your highness."

"Show me," King Ehlzar said.

Ro hadn't expected such a request so quickly. She hoped Uldamar wasn't too tired.

The wizard held out his hands. "A brief demonstration." He lifted his hands toward the walls and the paintings and spun them with a flourish. One of the Wyvern depicted flew off the wall, fully dimensional. It traveled across the hall, then swooped around, breathed fire that filled the room with heat, and retook its place, becoming part of the painting once again.

Queen Varyana gasped, then clapped.

The king nodded, joining her in applause. "Truly impressive, Master Uldamar. You do your queen proud."

"Thank you," Uldamar said.

King Ehlzar spoke to Ro. "I will have a banquet prepared for this evening, but I understand you came here to speak to me. Is this so?"

"It is. I believe we are about to face a common enemy."

His brows raised. "I see. Then you have come with some expectation of us. Do you seek an alliance?"

This was happening faster than she'd hoped, but she had no choice except to go with it. "I do have hopes for us and your people. A friendship. A trade agreement. And, yes, an alliance. I don't want more from you than what I would offer in return. In fact, I brought you gifts to show you that I am eager to back up my promises."

"Gifts?"

Ro turned. "Ren, if you would?"

He bowed. "Yes, my lady."

Before he could leave, the king motioned toward Hull. "Accompany him."

Hull went with Ren as another pair of guards entered the room to stand by the exit.

"While we wait, let us sit," the king said, pointing toward the nearest arrangement of chairs and couches.

"Of course." As Ro took a seat, she realized that she was outnumbered. Yes, she had Yvette, Gabriel, and Uldamar, but how much protection could anyone be against shapeshifting creatures who could breathe fire?