Page 5 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

“Eventful night, was it not?” Drews voice startles me from behind. I turn to face her, and she glides over to us, her movements always so graceful that it’s like she’s floating instead of walking.

“Yes, you could say that,” I reply, sitting down on one of the large rocks by the shore.

“I see you have your friend back. Chepi, is it? I hope that doesn’t change your mind about going to Zomea.”

“It doesn’t change anything. I need to unlock the bridge, and if you are right I want to get to the bottom of what’s happening to Eguina before it’s too late,” I say, pulling Chepi into my lap.

“Glad to hear it. I don’t want to overstep, but I may have overheard you speaking to King Onyx last night. You see, he knocked out three of my guards, and instead of intercepting him I decided to see how things played out. Plus, Lamia hearing.”

She points toward her ear, a furtive smile playing on her lips. I wince, the memories coming back to me.

“I’m sorry about your guards.”

“Nothing to be sorry about.” Drew shrugs. I feel my cheeks heating at the thought of her overhearing us last night. My moans while he was over me with my legs in the air and the conversation afterward.

“He is a liar, you know. You’re right not to trust him. He does have a good heart though, I think, and has always tried to be the noble son. I prefer the other brother, personally, but then again I’ve always had a thing for the bad boys,” she says, winking at me.

“Nyx has a brother?” I exclaim, my mouth practically falling open. Gods, he really is the biggest liar. I don’t even know who Nyx is.

Drew clicks her tongue. “Tsk, tsk. King Onyx keeping secrets. Although this might be one that’s been kept from him.”

“What do you mean by that?” I question.

“Forget I mentioned it. I may be confusing him with someone else. How was it so easy for him to lie to you about so much? Do you know nothing of our histories?” she says.

“I am slowly coming to the realization that my childhood education was lacking. No, I guess I don’t know a lot about history. No wonder it was so easy for him to lie to me. I ate it up,” I say, shaking my head. It’s easy to talk to Drew as if she’s a friend, but I silently remind myself to watch my tongue. I don’t have any friends here.

“Let’s not speak of him anymore. There is much to be done before the blood moon.” Drew sits on a rock near mine and places a sack I hadn’t realized she was holding between us.

“I’ve brought you a couple of books from our library that I think might be helpful. I thought you would like to read out here by the lake. I know being underground takes some getting used to.”

“That’s for sure.” I laugh, thinking about those endless, dark staircases. “What are the books about?”

“One is a book your father used to own. It’s about Fae magic. I gather you are new to magic, and I think it may be useful. The other book is one I think you should find most interesting.” She smiles fully, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her sharp canines on display.

“Thank you.” I let Chepi go and pick up the sack, ready to take a closer look at the books she brought. Drew gets to her feet. “Oh, Lyra, I have an old friend coming to help you with your magic, should be here by nightfall.” She doesn’t give me a chance to respond and glides back up the hillside.

Old friend to help me with my magic, who could that be? And she sounded rather cryptic about the second book, something that does catch my interest. I take the sack, settle down on the grass, and take out the first book. It’s a thick leather-bound book with a tree carved into the cover, its roots extending to the edge of the binding. Lying on my stomach, I crack open the book and right away realize this is the book about Fae magic, the one she said belonged to my father.

Chepi plops down next to me, rolling on his back in the grass. An uneasy feeling tugs at my gut. When my father spoke through Samael, he told me Chepi was in Zomea waiting for me, but it was a lie. The thought that my father may not be the man I thought he was keeps creeping into my mind, but I force it aside. It doesn’t matter. It won’t change what I have to do. If all goes well, I’ll be able to question him soon enough.

I lose myself in the book for what feels like hours. The pages seem to come alive under my fingertips, as if the words and images are leaping off the pages and into my mind.

As I read, I become more and more fascinated by the origins of Fae magic. Legend has it that the first Fae beings walked among the gods and were born from the light of the Dream Forest. They possessed such powerful magic that they could control the elements, bend time and space, and even create life. Over time, the Fae beings learned to harness and refine their magic, passing down their knowledge and skills to future generations. It’s hypothesized that some of the more powerful Fae lines may be that way because they mated with the gods. Living among the gods—what an amazing time to be alive. I wonder what it was like then.

There are many different types of Fae magic, unlike Sorcerer magic, which is either dark or light. Elemental magic allows one to control the forces of nature, such as fire, water, earth, and air. Mind magic involves mental powers, like telepathy, mind-walking, and midnight mind. Illusion magic can alter one’s perceptions of reality, while healing magic can soothe and mend injuries. And then there’s necromancy, which involves communicating with the dead and interpreting omens and prophecies. The list seems endless, and I know I have a lot of studying ahead of me.

Soren arrives with a tray, my mind still spinning with everything I’ve learned about Fae magic. I feel the magic inside me pulsing with every beat of my heart, almost as if it’s urging me to learn how to wield it. To my surprise, Soren sits down next to me, revealing a small bowl of diced meat for Chepi and some strange food for me.

“Would you like some company while you eat?” Soren asks, and I have to consciously wipe the silly look off my face. He’s been so distant until now.

“Some company would be great. What is all of this?” I inquire, eyeing the tray of food suspiciously.

“I bring you nightshade salad, venomous noodles, and shadow fish caught from this very lake,” Soren replies. I gulp, examining the contents of the tray.

“Could you please explain in more detail what each one is?” I give Soren a weak smile. I mean, venomous noodles sound anything but appetizing, and nightshade salad is rather ominous. Shadow fish sounds harmless enough, but it came out of Blood Lake and has a massive mouth of sharp teeth. I half-imagine it coming back to life and biting me.

“Sure,” Soren says then chuckles, the first time I’ve seen him smile. He has hard features, slicked-back dark hair, and hazel eyes. With his smile, his face lights up, and I can understand how someone could be attracted to him. “The venomous noodles are exactly what the name suggests. They are noodles infused with the venom of a deadly serpent, giving them a slightly spicy kick. It is said to have healing properties but can be dangerous if not prepared properly. Don’t worry. I made sure they were prepared with care.