After Stellarlune

Chapter Eight

"THIS IS MARINTRYLLA?" TAM ASKED, LOOKING CONFUSED. 

"I think so," Sophie said. "But it doesn't look like the picture Mr. Forkle showed me."

She had expected to land in the tropical paradise that she had seen in the picture, but all she could see was huge grey boulders piled on top of each other, making her eyes have to adjust to all the grey.

"It doesn't," Keefe agreed. "All I can see is rocks, and rocks, and hey look, it's more rocks."

"I wonder why we're here," Sophie said. "Usually if I can't teleport somewhere I get trapped in the void. But it's like there's something that redirected us."

"Uh, that's weird," Keefe said.

"I don't think this is Marintrylla," Linh said. "I've seen lots of pictures, and I've never seen anything like this.

Sophie was about to ask if they should go back to Havenfield, when a voice said,"This isn't Marintrylla." The voice was coming from a creature peeking out of one of the rocks. "This is only the gate to Marintrylla."

"Tarina!" Sophie exclaimed, not knowing if she should run over and give her a hug, or if she should keep things formal. She settled for a wave, because Tarina didn't look very happy. "Hello Sophie," was all she said.

"Wait, is it the kings path?" Linh asked quietly. "Because it seems like a lot of the intelligent creatures have a kings path."

"No, we don't have a king's path," Tarina said. "Because we don't have a king. We only have an Empress."

"Oh, right," Linh said. "That makes sense."

"What is this then?" Tam asked.

"This is the gateway to Marintrylla," Tarina said.

"So like the gateway to exile," Keefe said.

"Not exactly," Tarina told him. "This is a lot less uncomfortable. I'm sure all of you would know."

Sophie shuddered, remembering the gateway the Exile, and all the different bad memories that had come with it. 

"How did you know that?" Keefe asked.

"I was Sophie's old bodyguard," Tarina said. "Sandor told me a lot of information about Sophie when he recruited me."

"Really?" Sophie wondered, wishing Sandor had told her this.

"Yes," Tarina said. "Now let's get started, because I have heard you are in a hurry,"

Tarina led them around a huge boulder. A huge gate came into view, and Tarina pressed her hand onto one of the metal rungs. The gate swung open, revealing a beautiful tropical island, complete with grass huts and a crystal ocean with a white beach.

"Wow," was all Sophie could say.

"It's quite beautiful," Tarina agreed. "We love warm islands, and this was the warmest, most beautiful one we could find."

Sophie wanted to ask how good their three new islands were, but she told herself that they were trying to work with the trolls, not blame them.

"My Empress would like to know where you want to search first," Tarina asked. 

"Could we look at a map?" Sophie asked, wondering where the peak of the island was.

"Of course," Tarina said. "We can look at one once we reach the Empress's hut."

"Okay, thank you," Sophie said, hoping that if she used good manners that would help them get along with the trolls better.

"We're glad we can help," Tarina said.