Solstice, Book 1: A Prince, A Thief, Etcetera

Chapter 7: The Solstice Fair

Outside the Comhairle chamber, Lindel, Ferrus, and Lynx were waiting for Levi. "So how was your first official Comhairle meeting?" asked Lindel. Levi grimaced, and Lindel laughed. "I thought as much. Come on, you can tell us all about it on the way."

"Where are we going?" asked Levi, hurrying to keep up as the three of them set off down a sunlit corridor.

"Ferrus and I got to talking while you were in there, and we think you ought to see a little bit more of your new kingdom and why it's the Etcetera's most popular destination this time of year."

Lynx fell into step beside Levi and rubbed against his legs. "That's right, dearie," she purred. "You're about to experience your first Midsummer's Eve Festival."

They reached the enormous spiral staircase, and now that Lord Oberon wasn't there hurrying them along, Levi could appreciate just how spectacular Arbor Castle really was. He stood on the highest landing of the tallest tower, sandwiched between Lindel and Ferrus, while Lynx hopped up and sat perched on the bannister like a fluffy gargoyle. From the outside that tower had looked like the tallest prong of a crown, or like the oldest tree in a great forest, stretching high above the others to pierce the sky; looking down it from the inside was like standing at the crest of a hollow mountain. One which bore the marks of generations upon generations of inhabitants, and centuries of the steady advance of the outside forest within its circular walls. Vines thick as saplings twisted and coiled around every door and portrait, and garlands of ivy hung from every landing like great leafy banners all the way up the spiral staircase. Birds fluttered past overhead, nearly grazing the domed glass ceiling, which looked almost within reach, while the ground floor was easily a dozen stories below. The view was dizzying.

"Caught you! Don't think for a second you're going to the festival without me!"

Levi gave a start and whipped around to see a shock of fiery red hair atop a pale, freckled face bounding towards them. Lady Delphi?

"Sure you can spare an afternoon away from your pressing Comhairle duties?" Lindel smirked at her.

"Stars above, I'd rather be locked in a closet with a banshee than spend another minute listening to that imbecile Rhaegal prattle. Oh--forgive me," she amended quickly when she noticed Levi. "I shouldn't speak ill of any lord of the kingdom."

"No... it's alright," Levi mumbled awkwardly. "I erm... didn't like him either."

Delphi winked.

"So whose idea was it to bring the prince along to the festival?"

Lindel and Ferrus exchanged glances as Delphi looked from one to the other expectantly.

"We thought it'd be good fer the lad ter experience it a'fore everyone knows ter treat 'im like a royal," Ferrus explained.

That answer seemed to please Delphi a great deal. Her smile lit up her whole face. "Excellent idea."

"Well let's get going then, shall we?" Lindel said, rubbing his hands together.

Levi looked once more over the edge at the hundreds of doors dotting the inner rim. The ground floor was so far away, it felt like staring into a bottomless pit. He felt his stomach squirm unpleasantly.

"So how are we going to get down?" Levi asked in a voice that was a little higher than he had intended. He didn't see any sort of teleportation circle like the one they had used to reach the upper floors with Lord Oberon. "Do we have to take the stairs?" The others chuckled.

"Now what fun would that be?" Delphi flashed him a devious look, and without another word, she leaped off the edge of the threshold to plunge straight down into the abyss below in a perfect swan dive.