A/N:
Hello friends!
Long time no update. Hope you enjoy. I own nothing.
Chapter Thirteen: The Troll and Goblin Territory
The group set out early the next morning. They bade Trix farewell, with her thanking them profusely for comforting her in her time of sadness.
"Thank you very much," she said solemnly, hugging each one of them in turn.
"Take care out there. These are dangerous times."
She handed connor a small sack filled with plump oranges and soft rolls.
"Conjured them myself."
"Thanks!" Connor said grinning.
Emilia whistled for the two unicorns, and after both Cornelius and Cherry Blossom had drunk and eaten their fill, their riders mounted, ready to begin the new day.
They set off at a steady pace through the lush forests of the Fairy Kingdom, making for the border that would lead them to the Sleeping Kingdom. The day was pleasant, with a refreshing breeze gently ruffling their clothes and hair, and the sun gently caressing their faces with its warmth as they rode. The tall willow trees swayed slightly, their leaves rustling as if whispering encouragement as they passed. The clean fragrant smell of mint scented the air and Emilia breathed in appreciatively, filling her nostrils with its freshness. Mint was one of her favourite ingredients to use in potions along with vanilla bean. Rumpy's favourite was lemon grass and she smiled at the thought of her friend. Without thinking, she concentrated on the bush they were passing and a small sprig of mint materialized in her cupped palm.
"So what's the plan for getting this spindle thing," Connor said, breaking the drowsy and contented silence that had fallen between them.
Emilia started at the question, rudely pulled away from her reverie.
"Well," she said thoughtfully, stroking Cornelius' mane.
"I'm not sure. The Sleeping Kingdom is not what it use to be."
"Why? What's it like?"
"It's ... well ... sleepy." Froggy answered.
"It's very sad. After the curse was lifted from the kingdom, Queen Sleeping Beauty and King Chase have had a very difficult time restoring the kingdom to what it once was."
Connor frowned turning this piece of information in his head.
"But I thought the people woke up from the deep sleep they were put into. Didn't the kiss break the curse?"
"They were, but it wasn't that easy," Emilia said.
"So the people are still sleeping then?" Connor asked, getting slightly confused.
"Apparently, they sleep regularly throughout the day. Because the farmers are sleeping no crops get planted. No trading gets done and it goes on. I have not been there for a long while. It saddens me to see the kingdom once so vibrant and full of energy look and feel so dreary."
They rode on in silence, each of them absorbed in their own thoughts.
"How far away are we?" Red asked.
"My dress is getting wrinkled and I need to change into something more queenly. My back hurts from all this jolting about and I could really use-"
A collective sigh went around the group following Red's proclamation. None of them even attempted to hide their feelings on this matter.
"Don't start," Emilia said,
"Or I'll cast a spell to make you shut up."
"Hmph!" Red exclaimed in indignation, her face in a sulky pout."
Feeling the need to step in before things got ugly, Froggy rummaged around for the map and unfolded it, frowning in concentration as he located their whereabouts.
"Hum... not quite sure where we might be to tell you the truth."
"So we're lost!" Connor said in a panic.
"It's alright Connor, we'll find our way," Froggy reassured.
"We're lost!" Red shrieked.
"How will I ever get home now!"
"It's alright Red," Froggy said, patting her on the shoulder.
"I think we just took a wrong turn or a wrong path."
"So we're lost," Connor and Red said.
"We're not lost, we're just misplaced," Froggy said a little defensively.
They rode on for a few more minutes in silence, debating in their minds what would be the best course of action. It was Red who spoke first.
"Guys," she began.
But she was cut off by a glare from Emilia.
"Has anyone noticed that this part of the forest is deserted," she went on.
"We haven't come across any animals for a while. No birds in the trees, no foxes or rabbits or squirrels."
The others surveyed their surroundings and found that Red was right. The trees were void of birds in their nests. There were no squirrels foraging for acorns. No animals scuttling around in the undergrowth. Amid the trees, there was only an ominous silence with not even the sound of rustling leaves and twigs in the air.
"What part of the forest is this?" Connor asked.
But before anyone could reply, the four friends were lifted clear off their mounts landing in high nets dangling upside-down.
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
The two unicorns danced away in fright and it was this move that saved them from being ensnared in the unyielding nets.
"Cornelius, go and hide. I'll summon you when it's safe," Emilia instructed.
With that, the two unicorns trotted away into the dark trees and were soon out of sight.
"What is this? Help! Help! Help!" Connor yelled desperately.
But like his parents before him, Connor's cries for help were heard by the wrong people. A rattling sound was steadily getting louder and a stone cart was soon in their view. It was driven by a tall thin goblin with a hooked nose and papery skin, and a bulky troll with club-like arms.
"It's our lucky day," the troll said gleefully.
"Four in one swoop," said the goblin.
"A lucky day indeed."
And with that, the four friends were tipped none-too-gently into the cart and were soon heading for a lifetime of gruelling work and misery.
—
The cart trundled through the trees at a brisk pace. Its wheels clattered loudly snapping branches and twigs as they sped by. Connor heard the others gasp around him in alarm and looked up. They were coming towards a series of sharp jagged boulders and up ahead, was a tunnel, with two tall stone statues at its arched entrance, a goblin on the left, a troll on the right. Just beyond that, a sign read "Be troll, be goblin, or be afraid."
An involuntary shudder racked through Connor's body, and tightly packed as they were, he drew closer to Emilia and was overcome with the sudden urge to put a comforting arm around her. The urge was so sudden and abrupt he almost laughed and he had to fight the laugh down with considerable effort.
"This must be the Troll and Goblin territory," he thought.
They past through the archway and were now rolling down a dank dark tunnel, its stone passage sloping steeply bringing them further underground. The ceiling and walls were covered in cobwebs and it smelt of mould and mildew. They came upon a group of raggedly dressed men digging while trolls and goblins watched over them, whipping them relentlessly if they were too slow or if their work was not up to standard. They were painfully thin, their pale faces lined with fatigue. Their tattered clothes were soaked with sweat, and Connor could see their sides heaving rapidly with exertion. Connor felt sick and he heard Froggy's stifled gasp. Red had her eyes closed and a hand over her heart. Only Emilia seemed to be unperturbed by the horrible sight that greeted them. She was looking straight ahead inscrutable as ever. After what felt like hours, they emerged into a wide common room crowded with trolls and goblins eating, drinking, fighting, or sleeping. The din was deafening. Their voices were loud and raspy and it seemed to Connor that they had never been taught to talk quietly. They clanked and clattered their plates and cups in an unrhythmic cacophony and all four of them covered their ears hastily. Each troll and goblin was as rough, rowdy, and unkempt as the next. Their hair was tangled and matted with thick grime and their nails were long and yellow. The stench that came from their unwashed bodies was vile and Connor covered his nose not even trying to hide his disgust. At one end of the room sat three large thrones. Two were unoccupied, but on the left throne, a troll girl around Connor and Emilia's age sat. She didn't seem to be paying any attention to anyone around her. Her gaze was down and she wore a bored expression which greatly resembled Connor's expression in Mrs Peters' lessons. She was rather small for a troll with slender horns. Two pigtails looped around them and her eyes were a piercing green. Suddenly, she looked up and when she saw Connor, she gave him a smile that made Connor want to be as far away from her as possible. More slaves could be seen here serving food and drink or providing entertainment by dancing to the trolls and goblins. The troll cut them free of the net, but before they could attempt an escape, they were stripped of their belongings. The map, dagger, journal, hair, slipper, bark, and the vial of fairy tear and all their other belongings were all unceremoniously dumped on a table.
"Stay out of there!" Connor cried, his voice cracking with tension.
Fortunately, the troll and goblin were only interested in the stack of silver coins and the other items were gathered inside the rucksack. Their captors shoved them roughly through the crowded common room into a damp dark dungeon. Rows and rows of stone cells lined the walls and the only light came from two small lanterns hung on either side of the room.
"Inside," the goblin growled, shoving them inside and slamming the door.
The unmistakable click of the lock could be heard and the troll and goblin quickly left laughing jovially.
"What are we going to do now?" Red wailed.
"We'll be stuck here forever and my dress is filthy."
"It's alright," Froggy said, taking Red's hand.
"We'll find a way."
Without warning, Red buried her face into Froggy's shoulder and began to sob. Froggy, a little taken aback, patted her awkwardly on the shoulder.
"Emilia," Connor said.
"Got any ideas?"
"Why me?"
"You're the fairy," Connor said simply.
"But that doesn't mean I have all the answers."
Before Connor could make a reply, another voice cut through the air clear as a bird call.
"Connor? Connor? Is that you?"
Connor looked around trying to discern the speaker. But before he could take a step, a pair of arms was flung around his neck and the breath was knocked from his body.
"Connor! Connor! I thought ... I thought ... I was so worried. Oh Connor!"
"Settle down mom," Connor gasped.
"I'm fine. I'm fine."
After finally managing to disentangle himself from his mother's crushing embrace, his dad was there hugging him warmly but with a gentler touch.
"It's good to see you son. Very good indeed!"
"Thanks dad, you too."
"So I guess you've found your parents," Froggy said grinning.
"Oh right," Connor said remembering the others.
"Mom, dad, these are my friends Red, Froggy, and Emilia. She's a fairy in training. Oh! Evly, Mira. What are you guys doing hear?"
"We use to live here," Mira said.
"Well, not here exactly. We use to live in the Corner Kingdom. We wanted to help your parents look for you."
"You lived here? But why did you move to our world? Mom, dad, are you from here too? Is grandma from the land of stories?"
The torrent of questions burst from Connor before he could stop them. It was simply too much new information to take in. It felt overwhelming and exhilarating all at once. It was like his brain was in a gigantic whirlwind which just kept spinning and spinning.
"We were planning to tell you, but you fell into the book before we got the chance," Charlotte explained, taking Connor's hand.
"Yes, so technically Connor, this is all your fault," Mira teased, patting him on the shoulder.
"We promise we'll give you a proper explanation Connor," his dad said.
"But right now, I think we should focus on finding a way out of here. Come up with an escape plan."
"They all say that when they first arrive, but for as long as I've been here nobody's ever found an escape, and believe me, I've been here for a very long time."
They all turned to see who had spoken. It was a very old man with grey hair, and a long grey beard. He was wearing threadbare clothing and deep shadows were engraved under his eyes. One of his eyes wandered to the left, making it difficult to determine who or what the man was looking at.
"You look familiar," John said.
"Have we met before?"
A faint memory was stirring in John's mind now, a mule, the man, asking about the wishing spell.
"Maybe we've traded before," the man said experimentally.
"No, I remember you," John said, the memory vivid in his mind.
"You're the travelling tradesman."
"Yes, I suppose I do get called that."
"How do you know this man?" Charlotte asked.
"I asked him for information about the wishing spell."
"Yes, yes, I remember you now," the tradesman said, recognition in his eyes.
"You were the young man who was so desperate to find the objects so you could get to another world. I told you about Hagatha."
The others looked up at the mention of the wishing spell.
"We're looking for the wishing spell too!" Froggy cried.
"We were going to use it so Connor could go home. Maybe we can look together."
"Hold on, what is this wishing spell thing. And why did you need it John?"
"It's a legend which says if you collect certain objects, any wish of that person will be granted. I used it to get to your world so I could be with you Charlotte."
He gave his wife a quick kiss, and lost for words, Charlotte just smiled, her eyes misty with tears of gratitude and joy. She returned his affection with a passionate tenderness and for a few minutes, they stood swaying in each others arms.
"That's beautiful," Evly breathed.
John blushed, and the others looked away shuffling their feet awkwardly as they tried not to intrude on this revelation the couple were sharing. At last, Connor couldn't help himself.
"Dad, did you right a journal keeping account of your journey and the wishing spell items?"
"I did Connor. Why do you ask?"
"Wow!" Froggy said in utter bewilderment
"I found that journal and kept it for years. After I met Connor in the Dwarf forest, he told me that he was from another world. So I gave him that very journal. It feels so surreal knowing that the man who wrote that journal and risked everything he knew for love is standing before me. Your courage is beyond compare sir."
"Wow! I never dreamed anyone would find that journal. But Connor, we won't need the wishing spell any more. You're grandma can get us home. She's from the land of stories."
"But how can she get us home?" Connor asked.
"Well, long story short, you're grandma is the fairy godmother of the fairy tale world," John said ruefully.
If Connor thought he couldn't be surprised any more that day, he was wrong.
"What? Since when? How? My brain hurts."
"You can say that again," Emilia said.
"Did you just agree with me?"
"Well, Mr and Mrs-"
"Call us John and Charlotte," Charlotte said smiling at the young girl.
"Thank you for helping my son."
Emilia looked down. She was not use to gratitude and thank you were rare words in her life.
"And call us Evly and Mira," Evly said, seeing her discomfort.
"What's been going on?" Evly asked.
"The trolls and goblins are not creatures of current events."
"It is not good news I'm afraid," Froggy said grimly.
"We fear that an evil enchantress named Ezmia is going through the kingdom in order to control and occupy each one until she has complete rule over the entire fairy tale world."
"Ezmia," Evly gasped.
"No, this can not be!"
"I've heard she was the witch who cursed Sleeping Beauty," John said.
"That's right, and now she's reeking havoc and causing utter terror in the kingdoms."
"She destroyed the wall surrounding my kingdom," Red said incredulously.
"And she destroyed Rapunzel's tower," Emilia added.
"We have to find the fairy godmother as soon as we get out of here," Mira said urgently.
"That's the thing," Connor said reluctantly.
He didn't want to be the bearer of terrible news especially when he wanted to keep the happiness of seeing his parents again burning inside him for as long as he could.
"The fairy godmother ... well ... grandma ..."
"She's disappeared," Emilia finished for him.
"No one knows where she is and the Fairy Council have searched the entire kingdom. Its almost certain that Ezmia took her. Only Ezmia would benefit if the fairy godmother was out of the picture."
Those last words were like a knife in the side. Evly and Mira put their arms around each other shuddering. Charlotte and John stood frozen with shock. Red and Froggy held hands. And Emilia and Connor exchanged sombre glances. They all knew that what Emilia said made sense. But the fairy godmother couldn't die surely. John couldn't imagine a life without his mother's guidance and wisdom, and even her constant motherly nagging would be a comfort at this very moment.
"This is not good," Evly said in a low voice.
"This is not good at all."
"You're right my love," Mira said.
"But for now, there is nothing we can do. Lets rest, and tomorrow, we will come up with an escape. At least we have each other."
A spark of hope began to flicker in Connor's mind that all was not yet lost, and glancing around, he saw that his friends felt the same. Emilia had that determined set in her jaw she so often wore, his parents were smiling at him. Evly sat a little straighter, and Red and Froggy were smiling at each other.
They ate a meagre meal of stale bread and watery soup. The vegetables were stringy and there was little meat. The noise in the common room was dying down and the sounds of the hushed conversations of the other slaves in the cells around them were less frequent.
"Lights out," a goblin growled.
"Any nonsense and you'll get no meals tomorrow."
He extinguished the two lanterns and stalked out of the dungeon, leaving the slaves in total darkness. The atmosphere was depressing and gloomy. The air was thick with despair and hopelessness. Connor found it hard to sleep. The hard stone floor was cold and damp. The chill seemed to seep into his bones. His muscles were stiff and achy. But eventually, as his parents and friends gradually fell asleep around him, the strains of the day caught up with him, and he fell into an exhausted sleep.
—
Connor sat up suddenly. He had woken to the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. It was still dark in the dungeon and when he looked around blearily, he felt slightly disoriented. Slowly, the events of the day came back to him cutting through the thick fog of sleep. His friends and parents were still asleep and so were most of the other slaves.
"Hello, what's your name?"
"Ah!" Connor yelped.
"Who are you?"
Outside his cell, stood the troll girl he had seen while coming through the common room.
"I'm Trobella," she said in an airy voice.
"I'm Connor," he replied, not knowing what else to say.
"You're very handsome Connor. Do you have a girlfriend? I don't have a boyfriend. Troll boys are so rough and ragged. They just don't know how to treat a lady."
"That's a shame."
"Can I call you butter boy?"
"Absolutely not!"
"Connor, what's going on," Emilia asked from behind him.
"Who's she?" Trobella asked, all traces of friendliness gone from her voice.
She stared at Emilia with utmost hostility which Emilia returned with equal passion.
"Relax, Emilia's just a friend," Connor said, making a placating gesture.
"I don't like her," Trobella said glaring.
"I don't like you either."
The two stood stiffly glaring daggers at each other, Trobella with hands on her broad troll hips, and Emilia, her hand poised over her wand ready to strike like a venomous viper at any moment she was provoked.
"Hey Trobella," Connor said reluctantly.
"Yes butter boy."
"Do you think you could do me a favour?"
"Anything for you butter boy."
"Well," Connor began, choosing his words carefully.
"We really need to get out of here. Me, my parents, and my friends," Connor said, gesturing vaguely behind him to the dim figures in the cell.
Trobella chewed her bottom lip in thought.
"What do you need from me?"
"Do you happen to know where the keys are so you can free us?"
"Oh I know where the keys are, and I'll free you of course. But only you and not anyone else especially her."
She spat out the last word as if it was poison, pointing an accusatory finger at Emilia.
"Let us all out or I'll kill you," Emilia said, her voice dangerously low. Trobella stood her ground, but she didn't retaliate to the threat.
"Well, alright, but one condition."
"What?" Connor and Emilia asked.
Trobella looked at Connor a sickly sweet smile filling her face.
"You have to kiss me butter boy."
Connor staggered, his knees almost giving way beneath him.
"There is no way I'm-"
"He'll do it," Emilia cut in.
"But only if you promise to let all of us go, Connor, his parents, all our friends, and ... me."
"Deal," Trobella said.
And with that, she turned and ran into the darkness.
"What? Why did you do that? I can't believe you just did that! How could you! I thought we were friends!"
"What's going on?" John asked groggily, moving towards them.
Connor's indignant yells had woken the others and now, they surrounded him and Emilia, yawning and rubbing their eyes.
"Sit tight everyone," Emilia said amusement evident in her voice.
"This should lighten our spirits. Oh, and Connor, we are friends, good friends. That's why I want to help you."
They heard the sound of shuffling footsteps coming towards them.
"Ready butter boy," Trobella said, her voice breathless with anticipation.
Connor sighed resigned to his fate. He moved at a sloth's pace towards the cell bars delaying the awful moment for as long as he could. But he wasn't moving fast enough for Emilia's liking. She gripped him by the shirt collar and dragged him with surprising ease towards the bars. His feeble attempts at resistance were useless, and soon, Connor found himself face to face with Trobella, his lips pressing painfully into the bars.
"Come get him Trobella," Emilia said in a sing-song voice, keeping a firm hold on Connor's head.
Trobella moved forward until her lips touched his and she gave Connor a big, juicy, sloppery kiss.
"Eeew! Ugh! That was disgusting! How could you do that to me!"
"Now let us out Trobella," Emilia said.
"With pleasure," the troll princess said beaming.
She took a small stone key from her dress, inserted it into the lock and turned. A small click could be heard as the cell opened and they all began to file out. Connor and Emilia were first. Then Charlotte and John with Red and Froggy close behind. After them came Mira and Evly, and last, with some hesitation, the travelling tradesman. However, before Trobella could close and re-lock the cell, the key was snatched from her hand and she was shoved hard into the cell she had just opened. Emilia closed the door and swiftly locked it.
"Hey!" Trobella cried outraged.
"Let me out of here!"
"Please be quiet Trobella," Connor said pleadingly.
"Please, for your butter boy."
"Come on," Emilia said, jogging towards the dungeon exit.
"Lets get out of here."
"Wait!" Charlotte called.
"Give me that key Emilia. We have to help the others. I can't leave them here."
"There's no time for that."
"There's no time for arguing," Charlotte said with finality.
"Now give me that key."
Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, Emilia handed the key over and one by one, Charlotte unlocked each cell, rousing its occupants if they were not awake already and telling them about their chance at freedom. Some were more reluctant than others.
"If we get caught, we'll be starved and beaten like never before," one woman said.
"They'll work us for longer hours," said a man.
"I know escaping is risky," Charlotte said, making eye contact with all the slaves.
"But would you rather die down here starving, working, and being beaten to death at their hands. Or would you rather die fighting for the life they took away from you?"
A few minutes of silence ensued as the slaves contemplated Charlotte's words. But they seemed to have a rousing effect. The escapees stood a little taller and their eyes were no longer empty and downcast, but instead filled with defiance and determination.
"You're right," the travelling tradesman said.
"We'll come with you."
"Okay, does anyone know the best way out of here?"
"We have to get to the tunnels," the tradesman said.
"There are tunnels leading to every kingdom. That's how the trolls get around to all the kingdoms."
They formed into a long straggly line with Red, Froggy, Evly and Mira leading the way. In the centre, John and Charlotte chivvied the slaves forward and helped any elderly or child who was having trouble. Connor and Emilia brought up the rear. They walked as quietly as they could through the dark passageway leading to the common room. Their nerves were as tense as bow strings and any small sound made them all freeze with fear. After what felt like an eternity, they reached the end of the passage. Evly turned and held up a hand for the group to halt. When she had everyone's attention, she put a finger to her lips and mimed a yawn.
"They're sleeping," she mouthed.
"Carefully and quietly," she whispered to the ones nearest her.
The message was passed down the line.
Connor stood beside Emilia his heart hammering as he watched the others make their way through the packed common room.
"Stop fidgeting," Emilia hissed.
"Sorry, sorry."
Evly, Mira, Red and Froggy were moving into the tunnels and were quickly lost from sight. Then most of the slaves were through. After a few minutes, his parents were at the common room exit. His mom turned, gave a nervous smile, waved, and disappeared.
Connor and Emilia began to make their way through the jumble of arms and legs, and through the goblets and coins that littered the floor. Emilia, who was more accustomed to moving stealthily reached the exit just as Connor was in the centre of the room. Emilia waved her wand in a circle, and the small rucksack with their belongings zoomed into her outstretched hand.
"Hurry up," she whispered.
"I've found our stuff."
She opened the rucksack doing a quick count of their supplies. The map and journal were still there and to her relief, all the wishing spell items they had collected so far were present. Only the coins, food, and dagger were missing which she could easily remedy.
"Okay okay, I'm-"
He trailed off and caught his breath in astonishment. Sitting on a plinth above the goblin king and troll king's thrones was a stone crown encrusted with stone jewels.
"Em," he whispered.
"Look."
She followed Connor's gaze and gasped.
"It's the crown."
"I'm going to get it."
He tiptoed his way to the platform where the two thrones stood. Carefully, he stepped on to it and reached up as high as he could.
"It's too high," he whispered.
"Connor, get down from there. I'll get it with my wand."
But Connor wasn't listening. He was already stepping onto the arm of the goblin king's throne. He held out his arms for balance and kept his knees bent. His left leg was so close to the goblin king he could feel his warm breath through his jeans. He brought his right foot on the arm of the troll king's throne, but still the crown was too high.
"Connor," Emilia was saying, tapping her foot impatiently.
"Get down! You're going to get us caught."
Connor sprang up from his crouch, his arm reaching up, but still he was a few inches short. On his second jump, he managed to brush the crown with his fingertips. He inhaled deeply, bending his knees and prepared for another spring. This time, his fingers closed around the stone crown and his heart leapt. But his triumph was short-lived. On his way down, he missed the armrest and landed sprawled on the goblin king's lap.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Connor and Emilia ran for their lives. They sprinted towards the exit not caring who and what they stepped on. They flew through the passageway into the tunnels. The sound of pursuing trolls and goblins sounded terribly close and when Connor looked back, a dozen goblins were already filling the passages.
"Connor! Emilia! Quickly!" John yelled.
Up ahead, all their friends had waited for them.
"Go!" the travelling tradesman urged them.
"Go! I'll hold them off!"
"But they'll catch you," Connor said.
"I am old. You lot still have a lot of living to do. Now go before they catch all of us."
They scurried under the stone archway and as soon as they had passed through, one of the statues collapsed, sealing the entrance just as Connor was clear.
"Where are the others?" Emilia asked.
"Off to their own kingdoms," Mira said. "They're safe."
They stood for a few minutes, catching their breath and getting their bearings.
"How could he do that?" Connor asked.
"Risk his life for strangers.
"Maybe he felt it would be the only honest trade he would make," Froggy said.
"So what's the plan now?" Emilia asked, leaning against the tunnel wall.
"It's not just about getting the items and going home any more," Evly said surveying the group.
"We have to help the fairy godmother. Ezmia is a very dangerous person. If we manage to find and rescue the fairy godmother, she will need all the help she can get facing Ezmia."
"So if we're staying here, then we don't have to collect the wishing spell items any more," Charlotte said.
"We would be wise to do so," Evly said gravely.
"If Ezmia gets her hands on those objects, it will be fatal for everyone, not just in the fairy tale world, but in your world too."
Suddenly, Emilia sat up alert. Connor thought he saw a flicker of doubt or maybe it was fear cross her expression. But before he could put a finger on it, it was gone, and Emilia was calm and composed, her mask back in place.
"So what do you suggest we do?" Froggy asked.
"I know we just found each other, but I think we should split up. It will be faster. Mira, both of us will go with Red and Froggy. John, you, Charlotte, and the twi .. I mean kids go together."
There was a clatter and a flurry of movement as Emilia hastened to pick up her wand.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Alright, but there's only one journal," Connor said.
"That shouldn't be a problem," Evly said.
"Emilia, why don't you make another copy."
"Oh, right, yes, of course."
She raised her wand and flicked it through the air.
"Sorry, let me try again."
This time, an identical journal to the one they had been following appeared right into Evly's hand.
"Perfect, now lets get out of these tunnels quickly."
There were muffled sounds of shifting stones and grunting coming from behind. Soon pursuit would be hot on their heels if they didn't move.
"We'll camp for what's left of the night then go our separate ways in the morning."
The group nodded in agreement knowing what Evly said made logical sense. They were subdued as they made their way out of the tunnels just in time for the coming dawn. Nearby, a barn owl sat on a tree. It hooted, a light airy sound, but with a trace of melancholy. The moon was a watery grey in the sky and the stars were few that night.
"Pity," Evly thought.
Ever since she was a girl, she often looked to the stars for guidance in times of trouble. To her, the lack of constellations was an ominous sign. She knew they were going to need all the guidance they could get in their upcoming journeys. And she also knew, that some of them may not return.