It sounded ridiculous, but all I could think to do was try Levent’s tactic of using fancy speech when in a tight spot. The king’s eyes widened as he looked at me. My legs were shaking.
“But before you kill this dragon-kin,” and possibly the rest of us, “please tell us this: who is the one that Readimina deemed worthy of such a sacred place?”
The king just gaped at me for a moment, and then slowly lowered his hand. He then turned and jabbered in mermish to his guards. Reluctantly, the spear was lowered from my throat. He then turned to me, a grimace on his face.
“That would be one of the goddess’ own children, Mistress Faun. Welcome to Eigiollys. I believe we have been waiting for you.”
My heart gave an uncomfortable thump. That was an answer I neither expected nor wanted.
“H-how does that work?” I asked.
I forgot to be polite in my question, but it did not seem to matter. The arrows and spears that were pointed at Levent were lowered with a gesture from the king.
“Let us show you,” the mermaid cooed. “Come with me.”
She smiled at her king, and then walked past. Rio glanced back at me with a bewildered grin as he was pulled along. The king gave his guards a small nod and followed them.
I suddenly realized my hands were still hanging in the air. Quickly I lowered them. I was not sure how to feel. I was glad to have gotten Levent out of harm’s way for the moment, but dread was growing in my chest.
Slowly, the soldiers fell into formation behind the mermaid. They flanked the dragon-kin and I and began marching. The mermen that surrounded Levent eyed him cautiously.
Before us, a huge wall of stone came into view. We passed through a tall gate, soldiers on either side of it bowing as we proceeded. The chamber opened up into a huge dome that I could not see the top of. I looked around us then, and I held my breath to keep from gasping in awe.
The sides of the dome danced with light patterns from the water beneath. A tower protruded from the middle of the huge room and reached up into the darkness. When I looked passed the soldiers that were beside us, I was amazed and horrified.
We seemed to be walking on the top of an unfathomably deep pool. It was