Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

What the hell had Arthur done to me, letting me go into this place? I swam after her, nearly giving up, when I remembered my Tempest training. The water shot me forward so that I had her in my grip, but she slipped away. That didn’t stop me, and as I was propelled forward I managed to get around her, hands on my blade, and she was gone.

Rising out of the water, I stood on the river, holding my sword, pissed that I was so cold and wet.

“Who the fuck are you?” I shouted, taking a step onto land and holding my sword out in challenge. “Show yourself!”

A disapproving tsking, then mists formed as the figure pushed herself out of the water, too, walking toward me. Three Shades appeared, but she waved a hand and colorful balls of light appeared, attacking them, so that they vanished a moment later.

The lights came over to her and landed as the mist formed around her body, no longer translucent flesh. At that point they were close enough for me to make out that the light was actually little fairies, and now that they were on her, moving into her, she had more and more color. Even her wings were lighting up, the mist taking color as it became her clothes.

She stood in front of me, arms spread out, and said, “Well, impressed?”

Of course I was, but instead I asked, “Should I be?”

“Honey, you stand before the queen of fairies.”

I frowned, thinking how that meant something very different where I came from. “And that would make you…?”

She frowned, waving my question away. “This is my domain, not yours. My house, once upon a time, and you should be telling me what you’re doing here. I owe you no explanations.” She glanced at the sword. “With that, no less.”

Meeting anyone in a place like this didn’t inspire the most confidence, so I decided to play coy for now.

“I’m here to kill Shades, nothing more.”

Her frown showed she disapproved. “And if you were told to stop?”

“By you?”

She nodded, regally.

“Sorry, but I don’t know who you are. Queen… of fairies, yes, I got that much. But… whose side are you on?”

“Are there sides now?”

“You’re aware of the war.” It wasn’t a question, but an observation regarding the knowing look in her eyes. She nodded. “And you haven’t picked a side?”

“I have not.” She stood, staring at me for a moment, then vanished.

“What?” I said, confused by her action. “That’s it?”

Nothing. I spun around, expecting her to show up out of nowhere, to test me somehow, but she didn’t return. My body was shaking with the cold, even more so since I was still wet, so I wanted to keep moving. After a few minutes of wandering around the area, even finding an empty cave and taking time out to sit and consider this weird experience, I returned to the grind, searching out and cutting down any Shades I could.

I spent a good half hour after that searching for Shades, but at the end had only found two, neither of which were much of a challenge.

Applying their prana to strength—figuring more muscle meant more warmth, I said fuck it. Two-hundred and sixty percent strength, now. Still not sure what to think of the whole situation, I decided I’d had enough. There was no way I’d dry off out here with this heavy mist, , and I wanted to ask Arthur what he knew about the fairy queen.

51

Arthur had said to use the sword to find him, so that’s what I did. Sword held out, focus on it, I started walking. At first nothing happened, but when I turned a couple of times, in one direction the mists visibly parted and the sword started glowing, blue lines of light moving along the blade.

Good thing, too, because making my way out of the mists proved to be quite the maze. I don’t know how I’d managed to walk around some of the hills and straight walls—or cliff faces, it seemed in some cases—but the way back was full of them. If there was a normal concept of time there, I would think it took a good half a day for me to finally get to a point where the mists let up and I could see the trees and hills beyond.

Talk about a relief. Being surrounded by thick mists like that for hours on end starts to wear on anyone. While my recent training and knowledge that I would soon be put to the test helped me through, I was pretty sure that one more minute would’ve caused me to take my own damn sword and slice off an ear. Or something else equally insane.

I had just made it over to the trees, thinking I’d take a rest there, when I noticed the smell of fire. A moment later I saw the flames, small, flickering pleasantly in the dim light. The opportunity to dry myself left me feeling ecstatic, but I was surprised to see a campfire burning, and at first prepared for the worst. As I drew closer, however, a red cloak became visible followed by a flash of white I’d come to associate with Elisa. Likely some sort of ward.

“What’re you doing here?” I asked as I emerged.

“Figured you might want some company when you returned,” Pucky said, dropping down from a tree nearby. Her eyes roamed over me and she grinned. “Getting buff in there.”

“Thanks.”

I glanced around the fire, noting a much larger party than I expected. “Who…?”

“Ah, yes. Let’s introduce you.” Pucky led the way, with Elisa standing at my approach, giving me a pleased smile, and then gesturing to three men all in white. They looked familiar, though I wasn’t sure where from.

When she said, “I’d like you to meet three of my brothers,” it clicked.

“How’s that… I mean,” I turned to them, offering my hand to each in turn. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. But how is it that you’re here?”

“It’s