171 Flight of the Intruder (2/2)

\”Three paths,\” I huffed. \”Luca, you're the fastest… run down to the main gate and cut him off… Al—\”

\”—I'll take the side route that leads to the Garden of Mana,\” he said, just before leaving. \”Dean, you take—\”

\”—The stairs to the battlements… I know,\” I cut him off. \”Good luck.\”

The three of us burst into action at the same time, each of us heading for our respective assignments.

I made my way up the stairs I'd taken not long ago when Chris Pint dragged me up to the battlements, and only then did I think to use Eagle Eye to speed up my search.

As I continued up the steps, I whispered the chant that activated this awesome skill in Fool's Insight's repertoire, \”Oh, great fool, turn all truths into one of color that all their secrets I might uncover.\”

The night sky and palace walls were splattered in different shades of gray, allowing my sight to bring color only to things that might catch my attention like the set of glowing footsteps trailing upward to the battlements.

No, they weren't actual footsteps like you'd see in a videogame, but more like tell-tale signs of recent disturbances in the wood. Still, they were clear enough for me to see in glowing blue markings.

I picked up the pace and took the steps two at a time while doubt filled my head, warning me that the trail I followed didn't guarantee I was following the drow who'd escaped the patriarch's hall.

\”Shut up, brain,\” I huffed.

I reached the landing for the first wall and glancing up, I saw two more landings above. However, the trail branched out in two. One set led upward. The other led through this landing which I remembered circled around the palace and ended at stairs leading down to the back courtyard and the Garden of Mana where Al was headed.

A snap decision made me choose the upward path. I chose instead to believe that if I was wrong, Al would manage somehow.

Up the steps I went and past the second landing where no trail was visible. However, the higher I got, the more I noticed that the footsteps I followed were no longer alone, but were accompanied by a variety of different foot sizes that didn't seem to me like they belonged to a drow.

Doubt continued to cross my mind, and I glanced behind me without stopping and wondered if I shouldn't return the way I'd come.

At this point, I'd made it up to the landing, which was unfortunate as I felt the crash before I saw it almost like I hit a very sturdy wall.

Luckily, I managed not to fall backward and topple down the really high steps but instead hit the battlement floor with a thud.

\”What the hell—\”

Then I saw what I hit.

It was a fairy in a steel-plated armor underneath a white tabard. Printed on this tabard was a symbol I recognized because I'd seen it even on Mudgard — Lady Justice raising the hand that held the scales of balance.

The fairy I bumped into was one I'd never seen before. It was a towering figure with skin like wood-bark and hair that was half made of leaves. Beady black eyes glowered at me from a pointy face that seemed to have been carved out of a tree.

\”Whatchu looking at, boy?\” the tree fairy growled.

\”You… and your, um, treeness… sir,\” I admitted out of half-shock.

The tree man was surrounded by a bunch of other fairies that were all a different species; an elf, an undine, a hobgoblin, a dwarf, a satyr, and even a mean-looking sprite. The one thing that told me they were all in the same group was how they were all wearing the same gear and the same tabard.

\”Stop that, Sandalwood,\” ordered a soft voice that was hidden behind the group.

Sandalwood the tree man stepped aside and so did the rest of his fellows, revealing a young woman waiting behind them.

She walked through the space they made for her while her long, braided silver hair was blown back by the passing night breeze. Her brow furrowed as soon as she stopped in front of me. Then she held out a milky smooth hand in my direction.

I gazed up at the expressive face with its big doe eyes and dark bushy eyebrows formed in concern. Yet her small mouth was set in a reassuring smile like a big sister looking down at her kid brother. And as I took her hand and felt her warmth, all thought of the shadow I was chasing vanished from my mind.