I came at length to a chamber, vaster and more grand than any before, where the pillars of living stone reached from smooth floor to arching roof, their stately forms reflected in a long, still pool. They were there, and their laughter and song ceased abruptly as I came forward into the light of their torches. Many eyes were on me. I saw one face I knew, palely beautiful, with dark intense eyes and hair like rippling black silk. She nodded gravely. But around her were many more of her kind, all of them tall beyond mortal span, and clothed in shimmering fabric, in garments of gauze like butterflies’ wings, or black and glossy as the plumage of a raven. Their heads were crowned with strange adornments, of feathers and shells and seaweed, of nuts and berries and leaves. Their eyes were strange, deep, knowing, searching; their faces were both wonderful and terrible. They watched me in silence. Then the circle of torches closed in slightly, and the tallest of the men stepped forward.

“Well, well,” he said, looking me up and down. “You’re here at last, I see. Step forward, show yourself.” I stared up at him. A long way up. His face was very bright, brighter far than the torches might make it; some light from within seemed to turn his skin to gold and silver. His hair stood back from his face as if he were crowned with flames, and it was a brilliant red, except where frost touched it at the temples, and on his full beard. His eyes were no color, and every color. He wore a plain white robe, but where the light caught it, the cloth sparkled as if with many tiny gems.

My lord. I greeted him silently. I turned to the Lady of the Forest, who stood by his side. My lady. What do you mean, here at last? He laughed, throwing his head back, letting the sound reverberate around the great rock chamber. There was a buzz of voices, which died down instantly as he became silent again. The Lady did not laugh, but watched me gravely.

“You didn’t imagine you were here by accident, did you?” queried the Bright One. “You did? I forget how little your kind can understand, how limited your grasp. Your time in the world is brief, your knowledge matches it.”

I did not come here to be insulted. I found my temper was short. They had been precious little help to me so far, apart from the rain storm, which I had to admit had been pretty good. But, Fair Folk or no, I would not let them bully me. What do you want of me?

“Of you, nothing, child of the forest.” It was she who spoke now, the Lady, and her voice at least bore a trace of warmth. “Nothing beyond what you know you must do. Show me your hands, Sorcha.”

I held them out, blinking as a lantern was moved closer to me. My hands were inspected.