Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
“So those aren’t radioactive, or something? Your people eat them without dying in terrible pain?” Hawk asks, grinning, but there’s no mistaking the awe in his eyes for anything else. His hand remains in mine, but he’s enchanted, and as the colors cast on his skin change, I too see various facets of his handsome features.
My introduction to his world was painful and unwanted, but I‘m already looking forward to showing him the beauty of my realm and seeing his mouth open in amazement the way it does now.
“Those aren’t poisonous. Not in the deadly sense. We don’t consume them unless someone needs to be sedated. Depending on the part of the Puffball you use, and how ripe it is, you can even put someone to sleep instantaneously.” I glance around this underground garden where glowing mushrooms grow even on the ceiling. “You know, I might actually harvest some. You never know when such an ingredient can come in handy.”
“Didn’t you say we have little time?” Hawk asks, but instead of lingering nearby and attempting to capture my gaze in accusation, he walks farther into the tunnel to sit on a mossy rock.
I’m not surprised to see him pull out a pretzel. His tall, strong body needs more nourishment than my small form ever could, and I find his voracity quite endearing. He makes such a charming picture with the golden glow of Nightbells creating a blurry veil behind him.
The food is half-way to his mouth when reality crashes into me like a violent wave onto a shore.
Nightbells.
“Don’t move!” I say as I freeze, terrified of what might happen next.
Chapter 21
Sylvan
My mind is racing as I try to work out how much danger we’re in.
“Are the ones behind me poisonous?” Hawk whispers as if he fears even the sound of his voice could bring about our destruction.
“Come back to me. Very slowly,” I say, taking a deep breath. He hasn’t alerted the fungi’s receptors, so we still have a chance to survive this unscathed. Hawk takes dainty, careful steps, as if he were walking over thin ice, and while it makes him look like a bear attempting ballet, I’m glad he’s taking my warning seriously.
I grab his hand and pull him to me as soon as he’s close enough. After a deep exhale, he stuffs the pretzel into his mouth, glaring back at the shimmering golden caps of the Nightbells growing all over the tunnel in front of us.
I frown, squeezing his fingers. “They’re not dangerous by themselves, but they’re here for a reason. We can’t pass without alerting them, as they react to movement. All their gills will start ringing at once, hence their name, Nightbells, and then their caps will pop off in the direction of the movement.”
“Like… bullets?” Hawk asks with widening eyes.
“Not exactly. Getting hit wouldn’t hurt much, as it’s a strategy meant to attach spores to an animal, not kill it.”
“So what are we worried about? We can cover our ears and run through.”
I shake my head. “Someone planted these here on purpose. What I mean when I say they all start ringing, is all the Nightbell roots are connected. Some elves living in the wild use them as a warning measure against predators. The roots might lead all the way to whatever’s at the end of the tunnel and alert someone. It works like cables transferring electricity in your world. We’ll lose the element of surprise. But then how would anyone pass through here…” My thoughts drift off as I look back at the Puffballs.
Of course.
“This is a trap. If you walk between the Nightbells, they will ring in alert, but the caps flying at you will also hit the Puffballs, releasing their spores into the air and putting you to sleep, so you can then be easily captured by whoever set this up.”
Hawk squints at me. “This doesn’t sound good at all, so why are you smiling?”
I lift my chin with pride. “Because I know exactly what to do. Hold my bag, please.” I pull out an empty vial and a pair of small shears I took from Tassarion’s workshop. I then wrap a scarf over the bottom of my face as Hawk’s frown deepens.
“Are you sure this is safe, princeling? We can still go back.”
I straighten up and head for the Puffballs. “Worst thing to possibly happen here is that I fall asleep, in which case, do take me back to the bedroom and try to wake me up, but I have experience with these.” Which fills me with pride, because so often I’m made to feel inadequate, unable to do the simplest things, like reaching items from a high shelf. Now, I get to prove to Hawk that my knowledge can save us in more ways than one.
“Baby, please be careful,” Hawk says, but trusts me enough to not intervene, which I appreciate.