KERES' BREATH HITCHED IN her throat. She gripped the stick - more of a staff now - tightly. The gold tendrils curled in the air, winding their way towards the horse. It didn't move, just stared at her.

"YOU HAVE MAGIC." the horse said, though it's mouth didn't move. Water dripped off of it's flanks like waterweed, and where they dropped into the lake, Keres could see them sink, still glowing into the depths. Through the haze of panic, she vaguely remembered the legends that her nursemaid had told her about the creatures in the Dark Mountains.

"You're a kelpie." she blinked. "I thought you were a myth."

The horse shook its head. A deep throaty laugh echoed through the clearing. Keres adjusted her footing on the smooth pebbles of the beach.

"WE WILL ALL BECOME MYTHS EVENTUALLY. WE ARE OLDER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. YOU IN PARTICULAR ARE SPECIAL. YOU HAVE A TALENT. WE WOULD HATE TO SEE IT WASTED." The kelpie took another step. "WE WOULD HATE TO SEE YOU SUFFER."

Keres didn't move. She couldn't move. "All I want is my family." she whispered. She could feel the tears coming, but she made no effort to wipe them away.

"WE CAN HELP. WE CAN TEACH YOU."

"You can?" Keres laughed hoarsely. She stretched her fingers, trailing them through the air. They left a sparkling gold trail in their wake. "I don't even know what I am."

"YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW TO LEARN."

It was an autumn day. Keres was sitting by the shore of the lake, watching as the trees swayed in the breeze, yellow and red leaves drifting down onto the surface.

She flicked her hand absentmindedly, watching lazily as two orange leaves that were lying on the rocks were sent spinning into the air by a wisp of burnished gold. She knew everyone here, from the tiny sprites that lived in the rock pools and the waterfalls, to the shy herds of peryton, which frequented the lake and the thick woods surrounding it. They would let her approach, and if she was lucky, they would let her ride them. For a few exhilarating minutes she would be soaring above the treetops, her hair blustering in the wind.

She noticed one of the sprites was making its way towards her, it's tiny wings buzzing like a fly's.

"Keres!" it said in a tiny voice. "There's news - rebellions, wars. The Tenebrian Army could use your gifts. This is your chance!"

Keres jumped to her feet, grabbing her staff off the ground. She was running, slipping on the rocks, the sprite gliding just in front of her. Using it to steady her, she made her way to the deepest part of the lake.

"There's news. An attack on Tenebris." she shouted into the black water.

"WE KNOW." the reply echoed around her. "THIS IS YOUR CHANCE."

********

54 years later...

Bri followed Vya across the moss covered rocks. They made their way to the raised dais in the sunlight. On top of the boulder was a throne made out of what looked like driftwood. Vines were creeping up the legs, and there were black flowers peeking out from underneath the leaves, their tiny heads facing the sun.

Another faery spiralled down gently, trailing the same white smoke as Vya. There was something careful about her movements, unlike Vya who shot across the sky like a blazing comet. When she landed gracefully, Bri could see why.

The edges of her wings were tattered, and there were two huge tears that stretched almost to her shoulder blades. She commanded the space - though she wasn't largely built. She had the same ice blue eyes as Vya, but her hair was long and dark brown. On her armour were the same patterns, but instead of one stripe, there were three on each shoulder.

The sounds of the forest behind them was just background noise. Bri was fully focused on the new faery.

The faery smiled as she caught sight of Vya and the others. Vya ran to embrace her mother, then stepped back and to the side. She grabbed the hand of another girl. She was human by the look of it - and had apparently appeared out of nowhere. Vya gave her a swift peck on the cheek, lingering as she began to whisper quickly and quietly. Bri couldn't make out what they were saying, but the girl, who had long wavy ginger hair and light grey eyes, smiled hugely and stood in silence as tears began to run down her face. Vya pulled her into a deep hug, wrapping her wings around her. Bri averted her eyes, looking instead back to the faery with the broken wing.

She smiled faintly, and spoke in a clear voice with accents that Bri had never heard.

"Welcome. It must have been a long journey."

Bri opened her mouth, but she couldn't think of something to say. She shut it slowly.

"I am General Euryphaessa." said the faery. "I promise you are safe here. I see that Vya has got you here at last. It has been too long."

She stepped forward and pulled Cassian into a hug. Surprised, he didn't struggle. She released him and shook Bri's hand firmly.

"It's lovely to meet you." she said. "Now tell me everything."

And they did. They told her about their meeting, their journey, the guards who had followed them. Once they got to the part about Eileifr, the General nodded knowingly. She had apparently been in council with Eileifr for some time - part of their plan. Once Keres had declared herself Queen, the Dark Fay had been thinking of ways to prevent her reign. Bri tried to be discreet, but she couldn't seem to withhold anything, so the entire story was told. There was much jumping back and forth, and Bri and Cass switched narrator constantly, interjecting and interrupting each other every other sentence.

The General bore it admirably, and waited patiently for them to finish.

"And so we have to get his memories back..." finished Bri.

"I don't remember a thing." said Cassian, for emphasis.

"We were wondering actually whether you could tell us anything?" asked Bri, looking hopefully at the General. "Since you know him."

Euryphaessa smiled ruefully.

"You were the leader of our army. It was after the banishment of Princess Keres, and we stormed Tenebris. We thought it would be simple, but she is a powerful witch, and she appeared on the battlefield. We didn't stand a chance." she said sadly.

Cassian opened and closed his mouth like a fish. "I-- I-- Wow, uhh."

"Why were you fighting?" cut in Bri. "I know I'm biased, but I want to hear your side."

"We were fighting for freedom. The King and Queen were tyrants. We had to do something."

Bri nodded.

"Did you know that the continent used to be a place for everyone. It was the humans who slaughtered innocent beings - enslaved entire races. I believe you've heard of the armoured griffins?"

"They use them all the time at the palace."

"They used to be a thinking race. Humans used them to fight us, and then beat them into submission."

Bri rubbed her face with her hands. The armoured griffins were said to be less intelligent than dogs - used for guarding the gates to the city. She remembered the other children throwing stones at them to see if they would move. They never did.

"Is there anything that I have been told that's isn't a lie?" she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

Cassian wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side.

"It doesn't matter now." said the General. "What is important, is that Cassian gets his memories back. Vya and Skye will escort you - it is dangerous to be in the Dark Mountains. You should be fine--". She nodded at Cass. "but you won't."

Bri met her gaze, and gulped.

Vya stepped forward with the redheaded girl Bri had seen earlier. They were holding hands tightly.

"Look Cass." said the girl, Skye. "You won't remember, but I do. I thought I would never see you again. I shouldn't overwhelm you, but just know that I missed you. We all did."

Cassian smiled ruefully. "Thanks."

Vya grinned. She looked from Bri, to Cassian, then back at her mother, who nodded.

"We'll take you through the caves. It's the quickest way to the Lakes." she said.

Skye kept a brisk pace through the winding passages, following the river, which trickled quietly.

Bri and Cass followed on foot, whilst Vya flitted alongside them.

The rocks were slippery with water, and Cassian kept a firm grip on Bri's arm; clamping onto it every time he skidded. It would have been a long process, had it not been for Skye hurrying them along.

She was using a long and mean looking corseque, with what seemed to be sparkling dark blue veins running through it, as a prop. The three-pronged blade at the top was infused with the same substance and glinted dully as Bri eyed it.

She had heard about Witches. They were dangerous, and were often arrested and executed on sight. Thinking about it now, Bri couldn't be sure what was real, what was evil and what was really true.

There had been a boy living across the street from her. One night, all the windows of his house had blown out in a blast of black flame. They had shot him as she watched.

She shook her head, and focused on avoiding the slippery patches on the rocks. She was using her battle scythe to keep her balance, and Cassian was leaning on her.

There was something luminescent running all along the tunnel's ceiling, which cast a green light. Vya's sparkling wings threw the dim light over everything and everyone.

Eventually they reached a huge cavern lit with the same glowing substance, which revealed a huge underground lake.

There were ships of all shapes and sizes, and passages leading off in all directions. The water wasn't still - boats navigated the space, manned by shapes Bri couldn't make out. There were faeries performing menial tasks. Bri was sure she saw one scrubbing a barnacle-encrusted deck.

"Why do you use ships? You can fly." asked Bri, staring in wonder at a huge vessel.

"The Elves can't fly. The mermaids need the water to reach us. We would never be able to communicate with any of the Fay without it. We are so isolated. We'd be helpless." replied Vya, staring at Bri like she was stupid.

She performed a neat backflip and landed on the deck of a small sailing boat. Skye sighed, rolled her eyes, hauled on the rope; tied around a thick nail hammered into the bedrock, and jumped onboard.

They both looked expectantly at Bri and Cass.

"We're taking a boat?" asked Cassian.

There were two distinct nods.

Bri sighed and pulled him onto the prow. For all she knew these passages could lead anywhere.

She was past being surprised at anything anymore.