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“What’s going on here?” Dryston said, his voice as soft as thunder, making the servants startle.

The king stood then. “I can see you must feel overwhelmed, and surely you’re tired and hungry.” He gestured to the table. “Be assuredthat you’re safe here. Please eat and drink. As soon as you wish, there are rooms prepared for you to rest.”

Onora stood, her head cocked to the side. “You need to answer a few questions first.”

Dryston shot her a glare for her tone, but she ignored him.

Edond smiled. “Whatever you wish. But if you’d like to sit and eat, I can answer all your questions while you’re refreshed.”

Onora shot a glance at the food, debating. Enid didn’t wait. She pulled out a chair and plopped down. Dryston directed his glare at her this time, but she shrugged. They had just brought Avenay back from the brink of death. What benefit would there be in poisoning them?

Avenay. Her hand stilled for a moment as she reached for the food. She wanted to be next to her, to hear her breathing all night and know she was really and truly alive. But she also knew that Avenay would want to be here if she could, seeing this and learning what they were about to learn. She would stay and listen if only to relay it back to her.

Enid filled her plate with a variety of fruits, many of which should be out of season but were preserved as if they’d been picked that day. Roasted meats were in abundance as were vegetables and she took a drink of the wine, the sweet and floral taste filling her senses with pleasure.

“This is Evolis,” Onora said, carefully filling her plate, sniffing each item with suspicion.

“It is indeed,” Edond replied.

“How is it here, clearly full of people and still functioning, but no one has heard from you in ages?”

Edond sighed. “Ah, and there it is. I knew we would get to this eventually, but I did hope we’d get to know each other better first.

“I’m sure you encountered enchantments in the woods, did you not?”

Onora nodded, taking a small bite of a turkey leg.

“It’s not just the forest that’s enchanted. It’s Evolis as well. None who enters can leave.”

The room fell silent, and Enid stopped her fork midway to her mouth. “None who enters can leave?”

Edond gave a faint smile. “I’m afraid so. We’ve been enchanted here for ages, unable to leave the boundary set for us, and the few travelers who make it through the enchantments are bound here as well.”

Enid’s stomach tightened. Well shit. That wasn’t good, that wasn’t good at all.

“But,” Edond continued, “there may be a way out now.”

Enid frowned as she looked at the king. He gestured and the woman he’d been talking to stepped up next to him. She wore a gown of purples, blues, and white. It had a deep vee, exposing round breasts, and the collar came up behind her head, where her black hair was pulled in a coronet. She took the visitors in with a hopeful kind of hunger, her brown eyes alight as the king took her hand, kissing it with the casual intimacy of lovers.

“I’m Hevena,” she said. “The head witch of the temple of the Holy Mother.”

Vasu choked on his drink, waving his hand as all attention turned to him. “I’m sorry, did you say,witch?”

“I did indeed.”

“The existence of witches has only ever been a fable, and not a very well supported one. How is there one here?”

“It’s not surprising. Most of the witches lived here in Evolis. I’m from one of the last lines. Any outside of Evolis most likely died off ages ago, cut off from the blessings of the Mother. There are very few remaining here.”

“Fascinating,” Vasu said, looking her over as if she were an experiment. “I would very much like to talk to you about that more in depth.”

“Of course, I’d be happy to oblige any of your questions. I see by your robes that you’re an acolyte of the Mother?”

Vasu nodded and Hevena came near, taking his face in her hands and tilting it up to face her. She bent with an unearthly grace, one that put elves to shame, and planted a kiss on his forehead. He blushed and she pulled back. “A blessing to meet one of her devotees. You must come to the temple with me tonight and stay there while you’re here. The other acolytes will be pleased to meet you.”

Vasu gave an awkward laugh. “I-I would very much like that,” he stammered.

“How come Evolis is enchanted so no one can leave? And what’s the way out?” Onora asked, her words a bite. She didn’t like the interlude that had just happened, and Enid exchanged a glance with Kaemon.