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We set out that very morning for Dokkalfar territory. I rode Violet again and Glorfindel was on his own stag, Dandelion. It seemed to take less time to get there; maybe because I had a companion. We didn’t talk much, however, because of the narrowness of the trail that required us to ride single file in the Elven fashion.

We passed by the Ice Poles, marking the boundary between Quendi land and the land belonging to the Dokkalfar, or the Dark Elves, and shortly thereafter, Glorfindel turned down an even narrower trail that he said was a closer route to the Dokkalfar’s principal city of Daineid, where most of the city residents lived in underground caves due to the extreme cold. Soon after midday, we reached a flat-topped mountain range that loomed over us more than two thousand meters high. The narrow pathway around and through it wound close to the base of the mountains, and we rode in their shadows for most of the day. Glorfindel turned on his mount to call to me that the largest of the mountains was named something completely unpronounceable that started with a “G.” Glorfindel said the mountain had once been an active volcano but hadn’t erupted for more than a thousand years. Its top half was covered by a glacier but had stunted looking black and white barked birch trees growing part way up its snowy sides.

The air had turned freezing cold, and by midafternoon, I had begun to long for a fire and something warm to drink.

All that long day of traveling, I had plenty of time to think, and my thoughts revolved constantly around Tarrak and what he would think when he learned that I might be part Nephilim and not fully human. Would it make a difference to him, or had he just been using my humanity as a convenient excuse to get rid of me? Of course, my low self-esteem advocated for the second possibility, but I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t even know if what Glorfindel had told me could possibly be true. I needed to speak to Pavel about it or find some kind of proof, but “proof” when it came to supernatural beings seemed to be on opposite sides of a coin from each other and in very short supply.

We rode all day, stopping only once to give the animals a rest, and we made camp just before dark. Like Tarrak, Glorfindel insisted on looking for a cave to take shelter in for the night. He said they were all over the area, so I stayed with the animals while he reconnoitered for one. At length he returned and said he’d found, not a cave exactly, but a fairly deep declivity in the cliffside. It would give us and the animals some good shelter from the wind and snow, at least, and we could build up a big fire to help us keep warm. Since nightfall was rapidly approaching, he led us to it, and we started getting ready to survive the long, cold, winter’s night.

He was right about it being only a declivity, about two meters wide and three and a half meters deep. Using a small shovel I carried in one of my packs, I scraped off most of the snow that had blown inside at the back while Glorfindel went to gather wood. When he returned, he started the fire with a hand gesture, and while he went back for more, I got a pot boiling over the fire to melt some snow for tea. We set the stags loose to forage for lichen, and then we spread our furs and ate some of the food the servants had packed up for us. Or I should say Glorfindel’s servants because mine were nowhere to be found before I left. I figured they had wanted nothing to do with my escape and dreaded the wrath of the king, not to mention Lord Juul’s. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it myself.

After we ate, we sat by the fire with our furs wrapped around us, trying to keep warm. The wind had died down and soon Violet and Dandelion came back and stayed by the entrance, just under the overhang, but helping to block off some of the cold wind. I thought it would be a good time to find out what Glorfindel knew about the cave of Ludimarien.

“You said Tarrak told you about the cave of Ludimarien that King Gratin’s shade mentioned in his riddle. Who exactly was this Ludimarien? Do you know?”

“I know he was a legendary wizard to King Gratin for many years and helped him with his exploits. He’s mentioned in some of the legends, though I think many of the things people claimed Gratin did were just myths.”

“You think Gratin’s shade may have lied to me about the Sword of Light and the Battle-Axe of Lebor?”

“No… probably not. Many people attested to seeing the power of both. It’s in a number of histories as well as legends. Gratin was said to be truly invincible with his Sword and his Battle-Axe, though of course, it could merely mean that he was a very good warrior. Both of the weapons were fashioned for him by Ludimarien.”

“So, this cave of his?”

“It would be Gratin’s tomb, I’d say, though Ludimarien could very well be in it with him. It was common in those days for a king to be buried alongside his wives, his children, and his wizard. Ludimarien was probably given room near old Gratin’s resting spot when he finally passed away.” He leaned forward to poke up the fire a bit, making orange sparks fly into the air, buzz around in the wind, and bounce off the walls like fireflies. “Tell me the riddle Gratin gave you, so I can help you figure it out.”

“The Sword of Light is in Svartalfheim,” I quoted. “In the cave of Ludimarien. Past the royal passage three, five steps in and there you’ll be. There the trail will soon begin, but not until the spell is cast, for the demon’s child will come at last. As the smoke clears, the shades will appear. They guard two paths so you must heed them well, for one will lead you to heaven and the other to hell.”

As I spoke the words in the little almost-cave we were sitting in, my voice echoed, and a shiver ran down my spine. I hadn’t noticed the echo before. I wished hard that Pavel was there with me so I could talk to him. Even harder, I wished for Tarrak. Even if he was furious with me, I needed him.

“And you understand this riddle?”

“No, not really. I guessed part of it—the part about the Svartalfheim, because it’s not exactly hard to figure out. I thought if I find Ludimarien’s cave, then I could figure out the rest of it.”

“Doesn’t sound like much of a plan,” Glorfindel said.

“Maybe not. I think I can do it, though.”

“And the riddle is all you know?”

I shrugged and repeated myself. “I think I can do it.”

A little grunt was my only answer. We sat there staring into the fire, the snapping and popping of it the only sound. Even the stags had fallen asleep, it seemed, and the heavy snow that was steadily falling outside muffled any other sound. After a while, I heard the Fairy’s steady breathing, and I knew he’d fallen asleep. It made me feel surprisingly lonely and far from home. But where exactly was my home? Tarrak wanted me to leave the palace, and I doubted anyone would even recognize me anymore back in my old village. Would Tarrak change his mind about me leaving if he learned that I might be part Nephilim? Or would that just be one more strike against me?

I sighed, pulled the fur around my shoulders a little closer, and tried to stay awake. I had the first watch and responsibility of feeding the fire so we wouldn’t all freeze. This night had every promise of being a long and uncomfortable one. Hours later, Glorindel woke and stretched, saying he’d keep watch for the rest of the night, and I rolled up in my fur and grabbed a few hours rest until dawn.

The next morning was cold and dreary, and I was beginning to understand more and more why the Svartalfheim was always referred to as such a dark, unpleasant place. We made more tea and ate a little of the food the servants had packed for us, though I had little appetite. We’d have to hunt for most of the food for our next meal, or Glorfindel would have to “magic” something up. I wondered if he could do that—I didn’t think I could, but then our magic was supposed to be very different.

As we loaded our packs that morning, I asked Glorfindel where exactly he was taking me. “Do you know where this tomb of Ludimarien is, or do we have to inquire somewhere?”

“No, but I can ask a few questions. I know an inn we can stay at in Daineid. I know the innkeeper and he’s the chatty type.”

“First of all—there’s an inn?”

He smiled. “Yes. The Dokkalfar caves extend deep under these mountains. There are passages that lead to an entire city, with huge halls and various chambers. The floors are made of polished rock in the city, and the ceilings are high and domed. In the king’s halls, the walls are set with precious gems and crystals and veins of golden ore. And yes, there are a few inns for visitors in Daineid. Basic, but comfortable too.”

“I had no idea. How do we enter the city?”

“The entrance to the city gates is through a narrow gorge, which is practical for defense against their enemies. It’s still a couple of hours ride ahead of us.”

“I thought the Elves jealously guarded their territory.”

“From each other, yes. There’s no love lost between the Light and Dark Elves. But not from the other Fae, like the Fairies. The Dark Elves have traditionally had more communication with the other Fae tribes through the years. They have a long coastline on their western border, and my father has traded with them for precious minerals like copper, gold, and silver. ”

“The Dark Elves allow visitors?”

“Some. Not from the Quendi, but mostly from the Fairy tribes, who buy and trade for their minerals and their gold.”

“They’re very different from the Quendi then.”

“Yes, they are. In some ways —but they’re still Elves in every way that counts.”

“Will they question what a human is doing with you then?”

“Perhaps. If anyone cares, I’ll tell them you’re my servant.” He gave me a mean smile. “So you should act the part.”

I ignored him, knowing he just wanted to irritate me, and he’d succeeded very well. We started out soon after, and the snow was thick on the ground. The snow had finally stopped, and the clouds had cleared a bit, helped along by a blustery wind. It was still early and not fully daylight, if it ever would be in this dark realm. We could still see a sliver of moon and patches of stars faintly through the clouds. The air was clear and so cold it burned my lungs a bit. We rode along the same trail as the day before, though it finally opened up a little and I could see a black mountain far ahead of us, a huge ridge with dark mouths of tunnels leading inside it. Even the sky here had taken on a different tone—a pale endless gray, unbroken by clouds.

“That’s Daineid ahead,” Glorfindel said. “Or at least the mountain that houses the cave system.”

I have to say it gave me a chill, like someone had just walked over my grave. I kept going, though, because I didn’t know what else to do. I needed to get into the cave of Ludimarien and find the sword, and I couldn’t let my fears stop me.

We reached the city gates by mid-afternoon. They were large and impressive, made of heavy oak and blackened with age. They filled an opening in the base of the mountain that was perhaps fifteen meters wide and nearly twice that tall. I’d never seen anything like it. The gate was a gleaming black color, with golden hinges. The guards in front of the gate were typical Elves, beautiful and tall, though not as beautiful, I thought, as the Quendi. All of the guards wore daggers and swords at their sides and carried bows slung over their shoulders—bows they used to kill the white animals that lived in this forest for game, and that they would no doubt use on any trespassers or on their enemies.

We rode boldly up to the front and one of the guards stepped out to challenge us. Glorfindel spoke to him, gesturing back at me once. The guard gave me a suspicious glare, but then nodded and spoke to the men behind the gate. The huge structure swung open with a groaning sound, and we rode into the interior of the massive cave.

Just inside the gates were the visitors’ stables, so we saw our mounts taken care of and fed before we ventured any farther.

The interior was a great deal like Glorfindel had told me, with passages that led to the entire city. The “streets” were made of shiny black stone, and the ceilings were so high in a few places that I couldn’t quite make them out. The only light came from torches on the walls, and there were many of them. The air was cold, as I’d expected, but still warmer than outside. Long passageways stretched in every direction with signs pointing the way down each one. They were in Elven, of course, so I couldn’t decipher a word of them, but Glorfindel didn’t seem to have the same difficulty. He glanced at them confidently and led the way down one of them. I followed, loaded down with both his pack and mine, fulfilling my role as his servant.

After a time, we came to the inn, which Glorfindel said was called “The White Squirrel.” We were met by the innkeeper at the door. All travelers were viewed with suspicion, and we were no exception, though I saw from the deference with which the innkeeper treated Glorfindel that he must be aware of his royal status. The place smelled a bit of ale and cider and some kind of cooking meat. It was really warm inside, with a huge fireplace carved right into the cave wall, with a roaring fire blazing inside it. It didn’t draw well, or at all, really, so there was a smoky quality to the air.

A large common room lay beyond the broad entryway, with some stone steps leading to an upper level where they had the sleeping rooms. It was mostly one main room that opened onto the “street.” An opening carved into the rock served as a window with no glass and I saw a barmaid serving someone through it. There were tables and benches in the main room. Most of the light in the room came from the fire in the hearth.

After a quick conversation, Glorfindel was given a tallow candle and he led me to the sleeping room up a flight of steps along the wall. I went inside and dropped the packs on the floor.

“Well done, Sergey. You played the part of dumb servant perfectly.”

I gave him a look and he smiled. “I told him I was here on a trading trip for my father. Let’s go down and get something to eat. I smelled some rabbit stew, I think. Poor fare, but hunger is an excellent sauce, they say.”

I wanted to wash up a bit first, cracking the thin sheet of ice on the water bowl and using the freezing water to wash up a bit. There was little heat here in the upper rooms, but there seemed to be plenty of blankets and furs on the beds. At least I felt a little fresher. The smell of the stew hit me about halfway down the stairs and I suddenly felt ravenous. We got a table by the fire and a woman that could have been the innkeeper’s wife came out and served us big bowls of stew and fresh bread. It was delicious, if a little greasy, and I ate way too much. When I started to get up, I figured that was the reason I felt so sluggish and tired, but then I stood up all the way and my knees buckled under me.

I’d been drugged, of course. This was getting old very fast. I could feel myself fading a bit, and I shouted out for Glorfindel’s help. The innkeeper came out of the back to stand next to Glorfindel, and they both stood staring down at me like I was some curious specimen to be examined. Behind them, two Dark Elven guards came rushing through the door and shouldered past them, headed for me. I reached for my dagger, but my reflexes were slowed way down, and they kicked it from my hand and reached down to haul me to my feet. I could only hang between them as they heaved me up and began dragging me toward the door.

I felt a surge of intense fury and outrage sweep over me, and that must have been what saved me. I had known of the treachery of Fairies—why had I trusted Glorfindel for even a moment to bring me here like a lamb to the slaughter? His perfidy was staggering, and suddenly a determination that he wouldn’t win came over me. I had a sudden wellspring of rage deep inside me that was foreign to me but at the same time felt entirely appropriate. My mind was filled with unknown curses and the unpronounceable names of the Demon Lords. The words of the old Necromancer’s rabbit spell—my first spell—sprang instantly and unbidden into my mind.

I stretched my hand toward the fire, yearning toward it and not really even knowing what I was asking for. “Help me, Samael!” I cried. “Tili boom, ribi la, tili boom !”

A ball of flame leaped from the fire toward my hand. I was so startled I didn’t know what else to do but instinctively tried to catch it, but rather than being burned, the flame was as cool as the snow outside the caves and as icy cold to the touch. The guards flinched away, dropping my arms, but I was still startled, so I flung the ball of fire away from me, and it landed near the innkeeper. Tongues of fire licked out wickedly at him, and he sprawled backward with a shout, grabbing Glorfindel and pulling his slighter figure down beside him. The Dark Elves began shouting in fear and horror and beating at the flames, which were spreading with an unholy glee, leaping from table to table like a demonic cat spitting and hissing as it went, and everything the flames touched was instantly engulfed.

Glorfindel had disentangled himself from the innkeeper and jumped back up to his feet, backing quickly away in a panic and staring at me in fascination. His face was wary as he tried to decide what I might do next. I reached back to the table for the heavy earthenware bowl I’d just been eating from and hurled it at his head. Though he tried to duck and held up a hand in the air as if to stop it, my attack had been too unexpected. He’d been ready for magic and got a bowl thrown at him instead. It had taken him off guard, and the heavy bowl deflected off the arm he’d raised and hit him on the forehead. It bounced off, leaving behind a big red mark across his brow and some blood dripping down his face. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes. I leaped for the door and out into the passageway, back out the way we’d come in only a short time before. I could hear the loud uproar behind us, and the passageway was suddenly thronged with people rushing toward the inn, where flames were spreading into a conflagration.

Once in the passageway, I ran directly toward the gate, and when I breathlessly arrived, the two guards turned to look at me in alarm, brandishing their weapons. Feeling desperate, I called out loudly to Samael again for help and again a ball of flame just appeared in my hand. I flung it at the huge old gate, and as before, the flames leaped eagerly toward it and spread over it like hellfire unleashed, reaching upward to the very top and spreading out over both sides with wicked glee. Some of it even jumped onto one of the guards, instantly covering him in flames. He screamed and people ran toward him from every direction with buckets of water and blankets to smother the flames.

I watched as the other guards beat at the fire and called loudly for more help. Others came running to assist them in putting out the flames, more of them carrying useless buckets of water to dash against the gate, but all of us could see it was already too late. The thing was turning to ash right in front of me. How could such a thing be possible? I wouldn’t have credited it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. These were no ordinary flames, though, and this was no ordinary fire. It was apocalyptic, sent straight from the nether regions, and it simply obliterated whatever was in its path.

It would have been the perfect time for me to escape, but I couldn’t leave Violet behind. I ran for the stables and found them deserted, because all the workers had run to help put out the fire at the gate. I opened the door to Violet’s stall and leaped onto his back. I had no idea where his saddle or bridles might be and had no time to search for them. I lay across him and urged him toward the door, and he leaped for it, anxious to be away from the noise and the acrid, alarming smell of smoke. I buried my fingers in his thick fur, and he ran with incredible speed for the gate. I had known that reindeer were capable of remarkable bursts of speed for a short period of time, especially when they were afraid, but this was almost unbelievable. The noise of the people shouting, and the sight of the flames frightened him badly, however, and made him stagger to a stop and roll his eyes back toward me. I leaned over and spoke urgently in his ear.

“It’s all right, Violet. I won’t let anything hurt you, but we have to get out of here. Now!” I put my heels into his sides, just hard enough to urge him forward, and he seemed to make up his mind. He rushed toward an opening in the gate, and all at once we were free. The icy wind hit me in the face hard enough to take my breath away, but I bent my head to bury my face in Violet’s fur and let him go where he wanted. Even though there were no sounds of pursuit behind us, I let him run as far and as fast as he seemed to be determined to do, and I clung to him like a burr on his skin.

It was fully dark by now, though the clouds overhead hid the stars and even the moon. It was alarmingly cold, and I knew we couldn’t survive a night out in the elements. We were on a trail of some sort—hard-packed snow that stretched out in front of us as far as I could see and appeared to lead back into the forest. My hands and feet were already getting numb, though, and I knew I had to find shelter soon. Violet must have known it too because he turned back toward the mountains, perhaps instinctively looking for another cave. A deep shiver started in the small of my back and raced through me, my hands were like frozen claws even though they were still clamped in Violet’s fur, and my breath left me in a white stream that I imagined would soon turn to ice. I’d never been so cold before in my life.

A slight smell of smoke attracted my attention and there—very faintly, almost too faintly to see—a tiny glow of amber, like a tiny earthbound star in the black rock face. Violet headed toward it, moving fast, and I continued clinging to his back as tightly as I could. As we got closer, I could see it was another cave, and this one looked to be larger and deeper than the one Glorfindel had found us to take shelter in. It was perilously close to Daineid, but it couldn’t be helped. I couldn't stay on Violet’s back much longer, so whoever or whatever was occupying that cave was going to have to share his fire with us or else I’d be dead soon.

Violet ran straight toward the mouth of it and then right inside, coming as close to the fire as he dared. He stood, heaving for breath and exhausted from his run. I sat up, swaying a little to see who it was that had stood up in alarm as we burst in. It was a tall man covered in fur, even over his head. He had unsheathed his sword when we startled him with our abrupt entrance, but I was much too far gone to care. I fell off onto the floor of the cave and shut my eyes, allowing the drugs and the darkness to overtake me at last, and I knew no more.