“I can glide us to the bottom, honey cheeks.”
“No, I’ve got this.” Turning toward the dark abyss, I ask, “Daxell, can you brighten this place up a bit. I would, but I …” Then I just hold up my arm so I can remind Dax that I’ve been bound. Nodding, he produces a couple of balls of fire in each hand and fashions them into glowballs. Gently, he sets them afloat over the dark abyss. They illuminate the rock-hewn staircase just below us. Then, creating several more fireballs, he sends them further out so that we can see the vastness of this cavernous maze that awaits us. I shudder as I see just how macabre these passages are. From where I stand there are several entrances to this cavern. All have stairs leading down into the darkness below, some intersecting and others seem to lead in other directions. The stairs are steep and some are carved over archways while others appear to be hewn out of solid rock. None of the stairways have handrails and all appear to be suspended in mid-air, connected by stone carved by hand forming the steps that lead down into the darkness. “Pipperton?! Are you sure about this?” I demand, still cautious as we proceed.
“Trust me, Lillie. You all will find safe passage to the Borough. We just need to traverse these dark passages first. Normally, I would glide downward to the bottom, but I think it best that we walk these passages so that you become familiar with them.”
“Okay, but if I fall to my death, I will haunt you until the end of time.” Pip laughs as if I’m kidding, which I’m not, and then he motions us to proceed.
Quietly, we follow Pip down into the bowels of The Underworld. We’re all silent for some time as we traverse the stairs. After a while, I find the downward travel therapeutic. The orbs of light follow us, lighting our way through the dark expanse. Echoing in the distance, we hear water dripping onto the stones below, and even further away, the muffled roar of running water. Daxell grips my hand in his tightly, as we negotiate the passages leading us ever downward until we are greeted with a passage that levels out and is lit by bioluminescence. Pipperton vers off the downward path and takes into the dimly lit tunnel. The fungi that grow along the damp stone walls light up the passages here, so much so that Dax extinguishes the light of his fireballs to observe the natural light of these eternally dark tunnels.
Pipperton turns back and says, “We’re almost there. I know that you’re tired, Lillie. Honestly, you both must be completely tuckered out. Once we enter the Borough and you are safely tucked away you can rest, until the morrow.”
As he says those last words we enter into an enormous underground cavern, more massive than I could ever have imagined. The Borough is highly functioning and very well lit. Daxell exclaims, “This is utterly amazing. How have you kept this hidden from The Underworld at large?” He demands.
“All in due time, Duke … Or should I address you as Retribution? Times are changing, it would seem. Come … Let’s get you all settled and we can speak on the morrow.” Pipperton motions us to a large dwelling on the outskirts of town and we make our way to the sizeable abode. Pipperton motions us inside where we are greeted by Paynga, her brother Rhynik, and another large and imposing imp that I have never met.
Paynga rushes towards me and pulls me into a fierce embrace. All of a sudden I realize, I’m not alone in this realm. I have so many wonderful individuals on my side, people that want to see me succeed. I hug her back and whisper, “I’ve missed you, Paypay. Thank you for this.” My term of endearment from when I was little easily slips out and she holds me even closer.
“Lillie? Why would you think that we would ever turn you out? Our home is your home. Especially now. You are now a goddess of both worlds. Come,” she gestures for us to come in and get comfortable. “You and our young Duke have need of rest. We will all gather together on the morrow to figure out how to move forward. Come, Poppy. We have a modest place for you to rest as well. These two need some privacy.”
My cheeks heat at the thought and Daxell pulls me close to his solid body leaving nothing to my imagination. Paynga isn’t the only one to notice Daxell’s possessive hold. The male imps back away not wanting to incite my demon. Looking back at Paynga, she hasn’t changed at all. It’s like she hasn’t aged a day, just like my Mum and Da, with one exception. The male imp by her side appears to be just as possessive of her as Dax is of me. Smiling, I say, “We really need to catch up, Paypay. Tomorrow? Before we get into all the craziness that is following us. Okay?”
“Lillie, I’ve missed out on your growing up these last few years. I’ll make sure that we set aside some time for just us girls. Now … You three are in need of rest and food. That we have and that we can provide along with safety. Get some sleep and we will meet again on the morrow.”
Everyone was right. Daxell and I were both spent. Once everyone left us to our own devices we got something to eat. There was an assortment of prepared meats and fish, along with several small loaves of bread, and a variety of cheeses. We ate quietly. At times Daxell would lean in to feed me several
