Intertwined

Invoking the Muse

The forest beyond the gate is dark. Unusually dark. The most unnerving part, though, is the silence. No birds chirp, no animals moving around the dead leaves, no sound at all except for our footsteps. It's like the sound is sucked straight out of Muse and I too, because neither of us wants to say a word.

Further up the path is a fork in the trees, on the left is more silence, on the right is a soft...musical humming. A warm light shines from that direction and Muse points that way. "Sister One." He whispers. The nice one I assume. Although something inside me tugs to the left, I follow Muse down the brighter path.

We head down and as we walk, the trees form an arch above our heads, leading the way to a beautiful, flowing garden of red and amber roses. In the right corner of the room stands an extremely tall woman in a hoop-skirted dress. Light ringlets the color of champagne spill down her back as she turns each way to water the flowers, moving with with an unnatural grace. We walk around the roses careful not to touch them. Soul holding roses, I remind myself.

Muse clears his throat, "Dee?"

The woman spins around and my eyes widen. Her eyes are a light ice blue, framed in long, dark lashes. Her skin is so light it's almost transparent and her lips, covered in a vivid blood red lipstick. She flashes Muse a wide smile, and navigates the path to us rather... quickly. "Oh Muse," she coos, almost like an affectionate aunt. She cups his face in her hands and smiles sweetly. "It's been such a long time since I've seen you...and you've brought a guest." Turning my way makes her skirt rise...revealing 8 spidery black legs underneath.

I shudder. God no, I hate spiders. Why did she have to be a fucking spider. Muse's words earlier, reminding me to think "Black Widow" make too much sense now. "Hi." I squeak.

She smiles at me, revealing bright white teeth. "Don't be afraid child, I'll do you no harm." Taking my hand, she gives it a gentle squeeze. "Breathe."

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. "S-Sorry, I'm just afraid of-"

"Spiders?" She laughs. "I could tell."

Muse chuckles and I punch his shoulder with my free hand.

Dee turns her attention back to him, releasing my hand. "How did you get into the gate?" She asks, more serious now. "There are only three keys in existence and two of them belong to my sister and I. The other is in the human world."

"Well.... Not anymore." I tug my key necklace up from under my top and her eyes widen when she sees it. "Jebediah was my...uncle. He left this behind after he passed away."

"So you are human." She says in a hushed whisper. "I haven't seen one in many, many years."

I shift under her gaze, and she gently lifts the keys at my neck. "You have Queen Alyssa's key as well. She left this behind when she came here."

I nod, "My cousin and I found the keys whole going through her old stuff."

Dee nods and lets the keys fall back, fingers momentarily brushing over my necklace before straightening up. "As much as I love seeing you, Muse, and am thrilled to meet another human, especially someone who has a relation to the Queen, I'm afraid this visit must me cut short. My sister is due any second, she-"

"Deelia." A voice croons from behind us, making the three of us whip around in that direction. The voice is close, but no one is in sight yet.

"Run, hide. I'll distract her." Dee whispers, then adds in a louder voice. "Here sister."

Muse takes my hand and we run to the side of the tunnel right as another woman comes though, looking just the same from the back as her sister. The only noticeable differences are that her ringlets are more frizzy and her dress is black and red instead of ivory and white.