Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

25: Firefly Glade

The city unfolded like a golden dream in front of them.

The first thought that entered Delilah's head was that the city was alive. Houses of wood bent into strangely graceful, fluid, natural shapes were built into tree trunks or high up on massive branches. These trees were the largest and perhaps oldest she'd ever seen - she wondered if they had been the four nations' First Trees, and how many wars they had endured.

The clearing was completely surrounded by the wooden giants - she guessed they were oak - and the Rtko metropolis seemed to be weaved among them. Shafts of light and shadow dappled the ground. People swung from vines high above, or leaped through the canopies - so high that Delilah had to crane her neck to look at them.

This was Il-Falan-Nur, and it seemed so wild and untouched. How many outsiders had laid eyes on it? Even Kai was struck with wonder.

The Rtko marched Delilah and Dante into a house built in a natural gap in a tree trunk. It looked like the trunk had grown around the wooden den, and inside she gaped at the tidy room: a carpet made of woven grass; charming, low wooden tables and fur cushions; a pallet of fur and branches for a bed. Plates and cups hung from the walls, or were stacked tidily on shelves.

"Where's Kai?" Delilah asked when Tor and Nysa followed them in, forcing them to sit. She felt apprehensive.

"He has been taken to our healer," Nysa replied.

The rest had stayed outside, and Delilah's heart picked up speed. She and Dante were more than a match for two of them.

"What are you going to do to us?" Dante demanded.

"Give you food, water, and let you rest," Tor replied.

Delilah felt her hackles rising. "Why? What trick is this?"

Nysa sighed and padded off to a corner of the room, where she ladled something into bowls from a pot and returned bearing stew. Dante and Delilah took them suspiciously.

"Is this drugged?" Dante sniffed the fragrant broth.

"You obviously do not understand our ways, travellers," she said, rather sadly. "You are too different from us. We have no quarrel with you, and you are tired from your journey. You have not harmed any of our trees, you have not used your steel, so we will not hurt you in turn."

"Eat and sleep," Tor said. "We are going to take you to our Seer tonight. Then we shall see what the future has in store."

They left, soundless as ghosts.

"Seer... future. Knowing," Delilah repeated slowly, lifting the bowl to her mouth. Their trek had left her famished, and it smelled too delicious for her to resist.

"They sound like soothsayers," Dante said, leaving his food untouched. "We'll see how true that is. We'll grab Kai and fight our way out if we have to."

Delilah nodded. "But until they take us to their Seer, they won't know how dangerous we really are. We should use this time to gather our strength."

Dante relented and started to eat. The stew was delicious, made of a mixture of forest plants, and soon Delilah felt full and tired. She peered out of the door at the elves once more before collapsing on one of the springy branch beds.

"I don't want to sleep in this place," Dante muttered, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Suit yourself. Let me know if someone tries to attack us." Delilah closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of fresh leaves and pine needles. This city seemed like something out of a fairytale. Did Terra even know about it? How had the Rtko stayed off the kingdoms' radar for so long?