The Lost Queen (Book 1 of The Lost Queen Series)

Chapter Forty-One

Lonan led the way to the gnomes' castle with a little spring in his step.

At least someone was excited about this.

Luckily for Seraiah, the castle was built to accommodate larger persons than Therill's house. The doorways were all high enough that she didn't have to duck her head as she walked through them.

She followed Lonan inside and up a flight of stairs to a large meeting hall. The gnomes Seraiah presumed were the clan leaders sat at a long table at one end of the room. Unlike most rulers who sat above their subjects, they were on the same level as everyone else.

Quite a number of gnomes had gathered, standing on either side of the room, leaving a straight path to the table. Word of her presence must have spread quickly for so many to have gathered in such a short time.

Therill and the clan leaders exchanged greetings while Seraiah studied them. She noticed they were male and female alike and a variety of ages, unlike the Elven council.

"This is the human girl Lonan and myself found at the underground lake." Therill motioned to where Seraiah stood a few steps behind him. "She calls herself Seraiah."

Neither Therill nor Lonan had instructed her on the proper way to approach the clan leaders.

"Hello. It's nice to meet you," she said, adding a bow at the end of her greeting. She figured it couldn't hurt.

The leaders studied her in silence.

Seraiah shifted uncomfortably. She was well-aware her appearance was bedraggled and waterlogged, but there was nothing she could do about that. However, maybe the bow had been a mistake, or perhaps she wasn't supposed to speak at all. She wished she would have thought to ask Therill about all this before they'd arrived.

Then one of the younger females at the right end of the table spoke. "Step forward, Seraiah."

She moved so that she was standing next to Therill, directly in front of the table.

"What brings you to Metrius?" the same gnome asked. There was no malice in her voice, only curiosity.

A glance at Therill gave her no clue what she meant to say, so Seraiah decided to be honest.

"Well you see, I did not mean to come here," she started. "I fell in the hole above the lake by accident. I was climbing up the mountain and looked up at the sky for a moment. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late."

"Do you belong to the fae?"

"Not exactly." They must think she was one of the faeries' playthings, she realized. She wondered how many humans had escaped them and fallen into the hole like she had.

The gnome asking the questions cocked her head to the side. "Explain."

Thus far, the gnomes had been kind and respectful to her. They hadn't intentionally tried to frighten her like the fae or mocked her like the elves when they found out she was human. If anyone might be willing to help her find a dragon scale, it had to be them, she decided.

She told them about her missing sister and the importance of getting her back, not necessarily for the elves' benefit, but because she didn't want any harm to come to Sterling. Then she explained the deal she had made with the Summer King. If she were to bring him a golden dragon scale, he would give her information that would help her find her sister.

The clan leaders listened intently, not interrupting even once. When Seraiah finished, the female gnome, who had been questioning her, nodded. "We will discuss now. Please wait in the hall."