Arthur and the Invisibles 4: Defender of the Seven Kingdoms

Chapter 6: Darkos and the Vines

Arthur raised the lantern high as the village doors closed behind them, dropping them into an endless tunnel only lightened by the lanterns him and Selenia were carrying. He had always wondered what the strange orange lanterns were, whether they were some sort of luminescent fruit, or a complicated contraption that lay within the orange folds. Either way, they had lit his way on more than one occasion, and he was just glad to be able to see what was in front of him.

Step by step, they trudged through the darkness, none of them saying anything for the longest time, until Selenia of all people, asked the question Arthur was certain was on both her mind and Beta's.

"Where are we actually going?" She asked, with a slight hint of annoyance in her voice. Beta seemed to slow down for a moment.

"You mean you don't know, Selenia?" He said, more with worry than humour. Selenia looked briefly at Beta, then at Arthur.

"I really  hope you  know where we're headed, Arthur." She said sternly. But Arthur had kept a straight face the entire time, and simply replied calmly:

"Of course I do." The other two looked at each other, apparently waiting. Arthur just kept walking.

"And where would that be?!" Selenia moaned, annoyance clearly dominating her voice now.

"We're heading to Paradise Alley." He replied calmly again. Both Beta and Selenia stopped in their tracks, staring at each other in both confusion and panic.

"What!?" They both yelled. Arthur turned to face them. Beta looked scared out of his mind.

"Arthur, that's where half of Crobe's henchmen are! What happens if they recognise me?" Selenia just rolled her eyes.

"Beta, all you did was refuse to yield the right of way. I'm pretty sure Crobe's lackeys don't have space in their brain to remember you. But that's not what I'm worried about." She turned to Arthur. "Not that I've ever been there myself-"

"Not even for a quick dance?" Arthur joked. Selenia gritted her teeth for a moment.

"Drop it." She snarled, before took a deep breath, and continuing. "Not that I've ever been there myself, but from what I heard from Beta, Crobe's probably got that place locked up tighter than Necropolis. We're not exactly going too waltz in there."

"Selenia, I think you forget who we are. We're not exactly any old Minimoys, are we?" He motioned to her, then to himself. He was sure he saw her blush for a moment, but if she did, then it was gone in an instant. 

"Anyway, why Paradise Alley?" She asked, folding her arms.

"My guess, is that the professor has taken the Minimoys to my grandfather's study. And if he knows as much about us as I think, then none of the old ways like bubble transportation will be safe anymore. We need a safe, secure and quick way of getting into the house, and considering Paradise Alley is right beneath the house, I can think of one guy who we can trust to help us." Selenia and Beta exchanged knowing glances.

"Max." Selenia sighed. Beta threw up his arms in hopelessness.

"How do we know we can even trust him?" He grumbled.

"Only because he delayed Darkos long enough for us to escape, and  he caused a diversion allowing you to escape. He's the only one we can  trust." He explained. Beta and Selenia both sighed.

"Well we better get a move on, then." Beta moaned as he walked past Arthur. As Selenia did the same, she gave him a stare of incredible annoyance.

"And if he asks me to dance Arthur, let me tell you this." She pointed to the sword in Arthur's belt. "You'll wish that sword was still in the obelisk." She snarled as she trudged past him. Arthur just smiled before walking to join them. Sweet and caring one moment, tough and threatening the next. Just as he remembered.