Silver Jungle

Chapter 14

As the trio got closer to the King, the scattering of Mages became more organized. The tensions, that had seemed natural, was now an unspoken challenge. Partially shifted Silver Mages, like themselves, glared and hissed, anger potent in the air.

"These are those who are in partial favor with the Silver King. They're status is always in flux, unlike our own." Zammi said, as she walked past a woman with an elephant trunk who was dozing against a tree.

"Baku, a dream eater. Magically powerful Silver Mage. They can make sure you never sleep again." Dra whispered, and Dani could have sworn that the woman's, the baku's, lips quirked in a slight smile.

"This is where we are." Zammi said, with an imperial smirk. "The Inner Courts."

Basalt pillars rose high in the air, seeming to touch the sky. It was smaller and less crowded then the others, like it was a VIP area. Stone chairs, like small thrones, seemed to have grown from the ground, curving gently, with a path in the middle.

Dani had to admit, the Inner Courts was impressive. At the far end of the court, where a stage might be in a theater, five seats carved high up on the pillars faced exit. The middle one was raised just above the others. The real throne, Dani thought.

Under the seat just to the left of the throne, a snake with wings in midflight, had been carved. "Is that ours?" he whispered, and Zammi smiled, nodding.

As they passed many other seats, Dani noticed everything, or tried too. He spotted a few that he knew, a kitsune man, his smoky eyes following Dani and Dra. A female Aries, her unnaturally copper-streaked scarlet hair matching her thick curling horns, tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair, didn't even try to hid the fact she was watching them.

The women with many spiders surrounding herself, who smiled at Dani. "The spider women, jorogumo." Zammi whispered under her breath. "

A man, naked except for a skirt of burning red and gold feathers around his waist. "Phoenix."

A girl so pale she was translucent, who's aura of cold could be felt from fifteen feet away, giggled, and her tongue was blue as ice. "That's a yuki-onna, a snow girl."

But what really caught Dani's eye was a girl was sitting the right of the throne. Her hair, like Zammi's fell to her waist, but instead of white, hers was a flaxen gold. "Ah, that's the Selkies. The next Silver King when the current one dies." Dra said.

"Never trust a Selkie, Dani. They're lawless." Zammi warned, but it seemed more teasing then anything else. Dra snorted, like she was annoyed.

"Oh, says the women-" The Selkie started the shout, as she'd obviously heard them. But she stopped when she saw Dani. Instead, her eyes glittered with something Dani couldn't quite place.

The Selkie sat on some type of cape or mat flung over her seat, and she blinked slowly at him as he passed, smirking slighly. Luckily, it was only a few more yards to the seats. Crouching, Zammi leapt up the sheer cliff. Dani paled. He didn't know how to do that yet.

"It's okay." Dra whispered. "Just thing about where you want to be, and jump. Your magic and enhanced athleticism will do the rest."

"You could have cut down on like, all of those words." Dani hissed back to her. "But thanks."

Tensing his whole body, Dani looked up at the seat, and leapt, his whole body flying as he landed gracefully on the wall.

"Sure you're not a kitty, pretty boy?" A sweet, accented voice crowed. It was the Selkie again. Dani looked over to her, leaning towards him, her elbows on her knees. "You certainly have the abilities. Like pouncing and snatching, I would suppose." Now Dani recognized the accent. Irish.