emerged into a cavernous opening next to an underground lake. About 20 ramshakle huts lined the banks of the river. Several children ran out to greet the man.
“Aleric, Aleric!” they shouted. Aleric grabbed one and swung him around.
Morwen followed him to one of the shacks. “Who are all these people? And children, why are there children here?”
“These are all the lost. Some of them are thrown down here by the queen, some have wandered in on their own, and some have been born here.”
“We're all desperate and hungry,” he said in a mocking voice. The shack he took her into didn't have much more than a table, a chair, and a pallet on the floor. “Especially hungry.” He unwrapped a loaf of bread on the table. “Can I offer you some?”
Morwen shook her head. “I'm not hungry.” It was true and she didn't think she could eat in her dream state. …show more content…
“Now why were you looking for me?”
Morwen pulled out the extra sigil and handed it to him. “I ran into your grandmother and great-grandmother – “ Then she remembered the great-grandmother, or was it great-great-grandmother? “ – that is, you grandmother, and she asked me to give this to you.”
“And you just offered to come down to the underworld out of the goodness of your heart?”
“I wanted to see what was down here. Your grandmother said it was time for you to return home.”
He shook his head. “No, I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. I'm not leaving until I do.”
“What are you looking for?”
“A treasure,” he replied.
Morwen was surprised by the gleam in his eye when he spoke of this. Aleric was handsome and had an edge about him that Cyrus never did. I am not falling for him, she told herself. He's a peasant and I'm under a spell. But she had been so lonely, it was nice to have someone to talk to for a change.
Just then a small boy burst into the shack. “Aleric, come quick!”
“What is it?” he asked, jumping up.
“It's Aimee, a troll grabbed her down by the
“Aleric, Aleric!” they shouted. Aleric grabbed one and swung him around.
Morwen followed him to one of the shacks. “Who are all these people? And children, why are there children here?”
“These are all the lost. Some of them are thrown down here by the queen, some have wandered in on their own, and some have been born here.”
“We're all desperate and hungry,” he said in a mocking voice. The shack he took her into didn't have much more than a table, a chair, and a pallet on the floor. “Especially hungry.” He unwrapped a loaf of bread on the table. “Can I offer you some?”
Morwen shook her head. “I'm not hungry.” It was true and she didn't think she could eat in her dream state. …show more content…
“Now why were you looking for me?”
Morwen pulled out the extra sigil and handed it to him. “I ran into your grandmother and great-grandmother – “ Then she remembered the great-grandmother, or was it great-great-grandmother? “ – that is, you grandmother, and she asked me to give this to you.”
“And you just offered to come down to the underworld out of the goodness of your heart?”
“I wanted to see what was down here. Your grandmother said it was time for you to return home.”
He shook his head. “No, I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. I'm not leaving until I do.”
“What are you looking for?”
“A treasure,” he replied.
Morwen was surprised by the gleam in his eye when he spoke of this. Aleric was handsome and had an edge about him that Cyrus never did. I am not falling for him, she told herself. He's a peasant and I'm under a spell. But she had been so lonely, it was nice to have someone to talk to for a change.
Just then a small boy burst into the shack. “Aleric, come quick!”
“What is it?” he asked, jumping up.
“It's Aimee, a troll grabbed her down by the