A Fey Harvest Read Online Free
the mother might, and that Arach would be forced to hurt them in return. These children weren't just their mother's pride and joy, they were the greatest treasures of the House of Fire. A source of pride for us all.
We made it to the cavern the Hidden Ones lived in and I shot a surreptitious look at Neala. She watched her pups intently but the mere fact that she'd trusted me enough to follow me there with her precious children was humbling. I shouldn't have been surprised though, she had fought beside me against one of the most terrifying gods there was. This was a woman of courage.
“ Hey guys,” I called out brightly as we stepped into the warm chamber.
Heat rose from the rivers of lava that dissected the vast space, creating the perfect atmosphere for fire fey. The lava itself cast a warm glow around the room and gave enough light to see but I'd had some fey lights brought down into the central cavern so it wouldn't feel so gloomy. Not a lot of them, just a few scattered around to help the Hidden Ones adjust to being in the light.
They seemed to like it and one of the globes had been placed directly above a stalagmite that had been cut to form shelves. It illuminated the few belongings the Hidden Ones shared. There were bits of stone and feathers, odds and ends, and then amidst it all was a large mirror set in a gilded stand. I'd given it to them on my last visit, so they could admire themselves. Judging by its prominent display, they used it often.
In my opinion, the shelf of shared items said a lot about the Hidden Ones. We're taught when we're young to share, most of us aren't born with a generous nature. Our instincts tell us to keep things for ourselves, it's all about survival. But we've evolved and most parents teach their children the virtues of kindness, generosity, and sharing. That the Hidden Ones had so little and yet shared it all with each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world to them, showed me clearly the quality of their hearts.
This central stalagmite wasn't the only one in the room. Far from it, stalagmites and stalactites were scattered about the cavern and gave dramatic details to the otherwise open space. The glow of lava and the light from fey globes overhead showcased the geological formations like they were art pieces in a gallery, bringing out colors and minerals in the rocks that had been previously hidden in the shadows, much like the Hidden Ones themselves. It was a whole new world down in the cavern now and it made me both happy over the change and sad that it had taken so long to happen.
The combined illumination reached some of the upper areas of the cavern too, and I could just make out the bodies of some of the more insect-like Hidden Ones perched in crevices or hanging on gigantic webs that glimmered in the low light. They'd heard me though, and were slowly descending on threads or scurrying down the walls, coming eagerly to greet their visitors.
The phooka pups yipped and danced about excitedly as the Hidden Ones emerged from the connected tunnels and gathered to greet us. They looked over the dogs with surprise, the expression still managing to look terrifying on their twisted faces, but I found it endearing. One of the young dogs raced over to a Hidden One with leathery skin and legs like a rhinoceros. It barked and jumped up on those thick legs, demanding attention. Neala tensed next to me but I held a hand out to her.
“ It'll be okay.”
She swallowed hard but held back, and I loved her for it. What a leap of faith, trust not just in me but in fey who were often viewed as monsters, even by their own Kingdom.
“Helloooo,” the Hidden One reached down with bird-like talons to lift up the dog. “Who are youuuu?”
The dog changed into a little girl with hair like her mother's. She blinked large, red eyes up at the Hidden One and beamed. “Gráinne,” she said carefully and then clapped her hands in delight of her own accomplishment.
“Oh
We made it to the cavern the Hidden Ones lived in and I shot a surreptitious look at Neala. She watched her pups intently but the mere fact that she'd trusted me enough to follow me there with her precious children was humbling. I shouldn't have been surprised though, she had fought beside me against one of the most terrifying gods there was. This was a woman of courage.
“ Hey guys,” I called out brightly as we stepped into the warm chamber.
Heat rose from the rivers of lava that dissected the vast space, creating the perfect atmosphere for fire fey. The lava itself cast a warm glow around the room and gave enough light to see but I'd had some fey lights brought down into the central cavern so it wouldn't feel so gloomy. Not a lot of them, just a few scattered around to help the Hidden Ones adjust to being in the light.
They seemed to like it and one of the globes had been placed directly above a stalagmite that had been cut to form shelves. It illuminated the few belongings the Hidden Ones shared. There were bits of stone and feathers, odds and ends, and then amidst it all was a large mirror set in a gilded stand. I'd given it to them on my last visit, so they could admire themselves. Judging by its prominent display, they used it often.
In my opinion, the shelf of shared items said a lot about the Hidden Ones. We're taught when we're young to share, most of us aren't born with a generous nature. Our instincts tell us to keep things for ourselves, it's all about survival. But we've evolved and most parents teach their children the virtues of kindness, generosity, and sharing. That the Hidden Ones had so little and yet shared it all with each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world to them, showed me clearly the quality of their hearts.
This central stalagmite wasn't the only one in the room. Far from it, stalagmites and stalactites were scattered about the cavern and gave dramatic details to the otherwise open space. The glow of lava and the light from fey globes overhead showcased the geological formations like they were art pieces in a gallery, bringing out colors and minerals in the rocks that had been previously hidden in the shadows, much like the Hidden Ones themselves. It was a whole new world down in the cavern now and it made me both happy over the change and sad that it had taken so long to happen.
The combined illumination reached some of the upper areas of the cavern too, and I could just make out the bodies of some of the more insect-like Hidden Ones perched in crevices or hanging on gigantic webs that glimmered in the low light. They'd heard me though, and were slowly descending on threads or scurrying down the walls, coming eagerly to greet their visitors.
The phooka pups yipped and danced about excitedly as the Hidden Ones emerged from the connected tunnels and gathered to greet us. They looked over the dogs with surprise, the expression still managing to look terrifying on their twisted faces, but I found it endearing. One of the young dogs raced over to a Hidden One with leathery skin and legs like a rhinoceros. It barked and jumped up on those thick legs, demanding attention. Neala tensed next to me but I held a hand out to her.
“ It'll be okay.”
She swallowed hard but held back, and I loved her for it. What a leap of faith, trust not just in me but in fey who were often viewed as monsters, even by their own Kingdom.
“Helloooo,” the Hidden One reached down with bird-like talons to lift up the dog. “Who are youuuu?”
The dog changed into a little girl with hair like her mother's. She blinked large, red eyes up at the Hidden One and beamed. “Gráinne,” she said carefully and then clapped her hands in delight of her own accomplishment.
“Oh
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