Page 105 of Tiger's Quest
“Are you kidding? I plan on taking your picture and explaining everything to him ingreatdetail. In fact, stay right there.” Kishan disappeared and came back with a camera.
I frowned. “Kishan.”
“Ren would want a picture. Believe me. Now smile and hold your flowers.” He took several shots then slipped the small camera in his pocket and took my hand. “You’re beautiful, Kelsey.”
I blushed at the compliment, but a feeling of melancholy stole over me. I thought about Ren. He would have loved this place. It was a scene right out ofMidsummer Night’s Dream. He would have been the handsome Oberon to my Titania.
Kishan touched my face. “The sadness is back again. It breaks my heart, Kells.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek softly. “Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner,apsaras rajkumari?”
I tried to snap out of it and smiled. “Yes, if you tell me what you just called me.”
His golden eyes twinkled. “I called you ‘princess,’ ‘fairy princess’ to be exact.”
I laughed. “Then what would you call yourself?”
“I am the handsome prince, naturally.” He tucked my arm through his and helped me sit. Faunus took a chair across from us, sitting next to a lovely Silvanae.
“May I introduce our sovereign?”
“Of course,” I said.
“Kelsey and Kishan, meet Dryope, titular queen of the Silvanae.”
She nodded delicately and smiled, then announced, “It is time for the feasting! Enjoy!”
I didn’t know where to begin. Plates of delicate lace cookies and honey cakes were placed next to fluffy lemon meringue tarts, platters of stewed fruits in sugary syrups, baby quiches, and cinnamon crepes. I scooped up a helping of dandelion salad with dried fruits and lime dressing and a portion of an apple, onion, and mushroom galette with baked stilton cheese. Other dishes of sugar plum pudding, blueberry scones, pumpkin cups with cream-cheese filling, soft rolls with creamy butter, and fruited jams and jellies were also brought out.
We drank honeyed flower nectar and watermelon spritzes. Kishan handed me a fruit appetizer. It was a tiny nutty pastry cup filled with raspberries and topped with fresh cream. All the food was small except for the final pastry—a gigantic strawberry shortcake. Red glaze dripped down the sides of the white cake, which was filled with sweet red berries and fluffy custard. It was topped with mounds of whipped cream, had a dusting of sugar on top, and was served with milk.
When we were finished, I leaned over to Kishan and said, “I had no idea vegetarians ate this well.”
He laughed and scooped up another helping of the shortcake.
I dabbed my lips with my napkin. “Faunus, may I ask you a question?”
He nodded.
“We found the ruins of the ark. Do you know about Noah and the animals here?”
“Oh! Do you mean the boat? Yes, we saw the boat settle in the hills, and all manner of creatures emerged. Many of them left our realm and entered your world, including the people who were in it. Some of the creatures decided to stay. Others had generations of descendents and then returned to us. We agreed to let all of them remain if they followed the law of our land—that no one creature may hurt another.”
“That’s . . . amazing.”
“Yes, it’s wonderful to have had so many of the animals return to us. They find peace here.”
“So do we. Faunus . . . we are here seeking something called the omphalos stone or the navel stone. Have you ever seen it?”
All the Silvanae shook their heads as Faunus answered, “No. I’m afraid we don’t know of such a stone.”
“What about a giant tree thousands of feet tall?”
He considered for a moment, and then shook his head. “No. If there is such a tree or such a stone, they reside outside of our realm.”
“You mean back in my world?”
“Not necessarily. There are other parts of this world that we have no control over. As long as you walk our lands beneath our trees you are safe, but once you leave their shelter we can no longer protect you.”
“I see.” I sank back in disappointment.
