Descent into the Depths of the Earth by Undead), Paul Kidd - (ebook by Flandrel Page A

place upon his helmet
and looked at the forest sprites.
    “These are all related to faeries? Why so many
offshoots—pixies, sprites, grigs, atomies… ?”
    “Chaos wars.” Escalla led her way through the ranks of hiding
sprites. “Lotta pure bloodlines were split up. Goblinoids, giants, dragons.
Faeries took the brunt of it. That’s why we turned reclusive.” The girl had
reached the shore, and here a party of lean, elegant faeries awaited them.
“We’re summoned. Come on. Let’s go meet the family. Keep your eyes open and your
mind straight.”
    Jus and Escalla both flexed their hands, each feeling for the
rings that kept them safe from charm spells.
    At the water’s edge, Escalla’s twin awaited them.
    The newcomer was pure faerie. The lean lines, the
aristocratic face and air of cool intelligence instantly marked her. In shape
and face, she could almost have been Escalla. A little rounder in the eyes, far, far plusher in the bosom, but as alike as two sisters had a right to be.
She had dressed herself in tight white lace with a glint of silver on her hand.
Escalla’s leathers looked stark and almost primitive in contrast to the other
girl.
    The lace-clad figure sketched a mocking little bow and said,
“Sweet sister.”
    “Yeah, whatever.” Escalla turned and jerked her thumb toward
the other faerie. “Guys, this is Tielle, my little sister. A total bitch.”
    Polk doffed his cap. Jus merely gave a brief nod of his head.
Turning back to her sister, Escalla stared the other girl up and down. The two
females exchanged looks that dripped with pure disdain.
    “So Tielle. You porked-out.”
    “Yes. They’re called breasts .” Tielle looked at her
sister with a sour laugh. “ Love the outfit. Is it uncured leather, or is
that smell all your own?”
    “Ha! You kiss so much butt, I’m surprised you still have any
sense of smell.”
    Looming like a vast black giant above the faeries, Jus
cleared his throat in a bass rumble. It brought the exchange of insults to an
end as both sisters flicked a glance up at the human.
    Tielle gave a wrinkle of her nose and said, “You’re summoned
to the clan council.”
    Escalla gave a sniff and replied, “Why do I give a damn?”
    “Daddy’s asking nicely. And we have visitors.” Tielle clicked
her fingers to summon more faeries. Male and female spellcasters closed in to
surround Escalla and her friends. Tielle’s fingers gleamed as the light fell on
a tiny silver ring shaped like a spider. “Oh, you’ll like it. Mummy and Daddy
have you foremost on their minds… as always.”
    Escalla sniffed at her sister and looked scathingly at the
faerie warriors.
    “I’m soooo intrigued.” Escalla shrugged. “Nice ring, by the
way.”
    Tielle raised a mocking smile and used her other hand to
indicate a line of stepping stones that stretched into the distance. “Get
moving. They’re waiting.”
    At least a dozen faeries served as escorts. Escalla scowled.
On a good day, she could cream almost anyone in the clan, but with her spells
depleted from three combats in a single day, she no longer stood a chance.
Whatever happened, Jus and Polk would catch most of the damage. Seething with
hate, Escalla tried to crush the helpless feeling of being dragged back into
Daddy’s house as she flew out over the lake.
    “Come on, guys. Let’s get this done.”
    The Justicar shrugged his armor into place then strode
forward on his strangely quiet boots. Behind him, Polk refused to move. Instead,
the teamster turned to Escalla with a vacuous smile.
    “My dear, I really don’t think this is any business for
mortals.”
    Escalla planted her fists on her hips. “What?”
    “Why, I think I’ll wait here. Thank you, Escalla. Gosh, but
the weather is nice!”
    Turning her dire gaze upon the faeries, Escalla snarled. “Oh
ha ha ha. You blitzed an idiot with a charm spell.”
    Something flickered in the air. A charm spell shot from a
faerie toward the Justicar and