Free Halfway (Wizards and Faeries) by Stephanie Void Page A

he said.
         I swallowed. The duke? I had fallen asleep in front of his house?
         “I—I’m Cemagna,” I stammered. “I’m sorry. It was dark, and I didn’t know this was your house.”
         “It is all right. I live to serve my people. Come inside.” He took my hand, helped me to my feet, and led me away.
         “I really shouldn’t impose upon you, sir. I’m only in this city to find my brother. I’m not even sure I’m one of your, um, people. I’m not from Vel City. I come from a house on a cliff, somewhere far away.”
         “Oh?” The eyebrows shot up again. “And why are you here, searching for your brother? Is he lost?” He kept walking, leading me past well-manicured gardens visible in the first light of dawn.
         “I don’t know. The last time I saw him was ten years ago, when the moon-eye ship came. I think he may be with the Wizardly Order.”
         “I will help you to find him,” he said. “But first, you must come inside and have something to eat and a proper night’s rest. Stone makes a poor bed.”  
         He was right. Already I was trying not to yawn.
         We came to a heavy door, which he opened, ushering me into a wide, marble-floored hall.  
         A servant, a plump young woman, appeared at his elbow. “Garolda,” he said to her, “Cemagna here needs a room and a proper meal. See to it.” He turned to me. “I wish to help you find this brother of yours, but I am a busy man. Have a meal and a rest first, and I will come to you later. We will speak again then.” He turned, walking away down a corridor, the click of his boots loud on the marble floor.
         The servant woman, Garolda, turned to me. “Come, I’ll show you to a room and send for some food to be brought up from the kitchens.” She motioned towards a staircase and we started walking.
         “Does the duke live here all by himself here?”
         “Goodness, no!” she laughed as we climbed the marble staircase, portraits of the duke and what I assumed to be other dukes who came before him lining the walls. “He has two children, but neither of them are here right now. And of course, there are all of us servants.” At the top of the stairs, she turned to walk down a hallway one lined with doors. “Duke Von Chi keeps to himself mostly, except when the people need him. He’s a very private man.” She cocked her head. “I find it a bit odd that he’s taken you in. I don’t know him to have ever done that. But then, no one’s ever snuck in before. The gate is usually locked.” She stopped before one of the doors.  
         I tried to stifle a yawn.
         Garolda noticed. “You can sleep in this bedroom. I’ll send for food from the kitchens.”
         I could only nod. Insufficient sleep and constant fleeing for my life were taking their toll.
    #
    I awoke in the bedroom in the duke’s house to the smell of food.   Darting up, I saw a plate of steaming soup had been placed on the table near the bed where I lay.   Eagerly, I dove towards it, grabbing the spoon and gulping the soup down in huge mouthfuls.   It was truly delicious soup… watery enough for my deprived stomach, but flavorful enough to satisfy me.
    Far too soon the bowl was empty and I felt tired again.   How many days had I been on the run, unable to get a good rest?   I climbed back to the bed again.
    The dream began again—the same dream.   I saw the shining water, the dark pearly shapes forming, rising from it.   I saw the ice-blond hair flow like a river as the woman fought them, just as I had.
    The woman fought, her hands swinging like a dancer’s.   The watery shapes were forming and re-forming.   One of them struck the back of her head.   She fell forward to her hands and knees, stunned, but tried to get up again.   They hit her again, over and over, until she fell.
    The last thing I saw was the watery creatures dancing around her, silent shrieks of glee almost