Free Rise of the Darklings by Paul Crilley

the very earth itself. Small globes of golden light were attached to the walls, illuminating the darkness.
    They sank like this for about ten minutes, then the walls of the tunnel fell away and they entered a vast open space.
    Emily’s mouth dropped in amazement.
    “Home sweet home,” whispered Corrigan.
    The place was so big that at first she couldn’t take it in. Her eyes were drawn to the lights, hundreds, thousands of glowing orbs hanging in the air. They lit the darkness with a golden glow, as if the sun were just sinking after a glorious summer’s day. Except … the lights
weren’t
hanging in the air. They were attached to the branches of the biggest tree Emily had ever seen. It was ten times the height of Big Ben, and the trunk was so thick it would take hundreds of people to encircle it. Thousands, maybe. The massive branches arched up into the huge cavern. Emily realized that the whole tenement building she lived in would easily fit inside one of the branches.
    As they dropped lower, Emily saw that the tree was occupied. She could see hundreds of openings in the branches and trunk, small windows through which she caught glimpses of the fey going about their daily lives.
    “Do you … do you all live in the tree branches?” she whispered.
    “Not all. Only the favored.” Corrigan pointed to the side. Emily leaned over and saw that the tree’s roots snaked over the ground—huge, twisting walls of dark wood that formed avenues and streets, with windows and doorways cut into the roots so the fey could live inside. It was an entire city living inside a single tree.
    “How long have you all lived here?” she asked in amazement.
    Corrigan looked at her. “Do you still not understand? We were here
before
you. That tree was planted when we came here from Faerie. Your lot built your bricks and mortar over the top, taking land that was ours.”
    Emily was about to respond when the platform stopped moving about halfway down the trunk.
    “Come on, then,” said Corrigan, stepping onto a branch. Emily followed. The branch formed a wide walkway leading to the trunk. Corrigan touched the slightly shimmering bark, and a round door swung open with a damp, creaking sound. Warm light washed over them.
    “Are you ready to meet the Queen?” asked Corrigan.
    “Probably not,” said Emily.
    But she followed Corrigan anyway, right into the heart of the faerie tree.

C HAPTER E IGHT
In which Emily enters the Twilight Court and meets the Faerie Queen
.

    T WO O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON
ON THE FIRST DAY OF E MILY’S ADVENTURES .
    T he walls inside the tree were smooth and polished, the grain of the wood teased and coaxed into subtle patterns and pictures. Emily didn’t notice them at first, so slight were the variations in the wood. It was only when they walked past a golden lamp that she caught a glimpse of spirals and strange runes.
    She stopped to get a better look. Corrigan reached up and grabbed hold of her hand. “What are you doing? The Queen knows we’re here. She’s not someone you keep waiting.”
    He led them through the huge tree trunk, along corridors and up wide staircases. Every now and then they passed a window, and Emily would strain to catch a glance outside.
    They passed more of the fey, most of them tall andaristocratic—taller, even, than a normal person. Their clothing was light and colorful, flowing behind and around them as if on a breeze. Their long, thin fingers constantly smoothed the material into pleasing creases.
    The fey looked down at Corrigan and Emily as they passed, their pale faces radiating distaste and curiosity in equal measures. Corrigan glared at them, and Emily heard him muttering something about “stuck-up fancy-pants.”
    After a while, they heard music. It was faint at first, the distant song of a violin. Then a piano joined the violin, forming a sad and mournful tune. Corrigan seemed to grow nervous, fidgeting and looking around anxiously.
    He led them into another