Lonan led the way to the gnomes’ castle with a little spring in his step.

At least someone was excited about this.

Luckily for Seraiah, the castle was built to accommodate larger persons than Therill’s house. The doorways were all high enough that she didn’t have to duck her head as she walked through them.

She followed Lonan inside and up a flight of stairs to a large meeting hall. The gnomes Seraiah presumed were the clan leaders sat at a long table at one end of the room. Unlike most rulers who sat above their subjects, they were on the same level as everyone else.

Quite a number of gnomes had gathered, standing on either side of the room, leaving a straight path to the table. Word of her presence must have spread quickly for so many to have gathered in such a short time.

Therill and the clan leaders exchanged greetings while Seraiah studied them. She noticed they were male and female alike and a variety of ages, unlike the Elven council.

“This is the human girl Lonan and myself found at the underground lake.” Therill motioned to where Seraiah stood a few steps behind him. “She calls herself Seraiah.”

Neither Therill nor Lonan had instructed her on the proper way to approach the clan leaders.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, adding a bow at the end of her greeting. She figured it couldn’t hurt.

The leaders studied her in silence.

Seraiah shifted uncomfortably. She was well-aware her appearance was bedraggled and waterlogged, but there was nothing she could do about that. However, maybe the bow had been a mistake, or perhaps she wasn’t supposed to speak at all. She wished she would have thought to ask Therill about all this before they’d arrived.

Then one of the younger females at the right end of the table spoke. “Step forward, Seraiah.”

She moved so that she was standing next to Therill, directly in front of the table.

“What brings you to Metrius?” the same gnome asked. There was no malice in her voice, only curiosity.

A glance at Therill gave her no clue what she meant to say, so Seraiah decided to be honest.

“Well you see, I did not mean to come here,” she started. “I fell in the hole above the lake by accident. I was climbing up the mountain and looked up at the sky for a moment. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late.”

“Do you belong to the fae?”

“Not exactly.” They must think she was one of the faeries’ playthings, she realized. She wondered how many humans had escaped them and fallen into the hole like she had.

The gnome asking the questions cocked her head to the side. “Explain.”

Thus far, the gnomes had been kind and respectful to her. They hadn’t intentionally tried to frighten her like the fae or mocked her like the elves when they found out she was human. If anyone might be willing to help her find a dragon scale, it had to be them, she decided.

She told them about her missing sister and the importance of getting her back, not necessarily for the elves’ benefit, but because she didn’t want any harm to come to Sterling. Then she explained the deal she had made with the Summer King. If she were to bring him a golden dragon scale, he would give her information that would help her find her sister.

The clan leaders listened intently, not interrupting even once. When Seraiah finished, the female gnome, who had been questioning her, nodded. “We will discuss now. Please wait in the hall.”

Seraiah turned, and with every eye on her, left the room. She would have rather been there for a discussion about herself, but on the bright side, at least they hadn’t immediately ordered something bad done to her.

As soon as the door swung shut behind her, the chatter started up. It was tempting to press her ear to the door to see what they were saying, but Seraiah resisted. She intended to move on with or without their help. The only way there would be an issue would be if they refused to let her go.

Her hand drifted to the dagger Kai had given her. If they refused to let her go, she would need to come up with another plan.

It wasn’t long before Seraiah was summoned to return.

Silence had once again fallen, and only the sound of her boots on the floor could be heard as she made her way back to where Therill stood.

“We would offer our support to you. The elves have always been friendly with the gnomes, and once upon a time, we were even allies.”

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Seraiah’s shoulders sagged in relief at the gnome’s words. A part of her had been terrified she might need a backup plan to escape after all.

“We believe this mission to be an important one, and it is in our best interest to see that you are successful.”

She waited with bated breath to see what exactly their support would be.

“However, we must think of our people. We cannot spare anyone to go with you on your journey. Lonan has volunteered to escort you to the surface, and then we must leave you. I’m sorry that we can’t do more for you.”

“I understand. Thank you for your help.” The pronouncement was better than she’d expected, but less than she had hoped.

When she turned to the gnomes who had brought her here, Seraiah found Lonan grinning proudly, while Therill looked concerned.

Once the last gnome had left the gathering, Therill finally spoke. “I tried to volunteer myself to go with you, but the leaders wouldn’t agree. It can be a dangerous journey going to the surface, and as they said, we can’t spare anyone.”

“Do not worry. I understand. I am grateful for the small help I have been offered,” she told him. “How soon do you think I will be able to reach the surface?” Her time was running out faster than she would have liked.

Therill rubbed his beard in thought. “It’s hard to say. I haven’t been to the surface myself in quite some time, and there is the occasional tunnel collapse to take into consideration. My guess would be maybe a day or two if the way is clear.”

“Is there not a ladder or something to use to reach the hole that I fell in?”

Therill shook his head.

“It will only take a day to go my way. I know the fastest route to the surface,” Lonan chimed in. He puffed up his chest. “That is why the council said I would be the best one to take you.”

Therill looked pained at the declaration, making Seraiah think that was not, in fact, the reason the council had chosen him.

“Fast is great,” she said. “I need to find the golden dragon as soon as possible.”

“Yes, time is of the essence in your situation,” Therill agreed. “But you must still be cautious. Sometimes the fastest way isn’t always the safest.” He gave Lonan a look.

“True,” she acquiesced. “I know you can’t take me to a dragon, but do you think you could tell me where I might find one at least?”

Therill’s face took on that pained look again.

“Or maybe point me in the right direction?” she asked quickly. “Anything you could tell me would be helpful.”

“We don’t leave our mountain often,” Therill said slowly.

“No one leaves the mountain is what he means to say,” Lonan piped up.

“No, no,” Therill said, waving away Lonan’s words. “I am sure someone has left the mountain before, but they tend to not return.”

“We rarely get visitors either,” Lonan said mournfully. “Until you came, that is.”

“As I was saying,” Therill continued, as though Lonan hadn’t interrupted. “Those who leave tend to not return, and as Lonan has pointed out, we don’t have many visitors either. Therefore, we haven’t any news of the outside world.”

“Yes, I understand that,” Seraiah said, trying not to lose her patience.

Therill didn’t look like he was going to say anything more.

“The dragon,” she reminded him. “What can you tell me about the golden dragon?”

“Right, right, dragon. The dragon is an elusive creature—very fearsome, I am told.”

The way he spoke made her think Therill didn’t know much more than her. Perhaps it hadn’t been a matter of not having enough gnomes to help her, but not having the knowledge.

“I believe they live on mountains,” he said. “I once heard a rumor of a dragon living in a cave on Mt. Tybort.”

Seraiah perked up. This could be helpful.

“Where is Mt. Tybort?” she asked.

“Not far from here. It’s in the same mountain range we are in. In fact—” Therill’s face glowed in excitement before it abruptly fell. “But no—no, I don’t think so. Never mind,” he mumbled.

“What? What is it?”

“I was just thinking,” he said, scuffing his boot on the floor, “that maybe there was a way through the mountain range to the mountain where the dragon might live. It might save you some time, but I’m not sure if that is the case.”

“No, no,” Lonan said eagerly. “I think you are right, Therill. I know of a tunnel that could take us there.”

“Oh, I don’t know Lonan. It‘s probably caved in.”

Lonan was shaking his head. “It shouldn’t be caved in, but it will be dangerous—much more dangerous than the way I was going to take you.”

“And why is that?” she asked, afraid of the answer.

“Well, because of the beetles, of course. We don’t have the resources to keep it clear.”

“All right. Then why don’t you just take me to the surface, and I will find the mountain I need from there?”

“You could do that,” Lonan agreed, “but this way would be faster. Also, who knows what kind of creature you may encounter on the surface.”

Seraiah bit her lip. He had a point there. Did she go with faster and dangerous or slower and likely just as dangerous?

It wasn’t a hard choice, given her time limit.

“Would you be willing to show me this tunnel?” she asked Lonan. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all.”

“Lonan,” Therill said, warning in his voice, “That’s not what the leaders told you to do.”

“Pah. They won’t notice the difference.”

“I don’t want to get you in trouble,” Seraiah said.

“No trouble,” Lonan said, waving her concern away.

“In that case, how soon can we leave?”

“We could go now,” Lonan said eagerly.

“Perhaps you should rest first, before you set out,” Therill interjected. “It will be difficult to sleep out there with the threat of cave beetles.”

As soon as he said it, Seraiah knew he was right. Fatigue weighed down her limbs and then there was the matter of her still soggy clothes.

Lonan sighed. “Therill is right, of course.”

“I will inquire about a room for you here in the castle. They should have something for you,” Therill told her.

Before she could thank him, he scurried off, leaving her with Lonan.

“I think I will run home and prepare a few things to take with us. I will see you in the morning.” He scurried off as well before Seraiah could ask him how she would know when it was morning.

It wasn’t long before Therill reappeared. “There is a room for you in the west wing,” he announced.

He showed her the room himself before bidding her good night.

“Will you see us off?” Seraiah asked, before he could disappear again.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Thank you for all of your help, Therill. I truly appreciate it.”

He waved her off and bid her good night again.

Seraiah settled herself into her room, finally relieving herself of her soggy clothes and washing away the smell of the lake before falling into bed. She was asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow.

It didn’t take long for the dream to suck her in.