From there, they walked on along a grey corridor that displayed a number of openings to either side of them.

“Delsani, you said that you would tell us why Wizard-Elves have those strange eyes,” said Helen.

“It’s because of the Dragon blood that flows though their veins’ said Delsani. “Thoucil’s great grandfather, King Basan, fought at one of the greatest battles between Salith and the alliance of the six races and was critically injured. He lost a lot of blood, and it was the silver scaled Dragon, Lanisic, that gave the King some of his blood in order to save him, not knowing of course the consequences of his act, for Basan healed very quickly and found that he was stronger and faster than ever. Although when Thoucil was born, her mixture of Dragon, Wizard, and Elf blood that made her blood the most magical of all. This gave her an energy and unique abilities. And the eyes, like the ears and marks on the wrist, are all aberrations caused by the mixture of three of the most magical races in Dorminya.”

They had reached the end of the hall where there were more steps. Helen counted them. There were exactly ten. At the top of the steps was a slender bridge, wide enough for at least four people. Running down the walls at either side of the walkway were two thin waterfalls that led to nothing but a deep dark drop below.

Helen stayed in the middle of the bridge; Delsani was now on her left and John on her right. She found herself looking at the waterfalls, wondering where the water was coming from, for they were five floors up. When they were almost halfway over the bridge, Helen took the lead and was almost across when she turned to see were the others were. She saw that John’s wand was about to fall out of his right trouser pocket. It was hanging by only a thread.

“JOHN YOUR WAND!” she shouted.

The Wizard-Elf reached down, but just before he could grasp it, it fell. He leaned over and stretched out to catch it but lost his balance and fell off the bridge. Helen saw it all as though in slow motion. However, to her complete and utter surprise, John did not fall too far. In fact, it looked to Helen that he had hit ground. He stood up and picked up his wand and continued as if nothing had occurred.

Helen was standing there with her hands over her mouth, and although she was naturally pale, she was now as white as a sheet with her hands and very arms quivering.

“What’s wrong?” asked John.

“I thought you were going to fall down there,” said Helen with a twinge of distress still in her voice.

“You can’t fall down there. It’s just an illusion,” said John tapping his foot on the invisible ground. When he said that, her colour started to return though her hands continued to rattle.

They proceeded to walk across the rest of the bridge.

“Why is the illusion there?” she asked.

“There’s no real reason for it, but it looks better than an ordinary dark dank room, don’t you think?” said a strange voice.

“I think so,” said John.

Helen spun round to see who else was there, but she saw no one.

“What is it?” asked John.

“Who were you agreeing with?”

“Me,” said a man’s grainy voice.

“I, too, agree completely. You should have seen it before they put the illusion there,’ said a younger, smoother man’s voice.

“Oh terrible, terrible,” said a young woman’s voice.

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“Yes terrible,” said another woman.

“Who’s saying that?” asked Helen.

“Turn around, Normal; we’re right here,” said the first voice.

Helen turned to face the wall closest to her, and there on a shelf carved into the stone were four head statuettes, two male, two female, two young, and two old.

“Be careful what you say. Need I remind you that this is the new King and his Queen?” said Delsani sternly.

“So you are King Jastark. Ha! Ha! I knew it! Didn’t I always say that there was something special about that boy?” asked the older male statue with the grainy voice.

“Yes, it’s true, and I would like to think so, too, after all the times we helped with his homework,” said the younger male.

“Who...what are you?” asked Helen inquisitively.

They all looked at the young woman intensely.

“Well, have you ever! After all the times we helped him, he’s never even mentioned us. There’s gratitude for you,” said the older female’

“We are representations of the first of four Wizards and Witches to liberate these towers from the Dark Lord who once lived here,” said the elder male, not paying attention to his compatriot, “As for who we are, or should I say were. The name’s Anret, nice to meet you.”

“My name is Gerov,” said the elder female statue.

“Salonuith,” said the young male.

“Cajui is the name,” said the younger female, bowing her head a little, which almost tipped her over in the process, but she quickly caught her balance again.

“Well, you know ours,” said Anret, “so I ask you, fair Queen, what is your name?”

“Helen.”

“What a beautiful Normal name,” Salonuith said sarcastically.

The younger female statue sniggered.

“Hail Queen Helen of the Normals,” said Salonuith.

“That’s enough out of you!” said Delsani furiously.

The statue threw the Wizard a disgusted look, as though he had just tried to eat a jar of raw pickles.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it, Delsani,” said Helen.

“Helen’s right. Besides, the statue of Salonuith was made when he was a young Ves-Guard, before he turned dark,” John assured Delsani. “He helped me out more times than I can count when I was alone in this place, and I never would’ve made it through history class without them all.”

“Fine, but I will never trust it, never as long as I live,” said the old Wizard.

“For your information,” said Salonuith, sounding clearly upset, “I am not, nor have I ever been. The one of which you speak, so I would appreciate it if you never address me as he ever again.”

“We should move on,” said Delsani, ignoring the last remark made by that statuette. And on they went. The passageway curved off to the left, and then they came to yet three more doors. Delsani and John walked toward the middle door, closely followed by Helen. Delsani opened door and waited until John and Helen were through. Then they began to walk down yet another long dark corridor. Helen noticed that there was only one torch, which was floating just in front of them. It seemed dimmer than the others she had seen. They could only see about five paces ahead. But with every pace they took. The light moved forward as the torch led them all the way. This did not seem to bother Delsani or John, so Helen said nothing of it.

The corridor bent round to the right. Then they passed on through a door again on the right. The torch did not follow them through the door, as that place was well lit. They walked straight then turned left and did not go far before they came to another set of double doors. These doors were very large and were also made of stone, but instead of being grey. They were blue. On the left door, there was an eight-point star, which was one of the most common signs of the Elves. On the right door was also an illustration of a full moon, a common sign of the Wizards.

Sometimes these signs were placed together as a symbol of their friendship. There was also a thick stone arch above the doors and on it; it had letters, which were in the Wizard and Elvin languages that read:

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Speak the name of the council member you know. And the doors will tell if you are friend or foe.

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Delsani took out his wand, stepped toward the doors and tapped the wand on the moon door. “Jaucal,” he said in a foreboding voice, naming the Grand Wizard, the head of the Wizard Councils. Nothing happened at first, though when he pointed at the doors with his right index finger. They began to open slowly.

Helen could have sworn that she felt the floor beneath her feet shake, though she could not tell for sure.

“Helen, you’ll have to stay out here,” said John.

“Why?” the woman asked, disappointed.

“The only ones allowed in the Council Chamber during a meeting have to have a special invitation,” said John.

“And as you decided to come at the last moment, the doors will not admit you,” said Delsani. “I am sorry”

John took his wand out of his back trouser pocket. He pointed it at one of the many chairs in the Council Chamber.

“What are you doing?” asked Delsani.

“I’m getting Helen a chair,” answered John.

“You don’t need your wand for that John,” said Delsani, suddenly snatching it from him. “You’re a Wizard-Elf, which means you can use your mind if you concentrate hard enough.”

“Try it,” said Helen enthusiastically.