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Who is she?
Ulean danced by, whispering as she passed. She is the Maiden of Knowledge. The Daughter of the Air.
Is she one of the Wilding Fae?
No, she is far more than that. She is…she simply is. This is but one of her avatars. Ulean softly rested on my shoulders, her susurration tickling my ears. You must answer her questions to pass. If not, she will rip you to shreds.
Answer her questions? What kind of questions?
I do not know. Whatever she chooses to ask.
I bit my lip. What the hell was I going to do now? I knew—as sure as I knew my own name—that there was no way to defeat this being. The Maiden of Knowledge was beyond fighting. I had the feeling that if I reached out to touch her, my fingers would slide through. But if she chose to go on the offense, her attacks would be all too physical.
How do I—
Do not ask me more. You must figure this one out by yourself, Cicely. It is forbidden for me to help you in this.
I sighed. Ulean would never deny me if it was possible for her to help, so I knew she was speaking the truth. I looked at the others and shook my head, then stepped forward. The Maiden of Knowledge looked up at me, her luminous eyes glittering in the dim light of the passage. I wondered how long she’d been sitting here. How long had she been keeping watch? Did she ever speak to anyone? Did anyone ever come to visit her? And would she ever be free?
Feeling unaccountably sad—her existence seemed so lonely—I moved forward to the point where the energy field stopped me. I cleared my throat. She watched me, unblinking, a soft light washing over her face.
What should I say? What should I do? And then a thought crept into my mind. She was waiting for me to speak. Perhaps, being the Maiden of Knowledge, she was here to give aid and advice.
“We come seeking passage. Will you help us?” My voice seemed out of place, and even though I was speaking softly, it echoed through the chamber as if I were shouting. I winced at its coarseness. Normally I didn’t notice my voice, but here, in this place, it sounded rough and harsh.
The Maiden of Knowledge paused, then she strummed her harp, and this time her voice came crashing through the air, so beautiful it made me want to weep and fall to my knees.
“What is it that you seek? Why do you wish me to grant you free passage?” Her words thundered through the air, and I realized that if the wind hadn’t caught up her singing, it might have deafened us with its force.
I stammered, taken back by the power of her presence. Suddenly frightened, and feeling like a bull in a china shop, I struggled for an answer that would suit her. “I am looking to help Lainule—the Queen of Rivers and Rushes. She is in danger. I come with her permission.”
“Why should I believe you?” Her gaze was now fastened on mine and I felt like she was probing my mind, turning me inside out, shaking out my innermost thoughts to examine them. She rifled through me, stripping away layers of an onion, searching. The feeling was heady and terrifying and intrusive.
I shook my head. “Because I am telling the truth. Because…I promised Lainule I would help her if at all possible.” That was the best I could think of—it was simple and it was the truth.
“What will you do if I refuse you?”
I stared at her, wanting to say we’d strike her down, but I knew that was a pipe dream. Or that we’d find another way in, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen and would be mere bluster. Finally I shrugged, feeling helpless.
“We will return home and fight Myst without the aid of Summer. We’ll fight until she takes us down. And most likely, we will die. Because we need Summer’s help to win against the Queen of the Indigo Court.”
The Maiden of Knowledge rose from her seat, and her gown fell in waves, a gossamer creation of spiderwebs and silk, of feathers and birds’ nests and the cotton of clouds. She approached the other side of her force field. I looked up at her—she was oh so tall, and oh so regal, and I began to realize that Ulean had been right. This was no Wilding Fae but a spirit caught in form, an energy that had never been human but only wore a beautiful face like a mask.
The Maiden of Knowledge slowly reached through the crackle of energy and held out her hand. I sucked in a deep breath.
Faith, I thought. This is where faith came in. I slowly reached out and rested my hand in hers. The feel was less that of skin and more of solidified air.
She wrapped her fingers around mine and then, with one smooth motion, drew me through the force field. I gasped as a thousand pins and needles stabbed me through. The Maiden of Knowledge laughed, but it was neither friendly nor comforting. Her gaze never left my face, and I found myself transfixed as she turned and led me behind the chair. There, against the wall, was the outline of a door.
“May I and my friends go through? Is this the path we need to take?” I was confused. It couldn’t be this easy, could it?
Again, she struck her harp. Again, her voice rang out and from this close, it reverberated through my head like a gong. “You were telling me the truth. This is the way. As to your friends…they put their lives in your hands. They may accompany you, if they so dare.” She stepped back and the field opened. The others filed in slowly. They looked drained, and I wondered what had happened.
The Maiden of Knowledge pointed to Kaylin. “First in line. Do you accept the responsibility? You are the scout, the tracker.”
He winced, rubbing his head, and stepped in front of me. “I do.”
She pointed to me next. “You are his second. You are the helmswoman, the conquerer. The results of this journey lie squarely on your shoulders and the choices you make. And you,” she said, motioning to Rhiannon, “are third. The lady-in-waiting. Do not ask what it is you wait for, you will find out soon enough.” Turning to Chatter, she said, “And you, guardian, are fourth.” And then she turned to Grieve. “The Wounded King. You follow last.”
