Chapter 10

The clearing itself was magical. The trees appeared to have been painted with light. The leaves were still green and the trunks still grey and brown, but they radiated a luminosity that dazzled Jacob when he looked at them for too long. The flowers that grew in the meadow were all brightly coloured, and looked as though they’d been sprinkled with glitter. In fact, so curious was Jacob that he bent down and picked one to more closely examine it. He found the glitter-like quality was a trick of the light upon some aspect of their petals. Even the lightly perfumed air seemed at times to sparkle.

When the king saw Jacob and his escorts he rose from his throne and stepped to the front of the carpeted and be-flowered dais.

“This must be Jacob,” he said, smiling like a jolly Santa. He held out a hand. “Welcome Jacob.”

Jacob swallowed hard. How does he know my name? he wondered. He looked to Kellen, who indicated with a nod that Jacob should continue forwards.