After a tortuously slow walk, they arrived at a precipice. At first, Toshie thought she saw the sky, but it was the soft blue glow of millions of mushrooms. Below were what Toshie guessed had to be houses, but her eyesight wasn’t too good.

  More pale guards approached them and led the group to an elevator. After being shoved in, one guard yelled out some commands Toshie couldn’t make out. No one said a word. Not even Sally dared speak, which terrified Toshie most of all.

  Once they reached the bottom, they were marched down a street that reminded Toshie of Unterstone. However, the townsfolk hissed at them, and some even threw mushrooms and garbage at the big bulking man.

  “Basterds, all of ya'!” he shouted at them. A guard whacked him in the back of the head, and that was the st Toshie heard his voice until they reached a pure white building that towered over the rest of the town.

  “Inside, all of you,” said one of the guards as he gave the giant man a push.

  They were greeted by a spiral staircase that went up further than Toshie could see.

  ‘Oh, please, no,’ she thought as her legs ached.

  Thankfully, the guards opened a small wooden door and led them into the dimly lit room behind it.

  A slender, dark-haired woman sat at a rge desk in the room. Where the Dwarven castle had been seemingly carved from gold, this royal room was lush with pnts of all sorts of colors Toshie had never seen before. They were instructed to stand in a line in front of this woman.

  ‘Is this their Queen?’ Toshie thought.

  The big man was in the middle, Sally and Yrlith to his right, Toshie and Brot to his left. Once the guards posted at each side of the five, they announced themselves.

  “Glorious Queen Lorraine, we bring you four trespassers on the Isle of Ariag, and as we are sure you are aware, Billiam the Butcher.”

  Toshie tried not to ugh at the name Billiam.

  The Queen smiled and stood.

  “Billiam the Butcher. What a pleasure it is to meet you at st.” Where the guards' voices pierced Toshie’s mind, the Queen’s was intoxicating honey.

  Billiam spat at her, but the Queen didn’t flinch.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” she said, taking a single step between each tsk. Her dark silk dress followed her like a shadow.

  “How many of my people have you killed?” she asked when she stood in front of him. She was tall. Taller than Sally but thinner than a heroin chic model. “Hundreds, I believe.”

  “Seven hunreh, ninetah nine,” Billiam said, looking up at her. Toshie could see a rage burning in his eyes. “Soon ta be eight hunreh.”

  “Is that so?” she said, pcing the fingertip of her pinky to Billiam’s throat.

  “You bastards killed mah son,” Billiam said, choking back tears.

  “And one of your kind is worth hundreds of mine?”

  “And more.”

  “Well, I disagree,” said the Queen, dragging her fingernail against Billiam’s throat.

  He screamed. Toshie looked and saw blood dripping down his neck. Or at least, what she thought was blood. It was dark bck.

  The cut on his neck turned a deep purple, and the color spread throughout his body. He screamed. Within seconds, his entire body was purple, and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. The heaping man of muscle dissolved into a hissing puddle.

  The Queen decided to break the silence.

  “Now, for you four,” she said as she returned to her seat. “What an interesting group. A Goblin, a Human, a Dragonkin, and…” She stared at Sally. “Why, you’re the tallest Dwarf my eyes ever did see. What made you four decide to trespass on my isnd?”

  Toshie looked to see who would speak. Sally finally did.

  “My deepest apologies. We had no idea it was yours, Your Majesty. We are four simple and weary travelers who had to abandon ship. A trade ship, I might add. Our intents are free of malice, I swear to you. We washed up on your isnd and were trying to find a way to survive until we could make our way home. We implore your forgiveness.”

  ‘Damn, Sally, you can y it on thick,’ Toshie thought. While Sally wasn’t technically lying, after seeing what the Queen did to Billiam, Toshie wasn’t sure anything could appease her.

  “Interesting,” was all the Queen said. “Merchants, you said?”

  “Simple fish traders,” Sally lied. “Pirates attacked our ship. We were the only survivors. It’s a complete coincidence we ended up on your nd. If there is any work we could do to repay you, we would, naturally, do what we could.”

  “Your tongue is too smooth for a mere trader,” said the Queen. “And you, Human. You are not of this world, are you?”

  Toshie didn’t move.

  “You don’t have to say anything. I can see it in your eyes. You are a Stranger.” The Queen stood again and approached Toshie. Toshie tried not to shiver as the Queen got closer. The Queen stroked her chin, and Toshie was convinced she had gotten frostbite. Toshie stood still as the Queen inspected her. Finally, when the hand left her face, Toshie sighed.

  “Let me ask, dear Stranger, what role was bestowed upon you upon arrival to our nd?”

  “Hero,” Toshie squeaked out.

  “Hero?” The Queen threw her head back and cackled. “Oh my, what luck! The Butcher is dead, and the Hero is at my fingertips.”

  ‘I am going to die,’ Toshie thought.

  The Queen smiled. “Guards, bring Stinger Bracers for our guests. I have a pn for them.”