Kyray looked at the other two, but Feldaner motioned for him to go through the doorway first. Hardly a surprise; who didn’t want to be the first one to be on the receiving end of whatever Killyria had inst-

  Light brighter than that in the previous courtyard met him. Warm and oddly pleasant. The path continued into the grounds of a vast garden. A garden with lawns, flowerbeds, fountains and trees that spread all the way to the distant, cloud-layered horizon. A horizon above which soared a vivid and cloud-speckled sapphire sky; filled with the notes of unseen birds.

  “It’s bigger than one of the plazas back home,” said Haronsal, standing next to Kyray. “And just as warm.”

  “Wind chimes like the Spring Festival in Wengillian,” Feldaner added, as the twinkling notes drifted across from the trees. The same trees from which fluttered the bird song. “When the harpists would form the garland and even the flowers would seem to listen.”

  “Even the trees seem to be talking,” Haronsal continued. “Listen.”

  He had no idea how they were so far from the entrance, but Kyray closed his eyes as they stood on the edge of the silver barked and royal and sapphire blue trees. Whispers, rustles; sighs and gentle chuckles. Was it the wind? Or was it the elegant pillars between ground and sky?

  “I could sit down and listen to it all afternoon,” said Haronsal, looking up at the nearest tree. Look up and watch the clouds go by.

  “And birds,” said Feldaner, pointing up. Silver-winged swifts sliced through the air in the manner of dolphins; whilst across the lawn - no field - golden-tailed swallows dashed and curved. Yet beyond the clouds, Kyray could see spheres of different sizes; the vault of blue not concealing their rainbow of shades.

  “Must be other realms,” said Feldaner, drawing alongside him. “States of existence. As different to each other as Winswall is to Darkristen.”

  “And Farrismarrai,” Haronsal added. “Don’t leave my homeland - look - butterflies.”

  Kyray’s mouth opened at the sight of a stream of iridescent butterflies. Arcing down from a point in the clouds, then fluttering over the grounds of the garden like an aerial river. “What is - this place?” he exhaled.

  “Celestial…?”

  Kyray could only look at Feldaner with the same trying-to-take-it-all-in gaze that was looking back at him.

  “That’s better than how you two were looking before,” said Haronsal. “I thought that you were going to turn Kyray to stone, Mr Lonshore.”

  “There’s - plenty of - time for that,” Feldaner said, walking forward. “Turquoise to compliment sapphire.”

  “Eh?” said Haronsal, looking at Kyray.

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  “Water.”

  Kyray rubbed his eyes. How had they got from the blue trees to this new, jade-leaved and mahogany barked pair on either side of the path? A path that flowed down to a glistening lake with lilies, reeds; ducks, swans; egrets and cascading willows. A lake with an island - green as an emerald - crowned with a moonstone pillared pavilion with a dome that echoed the sky above.

  “Now that is a sight to see,” said Haronsal.

  “And look who’s by the shore,” said Feldaner.

  Waving from the great meadow that doubled as the lakeshore were the unmistakable forms of Killyria, Naritsune.

  “Care for a jog?”

  Kyray had to look twice at Feldaner to see if he was he who had spoken, only for Haronsal to burst forward as if he could sprint the whole way. “Race is on,” he called.

  “Surely not, Haronsal,” Feldaner said, taking off after him. “Measure is required.”

  Restraint more like, Kyray thought, walking forward. It was too bright, too warm and too clear for an extended run - even if he had wanted to. As if something was leaving him - moment by moment - and trying to be replaced by this - this-

  “Oh come on Kyray,” Killyria’s voice came again. “You can manage a jog.”

  He didn’t even know when it happened. One instant he was standing on the path. The next he was jogging through the meadow as if let off from starting blocks. Blocks of ice splintering away as he flowed through the sunlight. Only coming to a stop by the lakeshore because Naritsune had moved to reveal its bright surface.

  “Hang on,” he said, looking at the water, then back across the meadow. “I was - up there before.”

  “And here now,” Killyria replied from a chair with a matching table and refreshments.

  “Nevermind here,” said Naritsune, reappearing in Kyray’s vision. “You nearly took me into the lake.”

  “But, but I was only jogging,” said Kyray, looking back at the path. “Haronsal and Feldaner should be-”

  Jogging from the pace of both and with a bit to go.

  “But they were - ahead of me,” he gasped.

  “Got a quite a turn of speed, haven’t you,” Killyria said, pouring herself a drink. Or was the jug doing it for her…? “Might be able to leap to the island if you wanted.”

  “… Hardly,” said Kyray, taking a step back.

  “And as long as I’m not in the way,” said Naritsune, dropping onto another chair.

  “Apologies,” Kyray replied as Feldaner and Haronsal jogged over.

  “How in all the Fields are you able to run like that?” said Haronsal, wiping his brow and looking at Kyray. “You could have kept level with a horse.”

  “Runs in the family,” said Feldaner, leaning on his crook. “Just like the hair.”

  “So the Watch found you, Haronsal,” Killyria said. “For a moment I thought I was going to have to find you myself.”

  “I got lost your Ladyship,” said Haronsal, taking off his hat as he bowed. “But the guards escorted me to the courtyard with the pool.”

  “Still having second thoughts?”

  “Would have regretted not seeing this,” Haronsal said with a grin.

  “Glad to hear it,” a voice said from the lakeside. “And that you have all arrived.”

  Kyray joined Naritsune and the others in turning to his left. Along the shore stepped a second lady; tall as Killyria and dressed in a dark blue gown with twinkling embroidery. As if a party of stars danced at her every move; including the one on her forehead that was the centrepiece of her circlet. Yet with a glow more akin to that of a gentle fire. And otherworldly enough for Naritsune to say what he was thinking:

  “… Are… you… from Up There..?”

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