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Silently, with the Lady leading the way, Salter closely behind her, and Ferol and Feverfew bringing up the rear, they walked slowly into the Silver City.
They had all sensed the magic the instant they had entered the city.
The Lady pointed and they headed along one of the narrow streets in front of them.
The city was like a ghost town. There was no sign of anyone living in it. The wide streets were cobbled with what appeared to be silver blocks. The walls of the tall buildings glistened as the twin suns shone onto them. The buildings too appeared to be made of silver. Small, beautiful parks, with grass the color of silver, and with summer-seats placed at each corner, stood at the bottom, adjoining some of the streets.
As they made their way in silence through the city, the Lady looked suddenly up at one of the windows. For a second or two she thought she saw a figure looking down at them. She stopped. She looked around the building and up at other windows. But whatever, or whoever had been there, was gone. There wasn't a sign of anyone.
“Where are the people?” whispered Salter, as they began to walk on.
No one answered.
****
They walked on through the Silver City for a long while without seeing anyone. Then, just as they rounded the corner of a narrow street they came on a tall round tower that rose high above the other buildings around it. It stood right in the middle of a wide park. A stout oak door at the bottom of the tower seemed to be the only entrance. Everyone could see a narrow barred window near the top.
The Lady stopped.
“Let's see if we can get into that tower and make our way to the top. We might be able to see what direction to go to get to the Keep.” Though maybe the Keep is not in the city, she thought. She knew several Wizards. The Lady knew druids, who normally lived in Keeps preferred solitude. She looked around. From the park she could up the four streets that led tom it. There wasn't sign of anyone. She frowned as she thought about the several parks they had walked through. The city once must have been a busy, noisy place.
As they approached the door of the tower, Ferol, who was the nearest to it, suddenly screamed and fell back onto the ground holding his head.
At the same time, the Lady staggered back. She almost tripped over a startled Feverfew and a shocked Salter.
Magic, thought the Lady, doing her best to scramble back, away from the door. Her heart was pounding. She pointed at Ferol, who still writhed about on the ground. “Help him! Pull him back, away from the door!”
Quickly Feverfew, helped by Salter, helped Ferol to his feet and forced him away from the tower.
The building is warded, thought the Lady, studying the tower. Why? She could just about make out the magical glow that now covered the building. Why? She looked up at the window. Two dark eyes stared down at her, then disappeared.
Seconds later, she had joined the others.
“Lady, why is the tower protected?” asked Ferol.
The Lady smiled grimly. Smart boy, she thought. “Powerful wards protect the door,” she said. “Why, I don't know.” She swung to Feverfew. She hadn't been affected by the magic. “Feverfew, would you walk to the door... slowly.”
“Walk... to the door?” Feverfew frowned.
“Yes. The wards didn't seem to affect you, or Salter. Go on. Salter, you stay with me.”
Feverfew hesitated, but slowly she began to walk to the door.
Ferol gaped, when the elf girl stopped right at the door. She hadn't been harmed. The magic hadn't affected her.
In an instant Ferol ran to her, but almost at once, holding his head and screaming with pain, he staggered back.
With her eyes wide with fright, Feverfew studied Ferol, as the Lady and Salter grabbed the red-haired boy and helped him to his feet.
When the Lady saw that Ferol was all right, she shouted to Feverfew. “Can you open the door?”
“Open it?” Feverfew turned. She could not see a handle or a keyhole. “There's nothing...” she began, as she placed her hand on the door... and slowly it opened.