A Place Beyond The Map by Samuel Thews Read Free Book Online Page B

it?”
    “Of course!”
    “Well then, we just have to find out what that way is,” Phinnegan replied with a tone of finality.
    “We?”
    Phinnegan nodded, although the Faë could not see him in the darkness, of course.
    “Yes, we. I’ll do all I can to help.” Phinnegan turned around in the darkness. “If you can get us out of here, that is.”
    “Well that’s very kind of you, mate, though there is nothing that you can do to change his mind, that I know.”  He sighed.  “As for getting out of here, there’s only one way that I know.”
    “And what’s that? Do you know a secret way out?” Phinnegan’s hopes rose as he contemplated escaping this stifling darkness.
    “Not really a secret. This isn’t some kind of jail where you can pop of the barred window and flee to freedom. It’s a cavern at the bottom of a mountain. The only way out is up.”
    “Well how do we go ‘up,’ exactly?”
    “We wait.”
    Phinnegan was confused.
    “Wait for what? It’s dark and I am hungry. It’s well past supper time.”
    The Faë only chuckled.
    “I’m hungry as well, mate. But there’s nothing for it. When they’re ready, they’ll bring us up.”
    “But how?”
    He heard Periwinkle shuffling in the darkness and wondered what he was doing.
    “I guess we will just have to wait and see. I’ve heard my fair share of tales, but there is no telling which one is true.”
    “Well what are we supposed to do now?” Phinnegan groaned in frustration.
    “Sleep.”
    “Sleep? Now? How?” Phinnegan prodded.  “Periwinkle?”
    Periwinkle ignored him, and before long he heard Periwinkle’s slow breathing.
    Phinnegan sat in the darkness, contemplating his situation. He missed his family, his home. He had no idea how long they had already been gone, but his stomach told him it was indeed well past supper time.
    Having nothing to eat, he decided to follow the Faë’s advice. He sank to his side and put his arm under his head for a pillow, laying in darkness and waiting for sleep to come.

CHAPTER 6
    Féradoon
     
    Phinnegan had just fallen asleep when he awakened to the sensation of movement. He couldn’t see in the darkness but the faint grating of stone on stone proved that they were moving. Not left and right or back and forth, but up , just as the Faë had predicted.
    “Periwinkle, do you feel that?” Phinnegan called out into the darkness.
    “Aye, mate. We’re on the move.”
    “Should we… do anything?” Phinnegan queried.
    “Nothing to do,” Periwinkle said with a sigh. “Just wait, like.”
    After what seemed like half an hour Phinnegan noticed above them a ragged outline of faint light. As the light grew brighter, Phinnegan wondered what would greet them at the top.
    The movement shuddered to a stop and the chamber filled with light.  Phinnegan shielded his eyes as the floor beneath him lurched upwards again.
    Again the movement halted. Phinnegan sat motionless, his eyes shut against the light and his ears straining for any sounds. He heard a faint trickle of water and the echo of footsteps on stone.
    Phinnegan opened his eyes. The light was blinding after the complete darkness of their prison below the mountain. When his eyes adjusted, Phinnegan saw that he was in a large chamber, lit by glowing torches mounted on hundreds of smooth, stone columns.   Goosebumps spread over his arms, and he rubbed them unconsciously. Phinnegan even saw his warm breath as it met the cold air.  He tilted his head, taking in the stone walls that stretched upward into impenetrable heights. 
    He pushed himself to his knees and peered around the expansive chamber.  It was enormous. Looking left and then right, Phinnegan could not even discern the walls.  The room seemed to extend forever on both sides.  He tried to count the columns that surrounded him, but there were just too many.
    Phinnegan spun around to the sound of echoing footsteps. He saw no one but Periwinkle, who sat a few feet away, gaping at the expanse