They sailed on, and crossing the lake took them a little more than another hour to complete. The light of the Sun was dying away by the time the other shore came into sight. When at last they came into shallower waters, they guided the boat into a safe area, and Lord Ridley jumped out to pull it closer to the shore. They dropped anchor and made sure that it was secure before they disembarked.

James followed Sir Carter out, and together they kept an eye on the area so that the King could get to the shore safely. Then James helped Cerys and her friend out of the boat, and Peter climbed out on his own. He took Bayani’s hand and walked with him out of the shallow waters, and then looked around the new scenery that surrounded them.

From the shore sandy shore of the lake, it was only a few yards to grass, and then a couple yards more than that to a long line of trees. It was all forest, all the way to the left and all the way to the right. It went on as far as any of them could see, dark and shadowed, though not in a way that would have been considered creepy. It was as though night had already fallen heavy upon the forest.

“Wow…” Cerys intoned. “It’s like looking at the starry night sky, but with a really nice telescope, and you can see more than just stars.”

“Are you making weird comparisons again?” Peter asked her.

She replied by giving him a dirty look.

“She has a point,” Nashtra said. “This is the edge of the other elvan forest that we have told you about. This side is much less occupied, but it is the realm of the elves nonetheless.”

“So this forest,” Bayani said, “is it filled with the same energy that Vathalloín is?”

“It is not the same type of energy,” Nashtra said. “It is enchanted, yes, but not with the sort of spark that you have seen before. It is more mysterious sort of enchantment. I should say, though, that we are different tribes, and it is better that you find out for yourself, rather than me explaining it.”

“Or trying to anyway,” James added.

Nashtra nodded. “I will admit that it is a difficult sort of magic to explain.”

“So should we stay close and be careful?” Peter asked.

“I suppose at this point that goes without saying,” the elf replied.

“What sorts of danger are inside?” Himeko asked as they began to walk across the sand and up to grass.