Deep Is the Fen

1.


Teddy has filched a bottle of wassail from his da s cellar. He pours it out like it s liquid gold, and we each take a thimble-sized glass.

To us, he says, smiling at Sol and me. The three best friends that ever were. To unshakable loyalty and unbreakable bonds. Happy Whitsuntide.

Sol drums the floorboards with his heels, his cheeks glowing.

I love them both so much. I want to stay in this moment forever. The three of us, together and young and happy.

I look threadwise, refocusing my eyes slightly to see the mettle floating around us, silvery strands of life-force. I m no witch, but I can see mettle, and recognize who or where it came from, in the same way I can track a rabbit or a fox in the woods. The mettle between the three of us is connected--intricately braided together over the years of our friendship. We re inseparable, and that s the way I want it to stay.

They re waiting for me. I clink my glass against each of theirs, careful to make eye contact as I do so.

The wassail is as strong as it always is, all cloves and hyssop, and we each wince and gag, swallowing it like medicine.

Teddy holds out the bottle. More?

Sol makes a face. Ugh, no.

Merry?

I shake my head. Even that one thimble-sized glass is enough to make me feel warm and a bit blurry around the edges. But Teddy refills his own glass and downs it in one gulp.

We are ensconced in the sitting room in the house where Sol lives with his aunt, surrounded by open chip packets and cans of fizzy drink. We ve been playing twlbwrdd--an enchanted Ilium set where the king piece crumbles to dust when he is captured and the maidens stain red if they get captured by a liegeman. We ve been here since midafternoon, and Teddy and Sol have filled the air with the musky scent of teenage boy. I get up and open a window, breathing in the sweetness of the night. In the distance, I hear the faint jingling of bells, and the tramping of feet.

Whitsun Eve is our

Lili Wilkinson is the author of nineteen novels published in Australia, including Green Valentine, The Boundless Sublime, and After the Lights Go Out. She established the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Lili has a PhD in creative writing from the University of Melbourne and spends most of her time reading and writing books for teenagers. Her fantasy novels include A Hunger of Thorns and Deep Is the Fen.

"An exposition-heavy start gives way to an immersive world in which Wilkinson employs beguiling imagery to craft a thought-provoking love letter to fierce and tenderhearted friendship."  Publishers Weekly

"An entertaining, well-characterized foray into a world of magical secrets." Kirkus Reviews

"The perfect choice for readers who enjoy secret societies with dark magic and mysterious rituals paired with true friendship and unexpected romance." School Library Journal

"An immersive, fascinating allegory that tackles, among other things, toxic masculinity and government control over women's bodies. Patient readers will be well rewarded with a nimble, romantic, and clever fantasy that pushes boundaries." Booklist