Page 194 of Barbi and the Villain

My lashes flutter as I glance at him.

“Nyk!” I exclaim. “Although you are right. I would love to see one. My mother used the expression ‘when pigs fly’ so frequently that I would give anything to show her an actual flying pig.” I chuckle.

“Then I shall endeavor to find one for you,” he murmurs, drawing me closer.

I sigh in happiness as I nestle to his side, my eyes closing as exhaustion finally claims me.

I don’t know how long I sleep, but some time later, Nyk shakes me awake, telling me we have arrived. The horses descend from their place high up in the sky, the landing just as startling as the take-off.

Nykander pays the driver and we get out.

“Where did you get the money for that?” I frown.

He shakes his head.

“You do not want to know.”

Okay, got it. He stole it.

I bristle at his answer, but I don’t get to dwell more on it as my attention is captivated by the scenery around us.

“Wow,” I whisper.

The lake is much, much bigger than I would have expected. It stretches across the horizon line, almost like a never-ending sea. There is a pebbled line that divides the shore from the water, and a distance away, a small bridge leads to a lighthouse overlooking the great expanse of water.

But there is one other startling detail about the lake.

It’s red.

The water is a deep red.

I recall Nykander telling me that there is no blue sea in Tartareia. Perhaps all bodies of water have an unusual color here as a result of the lack of sunlight.

“Uhm, Nyk?” I ask as I turn to look at him. “If there is no blue water here, then what do you drink?”

“Oh, that.” He mentions as he scratches the back of his head. “The only potable water in Tartareia is in Sattoriya. The rest of the population drinks ale.”

My mouth drops open.

“That’s positively…medieval.”

“You will find that regardless of what world you go to, power is distributed the same. A few hold all the resources while the rest battle for their existence.”

My lips flatten.

“But enough of that. Come, let me show you where we will be staying for the foreseeable future—or at least until you open your fourth gate.”

I’m surprised when Nykander leads me in the direction of the lighthouse.

Built on top of large boulders that seemingly erupt from the water, the lighthouse stands over a hundred feet tall. There are a couple of small windows on the first level, while the top one is entirely made out of floor-to-ceiling ones.

We cross the bridge and arrive at the entrance of the lighthouse. Glancing right and left, I see the water wash against the dark gray stone, staining it with red.

“How deep is the water?” I ask, my eyes affixed to the opaque red surface of the lake.

“Deep,” Nykander answers.

A shudder goes down my back as I imagine diving in it. Somehow, that red hue gives me the creeps, and I don’t know why. It’s not as if it’s blood. The color is probably just the result of the plankton living on the bottom of the lake, as well as the lack of light.

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