Page 44 of Hidden Kingdoms

The chill under my feet was enough proof of that.

Around me was a sprawling garden crammed full of white flowers. Rows of fluffy white roses, overgrown bushes of hydrangeas beside them, foxgloves, hyacinths. Untold flowers I couldn’t even name. I didn’t know how they thrives in these conditions, but apparently a little cold was going to stop them blooming.

A wooden pergola covered with leafy vines thickly woven across its roof stretched out before us through the garden. Wisteria—this time white—trailed from their stations on the wooden posts, their clusters of flowers swaying lightly.

Leaving Kaius, I walked forwards, the carpet of clover soft under my slippered feet, and I ignored the cold that seeped through the thin material. The wind was sharp, blowing abouquet of fragrances from the flowers, and bringing with it a glimmer of happiness I hadn’t felt since arriving here. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes and tilting my face to the distant sun, willing the anger of my encounter with the prince to dissolve in the wind. I sensed Kaius move to stand in front of me, could feel his eyes on me as I kept mine closed, wishing the rays were warm enough to soak into my skin.

“Technically this isn’t the palace,” I said.

A small laugh. “You’re right, technically it’s not.”

Moments passed before I opened my eyes to search his, hoping this was where I would find answers. He was wearing all black again. Loose trousers hung from his hips, and a tightly fitting long-sleeved jumper hugged his muscles in all the right places under a woolen jacket. Sunlight flashed off a collection of dark daggers he had hanging from his hip, one of his hands absently running along a hilt covered in tiny square cut emeralds. Another large emerald hung from his neck and as he tucked a lock of dark hair behind his ears, I noticed the silver jewellery that studded its way up his lobe.

The longer I looked at him,the longer he looked right back, and the more magik began to buzz through me. It wasn’t on the surface anymore. It had sunk deeper within me, and I broke the contact, looking at the flowers instead. Allowing their pearly blooms to capture my attention while I considered what to ask first.

Noticing the rough gemstones protruding from the earth, hidden between the leaves like buried treasure, I crouched among them, feeling their call. A rush of energy passed under my fingers as I ran them over their facets that glittered in the sun, painting pretty patterns on my skin.

Reluctantly I pulled my hands away, hating the way the magik fell from me, and I was left colder than before. My breath clouded in the air as I moved to stand under the canopy andKaius moved with me. Weak sunlight fell through the gaps the vines had left to cover the floor in speckles of light. I walked on, lifting my head to take in the white blooms that dotted the roof like stars in a constellation.

I kept my back to Kaius, running my fingers over a trailing wisteria flower, the soft jangle of my bracelets the only sound between us.

“You stayed.” It wasn’t a question. I knew he hadn’t left long before I had woken.

“Yes.”

“How did you know?” My voice was soft, needing his answer.

“I was down the hall, and I heard you.” There was more, but it didn’t seem he was going to give it.

“Why am I here, Kaius?” I asked gently. Tracing the patterns on one of the flowers blooming within the vines, I kept my back to him, silently praying to the gods he would give me answers.

“Elodie...” His voice was barely a whisper as the leafy carpet muffled his footsteps. “I won’t lie to you, but please know there are things I can’t tell you.”

Turning to him, I nodded. I believed him, believed he would answer whatever he was able to.

WhyI felt so sure after knowing him for barely a few days, I didn’t know, but my mind whirred with questions he might answer before they landed on my most recent mystery.

“Did you take anything from my house?”

Like an ominous Tarot card.

“From your house?”

“Other than me that is?” He grimaced then.

Good, he should feel bad.

“There wasn’t exactly much time to pack you an overnight bag,” he said as I raised my eyebrow.

“No,” he conceded. “We didn’t take anything. We weren't exactly expecting to takeyou.”

“What were you expecting to take then?” Kaius’ face pulled into a grimace, and I knew I’d hit a question he wouldn’t be answering. He did had a point; there hadn’t been time.

Nothing stopping them going back after, I don’t know what they do in their spare time.

“So, you won’t tell me why I’m here.”

“No, Goldie.”

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