Page 14 of Of Withering Dreams
“Five turns now. Luckily, you’ve all been in Surrelia for the last five cycles, except for your father.” He grimaced, anticipating my dismay.
My heart crawled into my throat. “I understand.” I rubbed his arm briefly. “If he’s been trapped in limbo, at least he wouldn’t remember his time there, and he has found his way home every turn.”
“Indeed.” His brows knitted together.
I blew out a puff of air. “Maybe I can find more answers while I’m here. Not that I’ll recall them when we’re home.” A halfhearted chuckle fell to the stones as I shrugged.
Kaden gave me a side hug, then asked, “Are we in any of these rooms, Gav?”
“No, let’s head upstairs.”
Kaden let out a whistle and smirked. “The mysteries never end in this place. Here’s one more: Where do the Elders stay?”
Gavrel’s eyes look upward, probably asking the Ancients for patience. “Their quarters are in the opposite wing near the Great Hall.”
Kaden nodded, his shoulders slumping a little. Gavrel rolled his shoulders back, adjusted his scabbard, and then strode to the wall, marking the end of the wing. I thought he would barge right through it until a metallic door rippled into view, his tattoo glowing faintly in response. That section of the wall had been a mirage. As he approached, the embedded door slid into the wall. When we entered, it slipped back into place behind us soundlessly.
We climbed a winding silver staircase. We reached the landing for the second floor, and another door appeared and slid open, shutting as we exited. Gavrel led us to each of our rooms. Kaden’s was a few doors down from mine, and my room was close to the foyer balcony.
“If you need me, my room is next door. My team also has rooms throughout the palace; they’ll have runes like mine.” Gavrel lifted his hand. “Someone will bring you fresh clothing soon.” He hesitated, lips parting as he sucked in a breath and sealed any further words behind the firm line of his mouth. Tipping his head once, Gavrel turned toward his room.
“Thank you,” I called after him, entering my room when he didn’t turn around.
My eyes widened at the sight of my quarters. My whole cottage at home would have fit inside it. Light trickled in through the vaulted quartz ceiling. Sparkling rainbows bounced off decorative metal beams that arched delicately below the gems. I ambled over to three large, circular windows, which lined the wall.
The Insomnis Sea stretched into the horizon, its watery crests rolling and sparkling. Looking down, cerulean waves pounded into the side of the craggy precipice. Glossy black shards crept up the moonstone under my window. The back of the palace burrowed higher into the cliff than the front.
Glancing to my left, an enormous plush bed beckoned me. A sweeping canopy sloped over it. The sheer silvery material caressed the corner posts as it flowed to the floor beneath. A sigh escaped my lips, and I brushed my hand over the pewter bedding, its velvet caressing my fingertips.
I needed a bath before I could snuggle into the bed. A pout pulled down the corners of my mouth. Turning reluctantly, I noticed a semi-circular glass tub built into the opposite wall. Sunbeams melted into its golden glass.
A quick knock startled me, making my shoulders jump and the crunchy fabric of my kirtle rustle. I moved to the door, opening it to a petite, older woman. Her bluish-gray strands swept into a neat braid down her back. Her mouth tipped into a bright smile, crinkling the lines around her eyes and forehead.
“Hello, Miss. I have some clean clothes for you. I’m sure you’ll be wanting a bath right quick!” Her voice was lyrical, words swift. She swooped past me and placed the fresh clothes on the bed.
She rushed to the tub and turned the faucets on with a flick of her hand, a soft teal aura simmering around her. Steamy, bubbly water poured into the transparent basin, and the scent of lavender floated through the room. She spun toward me, her blue dress twirling around her legs.
“Thank you, Miss …” I paused, slightly dazed from her quick movements and casual display of ember. She was a busy little bluebird flitting about.
“Oh, call me Derya. Derya Atwater. And you are Seryn Vawn, you are,” she chirped without allowing breaths to interrupt her. “Isn’t the bath just lovely? I thought of the scented bubbles myself! I do love making concoctions. I can manipulate water … well, small bits of it. Things in it, around it … if you couldn’t tell,” she tittered as she swept toward the door.
“That’s fantastic. Are you from Haadra?” I asked, recalling Magister Barden’s lessons once again. If I wasn’t mistaken, water-based powers originated there.
“Why, yes, I am! I miss my homeland, as I’m sure you do, but you’ll be back in no time.” She clapped her hands twice in front of her. “If you’ll be needing anything, touch that sapphire by the door and I’ll be right up.”
There was indeed a sparkling blue gem embedded in the wall. My head bobbed in understanding as she swished her hand above her head. The water stopped flowing from the faucet as the metal door clicked behind her.
In disbelief, a brief laugh escaped me as I undressed and immersed my aching body in the basin. The heat soaked into my tired muscles, the steam drifting around me in a dreamy mist. A faint giggle dove from my lips as I skimmed my fingers over lavender-scented bubbles.
I couldn’t believe I was here. That I was a Druik. I’d always wondered what it would be like to have ember. What would happen once the Dormancy was over? Would my gift resurface … or stay hidden until the next cycle?
Breathing in, my unrequited thoughts tucked into the recesses of my mind. I dunked my head under the water and scrubbed the grime and dried blood from my curls and face.
As my head broke the water, another knock sounded on my door. “Come in!” I shouted, swiping some errant bubbles from my brow.
The door swung open and closed.Those don’t look like Derya’s slippers,I mused before my eyes jolted up to see Kaden’s smirking face. A loud squeak escaped me as I wrapped one arm around my breasts and used the other to hug more bubbles around me. “Kaden, what the void?! Can’t you see I’m bathing?!”
“Absolutely … but need I remind you, you bade me come in?” He chuckled and walked over to the basin.
