Page 218 of The Lands Defying
He has a point, but, “I don’t think that port arch in Eridian would have taken us here if it didn’t mean something. There has to be a reason why.”
We walk into what I can only guess could have been a grand room. The pillars on either side are like the other one. Half ruined and destroyed. I feel a sense of sadness as we walk through. As I make out the cracked marble floor before us, I feel this was once a happy place.
Full of warmth and love, instead of feeling so…cold.
“What’s wrong?” Darius asks, halting my steps.
My brows furrow. “What?”
He raises a hand and touches my cheek. I lift my own hand, and wetness coats my fingers.
I’m…crying.
“Why are you upset?” he demands, stepping closer and tucking some of my loose hair behind my ear.
“I...I don’t know.” I swallow over the large lump in my throat. “It just feels so sad here. Like it was once a warm place and now it’s not.
“Lifeless,” he says and I nod, looking around.
“There were many people in here, once,” I begin, as Darius looks at me curiously. “Dancing, blessings, mating ceremonies.” I look up and I can see where the ceiling once curved up into a dome, I see where a hole was left in the middle for the moon to shine down. “This was where the Gods visited most, because this is where the people came the most to bless them and receive blessings.” I look to Darius sniffling. “This is…home for them.”
His eyes bounce between mine. “How do you know that?”
I shrug. “It’s a feeling.”
He nods, accepting it. He doesn’t even try to convince me otherwise, he believes every single word I have just said.
I grab his hand in mine, and we continue to walk through the ruins of what was. It’s heartbreaking, really, and I can’t help but wonder when the decline of the Gods really started.
We enter through another door to an outdoor space that spans far beyond the temple, but then I spot a familiar platform.
I stop, my heart stops.
My sole focus is on what’s in front of me and my whole body starts to shake.
Warm hands hold me, and whispers sound in my ear, but all I can see, all I can hear is my mom’s throat being slit.
It’s only when Darius picks me up and starts to take me away from here that I finally snap out of it.
“Wait,” I croak about, clutching his shoulders tightly as he holds me in his arms.
“Rhea…”
“I know, but we can’t leave. Not yet.”
I feel his need to take me away from this place, from something that would hurt me so much, but we need to be here.
“We leave whenever you want, no questions.” I nod against him, and then breathe in his scent for comfort.
I wriggle and he lets me down. Taking a calming breath, I walk toward the platform, Darius sticks to my side, his hand on the small of my back.
“They defiled this place with what they did,” I say into the open space, looking at the trees at the back, the moon high in the sky. “That’s why it feels lifeless, that’s why I feel so sad.”
Darius looks down at the ground, crouching and placing his hand upon it. “The below feels closer.” I look down like I can see it, but I know I can’t.
We continue toward the center, and I can’t help but look at the spot where I think the rogure came out of . “Look.” I point, and Darius follows it to the dark patch of grass.
“We need to be careful.”
