Page 20 of Beneath the Flames
Makewhateasier?
The more I talked to Nico, the more questions I had, and the more confused I became.I opened my mouth, about to lower myself to begging, but he interrupted.
“Goodnight...”he trailed off, waiting for me to give my name.
“Maren.”
Nico gave a single nod.“Goodnight, Maren.”
He hurried away, disappearing around the corner before I could even reply.So much for asking him to help me find a way out of here.Was everyone in this world rude and cold?
Left with no other choice, my fingers grasped the frigid metal doorknob and twisted, the door creaking quietly as it opened.The light was dim inside, illuminated by a few candles on various surfaces.Apparently this Eroth place hadn’t discovered electricity yet.The thought should have bothered me, but somehow I felt relief.There was something almost comforting about the warm flickering light chasing away the shadows.
A traitorous thought flitted through my mind.Despite the danger my family was now in with me gone, a part of me felt such immense relief that my father couldn’t find me.Eroth came with its own dangers, but at least one of them wasn’tmy father and his fists.A piece of me settled a little bit at the thought.
On the left side of the room sat the bed, covered in dark linens that matched the gloomy nature of this world.On the right side rested a fireplace with a low fire burning, and several candles perched on the mantle above.A door was to the right of the bed, which I guessed was the bathroom.
Did they even have indoor plumbing in the castle?Or would I be peeing in a chamber pot?I suppressed a shiver at the thought.
Not what you should be worrying about right now, Maren.
On the far wall was a set of French doors that led onto a small balcony illuminated by the moonlight, framed on either side by floor-to-ceiling drapes.On tip-toes, I crept across the floor to look out the doors.Those same two moons were perched in the sky.
When I noticed the landscape beneath my balcony, I couldn’t hold back a gasp.
My room was situated on the far east end of the castle, facing a line of terrifying volcanoes.From this vantage point, it looked like the lava was pooling right beneath me, though I assumed that Rhydian’s magic somehow kept this place sheltered.Everything in the distance had a dim, red glow to it.It appeared that we were situated in some sort of valley between the volcanoes that stretched in a U shape, but it was too dark to tell what sat beyond the end of the valley.
I couldn’t understand how everything was so silent.No birds chirping, no wind rustling trees—heck, therewereno trees—no animals, and no people to be seen anywhere.There wasn’t even a road.Just endless rocks and lava as far as the eye could see.
If there was one thing I knew based on a single glance outthe window, it was that this place screamed death.
How was I ever going to survive?
I backed up quietly, as though the lava might hear my footsteps and come to devour me.I locked the door for good measure, struggling to pull the curtains closed.Not that it would have done much against liquid fire—or a man with golden death rays.
I internally smacked myself.Fae—not a man.
What was a Fae anyway?He certainly looked human enough.He had two arms and two legs like a human.Just another of the quickly lengthening list of questions I had.
Would I ever get answers?
Nico basically said I should stay in this room indefinitely.But why?Why was this the safest place?I would have thought that staying close to Rhydian would be the safest place—with his magic and all.
I glanced around the room once more.It really wasn’t that bad, nicer than I expected, especially when I had half-expected to be thrown into a dungeon or prison cell.
Adrenaline was slowly seeping from my limbs, exhaustion filling the holes it left.My muscles trembled, forcing me to sit on the edge of the bed.Against my will, my traitorous body laid back onto the soft mattress.
No, get up!We need to get answers!We need to get home!
I tried to listen to my inner self, to move and go find Rhydian, or Nico, and demand answers.
But my eyes slipped shut as my body melted into the soft fabric beneath it, and I tumbled into sleep before I could so much as protest.
"So, another one then?”Nico asked, and I gritted my teeth, wincing at the resulting pain that sliced up my jaw.I pressed my face into the pillows on the large bed in my chambers, wishing my magic could turn back time to the moment I chose to approach her so that I could choosenotto.
I barely turned my head to glare at him.My non-answer had him nodding in reluctant acceptance.Those young blue eyes saw far too much.
“I thought you were done with this,” he said after another moment, squeezing my heart with invisible hands.
