Page 22 of Kingdom of Today
Other statues formed by a shimmery silver material that rippled slightly with each caress of wind topped marble bases where people danced, celebrating the deities the images represented. I usually looked past such displays, yet today, they held my attention. I thought, maybe,something was different about them, but what? I pinpointed nothing out of the ordinary.
Except. There. A bronze statue that hadn’t been here during my last visit. My steps faltered. The sculpture depicted Astan, former ruler of Theirland. He was the biggest of the gods and the only one to possess both horns and wings. In this portrayal, he stood tall, one arm half raised, his wings spread wide.
But his horns. I’d seen many renderings of him inside a Theirland temple devoted to his worship. In each, those sharp horn tips had pointed down. In this version, however, the thick, ribbed projections thrust almost midway.
The small change shouldn’t have mattered, and yet it acted as fertilizer to my sense of doom.
Someone bumped into me, and I tripped forward. Okay, time to shelve statue deliberations and move on. Besides, the Rock loomed just ahead. A spectacle of grandeur eight feet tall and eight feet long with translucent stone and circles carved throughout the outer surface. An intricate interweb of crimson veins ran through the center. My heart picked up speed.
Though I longed to rush, I maintained an easy pace. Small metal dogs—the meta—walked along the structure’s top, disturbing the lush garden of flowers flourishing there. Those dogs observed and recorded all who passed, growling at anyone who lingered.
I didn’t let myself stare as I considered what to do next. I needed to pause and study the Rock before I could step inside it, something I couldn’t do without garnering attention.
Also, was I being followed? Trepidation tempted me to cast a suspicious gaze over one shoulder.
Resist. Act normal.I racked my brain but came up with a grand total of zero ideas to accomplish my goal. Then I was there, walking along the sidewalk behind a couple who trailed a small group, all of us beside the glorious edifice. A yearning to look and touch consumed me, but I wouldn’t risk it.
The Rock’s surface thinned, appearing as mist. I swallowed a yelp when Domino appeared, a solid oak of a man, strong and unbending.
He’d trimmed his beard.
A silly observation. Since no one cried out or screamed, I guessed only I could see him.
He stood inside the doorway, his gaze trained on me. “Keep going. You’re being watched from above and followed from behind.”
Knew it.When no one reacted to the sound of his voice, I breathed easier.
As if to prove his claim, the meta atop the Rock glued their sights to me, acting as if no one else existed. I tried not to make it obvious that I noticed or cared. Perspiration dampened my palms.
“I’ve arranged cover for you at the next section,” Domino announced. “You can enter there.”
Okay. I could do this. I cleared the Rock, the tug stronger than ever, keeping me marching forward. By an act of my will, I maintained my leisurely pace. Finally, my patience paid off, and I neared the next section.
Anticipation tangled with frustration. The area swarmed with people moving in both directions, their shifting bodies creating a living wall that hindered my view. What kind of “cover” had the librarian arranged?
Suddenly, a thick white fog seeped from the stone, sweeping out to envelop the crowd and beyond. I almost tripped over myself, but again, no one else seemed to notice. They continued without a break in their conversations.
The fog collected and concentrated around me, warm and scented with fresh rain and rich earth, my two all-time-favorite fragrances. That sweet perfume erased the stench of Bala City and brought a perfect calm I’d sought my entire life. In that moment, I had no fears.
A tinkling laugh escaped me. I expected my vision to haze, but it didn’t. Everything stayed razor sharp, colors bright, edges defined. A man on his phone almost plowed into me, stealing my amusement,but I jerked aside just in time. One side step turned into a scramble as I twisted and dodged through the crowd, not a single person reacting to my presence. That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t being ignored. I was invisible. The “distraction.”
With full confidence and awe, I stopped to focus on a carved circle, exactly as Ember once instructed. The fog did its thing, ensuring no one protested or shouted accusations. Inside the ring, broken lines drew together. The second they fully aligned, the circle began to spin. My cue. Overjoyed, I walked forward, leaving the cityscape behind.
My surroundings altered in a snap, the outside world replaced by a spacious room complete with polished wood, hanging flowers, and trees heavy with colorful fruit. The fog receded, taking its great peace with it, but I didn’t mind. I was too busy marveling at the beauty around me. Precious gems studded the walls, and gold bars paved the floor. Trees grew through them, their thick branches curling out in every direction. Someone had fashioned shelves into the trunks, each stacked with books. Cozy chairs offered places to read in comfort. Some had occupants, many didn’t.
I rotated, taking everything in. I’d never been in this part of the library. Crystal chandeliers hung from a tiered ceiling, casting soft rainbow flecks across the room. Delicate vines wove over the bookshelves, with tiny glowing blossoms pulsing like captured stardust. Ornate lanterns floated gently in the air, producing a quiet hum and illuminating the waterfall trickling down a crystal wall. Elegant tables bore a selection of porcelain teapots, their contents steaming.
“Magnificent,” I said out loud. Despite the lack of fog, the scent of fresh rain and rich earth remained strong, but now it infused with a perfume of parchment, honeyed fruit, and something indefinably ancient. Absolute heaven.
“Welcome to the Kingdom of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.”
The familiar voice drew my gaze. A flesh-and-blood Domino stepped from air, suddenly only a few feet away. He wore the same red robe as before, hood down, and hadn’t changed in the slightest, yet he looked different somehow. Honor stamped every inch of his being, the perfectcomplement to the little specks of light dotting his irises, like pinpricks in a night sky. And look at those thick, long lashes. Three freckles formed a half circle on his right temple, framing his eye. Well, a half circle if you were to trace the marks with your fingertip. Which I would never do. Like, ever.
Inner shake.But his intensity, wow. He radiated it. More than I’d ever thought possible, and it possessed a powerful pull, yanking thoughts from my head until I was completely grounded in the moment. A weird sensation I wasn’t sure I liked because I liked it far too much.
“Thank you for the assist out there,” I said.
“There’s no need to thank me for doing my job.”
