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The beast and his companions rode on, and the buildings of the city transformed again to bigger and more impressive designs following the labyrinth design that began from the very outskirts. They passed markets and communal areas, and the population became denser and louder. The air became a catastrophe of noise and odor—metal clanging, smoky bitterness, and raucous voices all competing with each other.
Citizens lined the streets to call out and bow to the beast, rows of them in colorful clothing and glittering jewelry.
Finally, by the time dusk had taken hold of the skies, they turned into quieter roads and arrived at an enormous palace. With its walls a shade of rich golden brown, it seemed to have been created directly from the desert itself. From what she could see, it was beautiful, punctuated by an array of windows and panels and stately pillars, and encircled by a wall that was similarly designed—with intricate lattice decoration carved in the top half and rimmed with spires. There was a timeless magnificence about it, like it had been standing for a long time, yet remarkably well-kept—a far cry from the ruins on the outskirts of the city.
The traveling party trotted straight through the gates and finally stopped in the forecourt, where guards had gathered. Naya took in her surroundings as the beast spoke to his companions.
It had similar structures to Lox Palace—guarded forecourts, stables, towers—and guards in every direction. She stared up at the huge steps that led to the entrance. Her body ached from traveling on the nnirae for the whole day, and it wasn’t like she’d been in perfect condition before that. She needed sleep and recovery so she could think.
The beast finally stopped speaking and remained motionless for a moment, his arm still around her, pressing her to his chest. Something brushed the side of her head, and she tensed, waiting for a threat or demand. He inhaled, long and deep, then dismounted and strode away, up the huge steps and into the building.
Naya watched him go, exhaling in relief, but the feeling quickly dulled when his guards surrounded her.
* * *
Inside the building was just as pretty on the outside with decorated pillars, vibrant artwork, and wall art; woven rugs complemented the earthy colors of the building, but Naya was just glad it was cool.
The guards took her up numerous stairways and along multiple corridors, and forced her to walk quicker than her aching joints could manage. She hadn’t realized how much effort it took to stand now, let alone walk swiftly, but finally they stopped at a door in a quiet corridor and ushered her inside.
It was dark and mellow inside, illuminated by only a few small lamps, but it was certainly not a room for prisoners. The bedroom was as beautifully designed as the rest of the palace, with rich burnished tones and intricate carvings throughout. Tall and short pillars framed the room, giving it a grand, formal feel. Huge artwork adorned the walls, and an area had been carved into the right wall, providing a small, comfortable nook where a large lattice window was framed with pot plants, cushions and blankets.
A woman with round cheeks and small, mischievous eyes stood in the middle and beckoned her over. She helped her undress and then examined Naya’s body, brushing her fingers over the peeling areas of her skin, the burns, and the faint bruises that remained. She did strange things like looking at her ears, parting her hair to examine her scalp, squeezing her fingertips, and repeatedly poked Naya’s lower stomach, breasts, the cheeks of her ass and her thighs.
“Stop that,” Naya snapped, batting her fingers away when it became annoying and a little painful, but the woman ignored her. She rummaged in her bag and took out a large piece of thin tubular metal shaped like half of a circle.
She knelt on the ground and pulled on Naya’s arm until she sat next to her, then placed the half circle on the ground. She inched her fingers around it carefully, as though she was looking for a particular spot, and then tapped a pattern on it. A beam of magic shot out of both sides and connected, forming an enormous circle, and the ground in the middle of the ring dropped away.
Naya gasped, leaning over to look inside the center of the metal ring; it was filled with water. The woman grabbed her legs and twisted her so her feet slipped in. Warm water enveloped them and sloshed against her calves, and Naya stared at the ring in disbelief. They’d created a magic circle of water out of thin air? How was that possible? Even with the most sophisticated magic at home, it wouldn’t be possible to do that so quickly or reliably.
She turned to the woman, who was behind her. "How did you?—"
The woman pushed her hard, and she slipped straight down into the circle.
Naya flailed, panic bounding in her chest, only to find that she was inside a large tube. And it wasn't deep. When her head sunk below the water, her feet touched the bottom and she could push her head above the water and remain on tiptoe.
Before Naya could yell at her, the water churned. Powerful waves hit her body as she tried to keep her face above water.
The woman pulled various bottles out of her bag and peered at them, before lining them up on the ground. Selecting one, she pulled off the cork and sniffed the contents. Satisfied, she tipped two drops into Naya's tube and the water bubbled.
She handed Naya soap and a small cloth, raising her brows with expectation, and Naya suddenly realized, this was a bath. Or at least their version of it. The bigger one she thought she imagined in the tent had been the same thing.
As she washed her face, the woman, who had to be an aide or personal maid, picked up another bottle and poured it in, a fizz encasing her whole body. Within a few moments, the lingering pain in her joints from the ride vanished. Naya wriggled her fingers and toes, twisted her torso and thrashed her limbs. Some pain remained in her ribs, but it was faint. She felt almost back to normal.
The aide washed her hair and helped her out. After drying her, the aide dressed her in a simple tunic and knelt back down to the bath. Her fingers flew over the device and the magic retracted, returning the ring back to a small half circle, and the floor reappeared.
Naya watched with interest. Although she’d had baths in the tents, they’d been raised and shallow. She hadn’t realized they’d been created using a magical device. Was this how they bathed here? It couldn’t be. It had to be only for traveling and convenience.
Taking Naya’s arm, she led her over to the other side of the room and helped her into an enormous bed that sat against the far wall—a thick wooden platform was its frame, covered with a mattress and blankets.
Naya wanted a chance to look around. Now that she was in the beast’s palace, he would expect her to help him with his invasion plans. She needed to decide how to approach it, but her exhaustion was overwhelming.
She was already drifting to sleep by the time the aide stopped fussing with her blankets, but still felt the light pat on her arm as if to reassure her that whatever was coming might not be as dark as the dread growing in her chest.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The next morning a meal had been laid out on the platform at the end of the bed.
Naya climbed out of the bed and tried the door, but it was locked. Not a surprise. She explored every inch of the room, trying to see if there was a way out or anything she could use as a weapon.
