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AMIRA
Ialmost didn’t need to see the palace to know where we were when we arrived. Kyllen had described his home so perfectly in his stories to me, I could envision it well in my mind.
A giant royal marsh tree housed the central portion of the palace, with rooms spaced evenly between the wide branches. It was surrounded by seven younger trees. All were interconnected by hanging bridges on every level.
Thick roots grew deep into the ground, raising the tree trunks out of the water of Layahi Bay. High in the middle of the central tree would be the great court of the palace where all the major gatherings took place.
I wondered if that was where they took us upon our arrival. Noise of a large crowd descended on me like a suffocating blanket the moment we got off the paddle board. It grew even louder as we climbed up some stairs and ascended inclined paths. Afraid to trip on the way, I kept clinging to Kyllen’s arm.
“Ahhh,” he exhaled at my side. “This is just as I remember it.” I wasn’t sure whether he was referring to the place or the crowd surrounding us. Probably both. “Not much has changed. How long has it been? Four? Five hundred years?”
That was the “when” we had landed in. These many centuries would mean some drastic changes on Earth. But in Nerifir, Kyllen had said before, life flowed slowly, with few visible changes from generation to generation.
His words drowned in the ocean of voices—the ocean that seemed close to consuming me.
How many people were around us? Hundreds? Thousands?
They surrounded us. I could feel their stares with my skin that crawled with unease. Every now and then, a phrase would leap at me from the cacophony of noises, lashing like a slap.
“Human? How curious…”
“What’s the lord going to do with her?”
“Fuck her. Or trade her. Humans are rare. She would fetch a good price.”
“Is she a trophy or a prisoner?”
“If she was a prisoner, why didn’t he just execute her?”
“That would’ve been a mercy. She won’t last long, anyway…”
Their comments didn’t scare me. I trusted Kyllen not to hurt me, not on purpose, anyway. The invisible crowd, idly chatting about my execution, seemed far more menacing. I gripped Kyllen’s sleeve tighter, pressing my side to him.
More voices sounded all around me. Now they were talking about him.
“Is the lord going to reclaim his position, do you think?”
“Well, he’s the eldest son. It’s his birthright.”
“But Udren has been our High Lord for centuries. He committed no crime by taking his father’s place.”
“Dinner is served!” someone announced over the noise of the crowd.
“Hungry?” Kyllen whispered into my ear.
“No,” I replied quickly. I’d lost whatever appetite I had.
Sitting at a table with all these people, feeling like their stares were burning through my blindfold… I couldn’t do it, not when I was exhausted by the lack of sleep and the long hike through the wetlands of Lorsan. I felt too overwhelmed by the new world that had crashed over me so suddenly and so…intense.
“My lord,” Kyllen said loudly. “Please allow us a few minutes to change our clothes. We don’t want to disgrace your fine company with our ragged appearance.”
“Don’t linger, brother,” Udren demanded. “We all are eager to hear about your adventures in the land of humans.”
As Kyllen led me aside, someone joined us. “I’ll show you to your rooms.”
“I know how to find my rooms,” Kyllen snapped.
The man cleared his throat and continued uncertainly, “Well, Lord Bherlon is currently occupying your former rooms, my lord, with the adjacent apartments being taken by his wife, Lady Igaed.”
“Of course they’d be taken.” Kyllen didn’t sound surprised. “By my nephew,” he added pointedly.
It wouldn’t be easy for him to slip back into his life at the palace. It had been taking its course without him for so long.
“We have other beautiful rooms to offer for accommodation to you and your…um, human friend,” the man suggested.
“Do you now?” Kyllen replied flatly. “Well, lead the way, my fine man.”
The gorgonian led us to a room he said was for me. He then wanted to take Kyllen up a few levels to a room they had prepared for him, but Kyllen refused.
“Find me one right here, next to hers,” he demanded. “I’ll help her settle meanwhile, while you’re getting it ready.”
The moment we were left alone in my new room, I turned to Kyllen. “I don’t want to go to dinner. Please. Not even if we get changed. I can’t…”
He petted my arm. “I gathered you wouldn’t. It’s too much, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I exhaled in relief that he understood.
“I’ll have to go, though. It’s important that I attend.” He sounded rather grim.
I squeezed his hand. “I know. It’s fine. I’ll wait here.”
“I’ll send you some food.”
I shook my head. “Don’t bother. I’m so tired, I’ll probably fall asleep before it arrives.”
