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Bending to catch my breath in the change of altitude, I took in my first view of Iolatara.
I am not sure what I expected, but this wasn’t it.
It was incredible how many of Iolatara’s features were the same as Earth. Things like the tall mountain peaks in the distance and the puffy clouds in the sky.But other things couldn’t have been more different. Such as the deep purple tint of the grass and the two suns in the sky.
Bion followed my gaze and explained. “We have twin suns here. One rises in the south, and the other rises in the north. They pass by each other every day.”
I nodded, too transfixed by the suns to answer. Instead of the warm golden glow our sun bathed the earth in, the twin suns radiated a soothing rose gold onto Iolatara.
Reaching down, I plucked some of the purple grass, running my hands along the thick blades. It was soft, like velvet.
“Smell it,” Bion encouraged.
I narrowed my eyes. Was he trying to prank me?
Bion chuckled at my obvious distrust of him. “It isn’t going to hurt you. Just take a sniff.” His hand covered mine, and leaning over until our noses nearly touched, he brought the grass close enough for us both to take a sniff.
I moaned, and my stomach rumbled. It smelled like spicy cinnamon and warm sugar. Lifting my eyes from the grass, I asked. “How?”
“You have flowers that smell, and we have scented grass.” Bion shrugged, his laughter fading as his eyes slid down my face. Our lips were nearly touching in this position, and the intimacy of the situation had me standing quickly and taking a few steps back. If I planned to resist him, I had to keep some space between us.
Looking down into the valley beneath us, I spotted the beautiful ivory buildings scattered at the base of the mountain.
At first glance, each building seemed to have a domed roof made from a rainbow, but taking a closer look, I could see it was some kind of iridescent material that shifted colors with every movement I made.
Another thing that appeared quite different was the water as it cascaded down the mountains on the opposite side of the valley in a breathtaking waterfall before crashing into a golden river at its base.
My eyes followed the path of the gold river as it curved through the city, weaving around some buildings while other buildings had been built over it.
In some places, the river was as narrow as a creek, but in other places, it was wide enough that swimming it would have been exhausting for a human. It was an incredible sight to behold.
“Is there actual gold in the water?” I squinted at the water, confused that it seemed to be transparent.
“No. Water usually reflects the color of the sky. In your world, the sky is blue, but on Iolatara our sky is a pale yellow, and it gives our water the appearance of molten gold.” Bion paused. “Or like someone peed in it.”
I choked on a laugh. “You’re a strange man, Bion.”
“That’s not the first time I’ve been told that.” Bion averted his gaze, but not before I caught a hint of sadness. I filed that away, finding myself wanting to know what had caused his pain.
“See that building?” Bion moved to stand beside me. Our shoulders brushed, and I tried to ignore the alluring tingle spreading across my skin from the brief touch. My body recognized him as mine. If the siren were in control, she would have claimed him on the spot as she had done with Kye.
I couldn’t take another mate. There was no more room in my bed, and I already struggled to ensure each of my mates had time alone with me. Taking another mate would mean Bion would get very little time with me, and that wasn’t fair to him. Plus, if Lokene’s comments were to be believed, Bion was a player, not the type of man to settle down.
The mates I chose had made huge commitments—to my other mates and to me. If I chose someone and they decided they didn’t want this life… I truly didn’t know what that would do to me.
Pushing back my shoulders, I took a step away from him. I had a mission, and I didn’t need the distraction or the risk.
I followed the line of his arm to see which building he was pointing to. It was a large circular building in the middle of the city, one of the buildings that had been built over the river.
“That’s the meeting house of the Elders.” Bion looked up at the sky. “The twin suns have not crossed each other yet, so the Elders will still be in session.”
“Then it’s best I hurry down and introduce myself. Let’s go.” Grabbing my pack and tossing it over my shoulders, I began the steep trek down the mountainside.
“Are you sure you want to go inside?” Bion asked.
I didn’t bother to respond. He could either read my mind to get my answer, or he could simply follow my actions, but now was not the time for words.
I flattened both palms on the double gold-plated doors. Releasing the hold I kept on my roiling anger, I blew the heavy doors off their golden hinges. The shriek of the metal and splintering wood as the doors crashed into the hand-painted tile floor was horrific.
