AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He put a protective arm around my waist and pulled me into him. "I will never let anything hurt you."
Next, we stepped into the root-rock and all my misgivings were forgotten at the sight. I had never imagined living in a treehouse, but that was what this looked like.
Most of the inside was hollowed out. Long, winding stairways led up to manymultileveled mezzanines, where I made out knotted doors leading to presumably private quarters.
Garth kept leading us forward until we were underneath one of the giant arches. Here too multileveled mezzanines ran up the walls, all the way to the ceiling, but the center was a giant hall with tables and enormous fireplaces reminding me of the great halls in old castles.
Where Daryus's palace had been adorned in dazzling white tones, this place was darker, just as you would have expected from being inside a tree-rock, but it wasn't gloomy.
Giant tapestries hung from walls, niches had been carved and were filled with candles and knickknacks. Tables and chairs occupied most of the space as if this were the dining room of a giant hotel.
"Let me show you our quarters." Garth pulled at my hand and yelled and ordered Ryggs to make sure the humans found a place to settle for now.
And then we walked up stairs. Many, many stairs. So many, I finally needed to stop for a moment and not only catch my breath, but stretch my aching legs.
"You'll get used to it." Garth laughed and scooped me up.
"I don't know." I threw a tentative glance down, way down, where the dining hall seemed small now. "What if I forget my scarf orsomething?" I worried, dreading having to walk up all these stairs because I left something behind.
"Don't worry. I'll gladly fetch it for you." He kissed me for good measure and I knew he meant what he said.
At least the mezzanines have rails, I comforted myself, because looking down I was beginning to get dizzy.
"The top floor," Garth announced.
Of course, I thought sarcastically. But when he carried me into our quarters all misgivings and sarcasm left me.
"Oh Garth, it's beautiful," I exclaimed.
To the left of us a large balcony had been carved out of the root-rock, closed off by glass doors right now, but I caught a glimpse of a breathtaking view of the valley, filled with so many root-rocks I lost count.
The room we had entered wasn't large, but rather cozy. There was a fireplace with a seating arrangement around it and more of the bean bag chairs I liked so much facing the balcony.
Garth swung the doors open to another room, his study. "I will have another desk set up for you here, that way we can work together."
My heart leapt at the idea of imaging us working together here.
"Bathroom." He opened a second door.
"With running water,"I made sure.
He laughed. "Vra, running and warm."
I had no idea how the water made it up all the way here, but I took his word for it and was all too happy to not only see a shower and toilet, but a large, oval bathtub that seemed to have been carved out of the root-rock and seemed to beckon me.
"Bedroom." Garth pulled my hand, looking just slightly sheepish.
The bedroom too offered a large fireplace across from the bed, which looked entirely different from the high-tech bed I had become used to on board theVyper. And it wasn't only because of the many furs on it. The head- and footboard were undoubtedly also carved from root-rock and intricately engraved with images of Astrionis.
Old-fashioned trunks stood at the foot of the bed as well as along the other two walls.
"I know it isn't much, not compared to Daryus's pala—"
I cut him off by flinging myself against him. "It's perfect. I was worried your palace would be as intimidating as Daryus's, but this is much cozier. I love it."
His face turned serious. "I love you."
My heart stuttered. Even though we were mated, had promised to stand by each other for the rest of our lives, we hadn't said thesewords yet.
