Page 135 of Hidden Kingdoms

“Yep. Now hand,” she demanded, and I held mine out to her, eyes widening as her nail grew into a sharp claw. Jabbing it into the pad of my thumb, droplets of blood welled from the small cut before she pulled me forward and held my hand against the wood, ensuring my blood smeared over the surface.

“Um, what the fuck, Alouette?” I gaped at her over my arm, but she just nodded towards my hand, and I looked away from her as a red glow emanated from the door. My blood fizzed against the wood and energy pulsed under my hand. In a panic, I tried to wrench my hand away but it was bound to the wood.

I turned back to Alouette. “Again, what the actual fuck is going on?”

“Just shut up, and let the door do its job.”

Returning my attention to the door, all trace of my blood had disappeared, the light now focused under my hand. I froze as it slipped into my skin, lighting me from within, and my own magik didn’t do a single thing to stop it. It merely peeked out from where it was resting before deciding I was in no immediate danger and fading away once more.

A loud clunk echoed through the hall at the same time my hand was released, and the light cut out, the wooden door unlatching and opening a fraction. Alouette pulled at the handle I must have missed earlier and stalked through, a wicked glint lighting her eyes.

“Couldn’t give me a heads up?” I asked incredulously as I stared at her.

“It brings me no end of joy watching you shit yourself when anything new comes up, and I won’t apologise for it.” Shegrinned, and her features had changed slightly. Her eyes a little more slanted, teeth a little sharper.

“And here I was thinking we were friends,” I muttered as I followed by her side, looking down at my thumb that held no trace of her mutilation.

“We are, but I’ve got to get my kicks from somewhere.”

“How kind of you.” I rolled my eyes at her.

“I said we were friends. I never said I was kind.”

“Fair point.” I laughed. “So, care to explain what that was, where I am and how the fuck you can just grow your nails like that?”

We had walked into a circular room, black marble lining the floor and walls. The golden sconces here ridiculously fancy, the flames within them rose high, licking at the walls hungrily. The room filled with a heavy heat that smelled of sage.

“So many questions,” she teased.

Directly ahead was another corridor with two huge, black statues situated either side, again of a woman. In the first, she was being consumed by the angry blaze that tore at her body, her face a mask of anguish as her flesh burned. In the second, she was fury incarnate. A dark goddess rising from the flames; no, not rising from them, shewasthe flames. The fiery tongues lashing at her skin were no longer burning, they were a part of her and though she was only a statue, it felt like so much more than that. Two more doors were set into the circular wall, but we walked straight, towards the flaming woman.

“Are you going to answer them?” I asked my voice low, not willing to disturb whatever this place was.

She sighed dramatically as she looked at me. “Do you know it’s exhausting trying to keep track of everything you don’t know.”

“Believe me, I’m well aware of how much I don’t know.”

“Maybe we should keep some sort of log?”

“That’s not even funny, now give me some answers.”

“Fine.” We continued on as she spoke. “This is the Igneous wing, where your new room will be. What I just did with the door,” She gestured behind her. “Is how you’re allowed in. I added your essence into the Palace’s fabric, so that you now have its permission. It will recognise you and not try to kill you for trespassing.”

“You’re joking, right?” I stared at her in disbelief.

“One hundred percentnotjoking.”

“The palace can kill me?”

“Oh yes, quite easily.”

“So why haven’t I had to do that before?”

“You were only in the boring parts.”

“And now?”

“Now, it’s about to get exciting.” Her eyes flashed with delight at my confusion, my mind struggling to hold more information.

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