Page 26 of Hidden Kingdoms

A second path crossed the first, and where they met was a huge fountain. Sat in the centre, its base shaped into a raised stone bowl and carved with overlapping tongues of flames. Rising from within were a group of women sculpted from obsidian, each one individual to the other woven in a tangle of limbs that made it difficult to work out how many there were. Water burbled gently down through the centre of their tryst, trickling onto their faces and bodies before splashing down into the waiting bowl at their feet.

We reached the fountain, and I peered inside. Ripples distorted the crystal-clear water, though I could still see the shiny coins of varying sizes that had sunk to the bottom. A small gasp fell past my lips as I realised this was a wishing fountain, every single coin tossed into its waters having been someone’s hopes and dreams.

It was something I had done myself countless times in the pool nestled in the woods back home. It was somethingpeople had been doing since the beginning of time, offering our treasures to the water in the hope of a wish granted.

I found myself hoping that all these unknown patrons had gotten theirs; this felt like a good place to ask even if they hadn’t.

Despite the frigid temperature and risk of death by frozen limbs, I pulled up one of my sleeves, holding my hand under the spray and letting the cold water splash onto my hand. It ran down my arm, soaking the fabric bunched around my elbow and part of me hoped it would annoy Big Man if I got his jumper wet. I would have thrown in my own coin if I’d had one.

A sliver of the exhaustion that had been weighing me down lightened as the water ran over my hand. I wasn’t sure how long I had been standing there with my sleeve growing steadily wetter when the thud of boots broke through the splash of the fountain. My giant guide stopped for once, watching me as I had been watching the fountain. I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face as a contentment completely opposed to my current situation washed over me. That small part of my throbbing heart vibrated with happiness the longer I held my hand up under the water.

“Let’s go.” Something I couldn’t pin down flashed through his blue eyes before he turned away, continuing on. With little choice, I pulled my hand from the cool spray of the fountain, tugging down my wet sleeve and squeezing out the excess water. Despite my now frozen fingers, I found that the ache in my body had lessened as I rushed to keep up. I still needed rest but would probably only sleep for about a week instead of two.

Without looking at me, his hand flicked out and I felt the damp material of my sleeve heat, drying out so it was no longer wet and uncomfortable against my skin. I frowned in confusion at yet another display of magik. He had no reason to help me, and I doubted it was out of the kindness of his heart.

I’d lived my life hiding any trace of my magik from the world, and yet here these people were just throwing it out into the open.

As we crossed the second half of the courtyard, the floor was now filled with the shiny pebbles, and I ached to reach down and brush my fingers against them.

That would probably look really fucking weird.

Standing sentinel at the top of the stone steps were a huge pair of black oak double doors. What I guessed were a coat of arms took up almost their entirety. An enormous carved dragon covering the bottom half, its mouth open to spew out three flames glittering with the gemstones they consisted of. The centre flame, and the largest, was made of diamond and opals. On the left, rubies and garnets shimmered like living flames. The right, amber and padparadscha sapphires, were a sunset made physical, though given their rarity I had no idea how they had found so many. Had it been daylight, the glare from them would have been blinding.

Each facet cut so impeccably, with a skill I could barely comprehend, that my mouth opened slack at the sight.

Carved around the solid frame were etchings I didn’t understand but teased at my mind in the same way Marcellus’ cloak had. I crossed my fingers that no more visions would be pushed into my brain, knowing I didn’t have the mental energy for it, not as I was readying to be introduced to my new dungeon pad.

Another set of huge braziers filled with towering flames were alight on either side of the entrance, throwing off a welcoming heat that I ached to get closer to. Three black-helmeted soldiers wearing shining, gilded breastplates stood beside them, some carrying weapons but others carrying nothing at all. None of them had moved when a crack sounded across the courtyard the moment Marcellus’ foot touched the first step, and the doors slowly began to creep open. Hands rising to cross over theirchest they bowed their heads to him as he strode past, paying them no attention.

As the heavy wood swung closed behind us, delicious warmth washed over me, and I shivered slightly as it worked to chase away the chill from outside. Even the grey checkered floor was gloriously warm under my bare feet, and I was grateful for the moment of comfort despite its hard surface and the way they burned a little concerningly at the sudden warmth.

My eyes were wide in wonder for what felt like the hundredth time as I took in inside the palace. Outside of the circumstances of my arrival here, I could still appreciate the beauty I was surrounded by.

The outside theme of grey stone and gold continued within. A cavernous, vaulted ceiling loomed above, its surface painted with a continuous mural of landscape, snowy peaks and erupting volcanoes intersected by windows showing the waiting sky. Below, and set into a circular pit still lined with checkered tiles, a fire burned low. Misshapen lumps of coals glowing like rubies in the ashes.

Past the entry, shining floors swept away beyond the thresholds of doors, archways and corridors, streaks of red marble infusing the dark check in delicate strokes.

A cavernous, vaulted ceiling loomed above, its surface painted with a continuous mural of landscape, snowy peaks and erupting volcanoes intersected by windows showing the waiting sky.

Two grand, black, oak staircases with golden banisters swept up to a large balcony overlooking the space we were standing in. It was still early, the sun not yet risen enough to signal morning, the cavernous room illuminated by the firelight spat from the maws of dragon-shaped sconces mounted on the walls.

Ahead of me, across the hall, was another large set of doors, this time a polished gold that made my magik leap; my fingersached to touch them. I’d never seen so much gold in all my life.Another dragon was carved into the soft metal, the only gem a ruby the size of my fist embedded for its eye.

Skirting the fiery pit, Marcellus swerved behind one of the staircases towards a door I couldn’t even see from the entrance and pressed it open, leading me down a long corridor, with more smokeless flames lighting our way. Doors lined the corridor at random intervals, but he made no move to go through any of them.

I was unsure of how long we had been walking, turning down corridor after corridor, dragging my feet up and down staircases in a way I was certain was just to disorient me, when the carpet stopped and the doors began to grow sparse, the gap between lights larger with each turn.

There was no way for me to keep track of the journey, what with all the stairs we had climbed. Whole sections were now bathed in gloom, and I could feel my anxiety rising, heart rate quickening as I was certain we were now headed towards the dungeons. Each step became heavier than the last as I felt the walls of a prison I had not yet seen closing in on me the deeper I followed this man.

As long as there’s a bed. And food and water, I can work with that.

Besides, after the initial kidnap, no one’s harmed me in any way. In fact,I’mthe one who’s punched one ofthem. I cringed at the thought—that may not have been the best idea, but it’s done now, and hediddeserve it.

We stopped outside a nondescript door, exactly like the countless others, and my breath hitched in response. My heart pounding so hard I could hear the rush of blood in my ears as my world shrunk to the exact size and shape of the pale grey wood in front of me.

It doesn’t look much like a dungeon… but what do I know?

What was waiting for me behind this door? The roar of my blood matched the beat of an angry drum, unease swirling in my stomach as I faced this battle, preparing to willingly walk into this cage. The notion that there was no way to fight my way out of this was a bitter pill to swallow.

---