Page 30 of Hidden Kingdoms

My self-allotted time to not drop dead passed by, and I deemed it safe to eat, moving the pile of clothes off the tray.

I groaned in the relief that only satiating an empty stomach could provide, tearing into the still-warm rolls, soft and fluffy inside. I consumed two before leaving one to the side; I didn’t know when I was going to get another meal. The unfamiliar berries were surprisingly sweet, juice popping over my tongue as I contemplated the pitcher in the centre of the table that was filled with water.

Fuck it, I’m ninety percent sure they aren’t planning to poison me.

Filling a cup, I drained it in one go before portioning the cheese and meat, saving some with the last roll for later. I sat back, studying the only decoration in this drab, grey box. The painting of the fruit bowl, plump peaches huddled against a bunch of bananas and a whole bushel of apples. I counted the grapes as I picked at the food on the tray until I’d finished, stomach comfortably full.

I knew the first thing to figure out was where the hell I was. I’d barely been able to see a thing from the moment I face-planted the freezing ground. While also having absolutely no idea what these people wanted with me, I felt like nailing down a destination was the best place to start. All things considered, I didn’t feel I was in danger right now, which almost felt more dangerous. I wasn’t planning on hanging around if I got the chance to run for it.

Wiping my hands down Big Man’s jumper, I went to the unbarred window that was my only other means of escape. Ignoring the broken chair from yesterday’s misguided attempts, I hoped to gauge what part of the castle I was in. An ultimately pointless endeavour considering I knew nothing about the castle or grounds anyway.

Running my hands around the edges, I felt for a latch. I was a few floors up but that was only a problem if I could get the window open. Finding nothing, I braced both hands on the glass, pushing slightly to test its durability. It wouldn’t break; the wooden fragments that I was carefully avoiding were proof of that, but if I could somehow remove the whole window in one piece—quietly—I could edge my way down the building.

Maybe… possibly…

Unlikely, but here we are.

Not ready to quit before I’d even tried, I considered magik. It would require more than I had ever tried to use, and considering I was both physically and mentally drained, I didn’t think itwould get me far. Still, closing my eyes in concentration, hands steady on the cold panes I pushed as much energy into them as I could. My arms were straining with the effort and despite the new edge my magik had taken, it came to nothing. The frame didn’t even rattle.

With no choice but to accept defeat for now, my hands fisted in the mess of my hair, tugging in frustration at having to abandon my doomed escape plan. Stepping away, the warm floor soothed the ache in my soles from my barefoot sprinting session the day before, and as the sleeves of the borrowed jumper I was wearing fell once again past my wrists, I remembered the clothing on the table.

Back at the table, I let the soft cream material unfold and two more items dropped out. I’d been given a short-sleeved top with matching shorts and giant white knickers that I cringed at the idea of wearing. Not that I was in any position to complain. The fire was still blazing, the room heated enough that in here I would be fine, but considering I was still barefoot, I wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

During yesterday’s panic, I hadn’t even had time to thank the gods I had been gifted a fully functioning bathroom, and as I pushed the door open, fresh clothes in hand, I sent out a little prayer of how thankful I was that I wasn’t going to be pissing in a bucket.

It wasn’t much but a small shower, sink, and an actual toilet were more than enough. There was no lock, but beggars can’t be choosers A mirror hung above the sink and I was unable to avoid my reflection in the small space. My usually tanned skin was tinted an unhealthy grey, untold strands of straggling white hair had fallen loose from the bun I had thrown it in last night, curling around my head.

Not all of me looked as bedraggled—my eyes were clearer, brighter. Tired, yes, but more alive than I’d ever seen. The dark-brown irises sparkling with colours I had never noticed before.

Stripping out of my dirty clothes, my eyes dipped to the empty hollow in my neck where my pendant should lay. It felt empty without its comfortable weightagainst my skin. I hated the thought of Nanna finding it broken and me gone, but there was nothing I could do about that now. I ran my fingers over the gold bangles that wrapped around my wrists. At least I still had this piece of home with me.

Carefully pulling the hair tie from my bun—one that I doubted would be replaced if I broke it—set it on the sink next to a fresh bar of soap that smelled faintly of pinecones.

My hair didn’t move, didn’t fall gracefully down my back. Instead, it stayed locked in a tangled ball on my head. I groaned as a quick glance confirmed that their hospitality hadn’t extended to a hairbrush and set about awkwardly finger-combing the tangles until my arms began to ache, and I grimaced at the still-knotted strands in the mirror.

Not great, but it would do for now.

Soap in hand, I stepped into the shower. There was only a single button, and I pressed it wearily. It responded to my touch, hot water pouring over me as the heat seeped into my aching muscles.It was pure bliss.

I stood for a long time, letting the water cascade down my body before I made any move to wash, and while my one bar of soap wasn’t the best shampoo I’d ever used, it did the job. I shut the water off before wrapping the single towel that hung from the door around myself, leaving my dirty clothes in a heap on the floor.

I dressed in the clothes I’d been given, drying my hair with the towel before hanging it back on the door. The soft fabric skimmed over my skin like the silken touch of a rose petal, andI couldn’t stop myself from running my hands over it again and again.

While the shower had been a welcome distraction, I knew there was nothing else for me to do but get better acquainted with my temporary accommodation.

There wasn’t much left to look at that I hadn’t already. I eyed the TV—if it worked, that would be a bonus, though I couldn’t see a remote anywhere. Running my fingers along the edge in search of a switch, I hit a small bump and it flickered on, static fuzz filling the screen. Disappointed but not completely surprised, I turned it off, the screen turning black once more. I opened and closed every drawer, finding nothing but an old, broken pencil.

A glance at the selection of books stacked on the dresser told me there were none I recognised. I picked up a small cloth-bound volume, its slightly faded title readingOne Hundred Tales of the Fae of Old. As I flicked through the pages, noting the sweet illustrations that accompanied every story, it felt comfortable in my hand.

Fast having run out of things to look at, I put the book down onto the bed, moving to the window. I couldn’t see the way I’d walked to get here, and though I could see the boundary wall circling in the distance, I couldn’t make out the giant one we had first entered through.

Spread below were gardens covered in bright, neat rows of flower beds, the patches of red and white like a chess board of blossoms. Cobbled paths wound through them while low stone walls marked out the pathways. Iron benches were dotted around and tall statues—similar but not quite as large as the one in the fountain I had seen—stood surrounded by dark, trimmed hedges. Beyond the neatly curated garden was an area walled off with twisting golden gates.

Further out, sweeping across the horizon, a sea of green and brown stretched up towards the sky, leafy branches competing with each other for the gentle touch of the sun. At the beginning of the tree line, branches had been woven together to create a living archway that led into their depths. My heart yearned for the coolness of their cover, to walk between their trunks and feel the dappled sunlight falling across my skin. I always felt at peace within the trees and these ones called to me like my woods at home. The frost that marked the edges put me off just a little.

Even if I made it out of this room, there was still an entire palace to navigate. Not to mention at least two heavily manned battlements to get through. I stood in silent resignation, watching the treetops ripple in a breeze that I wasn’t sure would next touch my skin. I closed my eyes on a sigh with the thoughts of home heavy on my heart.

I was back within the trees, cool, crisp air wrapping around me me in a caress reminiscent of home, yet distinctly different at the same time. Sunlight, soft and welcoming, streamed down through the branches, beams cutting to the ground intersecting the darkness. Birds sang from high in their trees, lilting songs unfamiliar to my ears, but I lost myself in their melodies nonetheless. Small bursts of light fell through the patches of sun, their bright orbs floating above the dark earth before fading out again.

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