Page 14 of #Resort Love
Ambrose chuckled, glancing at Samian, their eyes locking as if they were having a silent conversation. My brows furrowed at their silence, so I looked away, checking the street for a car. The street was empty. My brows furrowed further when I looked back to Ambrose, finding him watching me, his eyesgleaming with amusement, a hint that I was in over my head. His lips curled into a wolfish grin and for a moment, I forgot where I was.
Behind me, Samian cleared his throat, bringing me back to the moment. Flustered, I looked back to the empty street and Ambrose laughed softly to himself.
“Now that you know we’re different, I suppose I should explain what exactly we are. But first, I believe it’s best we leave here before we continue our conversation. I expect that our dear John will soon be calling his friends for help,” Ambrose said, wrinkling his nose. “Now, this may be a tad uncomfortable, but just close your eyes and take a deep breath. It will all be over with momentarily.”
He held out his hand again, and I hesitated, casting one more glance up and down the street. Fumbling with the hem of my shirt, I bit my bottom lip softly before finally taking his hand. Steeling myself for whatever was about to come, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, shuddering as Ambrose slowly wrapped his arm around me, drawing me closer to him. As I breathed him in, he smelled of patchouli with a hint of citrus. Comfort washed through me as I exhaled, my body relaxing into his. However, the feeling didn’t last long when Ambrose leaned in close to my ear, making me tense from at the intimacy of his nearness.
“Ready?” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.
Nodding, I tried not to think of the heat that gathered in the pit of my stomach from the low rumble of his voice. Liam was only a door away, still bleeding and repulsed by what I was, and Samian was so close, yet the heat of Ambrose’s hand pressing on my lower back had me wanting to lean in closer. I felt like I was a traitor, and I never hated myself more.
I nodded and took another deep breath to clear my mind.Suddenly, Ambrose moved us forward a step and the world felt like it fell away as if we were plummeting to the earth. My stomach flipped, my grip on Ambrose tightening as a scream lodged in my throat. Then, as quickly as it vanished, the world snapped back into place.
Chapter 8
Sybil
Opening my eyes, I pushed away from Ambrose, collapsing to my knees as I vomited onto the ground. My hands gripped the soft grass beneath me, my muscles tensing when I heard quick steps rush closer. Gentle hands gathered my hair back and rubbed slow circles along my spine. Closing my eyes, my shaking body relaxed at the comforting warmth. Finally, I sat back, wiping the tears from my face.
Samian knelt beside me, his worried eyes keeping a close watch on me. “The first time is always the hardest,” he said softly, giving me a reassuring smile. I couldn’t help the blush warming my cheeks or the small smile that rose on my lips.
Samian gently pulled me up to my feet. When I looked at Ambrose, his face quickly shifted from a grimace to a tight smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Taking a step away from me, Ambrose motioned to the field around us. My gaze lingered a moment longer, not missing the distance he placed between us, confusion clouding my mind.
“Welcome to Nemos, the upper realm,” Ambrose said, the lines of his face relaxing slightly.
Following his gaze, I gaped at the breathtaking beauty of the rolling hills stretching before me. We stood in the middle of a field of tall green grass that danced from the balmy wind, the breeze brushing my skin, feeling light and soothing. Flowers of all different species and sizes grew wild and free, scattered across the field, transforming it into a sea of color.
Looking up, I saw sun setting, painting the sky and clouds as if they were on fire. My heart pounded with wonder as I spun around, taking it all in, only stopping when I spotted a dense forest that ran along the field’s edge. Its peaceful darkness called to me like a song, luring me to walk along its winding paths.
Placing a hand on my shoulder, Samian pulled me closer to him while keeping a wary eye on the forest. “Be careful with the call of the woods, Sybil. There are many creatures here that prey on beings like you. Until you’re strong enough to resist its call, never come here alone. Understood?”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded slowly. His warning twisted my stomach, reminding me of my father’s cautions during my childhood and of the wolves that lurked in the darkened trees. Samian led me away, ushering me closer to Ambrose, but I looked back to the shadowy forest, longing to learn more. Even as a child, part of me yearned to get lost in the flora of the woods, and this place was no different. Something about that cool darkness called to me, beckoning me to explore its secrets.
Ambrose led us through the field until we reached a long, cobbled road, stretching into the distance. We walked along it for some time, Ambrose and Samian chatted quietly as we went, though I caught Samian’s wary eyes watching me morethan once. Our eyes locked again, and I blushed, quickly turning my head away to take in as much as I could before the night fell upon us. This place was achingly beautiful. The colors of this world seemed more vivid and alive. But the more I lost myself in the awe of this magical place, the more a deep sadness inched its way into my heart.
For so long, I knew what each day would look like. But here, with everything so wild and beautiful and free, I couldn’t even begin to fathom what the coming days would bring. I rubbed at the tightness in my chest. Everything felt so overwhelmingly strange and unfamiliar. Excitement bubbled within me, but it was mixed with apprehension at not knowing where I would go next. I knew I would learn about my magic and how to control it, but after that, who knew what the future would bring.
The cobble path eventually led us to a road with a massive gate that gleamed like polished pearls. My eyes widened and I blinked at the stark contrast between the iridescent gate and the wild nature we’d left behind. As we drew closer, the gates swung open, revealing the bustling city beyond as Samian slowed down to walk behind me. I could feel Samian’s gaze on my back while a pressure in my ribs tugged, wanting me to slow my steps, but the splendor of the city stole all my focus.
The buildings were a mix of historic and modern as townhomes and shops lined the streets. The lampposts were a work of art, the metal looping and weaving around the shining orbs that gave the street a soft, warm glow. Horse-drawn carriages dashed along the streets while people hurried along their way. We passed by restaurants overflowing with patrons as Ambrose and Samian pointed out parts of the city, telling me about the different shops on the street. My mouth watered, my stomach grumbling at the scent of the savory meat and herbs that filled the air. We continued along the cobbled sidewalk,and I took in as much as I could, mesmerized by the splendor of the city.
Eventually, we stopped in front of an opulent building made of white stones. My mouth gaped open, my mind spinning. Ambrose turned his head to me, flashing me a wide grin before leading down a path toward to the building. We passed through a smaller gate and crossed through a manicured lawn lined with a variety of white flowers. It was beautiful, but it felt too clean, too unblemished. Walking up to two oversized doors, I carefully took in the carved design of two birds on either side, their wings opened as if in flight, like guardians protecting what lay inside. This place looked like it was built for royalty, and the thought made my stomach drop.
As if reading my mind, Ambrose moved to stand behind me, leaning in close. “Welcome to the Marble Palace—my home for the time being,” he said, gesturing to the doors.
The doors opened into a stunning foyer. The walls were a pristine white marble that gleamed brilliantly in the light. Gold-trimmed moldings lined along the tops of the walls, their antique designs laced and weaved together, creating intricate flowers. The floors were laid with a similar white marble but were ingrained with golden veins. Toward the back of the foyer, a grand staircase split into two sweeping curves along the walls.
I swallowed, feeling out of place, unused to such pristine elegance. Not allowing myself to get lost in that thought, I followed Ambrose up the magnificent golden stairs, until we reached a private study. Ambrose opened the door, allowing me to walk in first. I fought the urge to bristle as I glanced around the room. The study matched the marble-and-gold theme of the palace but it was accented with a dark wooden desk and leather chairs. It was simple in design, but it didn’t dampen the luxurious feel of the room. It seemed to match Ambrose, atleast from what I’d learned from him in our short time together.
Ambrose motioned for me to sit on the dark brown leather couch as he went to a small cart stocked with different types of drinks and spirits. He poured me some water, walking back to place it on the table beside me and settled into the chair across from me. Samian stood close to the door, leaning against the marbled wall, idly picking at his nails with an air of boredom.
“Welcome to my study,” Ambrose said with a wave of his hand while leaning back into his chair. “I know you must be confused and probably a bit shocked by the events of today, but let me start off by saying one thing: this is where you belong. Although you are human, the blood of this realm runs through your veins.”
My heart raced. I had always felt different from my family and friends, but I just thought it was because I was more aloof than them, more reserved. But now, listening to Ambrose, my mind felt jumbled with the weight of his words.The blood of this realm runs through your veins. My back straightened as I braced myself and nodded for Ambrose to continue.
“Now with that out of the way, let’s start our little story,” he sighed, pausing while I nervously took a sip of the cold water. “Long ago, there was a time when only one realm existed. In this realm, all types of beings roamed the Earth together. It was a time of great chaos, to say the least.
Wars often broke out across the realm, famine ran rampant, and creatures and humans alike lived in terror of one another. Eventually, the rulers of the realm came together, deciding to combine their magic and separate the Earth into three separate realms: the lower, the middle, and the upper realm. You were born into Mide—the middle realm, which consists mostly of humans and little magic, though there are cases of beings likeme that make the Mide their home. Dubnos, the lower realm, was created for the creatures born of the dark and shadows. Demons, dark fae, the unseelie, and creatures of shadow rule in the lower realm. Here in Nemos, the light fae, the seelie, seraphim, and creatures of light rule. With me so far?”
