26
Darius
I pound against Emerald City’s protective shield, but it’s all in vain. I can’t break through. How Dorothy managed to simply walk through is a mystery. When the guards capture her, I lose my mind, screaming her name from the top of my lungs.
“What are you doing? They can’t hear you,” Reo snaps.
Kevvan swings his arms left and right, sharp claws on display, but he goes nowhere either. “What in the world is this?”
“Emerald City’s greatest defense. Monkey feathers. I should be able to breach through. I designed this damn thing.” I clutch my head with both hands. “I hate this. Why can’t I remember things?”
“Whoa. Easy there, buddy. There’s no reason to panic.” Kevvan tries to appease me.
“You are a royal member of the Emmerlin family. Shouldn’t you just be able to walk through as well?” Reo watches me with a narrowed gaze.
“I’m sure there’s a way, but I can’t fucking remember, all right?”
Kevvan widens his eyes, taking a step back for good measure. Reo just stares at me with disdain.
“Look, they brought Dorothy back to her feet,” Kevvan points out.
She says something to the guards, getting a frown, followed by an angry retort, if I’m to guess by his body language. He looks in our direction and signals for his men to approach.
“Stay behind me and don’t say a word,” I say through clenched teeth.
“As long as they don’t try to take me captive. Otherwise, I promise nothing,” Kevvan replies.
“No one is taking you captive,” I reply with more confidence than I feel at the moment.
When the guards are near enough that I can distinguish between their faces, I puff out my chest and raise my chin in a way that conveys royal arrogance. I’m grasping at straws here. I have no recollection of belonging to the Emmerlin royal family.
It’s impossible to miss when the guards zero in on my tattoo. Their eyes widen before they glance at each other. They must have said something to their boss because the guard holding Dorothy by her arm lets go of her to come closer to the barrier’s perimeter. His men part to let him stop right in front of me. He stares at my tattoo for a long moment.
“Let me through,” I say, making sure I enunciate the words well so he can read my lips.
With a narrowing of his eyes, he retrieves a small device from his breast pocket. It looks like a dial with a small emerald in the middle. With it, he draws a circle in the air, leaving a trail of green sparks as he does so.
The air changes. A familiar smell of citrus flower and fresh green leaves wafts in my direction. The guard takes a step forward through the rift he created in the barrier.
“Sir Darius Valdran? Is that you?” he asks.
“Uh, yes. It’s me.”
“I almost didn’t recognize you.” The guard switches his attention to my companions. “And who are these fellows?”
“These are my travel companions, and so is the woman you’re holding trapped like a common criminal.” I point at Dorothy.
“Forgive me, sir. I didn’t know she traveled with you. She was able to breach our barrier like it was never there. We thought for certain she was a dark witch.”
“Well, she isn’t. Now, release her at once.” I put as much emphasis in my tone of voice as I can. I have no idea how I’m supposed to act, but it sounded royal enough.
“Of course.” The guard gives the order to his men before focusing on me again. “Now, please, come at once. We can’t risk keeping the barrier open for too long. The Raven Witch’s attacks are coming with more frequency now.”
“How often are we talking?” Reo asks.
The guard looks at him with distrust, so I add, “We just witnessed a squadron of airspeeds attempt to destroy the barrier. The Raven Witch was among them.”
“Yes. She’s been sending her squadron every day. Today was the first time she actually joined her pilots. I’m not sure why she’s so keen to gain access to Emerald City.”
“Maybe it’s because Dorothy killed the Red Witch,” Kevvan says.
All guards seem to freeze on the spot.
“Are you saying that girl over there is the Witch Slayer?” The guard’s eyes are almost bulging out of his skull now.
“Yes, I am. And this is the payment I receive for my great service?” Dorothy shouts while the other guards are cutting her loose.
“Dunk a duckling. We must get word to the regent prince at once.”
Free from her binding, Dorothy moves toward us. Toto takes off in her direction with a bark, jumping into her arms when he’s within reach.
“That’s perfect,” she says. “While you are at it, if you could also arrange a meeting with the Great Wizard of Oz, it would be great.”
“Sir, you didn’t tell the Witch Slayer?”
“Tell me what?” She arches an eyebrow.
My thoughts exactly. Tell her what?
“Well, the Great Wizard doesn’t receive visitors. Ever.”
“What? Why not? It’s of the utmost importance that I speak with him.” Her voice rises to a shrill.
“It’s okay, Dorothy. I’m sure he will make an exception for you,” I say, catching a glimpse of disapproval from the guard.
“Well, regardless, I’ll escort you and your companions to see your cousin, Sir Darius. He’s been beside himself since your disappearance.”
“He has?” I scratch my neck, hoping the guard will give me more intel. I can’t remember who my cousin is.
“Forgive me the intrusion, but who exactly is Darius’s cousin?” Kevvan asks, and I thank him in my head.
The guard regards the hellioncat as if he were a wildling without manners. I’d pay to see his reaction when he learns he’s glowering at a king.
“The regent prince of Emerald City.”
My companions gape at me like they’re seeing me for the first time. Even Dorothy is watching me differently. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.
“So, you’re from that side of the royal family,” Reo mutters. His remark might sound like a quip, but the calculating gleam in his eyes indicates otherwise.
Maybe I shouldn’t have allowed him to come into Emerald City. What do I know about the cyborg?
But my sixth sense—if that is what this feeling of foreboding is—comes too late. With a whoosh, the protective barrier seals shut again. If Reo is not to be trusted, I might have brought in Emerald City’s downfall.
27
Dorothy
I have to hold my jaw shut to stop gawking at the wonders of Emerald City. I’ve been to beautiful places before, but I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like it—or so monochromatic either. Almost everything is in different shades of green. From buildings made of translucent stones and glass to the pavement. Some of the most lavish constructions are decorated with large, emerald gems, just like the gates were. Even the metallic surfaces on doors and windows are green. Bold, geometric shapes create intricate patterns on the facade of stores, and even with the absence of any other color besides green, the expression I can use to explain what I’m seeing is visual drama.
If that wasn’t enough, all citizens of Emerald City wear green clothes.
“Is it me, or do these people not know any other color?” Kevvan mutters under his breath.
“There must be a reason they favor it,” I say, trying to be diplomatic.
“Favor it?” Reo snorts. “That’s a nice way to put it.”
I elbow him on the side, regretting immediately when sharp pain shoots up my arm. I forgot he’s made of steel.
“There is a reason,” Darius says. “I just can’t remember.”
He’s walking a little ahead of us, right behind the guards who serve to open a path for us in the busy street. Pedestrians and merchants alike stop in their daily tasks to stare at us in a curious manner. Some people even point at Kevvan and Reo when they aren’t looking.
Despite the peculiarity of
this city, the one detail that infuses my heart with hope is how modern this buzzing metropolis is. Just like the destroyed outer city we came across, there are highways crisscrossing above us, connecting tall buildings and towers. People are actually using fast vehicles to travel, similar to cars but without any wheels. It seems they’re hovering above the translucent road. I realize with a start that the pavement is of the same type of material as the yellow road that led us here.
The guards take us across a busy intersection toward a glass building with revolving doors. There’s no signage above, which is not helpful when I’m trying to get a clue of what’s going on. Once inside the building, we are led to the security desk where a friendly woman greets us with a cheery smile. Her hair is not green—thank the stars—but everything else, including her lipstick, is.
“Welcome to Emerald City. May I have your scan-docs, please?”
“What is this? Some kind of check-in point?” I mumble to Reo.
“Customs, I’d assume,” he replies.
“They don’t have one,” Darius says, causing the smile on the attendant’s face to wilt.
“Actually, I do.” Reo walks around me, handing the woman a shiny metal card.
The woman is happy once more, but I’m not sure it’s because Reo has an ID on him. I notice how her eyes linger on his handsome face longer than necessary.
Whoa. Handsome face? Since when do I notice anything about Reo besides his abhorrent personality?
“Thank you, Mr. Kurogane.” She hands his ID back, and I’m sure she brushes her fingers with his on purpose.
I narrow my eyes to slits. It doesn’t dawn on me until a moment later that my sudden irritation is caused by jealousy. I’m jealous because another girl is flirting with Reo. Somebody commit me.
“Something wrong, Dorothy?” Reo asks close to my ear.
I swear, I hear amusement in his question.
“Nope.” I cross my arms, pouting like a petulant child.
“I’m afraid I’ll need to see some sort of identification. Those are the direct orders from the palace.” The attendant stares at Darius, her hard gaze unwavering. She only makes googly eyes for the cyborg apparently.
Unlike you, who’s melting for every male in your party.
Irritated with my own inner thoughts, I open my mouth to lash out at the woman, but Darius speaks before I can, his spine going rigid as he lifts his chin. “I am Darius Valdran, and these are my honorable guests—Kevvan Leuw, King of Hell-Ion, and Dorothy, the Witch Slayer.” He points at us with a flourish of his hand. “Do you dare deny me entrance into my own home?”
The woman’s face blanches as she stares at Kevvan first, and then at me. “Is she really the Witch Slayer?”
“Yes,” I reply, doing my best to imitate Darius’s arrogant stance.
The guard who escorted us here leans forward to whisper into the woman’s ear.
She flicks at Darius. “My apologies, sir. I didn’t recognize you. Of course you and your guests may enter Emerald City.”
A different guard comes to take us through another set of doors. These ones lead us to an atrium where the arched ceiling is made out of stained glass. Surprisingly, the art depicted on them is in all sorts of colors, creating a prism effect where the sunlight hits. Once again, I find myself picking up my jaw from the floor.
The busy room is filled with people walking with a sense of purpose. Watching them go about their business makes it almost easy to imagine that the country outside the great walls of Emerald City isn’t in utter chaos.
As we approach the middle of the atrium, a great fountain comes into view. The statue at its center is of a masked man wearing a long jacket with a high collar. His right foot is propped on a rock as he gazes into the distance. The statue seems to be made of green bronze, if that’s even a thing.
“Who is that?” I ask.
When Darius doesn’t answer, I peer at his face. His eyebrows are furrowed together, and his lips are nothing but a thin, flat line.
“That’s the regent prince,” the guard escorting us answers.
“Why is he wearing a mask?” Kevvan asks this time.
“Because no one is allowed to see his face,” Darius finally answers as we come closer to the fountain.
“Really? Why?” I quicken my step to keep up with him.
“Many attempts have been made on the lives of Prince Lennox and Princess Esmeralda. It was decided a long time ago that, whenever they were in public, they’d wear masks,” the guard answers once again.
“Oh, there’s also a princess?” I pointedly look at Darius, but he ignores me.
He seems mad. I can’t fathom what I did wrong now.
“Yes. She’s Lennox’s younger sister,” Darius finally replies. “And the true heir to the throne.”
“I thought the oldest child always inherits the crown,” I say.
“Not here.” Darius veers left, toward a sign that says Speedway Trains.
It’s clear that Darius doesn’t wish to talk about his family—or he just doesn’t want to talk to me—so I slow down until I’m walking between Reo and Kevvan again.
“You’d think Scrawny would be happy to be back home,” Reo chimes in.
“Maybe there’s a reason he left,” I say more to myself than anyone else.
I should be feeling ecstatic to finally be in Emerald City after so many ordeals and near-death experiences. And yet my heart is heavy. I must find a minute to talk to Darius alone. I have to clear the air between us.
After going through another revolving door, we reach a platform with tracks on both sides. Peering closer, I realize track is not the right term. Once again, I find the same translucent material as before, but this time, I can actually sense the crystals powering the system. It’s almost like a low humming vibration.
The sound of an incoming train catches my attention. The shiny green transport reminds me of the modern trams we have on New Earth with its rounder front and panoramic windows. The sliding doors open when the train stops, and we wait for the passengers getting off to clear the path before we enter.
Immediately, I sense the difference in temperature. I also catch a whiff of different fragrances, which only serves to remind me that I haven’t showered in days. I haven’t even looked at my reflection, not that there were many mirrors lying around on the way here. I try to use the glass window to check my appearance, but once the train departs the station, it veers upward on one of those tracks above ground I saw earlier and out into the sun.
I let out a groan, giving my back to the window to sit with my arms crossed.
“What’s with the pout?” Reo asks, sitting opposite me. “We’ve finally made it.”
“Nothing.” I tilt my face to the side and pretend to be people-watching.
I have never been one to bother with how I looked. I’ve always chosen my clothes based on functionality and comfort. The only time I wore makeup was when my cousin Sabrina used me as a practice model. So, why do I care if I look like a raccoon that has been dragged through the mud? Am I turning into one of those vain girls who thinks about nothing else besides attracting the opposite sex?
“Would you look at that?” Kevvan practically glues his nose and hands to the window, resembling a kid more than a king.
His attitude melts away a little of my frustration with myself. I decide to join him and gawk at the beautiful city spread before us. From our vantage point, we can see so much of the famous capital. I even get an inkling to what the full picture would look like if I were peering at it from outer space. The streets have been designed in a pattern that resembles a flower. The buildings form petals, and at its center, the marvelous palace stands.
As the train approaches the palace, I can discern more of its architecture. From far away, it seems the entire structure was carved from giant green crystals. But, once closer, I realize the walls and towers are covered in rectangular tiles. The green is so rich and shiny that, in my mind, I can only think they’re actually emer
ald tiles.
Even in the good old days of abundance on Old Earth, emeralds were considered precious stones, available only to people in the upper class. But, like every natural resource, the emeralds became scarce, which meant one small stone was worth as much as a mansion. To see so many of them in one place and used in the most unconventional ways, it’s mind-boggling.
“I’ve never seen so many emeralds in my life,” I say.
“Yes, it’s quite shocking, isn’t it?” Reo stops next to me. He moved from his seat, and I didn’t even hear him.
“Oz must have an endless supply of them.”
“I was once told this entire land was covered in emeralds. They just sprang from the ground in the most varied shapes and sizes. I can’t confirm the accuracy of this information, though.”
“I suppose, since emeralds are quite common here, they aren’t as valuable as they were on Old Earth.”
“Actually, you’re wrong about that,” Darius replies. He also stood from his seat to gaze out the window. However, he’s left a good space between us.
“I’m wrong about what part?”
“About emeralds not having a lot of value. They’re the reason Emerald City stands and its people are safe.”
I want to ask what he means by that, but a robotic voice coming from the speakers in the train announces we have arrived at our stop. The Emerald Palace.
28
Dorothy
Once we step out of the train, a different guard greets us. His uniform is more elaborate than the ones the guards at the gate wore. Surprisingly, he bears other colors in his garments besides green. Gold embroidery adorns his high collar and cuffs, and the piping on the seams is white.
He guides us through a glass-encased overhang passageway, which leads to a thick metal door at the end. It’s blocked by four guards carrying peculiar-shaped guns. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s a metal disk with the handle cutting across. The end tapers into a sharper point with sections of a different composition. It’s milky white in color. My guess is, it’s some type of conduit glass.
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