Again I caught a whiff of her scent and was overcome with desire for her. I wondered what her silky hair would feel like running through my fingers, and I wanted to reach out and feel her delicate wrists again. But I shoved those feelings aside. I was being as bad as Rhys. I’d never behaved like this with a human girl before. Had someone enchanted her with an attraction charm?
“So now what?” Ella watched me warily, though she seemed to have calmed in the wake of Rhys’s departure. “You sacrifice me to some kind of magical fire?”
“Now I show you to your room,” I replied.
Ella
After the dramatic scene in the throne room, I wasn’t sure what to think exactly. When Kaden had laid his hands on my wrists and I’d felt that first flash of heat, I was sure that he was going to burn me with his magic just like Rhys had warned me. But it was over in a second, and instead of burning me, he’d released me. Then he’d pledged his protection to me, with a bonus of getting to see Rhys’s obvious disappointment as he slinked out of the throne room. As fantasy characters went, this Dragon came off as a lot more of a white knight than an evil, pyro-happy magician who burned innocent girls. In retrospect, it seemed pretty stupid to think that Prince Rhys would give me an honest account of the man, given how little they seemed to like each other.
Yeah, it was kind of a chauvinistic for the guys to pass “ownership” of me back and forth, and sure, I was still technically a prisoner here, but at least Kaden was treating me halfway decently. It was more than I could say for anyone else in this stupid place, and it had earned him the tiniest smidge of goodwill from me. I had no idea what to think about all their talk about sparks and flames and others who’d come before me, but I didn’t intend to hang out long enough for any of it to matter. As soon as they gave me half a chance, I was getting out of here.
In the meantime, I could play along with this guy who didn’t seem like he was going to put me in any immediate danger. If he was giving me a room, maybe that meant he’d leave me alone there too.
“Fine,” I said. “Lead the way.”
Kaden held out his arm, and I stared at it for a moment before realizing that he wanted me to take it. Okay, sure. Why not? At least you’re not trying to kill me or have your way with me.
I slipped my arm around his and was surprised at how warm and hard his bicep was, even through his coat. His exotic scent washed over me again and made me momentarily dizzy. I was suddenly aware of the closeness of his body in a very different way than I’d been earlier. My cheeks warmed as a few dirty thoughts skipped through my head. Jeez, Ella. No doubt he’s hot, but give it a few days before your Stockholm syndrome sets in.
I chalked the feelings up to relief at the fact that someone was actually being kind to me after such a horrible day. Fortunately, he seemed to be too lost in his own thoughts to notice me.
He led me in silence through the shining halls of the central tower, passing more of the same impossibly grandiose scenery I’d noted on my first tour. We ascended two floors, and then he ushered me into what turned out to be a beautiful bedroom suite with a four-post bed and a polished white vanity. I caught a peak into the attached bathroom from where I was standing. Marble counters and a jacuzzi tub. It looked like exactly the kind of room you’d expect to stay in when you were the guest of the king of a magical golden city—it made a five-star hotel feel like a hovel. I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more if I’d been vacationing with my family instead of lost and alone in the Ether-Realm.
“This room will have everything you should need,” Kaden said, dropping his arm. I was surprised at the little twinge of disappointment I felt when he did. I let out a long sigh of relief, and realized that until that moment I’d been half-afraid that he’d tricked me and was leading me into still yet another terrible trap. Maybe Rhys was a lying jerk and this Dragon didn’t intend to hurt me at all. He’d said the whole city was under his protection, right?
“Thanks.” I took a few steps into the room, trying to decide how much I should trust him, and then spun on my heel to face him. “So, Mr. Dragon…”
Kaden broke into a surprised smile. “I don’t think anyone has ever called me ‘Mr. Dragon.’ You can call me Kaden if you wish.”
“Okay. So, Kaden. You said I’m under your protection, right?”
“Absolutely,” he declared, without any hesitation. “No one will lay a finger on you within the city of Alkazar, and any who tried would suffer my wrath.”
“Here’s the thing. I’m still not convinced that this isn’t just some bizarre dream, or a mental breakdown, but let’s pretend it’s real for a minute.”
Kaden’s eyes darkened. “It’s as real as you are, Ella. I wish it were otherwise.”
A chill ran through me when he said that. I was starting to believe he might be right, and I was so not ready to deal with the implications of that yet.
“In that case, I feel very, very unsafe here,” I said. “And I need your help.”
“I’ve already pledged that no harm will befall you,” he said. “I promise that you can be no safer here. No one would dare risk my wrath.”
“Right, but Kaden… I have a life waiting for me back home. A family. College. A…”
“Boyfriend?” he offered.
“Boy that I am good friends with,” I said. I tried not to think about the way that the blonde cheerleader had been scooting over toward Nick on my way out of the lodge’s sauna, or the fact that he’d been smiling at her. Had that really been less than a day ago? It felt like a lifetime.
My answer seemed to please Kaden, but then he looked almost crestfallen. “I am sorry, Ella. Truly. But it will do you no good to focus on what’s past. You must look forward.”
“Or…” I said. “Or you could help me get home. I can see that you’re not like Rhys, Kaden. Help me. I just want to return to my family. If you want to protect me, send me back to them. You must know how.”
For a long moment he said nothing, and I began to hope that he might actually help me get out of this place. But then he shook his head and spoke in a strained voice. “There are things you do not understand, Ella. Now that you have touched the Ether-Realm, it is easier for its denizens to touch you. You would not be safe there anymore.”
Frustration and hurt poured over me like a bucket of cold water. Why had I gotten my hopes up?
“And also you need me for some stupid reason, right? Isn’t that what Valeria said?” I spoke through gritted teeth, my temper flaring again. “So I’m sorry if I don’t just take your word for that.”
Kaden stiffened. “I would not tell you lies.”
I stalked away from him and threw myself down on the bed, sinking into the downy comforter. “I don’t even care anymore. If you won’t help me, then go. You’re no better than Rhys after all.”
It was an unfair thing to say, and I knew it, but I felt exhausted and miserable now.
Kaden didn’t respond at first. The words hung heavy over the room. Finally he said, “I’ll send a servant to check on you,” and turned to leave.
He stopped at the doorway, one hand on the white-painted frame, and cast a glance back to me.
“Ella,” he said.
“What?”
“You’re right about me. I’m not better than Rhys. I’m far worse.”
The door closed behind him and locked with a click.
Ella
After Kaden left I put my face in a pillow and cried until my exhaustion and fatigue dragged me down into restless sleep. After The Accident I’d always prided myself on being strong, on being able to take anything life could throw at me, but this day would have been a little much to handle for anyone.
When I awoke I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Eerie light from the bright red sky poured in through my solitary window just as it had when I’d arrived, and the room was still and silent except for the rustle of my dress. The corset boning poked into me uncomfortably, and I was amazed I’d been able to fall asleep in the thing. I fought
my way out the extravagant costume, released the hooks on the corset, and shoved it off the bed, taking my first deep breath since Rhys had forced me into it. Ahhh. So much better.
I rolled my eyes when I noticed that even my underwear had been changed to something way fancier than what I’d normally wear by Rhys’s spell, and I wondered if he picked out the whole outfit or if the magic just did it for him. I’d change out of it as soon as I found another option.
Another little chill ran through me when I realized that I had fallen asleep and woken up, and I was still in the Ether-Realm. That had never happened to me in a dream, and a hallucination was seeming less and less likely. All of the evidence was pointing to this being real, as crazy as it seemed. I pulled my knees up onto the bed and wrapped my arms around them. I felt small and homesick. Then I remembered how close the smiling man’s scalpel had come to my face before Rhys had rescued me. If this is all real… My stomach lurched.
But at least I seemed to be safe at the heart of Kaden’s tower, here in the middle of this city they called Alkazar. I’d just have to be brave until I found a way to get back home.
I wondered what my family must be thinking. Katie hadn’t seen me go through the silver tunnel, and Nick had been with me last. My parents would be worried sick, and Katie would be beside herself. I bit my lip and wondered how long they’d wait before calling the police. The cops wouldn’t blame Nick for my disappearance, would they? But of course they probably would. I’d seen enough police procedurals to know that he’d be the prime suspect, and I doubted his cheerleader friends would make for decent alibis in the eyes of the law. I had to get back to clear things up before something terrible happened to him.
I wasn’t sure how I’d explain my absence, of course, but I’d worry about that later. For now I just needed to make an escape plan.
I unfolded myself and went to explore the bathroom. Kaden said the chamber should have everything I needed, and I was surprised to discover that he was right. The bathroom was fully stocked with modern high-end toiletries and fluffy towels. I wondered why they would have Earth shampoo and conditioner in the Ether-Realm when they could just make their eyes glow and get all done-up in a matter of seconds, but then I remembered all the humans I’d seen running around in the service of the castle. Maybe magic wasn’t as easy to use when you weren’t a dragon or an Aethling prince. But the fact that they had gotten it struck me as good sign. If they could get Earth goods in, then there must be ways out.
The thought pepped me up a little. Things were looking better already! I stripped out of the fancy lingerie and took a long shower with the hottest water I could coax out of the faucet, scrubbed all of Rhys’s make-up off, and washed and conditioned my hair. When I was done, I wrapped myself in a fluffy white towel and hunted around until I found something that looked like a hair dryer. It didn’t have a cord, though, and even if it had I didn’t see any electrical outlets to plug it into. I flipped the switch and was delighted when it just worked.
Battery powered or just magical? It didn’t matter. I dried my hair, put some lotion on, and smiled at myself in the mirror. I felt normal for the first time since I’d woken up in the Ether-Realm.
The rest of the room turned out to be as stocked as the bathroom had been. The vanity was covered in every conceivable beauty product I could want, not that I needed them right now, and the seven-foot wardrobe tucked into the corner of the room turned out to be some kind of magical device whose clothing selection changed every time I opened the right side of it, with all of the choices in my size. The left side remained static, which I supposed was for favorite outfits that you didn’t want cycled back into magical nothingness.
That’s cool, I thought. If not for the whole terrifying monsters and kidnapped prisoner routine, I could get used to this.
The underwear and shoes the wardrobe offered were pretty normal, and I was happy to replace Rhys’s silk lingerie and fancy heels from earlier with some plain cotton stuff and a pair of simple black flats that seemed like they’d be good for sneaking out. But I didn’t see any pants or tops no matter how many times I closed and opened the wardrobe. It was all fancy princess dresses like the one Valeria had worn, which wasn’t me at all. I preferred jeans and sweaters to prom attire, and doubly so if I was going to need to get out of here eventually. I searched through the left side again and a flash of blue on the very highest shelf caught my eye. I reached up and pulled down a pair of blue jeans. A tank top and a plain gray hoodie came tumbling down after them. I couldn’t believe it for a second. Why would these be here? They were one size too large for me, but they’d be more comfortable then the alternatives. I shrugged and pulled the outfit on.
Was there anything else up there that might be more normal? The shelf was more than six feet up, too high for me to see even on my tippy toes, but I reached up and felt around. My hand landed on canvas, and I pulled down a messenger bag with a handful of pins featuring bands that had been popular five years ago. There was nothing inside of it except for an empty notebook and a few pens. It looked like someone had torn out about half the pages. My stomach knotted. Back in the throne room, Valeria had mentioned other girls who had come before me… Apparently at least one of them had left her things behind when she left.
I didn’t want to think about where she’d gone, but I couldn’t help it. Could Kaden really have burned these other girls? He didn’t strike me as the murderous type at all. But clearly something had happened to them, and all Kaden could tell me was that he was actually worse than Rhys. I swallowed nervously. Maybe I was wrong to give him too much credit, even if he seemed nice. I didn’t know anything about this place. My only concern should be getting home.
I jumped as a loud knock came at the door. I put the notebook back and tucked the canvas bag beneath the bed covers before answering.
When I got to the door I realized that there was no lock mechanism on my side—just a keyhole that Kaden had locked. The loud knock came again, insistently.
“Miss?” a hesitant female voice called out. “Are you awake? The Dragon bade me to see to your needs.”
“Come in,” I called, feeling foolish that I couldn’t let her in myself.
The lock clicked and the door swung open. A girl about my age with a long brown braid and small orange runes on her cheeks held a silver platter in one hand and a key in the other. A folded serving table hung at the crook of her elbow. She smiled at me as she bustled in and closed the door behind her, slipping the key into her pocket.
“Oh, good!” she exclaimed. “You’re up and dressed. Though those are some strange clothes… anyway, I’m Rowan.”
I blushed at the sideways looks she gave to my sweatshirt even though I thought her plain white and green-slashed cotton dress looked a lot weirder than my outfit did, given how formal and old-timey it was. It looked like a simpler version of the outfit Mariana had worn.
“Ella,” I replied, choosing to ignore the comment. “You said the Dragon sent you?”
Rowan nodded curtly as she unfolded her table next to the bed and carefully laid the tray upon it. “Yes, to be your handmaiden. I’m to see to your every need for as long as you’re in the Crystal Palace.”
“That’s what this place is called?” I glanced up at the shimmering white ceiling and remembered how clear and beautiful the seven-towered structure had looked during my harried flight in.
“Yes, my lady. It’s the ancient home of the Aethling nobles.”
I made a face when she called me ‘my lady.’
“Call me Ella,” I said. “I’m no princess. And I thought this was Kaden’s castle?”
Rowan nodded, though she looked pained at having to be so informal. “The Dragon is the interim ruler while King Alvarion slumbers, my—Ella. But Alkazar is not his home. He protects and rules over us because of the agreement his father made with King Alvarion in the olden days. In times of war, the dragons reign.”
The internal politics of the place didn’t make a lot of sense to me, bu
t I guessed they didn’t have to. I wouldn’t be staying long anyway. At least Rowan seemed to be pleasant and helpful. I decided to change the subject and try to get some information out of her.
“So am I stuck in this room, or am I free to move about Alkazar now?” I asked.
Rowan shifted uncomfortably.
“Wouldn’t you like to eat?” She gestured at the covered tray.
I sighed. The answer to my question was clear enough. I’d be a prisoner until the Dragon decided otherwise. The sudden rumble in my stomach reminded me that I was hungry, though. It had to have been at least half a day since I’d eaten anything, and the silver tray piqued my curiosity. “What is it?”
“It’s whatever you desire,” Rowan said with a little grin. “Simply picture what you’d like best and lift the lid.”
As depressing as the familial separation and the imprisonment was, the little kid in me was delighted by this magic stuff. I’d need to keep my strength up to escape, right? I slid over to the bed and seated myself before the tray, rubbing my hands together in anticipation. What did I want? I closed my eyes and imagined my favorite breakfast meal: my mother’s light and fluffy blueberry pancakes, dripping with butter and maple syrup. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had them, and I’d never had ones that were quite the same outside of the Denton kitchen.
I yanked the cover off the tray and gawked at the meal before me. There they were, just like I remembered them. The mouth-watering scent wafted up and tickled my nose, along with a delicious coffee smell from a plastic-covered paper cup beside the plate. A hazelnut latte had been a reflexive addition in my mental picture. I picked it up, feeling the warmth of the extra-hot beverage spread through my hands, and inhaled deeply. Definitely hazelnut.
But when presented with the actual reality of the meal, I felt more homesick than ever. The normality of my pancakes and latte made the crazy environment all around me seem even more foreign and intimidating. I forced myself to eat anyway, taking mechanical bites of the syrup-soaked pancakes. They tasted as perfect as if my mother had made them herself.
Flame Bound (Seeking the Dragon Book 2) Page 2