Chapter Four
Zircon
The pain was wiped away in an instant and I automatically covered my face with my hands. I was too scared to pull them away for fear of seeing those blood red eyes again. The image of them blazing with rage was burned into my memory. I wanted it out.
"Miss Dotti!" A pounding headache pulsed behind my eyes as a distant beating filled my ears. "Miss Dotti! I'm coming in!" I rubbed my forehead, choking down a breath as I realized I was no longer standing. I was lying face down in a bed of silky sheets.
"Miss Dotti?" Someone was standing over me. I grunted, unsure of what to do. Who? "You should have been ready an hour ago." The smooth sheet covering my body was pulled aside. I heard a gasp. "Your attire, Miss Dotti. What kind of night gown is this?" A bony finger pinched my pant leg. I finally glanced up at a frantic brunette with short hair and rosy cheeks. She wore a long beige dress that looked as if a breeze was moving it from side to side.
"Who is . . ." I stopped when I noticed the color of her eyes - a black eyeball with a white pupil. "Who are you?" I slowly sat up, feeling the comforting handle of my pocket knife. It was still with me . . . wherever I was.
"Oh no," the girl whispered. I gripped my knife even tighter as my sore throat sizzled from all the screaming.
"Who are you?" I said again.
"Opi," the girl replied. Her jaw hung open as she stared at my eyes. I glanced down at my ski coat and blue jeans, relieved to see that my hand was still intact. The burning pains through my palm made me think it might have burst into flames and fallen to the floor. I was grateful the pain was gone. My skin was a smooth normal color, and my grandma's ring was in one piece. The dark stone in the silver sparkled with a tint of green.
"Okay Crystal," I breathed, lightly hitting my cheeks. "Time to wake up." I counted my breaths, closing my eyes as my sweaty forehead tingled. "Wake up, Crystal. Wake up."
"Zite," Opi muttered. She cupped her hand over her mouth. I flinched when I opened my eyes only to see the strange color combo in hers. "I guess she was right."
"Who was right?" I questioned.
"Come with me," she said, hurriedly grabbing my elbow and pulling towards an adjacent room. I kept the handle of my pocket knife locked in my fingers.
"What?" I replied. My first instinct was to resist - to scream some more and hope to wake up in my own bed. But something about the expression on Opi's face made me feel like my cooperation was vital. I eyed each corner of the room as I followed.
A giant, wooden armoire sat against the opposite wall. The wood was carved with shapes and symbols that looked like a night time backdrop - stars of swirling gas protruding from the surface. The comfy bed was nestled on a matching bed frame - the same wood carvings. The stone floors were perfectly white. Spotless even.
"We have to cover your face," Opi huffed as she jogged into a tiny room the size of a closet. Colorful dresses hung in each corner - all swaying on their own like Opi's gown. "Your eyes . . ."
"My eyes?" I watched her dig through a trunk of fabric before pulling out a sheer veil. My eyes aren't the problem here. Opi draped the veil over my face. The smell of citrus filled my nostrils. She jumped, grasping her chest as someone furiously pounded on the bedroom door. Opi turned to me, the white of her pupils wide with fear.
"Listen to me," she whispered. "You're name is Peridot, but you go by Dotti. You tend to your Phire tree every morning before tea and you're allergic to lavender."
"Opi," I said through my teeth. "What's going on?"
"DON'T let them see your eyes," she insisted. "I beg you, Miss!" She frantically rushed out of the closet and opened the door. Heavy footsteps thudded against the stone floor.
"Where is she?" a deep voice boomed. I emerged from the closet, looking down as a tall man wearing a strange suit shooed Opi out the door. "Leave us." His command struck my body like thunder. I snuck a glance at the dark hair that came to his shoulders and the bright shiny orange and yellow that lit up on his suit jacket. I quietly gulped as Opi slammed the bedroom door, leaving us alone.
"I thought you would have chosen a finer outfit for such an occasion," he said as his glare moved from my toes to my hunched shoulders. "After all I've taught you? You are capable of conjuring up a better gown than that."
"Um . . ." I was speechless. Not to mentioned mesmerized by the parade of colors that danced across his clothes.
"I suppose I should cut to the business at hand," he continued. The loud tone of his voice gradually died down. "Well . . . did it work?"
"Uh . . ." I bit the corner of my lip, hoping an answer would come to me. I had no idea what he was talking about. "You mean . . . the thing?"
"Dotti," he replied. "This isn't the time to play your little games. Did it work?"
"Yes?" I guessed. His white pupils grew to the size of cereal bowls. "Or . . . no?"
"I don't find your jokes very amusing," he sighed, obviously disappointed. "We must have cast the wrong spell."
"Yeah," I improvised. "It didn't work?"
"Zite," he said under his breath. "I'll have to go back."
"Back?"
"Back to the Sard of course," he said out loud as he scratched the edge of his chin. "It won't be easy this time." He ran his fingers through his long, dark hair. "I guess you'll have to go through with this. I'm sorry, Dotti. I really thought our plan would work."
"And what was our plan exactly?" I asked. He eyed my forehead suspiciously.
"You sound . . . different," he said in a low voice.
"No," I blurted out. The spark of curiosity in his white pupils made my muscles tense like I was about to be punched in the gut. "I'm just feeling . . . a little under the weather." His hand moved towards my forehead, ready to tear away the veil that stood between us. I swiftly slapped it, regretting my decision but quickly pulling myself together.
"Hmmm," he said, lifting his chin. Apparently I'd chosen a very Dotti-like move. "Fine." He turned sharply, striding towards the bedroom door. "I'll see you downstairs. You best be ready. Zircon has just arrived." He yanked open the door and his heavy footsteps disappeared down the hallway. I let out a huge sigh as Opi came rushing in once more.
"You must change quickly," Opi said as she slammed the door shut, this time locking it. She hurried back to the closet and opened a tiny door I hadn't noticed before. It looked like part of the wall.
"Change for what?" I impatiently asked. "What is going on here? Why haven't I woken up yet?" The white pupils, the moving clothes, the unfamiliar symbols carved on the bedroom furniture - it had to be a dream. Nonsense like this couldn't exist in real life. Maybe I'm dead?
"Take off those rags," she instructed. She pulled a sparkly, white dress from the back of the disguised door in the wall and gently laid it on the bed.
"I'm not doing anything of the sort," I shouted. I pulled my veil off and slapped the side of my face - harder than I did last time. The side of my cheek stung as I closed my eyes. "Time to wake up. Time to wake up."
"It's no use." Opi unzipped the garment bag and turned her head as a burst of light escaped from it. "You can't go back."
"Back to where?" I opened my eyes, disappointed when I saw Opi's face.
"To where you're from Miss," Opi replied. She pulled out a beautiful, white gown with silky fabric that hung straight and shapeless.
"You mean reality," I muttered. "And who was that guy with the flashy suit? He seemed . . . different." Opi smiled.
"That was Nuum," she said quietly. "Your father's most trusted advisor."
"You mean Dotti's father," I corrected. "Why did that weirdo think I was Dotti?"
"You look just like her," Opi responded. A strand of brunette hair fell across her face as she held up the gleaming white dress. "Apart from the eyes . . . and the arrogance. But I'd say you're coming close." My eyebrows furrowed.
"What is
that?" I asked, pointing to the long train of fabric that recoiled like a cat when it touched the floor.
"Your dress," she answered.
"Ah yes," I played along. Anything to get me out of this place and back to Silver Hills. "Zircon has arrived. What is that? A freaky circus act or something?"
"Zircon is a man," Opi began. "He is here for Miss Peridot."
"You mean like a date?" I chuckled.
"No." Opi pinched the side of my ski coat, staring at it like it was a dirty mess she didn't care to touch more than she had to. "Take that thing off so I can dress you, Miss."
"Dress me for what?" I asked, taking a step back as I clutched my zipper.
"Your wedding."
I practically choked. I was getting married in a strange place to a guy who called himself Zircon? This was a first. My wedding dreams usually didn't last long, and I could never clearly see my groom. This dream was VERY clear. A little too clear.
"If I do this will I finally wake up?" I asked, hoping Opi might have an answer for me. She shot me a confused look.
"If you don't," she replied. "You'll be marked as a traitor."
"I've been called worse."
"An accusation punishable by execution," she whispered, shifting her eyes around the room. "You must take Miss Dotti's place if you wish to last any longer."
"Right," I muttered. "Okay whatever. I just hope when I finally wake up, I'm not waking from a year long coma or something."
"What is a coma?" Opi eagerly held out the silky dress. Was this really the best my subconscious could come up with? I unzipped my jacket and pulled my t-shirt over my blond hair.
"Let's get this over with," I murmured. All I could think about was Brett. If this was the quickest way to see him, I was ready to take a trip through loonyville in order to wake up.
Chapter Five
Bubbling Flesh
The smooth fabric of my wedding gown draped over my shoulders in a shapeless blob. I stared down at my toes wondering who picked this thing. I thought weddings were supposed to be grand and elegant? My shoulders jolted back as the silky fabric slithered around my waist, hugging my figure and transforming to fit me perfectly.
"Whoa," I muttered. My jaw hung open as I studied my new gown - form fitting along the waist and flaring out towards my toes. One shoulder was wrapped in shiny fabric and the other was left bare. I gawked at the bottom of my wedding dress. It fluttered like a stream of air was constantly blowing through it. There was no wind.
"Beautiful," Opi sighed. She draped my face with the same veil she'd thrown over my head before. I took a huge whiff of the citrusy smell embedded in the sheer fabric as Opi made sure the seam of my dress was flawless.
"What now?" I impatiently asked, putting my hands on my hips. The dress felt even smoother than it looked.
"You keep your head down," she replied. "No one can see the black in your eyes."
"Black pupils are normal," I commented. "Have you looked in a mirror? You're the one with black eyeballs. And exactly how am I supposed to do that? What if Zircon wants to lift the veil?" Opi shrugged.
"Don't look at him?" she suggested.
"And after the wedding?" I continued. "Then what? I turn my head every time he comes around?"
"You won't see him much after the wedding," Opi responded.
"Some marriage."
"This was arranged by Miss Dotti's father." Opi looked around the room again like she was nervous about being overheard. "It's the only way to keep the two kingdoms at peace."
"Sure it is," I chortled. "Until a power hungry psycho with daddy issues tricks someone into starting a war."
"You know this?" Opi's eyes went wide with shock.
"Hypothetically," I reiterated. "Don't you watch TV? That's always how it goes."
"So you don't know of this trick?" Opi asked.
"Forget I ever said that," I sighed, rolling my eyes. Alexa would've been angry by now. She probably would've sent Opi away and gone gallivanting through the castle. Why didn't I think of that earlier? "I just want to go home. Take me to this Zircon person."
"So long as you remember to keep your head down," Opi reminded me. "Miss Dotti said that if she didn't return, the one in her place must continue on."
"Where did she-" A rapping on the door interrupted my next question. Opi jumped to answer it. She shot me once last worried look.
"It's time," she whispered.
* * *
The train on my gown swayed on the stone floor as I followed a huddle of decorated soldiers down a silent hallway. The butterflies in my stomach made me feel queasy. I kept my head down, only slightly eyeing the blue and purple designs on the soldier's uniforms. My fingers latched tightly around the rigid handle of my pocket knife. It was partially tucked up the sleeve of my gown - the side that actually had a sleeve. The knife was the only real thing I had at the moment, besides my grandmother's ring. It was a piece of my true home.
I put one foot in front of the other, keeping my eyes locked on a purple rug leading to a blazing arch. I glanced at the colorful flowers that curled around the wooden frame. They matched the giant vases along the hall. A swirling fire rose up and down beneath the plants where a heap of dirt should have been. The flowers on the wooden marriage arch had a bright fire surrounding them too. And beneath the structure was a guy with hair that looked like bronze.
My chest pounded as I got closer to the groom. Zircon was lean and not as tall or bulky as Brett but the shimmer of his bronzy hair was entrancing. I could see a slight grin on his face as he watched me walk closer. My face felt warm as a clump of curls covered my damp forehead. His eyes moved from my sheer veil to the dark stone on my finger.
The sides of my fingers rubbed against the silver of Grandma Nettie's ring. I took a few more steps, taking a huge breath as the soldiers parted in front of me. I approached the arch with a nauseous gut and a knife tucked into the sleeve of my wedding gown. I could feel Zircon stare at me as I slowly lifted my head just enough to see his white pupils.
His wide face and neatly defined jaw made my blood pump. I was hardly bothered by the black bits in his eyes and gray iris that surround his pearly pupils. His warm fingers brushed against mine. The turmoil in my stomach felt more realistic than I'd expected. I was anxious for this dream to end.
"Remove the veil," the Priest instructed. I glanced over at the elderly man beside him. The glow of his silvery hair looked faint next to Zircon's beaming bronze. I could feel my heart race rapidly as Zircon's gallant fingers reached for my veil. He lifted the sheer fabric from my face and quickly caressed a strand of my blond hair.
I kept my head down like Opi had suggested. The entire room was calm (minus the gurgling in my stomach) and I wanted it to stay that way. A warm hand touched my chin. I bit the side of my cheek as Zircon's rough hand forced me to lift my chin and look into his eyes. I panicked, rubbing a moist palm against the silk of my gown. I could see the curl of my long eyelashes as I kept my eyes pointed down. The silence in the room enveloped my entire torso. I could hear my heartbeat drum in my ears.
"Dotti." Zircon's deep whisper startled me enough to glance up. For a moment our eyes locked and a wave of tingling heat rushed down my spine. The tingle numbed my fingers and toes as Zircon clenched his jaw. I heard sudden gasps around me and hushed chatter.
"What trickery is this?" A large man sitting behind Zircon stood up. He wore orange and ruby robes - the same colors on Zircon's suit.
"I assure you," the Priest said, bowing in the man's direction. "There must be an explanation." The elderly man looked in my direction with a hopeful expression. "Madam Peridot, what is your ailment?" I gulped. What did he just ask me?
"Um . . ." My breathing got heavier as all eyes fell to me. My fingers hugged the end of the pocket knife in my sleeve. "Um . . ."
"This is all she has to say for hersel
f?" the large man shouted. He pointed as his face turned as red as a raging fire. "She's a practitioner of dark magic! She's a TRAITOR!" The word jolted my entire body as the hall grew louder and louder. I frantically looked around for Opi but I couldn't spot her. My eyes locked on Nuum. He stood tall in the corner with wide eyes. But before he could step forward a team of soldiers dressed in ruby and orange marched towards me, weapons drawn. Their swords weren't made of the shiny metal I'd seen in movies. They were made of dark rocks with jagged edges. I took a step backward.
"Okay," I breathed. "Any time now Brett. Alexa? This isn't funny anymore. It never was."
"She's praying to the demon Gods," a raspy voice yelled from the crowd. "She is a traitor!"
"What?" I turned my head just as a sharp edge knocked me to the ground. My arms throbbed like they had been hit with a thousand basketballs in gym class. I scrambled to stand up. A sharp pain shot through my legs as I stumbled, seeing a rip in the fabric of my dress. The sudden outburst of pain forced a tear down my cheek. My lungs froze in fear - chest heaving and jaw hanging open. This wasn't a dream.
I have to get out of here! I gripped the handle of my pocket knife, letting the blade flip open. The shiny metal reflected against the swirling fire around the arch. I jumped up clutching my side as the team of soldiers advanced. I looked at the sea of madness behind me. Guests were shouting, even chanting as they pointed at me. Behind the crowd, a bright light shot through an open doorway. That was my way out.
Another soldier lunged forward, pointing his rocky sword at my shoulder. A frightened yell escaped my throat as I leapt aside, letting the tip of my pocket knife graze the soldier's hand. He jolted back and stared in horror at his hand as the skin bubbled. A gurgling scream rang through the hall as he dropped his sword and grasped the boiling skin. The rest of the team stopped dead in their tracks as the soldier continued screaming on the floor.
Crystal (Silver Hills #2) Page 3