“Oh?”
A lone brow cocked slightly upward. “Trust me.”
“Implicitly.”
“Then follow me.”
He led her into the compound, winding through the building at the far end of the internal courtyard, guiding her through corridors until they reached a dead-end with a round glowing area on the floor in front of them.
“What’s that?”
“Step on.”
“On?” she asked, doing as he said.
“Yes, there you go. Good. Now relax.”
“Why would I need to re—” the glowing floor abruptly lifted upward, taking them with it but minus the feeling of G-forces. Nevertheless, the rapid shift in perspective and sight of the walls zipping by as they ascended was enough to make Ella’s head swim a little even if there was no noticeable change in gravity.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, grabbing the solid curve of his forearm to steady herself. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“I surmised as much. You do not use lift discs on your world?” he asked as the ceiling opened, the disc smoothly exiting into the fresh air, depositing them high atop the building.
“We have our own version, but it’s nowhere near as advanced as yours.”
“I see. Your world sounds fascinating.”
“If by fascinating you mean primitive by your standards.”
“Nothing of the sort. In fact, I would quite enjoy seeing your world one day.”
“Really? It’s nothing compared to yours.”
“It shaped who you are. And the way you talk about it, it sounds like a beautiful place. Come.”
Ella followed his lead, stepping off the disc and walking across the flat rooftop deck. Small tables and a few comfortable benches and chairs dotted the area.
“The view is incredible,” she marveled, taking in the three-sixty panorama of stars and darkened hills surrounding them.
“It is,” he replied. “One of my favorite places in the grounds. Wait for me here. I will procure us a light dinner and return straight away.”
“What if someone comes? I’m not exactly everyone’s favorite around here. It’s kind of uncomfortable, truth be told.”
He rested his meaty hand gently on her shoulder, the heat of him radiating through the fabric of her top. “You aremyfavorite, Ella. And you will be perfectly safe up here. The others never come up at night.”
“Why not? It’s so romantic.”
“While I love all of my brothers, they do have their faults. Remember, this is still a sect of only men. Priests, no less. And they are not exactly known for their appreciation of romance.”
“Point taken. But why, then, are you so different?”
Draikis shifted uneasily from foot to foot, his fingers absent-mindedly tracing the Infala churning beneath his tunic. “I’mwondering that myself.” He shook off the thought with a shudder. “Anyway, you must be famished. Please, make yourself comfortable. I will be back shortly.”
He hopped up on the lift disc and descended in a flash, leaving Ella to her own devices. She sat, looking up at the dark sky and the glistening pinpoints above. “One of those might be home,” she mused. “I wonder which one.”
Only a few minutes passed before Draikis returned, true to his word with an armload of sealed containers.
“There was a lot to choose from, so I brought you an assortment,” he said, placing them on the table in front of her. “Also, I thought you would like these.”
