I reached for the bed, desperate to ensure the book was safe under my pillow. But I couldn’t see a damned thing through the material impeding my vision. Touch was all that I had to guide me.
Then,thud.Damn it.The book fell to the floor.
Hands dragged me up and walking against my will.
“Let me go!” My heart was a battering ram in my chest.
The night pricked at my skin through the flimsy nightgown that offered little protection from the cool air as the faceless hands dragged me into the hall.
This could not be good.
Whoever was guiding me was strong. Based on their footfalls, it was three sirens. One on each arm, gripping me hard. One trailing behind. I was surrounded.
Where in Infernum were they taking me?
A left, then a right, another right, then down a long stretch of hall. I tried to form a map of Naiadon in my mind, but I had never traveled this route before.
Smooth marble turned to coarse stone, pressing into the soles of my feet.
Then I heard the crunch of granite. We moved forward through a passage. There were others I could sense around me.
Unease slithered through my stomach. I tried to steady my breathing. A cool head would help far more than fear pumping through my veins urging me to run. Finally, the hands removed the blind.
In a black, cavernous room drenched in pale siren light, I recognized Morvyn’s aunt scowling in layers of stark white to my left. To my right stood Raylik’s uncle, dressed in fiery robes. Both had guards of their own. Surrounding us were clusters of sentries around other Circle leaders.
At the forefront of the room stood Hylos, clad in white, crustacean-like armor layered over a pleated, royal-blue tunic. He peered at us over a jagged pool, its dark waters sloshing relentlessly.
“Why have you brought us here, Hylos?” demanded a male voice somewhere out of sight.
“I’ve summoned you this evening to be escorted to the most sacred of places within Naiadon. Tonight we ride to the Great Womb of Nymphaea.”
Whispers rushed in waves from the royal sirens.
What did that even mean?
He cleared his throat, commanding the room to silence in an instant.
“As the leaders for each of your Circles, I present you with this gift of knowledge as an offering of trust. I will show you the location of myrealm’s greatest source of power and, consequently, my greatest weakness.” He fixed his gaze upon me. “Do you accept this invitation?”
If this place was important, and truly his source of power, why would he offer it so easily to these outsiders? Behind his back, they spoke in a way that most rulers would deem treasonous. He could hardly trust them. He could hardly trust me.
“At what price?” barked Draveen.
“No cost at all. It is a show of good faith to my guests.”
“And we can make the holy sacrament?” Elspeth asked, her metallic voice sharp and swift.
“Of course,” Hylos answered.
“I accept,” Melquin said swiftly.
Hylos nodded in acknowledgment.
“I accept,” added Elspeth.
“I too accept,” Serenous called.
Draveen coughed out his acceptance. Another deep but weary voice agreed too.
