Doraan smiled, holding out his arm. “Come on. I want to show you my home.”
She hooked her arm through his and they made their way through the darkened streets of Aksahri to the palace.
Doraan drank in the views of the city as if he had been dying of thirst, reveling in the scent and feel of being home again. Cinnamon filled the air, mingled with baking bread and spiced, smoked meats as they passed by inns and taverns. He was still amazed by how little had changed over the past ten years. The same sandy cobbled streets were beneath his foot, the same domed copper roofs glimmered in the evening light. The columned open air rooms could still be seen at the tops of the brown sandstone tower homes with colorful silken curtains blowing in the desert breeze.
Palms lined the main road leading to the palace, although he could admit they were significantly taller than he remembered. The closer they got to his home the more his heart raced. The scent of lilies drifted toward them just before the entire palace revealed itself to them.
Doraan stopped, gazing at its columned turrets and massive golden domed roofs. It was strange to remember his time there, running through the enormous arched hallways and roaming around the extensive network of gardens.
“Do you think they’ll let us in?”
Doraan blinked several times before looking down at Kamira with a frown, “You know, I hadn’t even thought of that.” He chuckled, shaking his head as he brought a hand up to rub at the back of his neck.
It had been too long, and he was supposed to be dead, so of course they wouldn’t let him in.
Suddenly, a hidden memory sparked to life, “Actually, there’s a way we can get inside without anyone knowing. Come on!” He grabbed her hand, pulling her down a side street until they stood before one of the public gardens just beside the palace.
Doraan grinned, “You’re going to love this. Follow my lead.”
He expected there to be a guard or two patrolling the grounds, but there were only a few townspeople admiring the blooms.
He cocked his head, furrowing his brow, but headed for the long row of hedges that lined the base of the palace. He was fairly certain there was a hidden grate just below one of them. A vague memory of his mother sneaking out with him in tow to tour the city played out in his mind. Doraan smiled at the memory.
Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Doraan pushed his way inside the hedge. It was as if he was standing in a tunnel, the thick leaves completely hiding this beautiful arched walkway within it.
“Doraan?” he heard Kamira whisper. “Doraan!” She said more frantically.
He peered through the brush and she squealed as he wrapped his arms around her and yanked her inside.
“Shh,” he brought a finger to his lips. “This way, there is a hatch somewhere nearby.”
“Skies, this is beautiful,” she breathed. “I could walk in here for hours. It’s so quiet and peaceful.”
“Aha!” Doraan said, bending down to brush away the leaves and sediment that had covered the handle of a small hidden door.
“What is with places having hidden entrances? I swear the people who built these cities were daft.”
“Well their stupidity is our gain, I suppose.” Doraan smirked, grabbing the brass ring and lifting the wooden hatch. It screeched as it opened like a bat hunting its nightly meal. Doraan winced, flinging it the rest of the way as it thudded to the ground leaving a large gaping hole in its wake.
“Alright, who’s first?”
“What do you mean who’s first?” Kamira scoffed, “You of course. This isyourhome.”
“Alright, alright,” he put his hands up. “I’ll go first. Too bad we don’t have any…”
“Fire?” Kamira finished for him. “I’m pretty sure I know someone who can fix that.”
Doraan snorted, feeling his pockets. Even since he discovered he was a Sorcerer, he had carried a small matchbox with him just in case, not that he had any time to practice over the last two days since the discovery.
“I’m not the only one,” he raised a brow at her, pulling the box from his pocket. “Do you want to do the honors or shall I?”
She looked away from him, “You do it.”
He frowned, striking the match against the side as a flame lit at the top of the wooden stick. Doraan took a deep breath. He hadn’t tried to actually control his ability yet.
“Just breathe and pull its energy to you,” Kamira said, blue eyes illuminated by the flicker of light. “Command it, bend it to your will.”
Doraan breathed out slowly, letting the life of the flame seep into him where he grasped it and pulled it down the fire stick to engulf his hand.
