He felt a swooping sensation underneath his skin, like his power was trying to answer him.
Porthan. Porthan. Porthan.
“Yes, that’s where I am,” he spoke aloud to the power within him that didn’t have a voice, but certainly had its own sentience. “I’d benefit from more specific directions.”
Porthan. Porthan. Porthan.
Rionan didn’t really know how the sentience of his power worked. It was something that justwas,and had always been. His feet itched as he thought of his own realm, as though he was being told to hurry back.
Standing, Rionan scratched the back of his neck, re-entering his suite through the balcony door. He moved towards the minifridge to get a drink. The suite was lavishly decorated. The bedroom comprised of mahogany cupboards, bedside cabinets, and an ornately carved four-poster bed. He was taller than the average human, and this bed could easily have accommodated four people of his size.
The bathroom, just off of the bedroom, had a floor of black and white tiles with a large standing bath. Two sinks were placed next to each other, shaped like large bowls, on top of marble stands. There was a walk-in shower on the far side of the room. A basket at the foot of the bath contained plush towels, while a shelf next to the shower was stocked with various shampoos, conditioners, washes and bubble baths.
The living area of the suite consisted of two sofas of a rich, red velvet material, along with a matching armchair. Mahogany side tables were next to each other. A coffee table in the middle contained a fruit bowl which was piled high with fresh fruits, a book on things to do in Porthan, and his minifridge sat on the other side of the room, next to a cabinet of glasses and small plates. Flowers were dotted around the room in sparkling glass vases.
Rionan poured himself a large glass of a deep red wine, which he had helped himself to almost as soon as he had entered his suite. Sitting at one of the sofas, he tilted his headback, watching the ceiling fan whirl above him. Useless. Rionan flicked out one of his hands at the room in front of him, and it immediately became a few degrees cooler.
Tonight, he would walk around the local area to get to grips with this place.
Tomorrow, he would begin working out why he had been brought here, and what Porthan held that could turn the tides of war back in Xanthia.
4
Not A Night Owl
Alianna spun as lights flashed around her, revelling in a lightheaded feeling that had overcome her since she had accepted the last drink her friend had offered her. Natasha remained nearby, speaking to a light-haired man who wore a white shirt coupled with some jeans that had seen better days. Her arm was propped against the table as she smiled and laughed at something he had said. A laugh that was most definitely fake. Natasha had been intercepted while returning from thetoilet, but in her usual polite fashion, she gave the man the time of day before dismissing him.
Alianna returned her gaze to the dance floor around her, the flashing lights illuminating the crowd, and continued swaying as she waited for her friend to return to her. It was still early, and the beach club they’d found themselves in would most likely get busier. She’d return home before then, drink some water, and freshen up. For now, she’d try to relax, let her hair down and enjoy a rare night on the strip.
She saw Natasha move away from the man, who stared after her as she went. It was easy for Natasha to attract attention from both men and women – she was beautiful, with a fiery personality to match. Her long, dark hair was swept over one shoulder, and her deep red dress clung to her figure. She’d done her make-up beautifully, as always. Neutral eyeshadow, enough to draw attention to her eyes but not overly dramatic. Red lipstick to complement her dress. Alianna laughed as Natasha’s false smile faded into a grimace, and she winced a little as she made eye contact with Alianna.
“Honestly, can’t a girl manage a bathroom break around here without having to make small talk and decline a drink?” she said, taking Alianna’s hands and immediately joining her in a dance, pulling her away from the tables and towards the centre of the crowd.
“You look amazing tonight, Tash, people just can’t help themselves!” Alianna shouted over the music, which had gotten louder as they’d moved towards the speakers.
“Stop, this dress isold,and I was in such a rush. You, however, weren’t even going to come, andlookat you, Ali.”
Alianna had no idea what her friend was talking about. She hadn’t put any makeup on because she thought she’d just sweat it off with the heat and the lights. She was wearing a white top that plunged down to her cleavage, which was tucked into a grey denim skirt that stopped just short of her knees. She’d finished off her rushed outfit with chunky white heels, because she couldn’t walk in the stiletto type that Natasha always wore.
“You know I got ready in ten minutes,” Alianna laughed and shook her head. “Hardly any effort.”
“You don’t have to make an effort. You’ve just got this – I’ve just come off the beach, look at my sexy surfer waves type hair – and thattop makes your boobs look incredible.” Natasha laughed, smiling as she went from sweeping her hands over Alianna’s hair (which had ended up in a wavier state, from the salt air earlier that day), gesturing down to Alianna’s chest.
“Stop!” Alianna laughed, taking hold of Natasha’s hand that was now held out in front of her, and dancing with her friend.
“I will not. You need to stop making out like you’re just some quiet barista from Porthan. Because you might be a barista – which is fine, by the way – but you can be whatever you want to be, and you’re already a sexy son of a bitch, alright? When are you getting back out there now that Damien is well and truly out of your life?”
Alianna cringed. She’d broken up with her ex-boyfriend, Damien, eighteen months ago after he’d taken up residence between the legs of another girl who went to his gym. It had hit her hard, but she was well over Damien now and had been enjoying her own company. She had considered dating again and had received several offers from people who had come into the coffee shop where she worked. She’d seen it coming.People were finding lots of reasons to come in more frequently, once they realised she was on the market. Her manager was overjoyed, as they’d actually seen an increase in their takings due to Alianna’s misfortune. She’d turned these people down, explaining that she was currently focusing on herself, and only her dog would be sharing her apartment with her any time soon.
“I’ve considered it. I just….I haven’t really met anyone I’m interested in spending that kind of time with, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it. For now,” Natasha said, eyes glancing over Alianna’s shoulder, at the man who was still eyeballing her from the tables. “Let’s get out of here. That guy – Mark, Mike, Mick? Whatever he was called, he has been staring at me for around a minute, and honestly, it’s kind of creeping me out.”
Alianna smiled. “No problem. You know I’m not a night owl anyway, and I’m ready to leave before the crowd fills out. Let’s go. Pizza at mine?”
Natasha began walking towards the edge of the dance floor, tugging on her friend’s hand as they went. “Pizza at yours.”
5
