“Yeah,” I grunt, keeping my eyes peeled as the guards’ attention stays pinned on us.
“When’s the last time you all have been here?”
“A month before we rebelled in the Abandon,” Kyzen answers, clipped, as he too watches every move being made around us.
“That was also the last time we saw her,” Amick adds.
“Shit,” she breathes.
“Well, come on, hurry it up. Don’t hover outside your home like strangers,” Calista calls as she waits for us at her double doors.
“This is fucking stupid. Was this really worth it?” Riven asks as we take a step forward.
“It will be,” Amick says.
I sure as fuck hope so.
The five of us approach her silently, and her creepy-ass smile never falters. She’s even bubblier now than the last time we saw her.
That makes unease bloom in my chest.
“Welcome home,” she cheers as she shoves the doors open.
The aggressively strong floral scent smacks me in the face, and for a fleeting second, I’m shoved back in time.
It’s always smelled this way.
Wrong.
I have no issue with strong smells. The more fragrant the herb or ingredient, the better it tastes.
This scent, though, lacks what’s required of nature.
Death.
The five of us stand aligned in the wide foyer of white stone veined with gold as the doors shut quietly behind us. My head tilts back like Thayla’s does and we stare at the impossibly high ceiling overhead.
Flowers climb interior columns rather than sitting arranged in vases. Just growing out of control.
I swear more blossoms unfurl as she makes her way to the center of the room.
“Isn’t it lovely? A touch different than the last time you were here.”
Sure, the decorations and colors of the walls may have changed, but no, the energy and atmosphere are the exact same.
Our attention shifts to the left as an Attendant walks into the room carrying a tray of drinks. They don’t look anywhere but down.
“Ah, perfect timing,” Calista says. “Refreshments, anyone?”
None of us speak. We just shake our heads.
“Go,” she barks, waving the Attendant off, and Thayla shifts beside me.
I brush my knuckles against hers but keep my gaze forward.
“Why don’t you all have a look around the foyer while I go slip into something more comfortable, then I’ll give you all the grand tour? How does that sound?”
Kyzen clears his throat and plasters on a fake-ass smile. “Sounds great.”
