The Realm Protectors

Chapter 30 - Nikolina

The air smells like sweetened death. I never noticed it when I was living here, but darkness has a deep, shadowy smell to it. It seeps from the people and the storefronts like a heavy perfume with hints of smoke, pine, and damp. My friends step out from the tunnel behind me and Lyra closes it quickly. I blink to adjust my eyes to the deep shadows of Den Svarte Byen, capital of my home country.

"Who turned out the lights?" Faris jokes behind me.

"Leve is constantly light out," I turn and address my friends. "Mork is constantly in shadow." I point up to the tall mountains above us, which cast the whole valley in shadow.

Ciana seems to be having the most trouble seeing. I offer her my arm and she squints as she takes it. I lead my friends through the Torget, the city square of Den Svarte Byen, and towards our hotel. Lanterns hang every few buildings, glass panes made of blue glass to limit the amount of light coming through. The hotel we're staying at is at the northwest corner of the square – the Stille Sted. It's the best hotel in all of Den Svarte Byen, and I've only ever been inside once before. It's notoriously expensive – the only time I went inside was the day I applied to work as a maid.

I did not get the job.

The black glass doors to the Stille Sted creak open on their dark iron hinges. Inside the lobby, more bluelight lanterns illuminate the room enough to see. Ciana rubs her eyes, but seems to be able to see a little bit better.

"Welcome!" The receptionist says, standing up from behind the black desk. Her dark flows in a wave down her back, shiny against her matte black pantsuit. "We've been expecting you all. Follow me to the elevator."

She leads us through the lobby to the wrought iron doors of the elevator. Inside, a young man with dark hair nods at us. We squish inside and he presses the button adorned with an eight-pointed star. The doors close and and start going up. We pass multiple floors adorned with ornate bluelight lanterns and whorls of iron above the doors. The elevator dings and the doors open. We file out and into the High Arch Suite of the Stille Sted.

"Well," Enya sighs, tossing her luggage into her room. "What should we do first?'

"You guys could come meet my family." I suggest. My mother had sent me a message while we were in Leve, insisting that I come visit as soon as we got to Mork. "My mother is expecting a visit from me."

"Sounds fun," Avani shrugs. "As long as they're not crazy."

I press the call button for the elevator and face her.

"No promises."

***

Along the way to my parents' restaurant, I explain to my friends that we picked a good week to come to Mork. This week is the week of Vakker Kveld, when the moon is new and the only light to see by is the stars. Ciana seems perplexed by this idea.

"How can anyone see?" She asks incredulously.

"Darkness elementals have heightened eyesight in the dark." Tucker explains. "The same way bright lights don't bother you as much as others."

I give them the brief tour of the Torget, pointing out the best shops, restaurants, the places where the wealthy and powerful tend to congregate, the fountain in the middle where small children throw pebbles to make a wish.

My parent's restaurant is on the other side of the massive town square. The old wooden sign above the door is illuminated by bluelight lanterns, pronouncing the place as "Voronkov's." Inside the restaurant are round tables with miniature lanterns, covered in intricate black lace tablecloths. My siblings and cousins shuffle between the tables in their black shirts and aprons, jotting down orders and serving drinks and food. When we walk inside, my mother waves from behind the bar counter.