Izoven: Inferno

Chapter 5

"A-ha! Here, see!" Emery said as she paced from one lavishly-decorated wall to the other.

Everything about the rooms screamed wealth. All the furniture looked to be hand-carved with the insignia of Izoven on their doors or their trim. A soft rug was splayed under a breakfast table, as well as under the bed. The bed frame itself was a monstrous show of money, with silken covers, drapes with gold lace, a myriad of pillows, and a large gift basket filled to the brim with luxury soaps and treats wrapped delicately in linen wraps and plastic cases.

Poppy munched down on a box of chocolates while her bare feet swung just centimeters away from the fluffy white carpet. She threw crumpled wrapping over her shoulder as she asked, "What'd you find?" before chomping down on a dark truffle.

Emery poked the stack of paper twice before reading, "Under no circumstance must the visitors leave the premises without prior authorization from the House of Wind."

Melinda leaned back in her chair. "I suppose that's understandable. Leaving requires them to dissolve their cloaking spell. It'd make them vulnerable, if only for a second. Do they have a clause explaining what we need for authorization?"

With a finger held up, she read again. Then her shoulders slumped. "Authorization for leave should be granted immediately upon request unless the guests have broken Izovenian law and thus apprehended in the House of Wind, otherwise the authorization should and will not exceed 20 days after the date of request."

"Seems reasonable. Let's try and follow the law, understood?" Melinda was about to stand up and walk away, but then Emery began pacing again.

"Alright, but what about this?" she flipped scanned the paper once more to read, "If in possession of a Song, the House of Wind will allow the visitors to keep it, but under no circumstance must they be used. If a portal to Izoven is open without knowledge or authorization of the Council, the House of Wind will confiscate said Song, and all members associated with its opening will be apprehended."

She slapped the papers down against the wooden table, her chin high and brows furrowed. "They could potentially take away my Song."

Her eyes turned toward Theo, sat by the windowsill, glancing down at the busy streets. His calm countenance only annoyed her. Was he pretending like this was all fine? This contract meant they were practically prisoners. They were dolls in their big, pretty dollhouse, and they had to pretend everything was fine? No way!

Theo must've felt the weight of her thoughts and grimaced. "Under what circumstance would you need to open the gate without their knowing? Or at all for that matter?"

"An escape?" she stated the most obvious scenario.

"An escape that I wouldn't be a part of?" He turned his cold eyes toward her.

"Oh." She shrank back, lowering her head in regret. "No, I'm sorry. I forgot."

Theo clicked his tongue and pushed himself away from the sill. "Wright, I understand your hesitation to sign, but," he stopped and looked at each fireborn there, a keen determination sparkling in his eyes. "We can't forget our mission to mend this gap between kingdoms. This contract is only the first trial of trust, and I suspect the next ones will be harder and riskier. If we hesitate at everything they do, we'll get nowhere.

Melinda nodded in agreement. "We've gone over the contract twice. I think it's time to sign it. We shouldn't give them any more reason to mistrust us."

Theo walked toward Emery, snatched the papers off her hands, and signed them on the table. His tone and demeanor seemed so detached and frigid. "Everything we say and do is being scrutinized each passing second. You're not a diplomat. So, the next time you feel the need to act upon a suspicion, you'll come to me first instead of making a scene. Alright?"