The Road To Sitara| 18+

Chapter 5 - A Palace Fit for the Gods

I awoke sometime later to sunrays filtering through an incredible stained glass window. The green and blue hues cast shimmering arcs of vibrant color throughout the room. The color made the golden accents sparkle with fractals of light like delicate, fleeting glimpses of joy. I suddenly became aware of my body as I was cradled by the softest surface I had ever felt in my life. My fingertips wiggled as I noticed the silky, buttery sheets underneath them. The blankets that fell across me were tucked neatly at my sides. The room was filled with an aroma that reminded me a lot of eucalyptus and lavender. I sighed, a small smile tugging at my lips. Another night of peace.

A soft knock rasped on the thick, wooden door. Before I could even find my voice to answer, my mouth suddenly feeling like ash, the door pushed open on itself. I clutched the blankets to my chest, unsure of whose clothes I was wearing, and how decent they might have been for company. My eyes were wide as they fixated on the fiery red hair, pulled back into a soft ponytail on top of her head, swinging slightly as she turned to face me. The golden tray she held in her hands suddenly clattered to the floor, a loud shattering of glass and tinkling of metal followed. We stared at each other for a moment, Bryar completely frozen, before realizing the mess that scattered across the milky marbled floors.

"Oh my Gods!" she squeaked, "You're actually awake!" I didn't respond. I wasn't sure exactly what to say. The shocked expression and the excitement in her eyes told me I was probably asleep for more than just the night. She looked down at the broken glass and spilled water that pooled around her feet.

"The mess," she stammered, looking back up at me. "I am so profusely apologetic. I- I wasn't expecting you to be awake." She glanced out into the hallway and waved her hand dismissively.

"Who," my voice was so dry and raspy as I tried to form the words in my mouth. "Where am I?" Questions flipped through my mind quicker than my mouth could keep up.

"You probably have so many questions," she smiled softly, stepping around the mess. "Welcome to The Eden of Elidi! We are about 20 miles southeast of where Obiscon was." Her face tightened slightly at the mention of where my village once stood. She sat on the corner of the wide-reaching bed that cradled my hips as I hugged my knees close to me.

"I'm Bryar," her smile was so warm and inviting as she gently placed her hand over mine. "My parents are The High Guardians of The Eden of Elidi, and this is their home. You are safe here."

I looked down at my interlaced fingers, "You and your friend, you saved me from those soldiers." My eyes swept up to meet her soft and encouraging gaze.

"Zarian and I found you just as you had leapt out of the trees. You put up a good fight but it just wasn't enough. We saw how they left Obiscon and we knew if they took you, terrible, terrible things would happen. Zarian silenced each of them while I tended to your wounds.

Your skull was fractured in several places and your feet were severely mangled and infected. My magic wasn't strong enough to heal everything, I needed the help of our elders."

"I remember them saying something about leaving my fate up to the Gods?" The memories of the Liminals ran through my brain. As usual, I have more questions than answers, yet again.

Bryar nodded, breaking away from our gaze for a moment before her dark eyelashes lifted again to reveal a pair of seafoam eyes that gleamed with curiosity. "It has been hundreds, if not thousands, of years since the Gods have responded in such a way."

"In what way?" I wasn't entirely convinced the Liminals I had met weren't a complete figment of my imagination. The idea that the whole experience had been real just felt so unimaginable.

She bit the inside of her cheek to stifle a grin, "The ancient trees in The Eden, where our Gods rest, glowed with moonlight as did you! We could not help your injuries and when we laid you inside the sacred clearing, all your wounds healed. Your chest..." she trailed off for a moment, "The crescent moon, it also glowed. Who are you?" she finally asked after what felt like an eternity of silence while I tried to process that everything I had seen that night was probably not a dream at all, but was a very real, very intense experience.