The Golden Chalice

✰✦✰ Chapter 28 ✰✦✰

✰✦✰ Chapter 28 ✰✦✰
" Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend "

DIAMANDA ISLE WAS truly heaven on earth.

A week had passed and we'd finally arrived. The sun shone brightly around us as we made our way to the city centre and the light bounced off of the diamond buildings. Everything here was so clean, not even a single speck of dirt dappled a surface. The city reeked of beauty—a scent combined of florals and some sharpness I couldn't exactly detect. All women were clothed elegantly; dressed in extravagant gowns with their hair either tied neatly or loosely suspended in flawlessness. The men. . .oh, I didn't want to start counting the amount of times I'd turned around to double-glance at a suited man.

Black and white horses galloped down the smooth stone streets, intricate diamond jewellery woven into their manes; fountains of Lyasa's statue stood at nearly every corner; string quartets played randomly every few streets while the sun soaked everyone in a comfortable, rich type of warmth.

It was just as stunning as I had remembered.

I walked up to Jacks and fell in line with his quick step. "So."

Jacks sighed. "What?"

"You never actually told me that you were from here. I had to guess it."

"So I was attractive enough for you to stare at and guess my origin?" he asked me distantly, a hint of amusement playing at his tone.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, don't put it like that, you make it sound creepy."

"Hardly."

"Whatever," I said. Taking a look around, I was finding it hard not to fall in love with everyone here. Everyone's beauty was unreal. Unfair. Incomparable. It didn't stand out as obviously as one may have believed, but rested in their faces uniquely. Their vanity practically made us invisible. "How come Zacrus came here?"

"Hmm?" Jacks's brows crinkled.

"I just. . ." I gave an uneasy chuckle. "I can't imagine him ever coming to a place like this."

"Oh, well, he met my mother on a royal visit to Diamanda Isle. He, erm, said it was love at first sight," Jacks laughed. "Though if you asked my mother, she'd tell you quite the opposite."

I smiled. "So he stayed here for her?"

"When they first met, they couldn't be together. She lived here and he was on constant royal Guard duty. They thought it would never work out. . .until. . .well, until everything came crashing down and he just ran back home to her."

I wanted to ask about his sister. Discover more and get to know him better. A strange part of me wanted us to be good friends. Then, I realised, I figured we already were.

"I can't believe you'd ever leave this place."

Jacks laughed dryly. "We don't all gawk at pretty people all day."

"It's not my fault," I said. "Just look at them!"

"If I spent my days looking at beautiful people I would never be able to take my eyes off your best friend."

I turned my head. "Oh, Olympians, tell me you're joking."

Jacks stared at me, puzzled. "No. Why would I be?"

"Because that's my best friend," I scolded him in a hushed tone. "And you were our hostage. I didn't even know you liked her like that."

"It's solely attraction," he murmured.