Flames [Slow Updates]

Chapter Six

“Hello?” I called again, trying to push the fear down inside me.

 “What are you doing here?” Now I was really freaking out there was no one at all in the room, and there was no place to hide. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was an echo. But it wasn’t, because there wasn’t anyone saying the words the echo was saying. I began to creep back to the doors.

 “What are you?” I asked, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice and failing.

“Why should you know?” the echo replied.

“Leave it alone!” said a new, strong voice from the end of the hall, from the golden doors. I got a strong mental image of something pulling its claws back from me as it whimpered. Then there was a whooshing sound, and I knew the presence, whatever it was, was gone.

I struggled to regain my composure. “It? You’re calling me It?”

The person stepped forward, and I could see him better. Dark eyes, dark hair, winter pale skin and a completely unremarkable face. He seemed a little taller than me, and had a scratchy voice. “As far as I know, you are an It.”

“Well no, sorry. I’m Samantha Summers and I’m from New York..” I began to make my way towards the doors. “I mean, what is this place? Way too creepy, if you ask me. Now excuse me, I’m supposed to meet the king or something.”

He looked astonished. “Have you not heard of the Hall of a Thousand Echoes? It’s surprising they actually let you get this far. You’re not allowed into the next chamber anyways. It’s my ro—I mean it’s the throne room. You’ll find the king there.”

“Exactly. I’m supposed to meet the king.” I tried to push past him, but he held firm.

“Why exactly are you supposed to meet the king?” Now, I was literally running in place, barred by his arm.

“What do they pay you to do this stuff?” I groaned. “I give up.”

He visibly relaxed, and I took my chance. I pushed past him, hurtled through the golden doors and skidded to a stop on the floor. The boy ran through after me. And I looked up.  

Nothing.

“Um, where’s the king?”

The boy towered over me. “I told you not to come in here!”

“Just so that I don’t see an empty throne?” I looked around the room. It was actually pretty small, with wood paneled walls and a malachite floor. A single padded chair sat in front of the fire. Nothing else.

He sighed, suddenly exasperated. “No, dimwit.”

“Then what?” I tilted my head slightly and asked.

“Nothing. The point is, get out now.”

“Nope.”

He sighed. “Listen. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know what your reason is to be here or how you even got here in the first place, I would like to know who let you in, so I can fire him and tighten defenses, but you’ll have to leave.”

I raised my eyebrows. “What if I’m just one of the people who have been waiting for an audience for days?”

“Then you have remarkable patience, and the king still won’t receive you.”

“The king, who is also not here right now.”

“But he is here!” I watched in amusement as he stomped his foot. “I mean, he’s not, well…”

I put my finger on it. “You’re the king?”

“Yes! I mean, no! I mean—okay fine, I am the king of Athnams.”