The Immortal Gardens - Emergent (book 1) (Wattys 2013)

chapter 21- deciever

In the distance, the castle seemed as if it belonged on my father's shelf with little ceramic warriors and a dragon, the shelf that I dared not to touch in fear of releasing the gypsy's curse. But, standing nearer it seemed to belong in a nightmare.

It was mostly gray with a few red splsshes of blood here andthere. The brick structure seemed to scrape the sky, like the buildings I had seen when i went to the mortal world. 

Uncharming gargoyle and angel statues lined the top of the ledged windows. The windows were small and very few. Except for the 2 beside the massive wooden door. They were made of a transclucent stained glass with images of thorns and black roses. Concord grape vines ran up and down the building pillars. The place wasnt regal, nor was it suitable to be called home.

Diana ran her hands along the side of the castle. They came upon a bunch of grapes and with a gentle tug she had plucked one from the bunch and was now massaging it between her fingers.

"He took my family away from me before" she transfered the grape between her index finger and her thumb. "Not this time." She crushed it bwtween her fingers, staining them black. She then turned around and began looking around.

"Has anyone seen Ryder?" Diana asked as she straightened her short purple dress. It seemed to bring out the fact that she was pastel blue instead of a traditional skin colour, but who says tradition cannot be changed.

I glanced around but caught no sight of him, only a glimpse of Elijha shifting uncomfortably in Ryder's jacket.

"No I havent." I began nervously examining the ends of my hair to see how they looked. Still red.

The galloping of horse feet against damp grass had frightened me to my witts end. It was Hezikaya I was sure. No-one else had a horse unless he had servants. Images of the hooded horseman flashed through my mind. The rider of the horse came around to us on a black stallion.

I gripped the hilt of my sword.

Focoused my energy.

"I stole this horse from the stable." A voice called ftom underneath the hood.

I relaxed.

"Ryder, honestly did you have to make such an entrance?" I sighed. Diana cursed inder her breath.

"Its cold." He started, then began motioning with his hands. "I did a 360 around the perimeter and so far there are no guards, nor are there any curses on the locks. Yet I think he should be expecting us. Any day except today."

"Then we should take the back entrance in case he is." Diana suggested with her hands on her hips.

"Thats exactly why we should take neither. I dont want us to appear as a threat, even if we are." Ryder reached for the massive handle. "Angel, command it to open."

"Ithsa marque de sephus." Elijha mumbled. It was an ancient language the angels used to communicatr, but it hadnt been used for thousands of years for communication, only as a charm or spell.

The door unlatched itself and creaked open. There was a long stoney corridor that branched off into 2 stair wells lit by torch light. Pictures were lined across the walls in between torches.

"Wait Rosabella." Ryder held out his hand, stopping me from wandering off.

"Dont touch her." Elijha snapped. What was his problem!?

"He's my lover, he can touch me any time he feels to."

"Dont get so defensive love.I'll handle it." He smiled reassuringly. "Just wait here."

He walked over to Elijha who's hands were folded to his chest, his hair falling infront of his eyes. Elijha looked like the men in the street I had seen in the mortal world that had whistled at me while leaning against a graffiti wall.