The Makers of Destiny: Monarchy

Chapter Three: Touching the Surface

When Lillian followed Ameria indoors, her eyes caught a small clay figurine sitting on the porch fence - fairy sitting underneath a flower. Lillian was sure it wasn't meant to look like that, but the weathered clay face compounded with the rain and the way the fairy sat with her arms around her knees made her look like she was sobbing in despair as if she had witnessed horrors beyond anyone's imagination. Lillian grimaced at the thought and quickly dismissed it. It wasn't a good idea to have that image in your head while following someone to a place you've never been in.

"Just leave your shoes here," Ameria said, gesturing beside the doors. She herself took off her sneakers and placed them neatly inside a white cabinet which Lillian noted was filled with other types of footwear. She slipped her flip flops off and kicked them into a sort of neat pile next to two other pairs of shoes. Then she stepped through the threshold.

The hallway was normal, with narrow white walls, a high ceiling in which a lamp dangled, and dark mahogany floors. Lillian didn't know why she was so on her guard and searching the room for anything out of ordinary. There was an awkward silence, in which Lillian could hear voices and the clinking of plates from down the hall - from what she assumed was the dining room - then Ameria said, "Do you want a tour of the house?"

Lillian shrugged. "I guess."

Ameria gave her a large smile and straightened her shoulders. "Welcome," she announced in a tour guide's voice, "to the magnificent and one and only House of the Costantinis. You are currently standing in front of the majestic door of the grand hallway. There," She gestured toward an open space at the end of the hallway. "Is the glorious living room of the most privileged. Now, please follow me."

There were two entranceways along the walls of the hallway. One led to a set of stairs that wound its way upstairs. The other led to a dining room where Cheyenne was talking with her guests, but Lillian barely caught a glimpse before Ameria yanked her away. She was led to the living room. It was a quite nice one; a white leather sofa faced a large TV and she could see the pouring rain through the sliding doors that led to the backyard. Behind the couch was a black table with a vase of fake flowers and farther back, against the wall, were bookshelves.

"This is the most sought after living room in the world. Furnished one -

Ameria was stopped short when a gray cat suddenly bounded into the room and leaped at her. Her arms automatically reached out and caught it. The cat settled itself into Ameria's arms before turning and giving Lillian a long unblinking stare as if asking, "Why is this human in my living room?" Its tail swished back and forth.

"Name's Lucy, right?" Lillian said. She didn't dare step closer, but instead looked on in interest. Her parents never allowed her to have a pet, and she had discussed Ameria's pets eagerly with her before. She was more of a dog person; cats were too unpredictable. They were, however, fantastically regal looking.

Ameria nodded, stroking the cat's thick fur absentmindedly. "I think Sara's upstairs, probably lazing around in my parents' room," she said. "Did you know that my cousin once nicknamed them Lucifer and Satan?"

Lillian burst out laughing. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I know. He got into serious trouble. My aunt was furious."

"Which cousin? Can it be Christopher?"

Right away, Lillian knew she said something wrong. She didn't know what, but something - anger maybe? - flickered in Ameria's eyes. When she answered, Lillian could tell that something's off in her voice.

"No. It was another one." A pause. Then she brightened. "I'll show you the upstairs now."

She let Lucy go, grabbed Lillian's hand, and tugged her down the hall again. They climbed up the stairs which led to another hallway.