The Shadow Kingdom

Chapter 18i

Adrian is giving blood. I recognize the woman beside him; it's Isabella, one of the waterweavers who helped me destroy the Neptune Empress. This is the first time I've actually seen Adrian go through this process.

I stand at a distance, waiting for him to finish. He holds Isabella's hand, and the needle wound heals very quickly. "Scarlett, my love." He rises from the seat and comes toward me. "I'm glad to see you're awake." Isabella takes the cooler and bows to him as she leaves.

"You left me in bed by myself." My arms wrap around his neck with his around my waist. "I really didn't like that."

"I didn't want to wake you." His nose touches mine playfully.

"The last time I woke up without you, I found a building full of corpses and my sociopathic half-brother at our front door. Don't ever do it again."

He nods at my quiet demand. "Never again." The vow is sealed with a profound kiss. "Let me give you a tour. It is easy to lose oneself in this place." No shit.

Adrian shows me the ins and outs of the Seven Hills Manor. The entire estate spans one million square feet with the mansion occupying about a third of that. The outer wall is equipped with cameras and motion sensors, and there are at least fifty Praesidium mercenaries protecting the manor at any given moment.

We pass through countless hallways with enough rooms to house a hundred families. "Does the staff live in these rooms?" I ask. "Why would two people need so much living space?"

"For the same reason a king needs a crown and a throne." Adrian replies. "It is a symbol of status and power. Whenever my father hosts a major event, he needs to remind the vassal houses of their place." I huff.

Seeing the backyard in person leaves me awe-struck. Not even the painting in the hallway rivals the illustriousness of this place. It is an unimaginably beautiful sight, straight out of a fantasy storybook. The snow falls from the mundane grey sky just as it should, but it never touches the ground. The vast varieties of trees that adorn the borders are lush and full of life.

I step out of my shoes to feel the gentle coolness of the marble patio and then the soft warmness of the rich grass. The land outside these walls is dead and waiting for rebirth, but inside, the earth is ageless. It is eternally alive and youthful. Immortal.

Adrian smiles at my dumbfounded amazement. "How is this possible?" I ask. "Does your father have a dozen aircasters taking shifts around the clock?"

"A hundred aircasters couldn't maintain this climate for more than five minutes. We have something... very rare that allows us the luxury of enjoying summer all year round."

"What is it?" My fascination is unmistakable.

Adrian caresses my cheek. "One step at a time." He takes my hand and leads me further into the gardens. "There is so much here I have to show you." The flowers here are in full bloom, and the myriad of fragrances intoxicates me. Adrian plucks a red lily from the thicket and places it behind my ear. "Scarlett." He speaks the word with such affection. "That really is a sexy name."

We travel past the gardens into the hedge maze. I fight the urge to act like a teenage girl falling in love for the first time, but as far as real-life fairy tales go, this is as close as it gets. And considering the hell I've been though, I most certainly deserve a moment's reprieve.

In the middle of the hedge maze, there is a clearing with a gigantic, round swimming pool. Christ, there are so many charming things here! Just the smell of water makes me feel revitalized. I run up to the edge and place my hand inside. The ripples dance across the surface in whatever fashion I command them. "Remarkable. Why don't you jump in? Take a swim." Adrian suggests.