CHAPTER 16
"On the right." Iris said as she stuck her hand out toward her room's door. "It should be unlocked." Aden turned the same handle she herself had only turned a few times. Iris's eyes shied away from the carvings on her door. She dared not look at the story, just in case the story hadn't changed or, worse, something even more horrifying had taken its place.
"This place is absolutely beautiful." Aden said as he stepped through the door.
"It is." Iris agreed. "It truly is." She followed Aden into her room. "And I've only seen a fraction of it."
"Is that the carving?" asked Aden. "How long do you suppose it took to carve this?" he examined the carving, but unlike Iris, who could see the horse's ears twitch at Aden's approach, or the wind's tug on Clara's mane, Aden only saw a carving, an inanimate piece of art and nothing more.
"I've been told that they change almost randomly." responded Iris.
"Change?"
Iris shrugged. "That's what I've been told." she glanced out her large balcony doors. "Is that smoke?" she said before walking to, unlocking, and walking through the double doors.
Aden followed. "Is there something out there?" he asked beside her.
"I don't know." she answered. "I have only been here a day and a half."
Aden chuckled. "Forgive me, I forgot." His attention focused on the smoke rising from the distant spot in the forest.
"We need to find Brett and tell him about the fire." said Iris. And with that, Aden's heart fell.
But her too knew that was probably the best idea. And if he could find solace in anything, it was in the small crystal that hung from the string around his neck. If anything, he could at least be in control of himself while around Brett. So instead of arguing or stalling, Aden nodded and went directly to the door of Iris's room. He held it open for her.
She smiled at his chivalry. "Thank you." she pecked a kiss on his cheek before leaving the room. "He's probably in his study Catherine mentioned that he spends quiet a bit of time there." Iris turned to follow the path she'd taken that morning. "It's not an ordinary study though. It's odd, very odd." Iris stopped abruptly at the first intersection of hallways. "I'm sorry. I don't think I can find my way again." She ran back to her room and rung the bell just inside the door. Th empty girl appeared instantly in the hallway.
"What can I do for you, m'lady?" she breathed.
"Take us to Brett's study, please." Iris said, and the girl floated off immediately.
Aden stood with a gaping mouth. "She..." he said. "She just appeared." he whispered.
"Yes, dear. Now we must get moving or she'll leave us behind." She hurried to catch up with the girl.
As he tried to jump back into rhythm and pick up the conversation again, Aden stumbled, "It's not as if he is a normal person." He watched the carvings disappear as the walls turned to cold stone. "And, to be honest, a cold favorite place for that man doesn't surprise me."
Iris dismissed his comments. "It definitely wasn't what I pictured."
"Diana, stop!" Eric's voice echoed through the cold corridors. "My darling, stop." he said more softly.
YOU ARE READING
Something Bigger Part 1
Ficção Adolescente"We could run away." He'd suggested. But that was before the offer came. The offer that changed Iris's life and sealed the fate of more than a few. Aden should have pulled her away, he should have broken free of the hold. But maybe this was fate.
