Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 38: Vines of Versaille

Sun streams through the thin rolling clouds, the light air lacing the world in beads of water. Ella, Brennen Haley, Aira, Denen, and I walk through the empty hub, the large orange tree laced with water droplets, birds fluttering from branch to branch. The announcement had gone out minutes ago. "Would all members of the Gifted Six head to the office immediately."And so we had been excused from classes which had started again a week ago. Three weeks had gone by since my duel with Nora, an entire month since we had broken up. And the absence of her still lingered like breath on a winter wind. She was alright. That was what was important. The news report had been released days after I told Lily, the daughter of one of the anchors of the Orvea News station which was based over in Australia. The secretary meets us at the door to the offices and walks us into meeting room B. I hold in the sigh as I come face to face with Mackintosh."Time to go to Paris again." He smiles. The flight overpasses quicker than usual, the world stretching below us in a painting of blue, green, and gray. We land in Paris 23 hours after take off the sky stained charcoal and raindrops lining the window pains of the hotel we stay in. This one wasn't quite as nice as the other hotel we had stayed in. With three bedrooms, a master that the Girls were sharing, a smaller but still large bedroom being shared by Brennen and Denen, the smallest bedroom, though larger than my room at home went to me. I unpack the suit I had packed and some street clothes into the small walk-in closet, leaving the suitcase in the corner. The bedroom came with a queen sized bed with gray sheets and brown throw blankets. The wall is white the floor of dark, rich hardwood. A dark gray chair sat in the corner with a fluffy pillow and coffee table. On either side of the bed were two sliding doors, one to the closet one to the bathroom which I hadn't been in just yet.Curiosity taking over I head for the bathroom sliding open the door to reveal a good sized bathroom although... Only a long counter with a sink and a toilet and bidet on the other wall. Unless I was going to shower in the bidet there was nothing... Why would a hotel have a shower-less en-suit?I open a clouded glass door to the right hoping to find a simple shower and reveal a large tiled room. The floor is marble a drain in the middle and in the corner of the room the marble folds up to make a bathtub. I take a hanging paper from the wall and read through it. Welcome to the Hammam. These rooms were first found in the Ottoman Empire as a form of luxury and so we have incorporated it into your suite! We hope you enjoy the amenities. An entire wall had steam jets and a large shower head hanging from the ceiling. Holy shit.Walking out of the luxurious bathroom I then head from my room into the kitchen and living. A kitchen runs along the back wall with a stove, sink, and fridge, made of black wood and topped with quartz counters. Across from, there is a long table with ten chairs, the top of the table decorated by a large vase of peonies. And further beyond that lies the living room. A long white sectional separates the long room, underneath it a fluffy rug. The wall is lined with windows and a fireplace takes center, beside it a comfortable looking armchair. "Do you have a weird shower room too?" Aira questions walking from the master bedroom. "Yeah, it's called a Hammam." Aira laughs. "I wonder what kind of people have stayed in this hotel room?" "Very rich or important people," I mutter. "You know, I think we focus on how hard our life is a lot, but things like this... we'd never get to experience this sort of thing without our job." That was Aira, always looking for the positive. "Yeah, it's just exhausting." I sigh.Ella sits down in the armchair beside the fire and opens up a thick book and starts to read, the darkness outside interrupted by the flashing lights of the city of light. "We should get room service," Brennen says as he walks into the living room."Are you ever not hungry?" Ella rolls her eyes. "I'm a growing boy." He remarks. Ella scoffs but stands up walking over to the menu placed on the kitchen counter. 30 minutes later room service arrives, serving us roasted duck and steak with salads topped with balsamic reductions. And 30 minutes after it shows up we sit stuffed to the brim around the table filled with empty dishes. "I need a massage after that." Haley sighs. "They have a massage service on the fourth floor." I offer. "That means I'd have to move, I don't have that sort of energy." She snorts.