Beyond the Fairy Gate

Chapter 19

Nyline

Sitting up suddenly, Nyline felt the covers fall from around her shoulders as she looked around the room. Her mind was groggy as she looked around the unfamiliar area with interest. She had simply found the closest bed and fell asleep right away. Glancing down she realized that someone had brought her not only a blanket but the patchwork teddy. Looking down at it she couldn't help but know that it had been Gabriel who'd brought it. Damien wouldn't have the first inkling of what this bear would be to her.

Her eyes turned to the room around her. It had once been beautiful. The bed she was laying on was a large wooden four poster that had been painted white with gold dusted accents. On the wall adjacent to the bed was a vanity that matched the bed; its large three mirrors were caked in dust and cobwebs.

Standing she placed the bear and blanket down on the bed, heading towards the vanity. Pulling out the little bench that was also white with gold dusting and a red cushion, she sat looking at the mirrors. Reaching out she tried to remove some of the dust but without much luck. On the table there were several brushes, compacts, jars, and a few things she'd never seen before. Opening one of the jars she found a light skinned color that she could only guess was some type of foundation. The next contained some deep red substance that was sticky, lip gloss? Maybe even lipstick?

A jewelry box caught her eye and with a deep breath she blew the dust off the top. It opened silently and her eyes instantly went to the set of green onyx earrings. Pulling out the pendant that her mother had left with her, she instantly knew that they were a set. Her mind went back to the memory of the darkling invasion, she wasn't sure, but she'd thought that her mom was wearing these during the attack. There wouldn't be much of a reason to just wear the necklace. Taking a soft breath, she placed the earrings back into the box and closed the lid, feeling as though she had done unearthed something that she wasn't supposed to. Placing them back into the box she closed the lid. Glancing around the room she saw the matching dresser on another wall, then a set of doors.

Standing she walked over to one of the doors and opened it finding a bathroom that was far more than any bathroom that she had ever seen before. The tub itself could fit at least five grown adults comfortably. All of the silver shined in the lights coming from windows that were set into the top of the room. Closing the door, she decided to walk to the other one and found a massive closet, probably a little bigger than her bedroom back at home.

As much as she wanted to walk away from the extravagant dresses and shoes that lined each wall she felt drawn in by the smell of dust and an underlying sent that she thought she recognized but she couldn't place. Pulling a dress out here and there she saw that they ranged from everyday wear to something that someone would wear to an event.

Her mind went to the small amount of memories that she had of her mother. They were far and in between, but she knew that her mother was fair skinned with freckles, her eyes the brightest of greens with flame red hair. She smelled, like that underlying sent that softly filled this room under the dust. The last dress fell from her hands feeling of silk and she looked at the light peach sun dress with a flower waist belt as she thought on her mother's sent.

It was a light perfume that reminded her of a type of flower she could not remember. Then, another more natural smell lingered even fainter than the perfume and it was a sent that she could not describe with words but when it entered her nose, she could see her mother's happy face looking down at her. Her mouth pulled up on both sides in a large smile showing her white teeth, those bright green eyes were glinting. Of course, that memory would have been when Nyline was still a baby, but it was without a doubt her natural sent.

Smiling Nyline pulled her mind from the past and looked around the small closet. She loved the dresses in here; they reminded her of her mother. Her face fell slightly, and what she should be but wasn't. Her mind went to Damien and his stupid delusion of her being some proper girl. In a way, that image of her in his mind had hurt her. It was so far from what she was, or even what she thought she could be, that it was unrealistic. Even if she had accepted him as her mate, she would never be able to fill that role for him. She was just... to much of a scout. Turning she allowed her feet to walk her back though the main door, and into the large sitting room with two couches and a fireplace. She only glanced at the small drawing room that was set up like an office off to the right of the room before she exited into the hallway.