Kingdom of the Nine: The Bridge (IV)

Chapter 5

Smith Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana

———Red———
I wake to the low thrum of a helicopter flying past my window, the vibrations rattling the glass and sending faint tremors through the walls. Below, the blaring honks of car horns filter up from the streets. It's a jarring contrast to home—on Naurus, it was the songs of birds that woke me, not the mechanical roar of the city. I already miss it.

Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffle to the door, opening it to the quiet click of well-oiled hinges. No creak, no resistance—it feels wrong, unnatural, like everything else in this too-perfect place.

Stepping into the open room beyond, I spot Alyse perched on the couch. She's holding a thin piece of glass, her fingers dancing across its surface as it lights up under her touch.

"Oh, Red! Thank the gods you're finally awake! You have to see this—look!" She waves me over excitedly, thrusting the sliver of glass in my direction.

I squint at it, still groggy. "What is it?"

"It's a screen! But you can touch it and make it do things! Watch, I already—"

A sharp knock at the door interrupts her.

"It's Kylen," a voice calls from the other side. "Are you guys up yet?"

"Come on in! I was just showing Red this glass screen!" Alyse shouts, practically bouncing in her seat.

The door opens, and Kylen steps inside, smiling faintly. "Oh, the tablet," he corrects her. "Yeah, it's pretty neat, huh?"

"Tablet?" Alyse echoes, her brow furrowing as she turns the device over in her hands. "Why call it that? It's nothing like the stone tablets back home."

Kylen chuckles, stepping further into the room. "Different world, different names. Trust me, you'll get used to it. Anyway, I came to take you guys up to the penthouse. Got your rooms cleared out and ready."

Alyse's eyes widen. "The penthouse? What's that? Is it, like, the royal chambers of this tower?"

Kylen smirks. "Something like that. It's the top floor of the building. Bigger rooms, better views, more privacy. Figured you two deserve a proper space after... everything."

"Better view of all the metal and stone outside?" I mutter under my breath, still trying to shake the grogginess.

"Hey, you might actually like it," Kylen says with a shrug. "Come on, I'll show ya."

Alyse is already on her feet, clutching the tablet like it's a priceless artifact. "You mean we're going to live up there? Together? Like the old days?"

"Exactly like the old days," Kylen says, smiling softly. "Except with fewer trees and way more technology."

He gestures for us to follow him. Alyse practically skips to his side, and I trail behind, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Kylen leads us to the elevator at the far end of the hallway. The mirrored doors slide open soundlessly, revealing an interior lined with soft golden lights. Alyse steps in first, immediately captivated by the edgeless window built into the walls.

"Okay, this is magic," she says, spinning in place to take it all in.

Kylen laughs. "It's not magic—it's tech. Screens, like that tablet you've got. This one shows the city as we move."

The doors close, and the elevator begins its smooth ascent. The walls shimmer, displaying a perfect view of the city below as though we were suspended in the air. Alyse presses her face closer, her breath fogging up the illusion.