A Court of Darkness and an Heir of Fire

Chapter 7

Marion

The lady named Amren looked so familiar. Looked so similar to Manon but something was off about her.  When she smiled at me exposing her unnaturally sharp teeth I wasn't afraid to smirk back because. I have been seeing those teeth and nails fiddle with me since I was born. I remember myself chewing them when I was a kid and getting the taste of blood on those iron hideous nails of Manon. I makes a mental note to ask Amren if she is a witch or something else.

My heart was in a horse race. I don't know why I took hold of the hand when he spread it out. I don't know why my cheeks heated when I saw Dwayne wink . Thank the Heavens my tomato face could not be seen due to dark mist covering us. It took us almost one minute to land at a beautiful place. It was the by the River Sidra or that's what Dwayne had called it. The moment they land I jerked my head towards him ,"What was that?""It's called winnowing. And the people who can get into your heads are called Daemati."Winnowing? Daemati? Nothing makes sense ughh. 

The side of the River was windy . The water of the Sidra was sparkling under the stars. I looked above and Oh the stars! They were like jewels on the sky. I turn my head towards Dwayne who is also watching the stars and I whisper, "It's so beautiful!"

"My pleasure princess", he tells me with his mouth twitching up."Are there any other places to see mi lord?", I ask him out of the corner of my eye and poke on his hand and I am able to feel the layers of muscles contracting and relaxing. He chuckles. Then he does something that sets my heart to fire. He slips his hand along my waist, stretches his wings and takes off into the night sky with me. "What the fucking hell?!!", I scream at him but my voice is blocked out by the sound of the wind. Though no winds damages or touches my hair. He laughs in his sweet voice, "Let me show you 'Rainbow of Velaris' princess", he tilts sideways and it comes into my view. I am just dumbfounded. The Rainbow of Velaris. Indeed it is a rainbow. It is a brightly painted pocket of the city, built atop one of the hills that flowed right to the river's  edge. When he gets closer, I find hundreds of people some in sparkling dresses entering halls, some carrying large canvases , some carrying big bags of various musical instruments with them. He looks at me from the corner of his eyes and a chuckle leaves his mouth on seeing me open-mouthed. "This is what Velaris is known for: the artists' quarter. You'll find a hundred galleries, supply stores, potters' compounds, sculpture gardens and anything in between. They call it the Rainbow of Velaris." My voice is barely a whisper when I ask, "Is...is there a theater?" I have always loved theaters. My mother had established a lot of theaters in Terassen. We would go their on weekends and have fun in there . I think about my home and get a bit sad. 

Will I be able to return? I am sure both my and dad are worrying over me madly. 

Dwayne takes a sharp turn . In front within the quarters of the Rainbow of Velaris I can see a building with a golden top which is glistening under the stars. Everything is so beautiful here. "Here are the five- main theaters of Velaris. There are smaller ones though." He lands lightly on the doorstep of the theater hall and puts me down gently. Some people smile and some bow on seeing him. They even smile at me and I smile back. I can hear children laughing and men and women enjoying. I grab him by the hand forgetting my dignity as princess , we half-run and half-walk  into the golden building towards the various theaters in there.