I huffed as I reached the bottom level and ran a hand through my extra-long locks of hair. The hourglass still had half of its sand as it was midday. Turning, I contemplated cutting some length off of my tresses since they grew like crazy—ten additional inches while I had been 'sleeping'. I'd probably have to do it when Resco wasn't looking. I didn't know if he'd consider it sacrilege and an ungrateful act with my 'gifted' strands or not.

  But slowly, a smile began to spread on my face again. It didn't take too long to get into a better mood when I was surrounded by beauty in the form of darkness and wicked academia. Humming a familiar tune, I walked on, trailing my fingers across the spines of books that were at arm level. Stopping at a particular volume titled, Periodical Section written in Common, I smirked. The title wasn't very inventive but it served a purpose—one that surprised me when I first received my mahdra enhanced map.

  I pulled the top of the spine down. With a deep, reverberating clang, gears turned as a stairwell opened up near my feet.

  Voila. The basement.

  Cool air rushed up, just as I, without hesitation, traipsed down. Coiling deep into the bowels of the foundation of the Hall, the stairs penetrated the cognizant gloom as the manuscripts and ink emitted a concentrated smell of never being exposed to fresh air. Skyscraping and stylized with artful runes, the cavern housed hundreds of thousands of scrolls and large formatted books rolled and filed meticulously in gloss-black towering stacks.

  Reaching the bottom with Red under my arm and Lady Silver content to wander, I referenced the map, my finger tapping the pulsating -R. Looking up, I squinted and lifted my lip. "Where the hell is this room?" Miscellaneous. I had thought the title was meant for a broom closet before and figured it was irrelevant.

  Clearly not with Resco gracing its space.

  Continuing to walk down the central path following the map, my steps echoed lightly as they touched the dark green, almost black, stone floor. It took a few minutes to reach the far wall highly decorated with runes and starlight rays embossed in gold on the polished black expanse. I stopped and eyed the massive dead end. "Uhhh, open sesame?" I said flatly with skepticism. I tried again. "Sesame, ouvre-toi?"

  Nothing. This wasn't Arabia.

  Opening Red, I tucked the map into his surprisingly warm pages and then looked back to the wall. As I took in the detail of the three-story stone relief, I smirked as I finally caught a glimpse of what I was searching for. There were faint lines of a doorway—a doorway thirty-some-odd feet tall by fifteen wide.

  "Miscellaneous my ass," I said wryly. "Here's to knocking."

  Lifting my hand, I brought my knuckles to the stone, just once. Immediately power gathered in a swirling vacuum, then burst out as the doorway disappeared. Humming energy and absinthe haze bathed the imposing threshold as I walked through with a disbelieving gape.

  Keeper Rescoven worked his mahdra on a massive three-dimensional illuminated map of the galaxies, moving his hands in and out to manipulate the perspective and focus on certain sparks and black areas. I slowly walked across a floating, polished obsidian gangplank while looking downward at the dizzying black hole that had no end underneath me. Around me, towering like sentient servers, were black drawers with gold hardware. Cataloging shelves. Hundreds of thousands of them, if not more. However, the drawers ended as soon as they reached the level of the jutting walkway. Everything underneath was a chasm, the walls sheer stone.

  "Resco—what the hell? Miscellaneous?" Instead of echoing in the immense room, my voice was eerily pulled outward as if the void were swallowing each syllable with rapt involvement, chilling and intimate at the same time. Inhaling, the gelid air cleared my nostrils and clarified my human lungs with a scent unknown to me. Cold, abyssal, it penetrated and stayed in my nose.

  Content to continue working and perfectly accustomed to the darkness, he didn't bother turning around. "I found your native term highly appropriate. I use this room for various reasons and to store many diverse items. However, I have to commend you, Lady Trick. It did have a floor."

  "Why am I being praised for removing something as essential as a floor?" I asked, and despite the preternatural chill, my mouth tilted up at the corner as I eyed the peculiar details of the cavernous planetarium around me. We were both speaking in English.

  "Because the sacred stone I draw from was limited with a ground surface," he stated simply.

  "I'm afraid I don't follow."

  He paused his hands and 'took me in' over his shoulder. He had a Rescoven smile on, barely discernible, but it was there. He was pleased. "I am bound to the foundation of Vahlta Hall by its power, which has kept me alive—you've expanded the foundation infusing it with pure energy."

  I peered at him, then looked down into the abyss which he delightfully considered extra square footage. I raised an eyebrow. "How?"

  "When you were transported here from the cave three months ago, this was where you rested, cocooned in light while you burned and melted everything downward and changed. Haell is very fond of you to gift you so much space. Moreover, your Celestial Sisters are very pleased with you and your progress. They worked in tandem."

  I blinked and took a moment to process. Robert vibrated at my neck. "Okaaay," I eventually said. I mean, why freak out now? "But please tell me there's no more 'change' for the future." I eyed the darkness in my peripheral vision. That was where I slept? The more I looked at it, even askance, the more the void played with my eyes. Was it purely just empty darkness? Or was it more like a stygian soup—a physical, whirling liquid just waiting to swallow?

  He waved that off. "Change is always constant."

  I scrubbed my face with my free hand and sighed. "Okay Heraclitus, I get it." It's not like I factored my life was going to slow down and turn basic anytime soon. Neuroplasticity was, in fact, one of my few strong points.

  "Apart from the Gods, I am very honored to work for you. You have invigorated my existence and my appetite for expansion. As a Child—I apologize, a Sister to the Celestials, serving you, in particular, is my greatest ongoing achievement."

  I snorted. The ice crystals forming in my nose tickled. "I'm touched but a tad concerned about the reference to your 'appetite for expansion'."

  He waved that off; just another minor detail. "As always, you are in control," he said in a tone that he probably assumed was reassuring.

  I laughed. It really wasn't. But to be honest I didn't mind. I cared deeply for the lethal psycho. I had granted him complete autonomy, regardless. Looked like both of us were a bit psychotic.

  "So, you mentioned that Krule was a nuisance in your note. What does that mean precisely?"

  He wrapped up the glowing astronomy with a mere nod of his head. The room darkened slightly as he turned completely, his one ear twitching as he looked toward me and then behind to the doorway. His countenance shifted—honed. "Lady Trick, be very still. An even bigger nuisance is nearing you now."

  "Huh?"

  "It likes to dodge my spelled sentinels. I'd be impressed by it if it wasn't for the fact that the beast defecates wherever he pleases and attempts to peck on your books. I've been awaiting your direction on what to do with it."

  "What on Haell are you even talking about?" I turned. "Oh my."

  Standing at around five-feet tall, a magnificently plump, yet also shockingly muscled blue drongo with long yellow-scaled legs and talons stalked into the room, bobbing its head and chattering its beak ominously.

  At me.

  Clack, clack, clack…

  "It has been particularly drawn to you—has even attempted to gain access to this room and then your quarters for some time now," Resco commented as a few catalog drawers opened behind him and hundreds of cards flew out at the ready, no doubt due to a mind-linked request. "I've concluded that it sees you as a threat."

  Clack, clack, clack…

  "What?—Why?"

  "I believe it's an ingrained need to gain dominance, especially as it is a prized stud," he remarked.

  The giant's wings flared and agitated out, shaking to intimidate and to show its supreme size.

  Clack, clack, clack…

  "Dude, I liked your quill! Why pick on me?" I asked it, backing up.

  "He senses you are part avian, I reason. Please be still as I subdue it with—"

  The beast surged.

  With a Jurassic guttural squawk, its bone-chilling sound resonated in the dark cavern as the cobalt drongo went straight toward me. With Rescoven and his paper workings whirling up a spell, I squeezed Red Giant in my arm and bolted to hide behind the Keeper on instinct.

  But then I slipped on the highly polished bridge. With an utterance of, "Oh trick," I fell into the deep.

  Chapter two

  This again.

  I fell like a stone immediately being swallowed by the void. Its blackness seemed to rip the air from my lungs and savagely pull my stomach to my throat with its icy hands. Frantically, I undid the cloak's clasp as I violently twirled and careened. With a torturous yank, my wings hit the air and were forced back, cracking bones and ripping a plethora of muscles and tendons within.

  Vrekk me.

  Attempting to expand the wings out, and focusing on holding Red in my arms while hoping for some accelerated healing, I clenched my teeth and tried to right myself to balance through the rushing, frigid air. I knew I needed to create some drag and slow the rate of descent. Even though I couldn't see anything, tears flew off my face as my eyes were forcefully kept open. A terminal velocity grimace stretched my cheeks outward as I sickeningly realized I had zero clue how close I was getting to the bottom.

  I was also forcing down my typical galactic, nuclear reflex. I did not want a repeat.

  Every second felt like my last—well, my last before I ended up crushed and had to undergo regeneration from human, obliterated chum.

  Suddenly moving at my neck, I felt Robert's tendrils grow and snake over my waist, groin, and shoulders. In profound relief, I heard parchment dive bombing to get to me. The number of papers must have been enormous to eclipse the sound of the rushing air around—

  My body painfully jerked back. The wind's force lessened, then eventually stopped completely. Robert had fashioned a harness, and based on what I was feeling, I was now beginning to ascend.

  Taking in a deep, shaky breath, I patted my buddy who remained with me in my arms. Red began to glow, illuminating the shaft in a pulsating crimson, warming, but not lethal. Like the red eye of a dark lord rising from the deep, I craned my neck and peered overhead as our glow silently bathed the glittering black, sheer walls. A speck of light from above began to steadily grow. Above me, thousands of Resco's cards and even Lady Silver herself clutched onto the vine and hoisted me upward gaining speed.

  Soon my sore wings were forced into another direction as my ascent accelerated even more.

  Minutes passed.

  The bottom of the bridge neared. Immediately, the vine, still connected to me, shot upward and lassoed itself around the plank. Papers flew off with Lady Silver releasing her hold only to come and encircle my head in concern. I was hauled up with force and flipped over to land at Rescoven's feet—butt slamming.

  Unconcerned, he looked down. "Lady Trick, it is ill-advised to use your wings so immediately without practicing first."

  I gave him a deadpan look and slowly enunciated, "You think, I did that, on purpose?"

  "Apologies for assuming," he said. His mouth then quirked at the corner. "Your travels took you significantly less than a quarter way down, so no harm done."

  "Shivit—it goes that deep?" I tucked a dimmer Red under my arm and slowly got up. The vine retracted as my wings flicked out in a jerk. "Ach, that hurts," I cried out in accusation looking backward addressing my appendages. As I did so, I noticed the drongo was subdued in a hovering, black metal crate. I think it was sleeping. "It's not dead, is it?"

  "No, not at all. I just had to suffocate it for a moment to get it to calm," he answered folding his hands in front of him.

  I shrugged. Considering this was Haell, a brutal planet that loved violence, I wasn't going to judge Resco on his tactics. Besides, I had done the same to the F-wad Previn to get him to blackout. "Why not just have it in an enclosure to begin with?" I asked, rolling my neck and attempting to ease the rapidly repairing muscles.

  "I was awaiting your instruction. I did not want to cage it as I know you disliked being in a cell as a clone."

  I stopped and looked over. "You got the drongo for me, didn't you?"

  "Of course. I said I would procure you another feather. This majestic drongo was to be slaughtered so I—"

  I reached out and gave him a side hug with Red still in my other arm. Rescoven's tall frame stilled but then eased somewhat. He stiffly patted me twice on the head. After a moment, I let go with a smirk.

  "Thank you—you're the best. And just so we're clear: if something or someone is eating and shitting on your books, you can totally do what you think is necessary," I said.

  "Your books, Lady Trick."

  I waved that off. "Yeah, yeah."

  "Shall we ascend to ground level?" he gestured.

  "Sure thing," I said. Turning, Lady Silver fluttered around me as the cage began to follow. "You didn't want to use any wheels on the crate?"

  "Wheels in TreValla are hazards that have caused enough calamity and death as most carts here are poorly designed for the steep grade and lack proper braking systems. I prefer mahdra and its ability to read terrain and adjust itself to accommodate its handler," he said from behind.

  "Well, epic flex, I guess. Speaking of epic, your miscellaneous room is perhaps misnamed."

  "Not at all. It suits. And since it will be used by you to practice flying, it has acquired another purpose. Miscellaneous is appropriate."

  Nearing the stairwell with my mind having suddenly remembered something, I stopped short and turned around. "I left my cloak. We need to go back and try to mahdra it upward—"

  "No need. You have a dozen in your wardrobe and I've commissioned more to be routinely made due to your alliance with a powerful nulling K'Vroken," he said. "But if you have feelings for it, then I will have to apologize. I believe at this point it may have vaporized as it is closer to Haell's molten layer."

  My jaw dropped as I processed the information. "I burned down that far?"

  "Further. Haell has a solid core and you rested there for a time. Upon retrieval, I was fascinated by how the molten layers had parted for you in a planetary form of deference. Since then, they have filled your…resting place." He caught a glimpse of my expression as I looked back. "You are the creation and Sister of many Celestials, Lady. This makes sense. The heat you created was" he searched for the correct English term, "cozy as you grew into your wings."

  I closed and then opened my mouth. There were no words.

  Turning around and climbing, with me in the lead, I ruminated on the reality of me being me. We ascended in comfortable silence apart from my soft steps. Resco had mentioned Haell and my Sisters had worked in tandem, so I don't think I had hurt Him—meaning Haell—in any way. Not if His vines were coiling around me and saving me…

  Nearing the top of the staircase, I questioned, "Do you have any books referencing this particular golden vine we have growing in the Hall? I can't seem to recall anything about its origins, and I know I've read most of what you have in the public sections…though I still have to peruse the other areas in greater detail."

  "The plant is—"

  I yelped. He was before me already on the first floor looking down. "How did you do that? How are you so silent?"

  "Mahdra," he answered. "And as I was saying, no, the plant is unclassified. I did not include the particular vine in your room. However, it may have tagged along dormant in the soil of another. It most likely feeds off of you and your pure light."

  "But I feel none of my mahdra in him," I said.

  "I didn't say it fed off your mahdra, Trick. I believe it's a purist and prefers your Celestial essence."

  Yeah, that answer still left me with questions.

  I climbed up onto the main floor. Peering back, the crate with the jacked-up T-Rex hovered silently up and to the side. When I turned facing forward, Rescoven was already walking toward his center desk. I followed. My sucked-in wings still dragged against both sides of the stacks. Thinking back to Robert, I said, "So Haell has tagged me with one of His…" What—minions? No. That didn't seem like the right designation. Haell and Robert felt like a team…or as if they were…one? But separate? It was difficult to explain.

  "Yes. I saw how it reacted to your descent in the shaft. Haell has marked you. I highly doubt you will be able to remove the vine now," he answered unbothered by the notion.

  I reached to my neck to feel the vine, only to realize it was on my wrist now. I hadn't noticed. With a tired shrug, I rolled my eyes and continued down the aisle. Keeper Rescoven reached his desk and sat regally in his central chair. He plucked a scroll out of a cubby and grabbed a quill. The male never stopped.

  Grabbing a chair from the side, I flipped it around sitting in it backward with my wings barely fitting in the enclosed space. The drongo stopped outside of the crescent counter, the crate awaiting orders. "Please tell me you already plucked a few feathers off this guy. I don't want to aggravate him any further," I remarked with a side eye on the beast.

  "Yes, and I did not hurt it in the process. However, I had to rebind a few books due to its destructive aggression," he said. He looked back at me and adjusted his half-moon spectacles on his opaque, eerie eyes. "Would you not wish to have a quill fashioned out of your own wings' feathers?"

  "Nah, that seems a bit too narcissistic for me," I said. "But I'd be happy to offer up a few for you. I know how you are with your quills. Not trying to boast but I'm sure they'd be supersaturated with mojo."

  "You would allow that?"

  "Of course. Consider it a gift, Resco," I said with a smile.

  His mouth quirked as he dipped his head. "Thank you, my Lady."

 

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