I woke up in a foreign place, and my whole body hurt like I'd been burned—each bone heavy, each muscle weak. The first thing I saw was that I wasn't on cold rock anymore; I was on a bed. An actual bed.
I eased myself up from the bed, luxuriating in the softness of the mattress beneath me, the sheets bearing a light floral scent. The bed was huge, taking ten people or more. The ceiling above was seemingly infinite, and I felt as though I was in some temple. Even the door in the opposite room came nearly to the ceiling, adorned with arcane patterns and bearing two huge handles, one high and one low.
"Where am I?" I whispered, my mouth parched. "And… where is Amelia?"
I thrashed my heart. I definitely wasn't in that prison of slaves anymore, but the last thing I had recollection of was Lennon's head snapping off, blood spraying all over me, and then—nothing. Whoever had rescued me… or maybe kidnapped me, had brought me here.
"Hello? Is anybody there?" My voice cracked as I screamed.
Silence. My throat was dry with thirst, my belly growling with hunger, worsening the pain in me. Six days. Six full days without water or food, since I'd escaped that punishment room. It was a miracle I still breathed.
Trying to swing my legs over the bed, dizziness hit me hard. The floor was miles away. I cursed under my breath. How was I to get down from this giant's bed?
Then the door creaked open. I was frozen. The massive doors slowly opened, and a girl glided inside as if the weight of the door was immaterial to her. She had a delicate netting veil across the lower half of her face, and a strange tattoo curled around the base of her neck.
"You're awake," she whispered.
I narrowed my eyes. "Where am I? What is all this? Where is Amelia? How did I get here?" I fired questions at her like arrows.
The girl hung her head. "Please, remain calm, miss. My name is Venetia, and I'll tell you everything. But first… you simply have to eat."
"Calm down?" I snapped back at her, my voice bitter. "You expect me to calm down when I don't even know where I am or whether Amelia even exists?" Anger mixed with my starvation, but my body was betraying me—my chest tightened, and I harshly coughed.
Venetia advanced at once, offering a glass of water. I took it and drank quickly, emptying it in two seconds. She offered me another, and I drank that too before collapsing back into the pillows, gasping.
"Better?" she asked softly, concern dancing in her eyes.
I nodded weakly. "Now. please. How long have I been out?"
"Three days, miss.".
"Three… days?" I stammered. Three days, and those three in that punishment room—that was six days gone. Six days when Amelia could be alone and in pain. I pressed my hand against my forehead and the dizziness came back again. "Oh God… oh God…"
Venetia put a hand on the bedrail. "Please, miss. Eat first. Then I'll tell you more."
This girl's got some nerve," I growled, but hunger gnawed at me. I nodded short.
She placed a tray and left it against a stand next to me. The odor was strange, but somehow enticing. I lifted the lid and blinked down at a bowl of steaming, unknown vegetables.
"What… is this?
"Pawn veggies," Venetia said. "A Naalian specialty. Please, eat it. It will restore your strength."
I glared at her in disbelief, then scooped up a spoonful. The flavor exploded on my tongue—rich, earthy, fresh. My eyes widened. "It's… really good."
Then I thought of Amelia. The food had tasted of ash, but I continued to eat, knowing I needed strength in order to locate her.
When I had finished, Venetia took away the plates, sitting quietly in silence. I came down off the massive bed, my legs trembling but strong. I slowly walked over to the huge windows, clinging to the sill for support.
Outside was a city unlike anything I had ever imagined—skyscrapers rising like mountains, bridges arcing over wide rivers, gardens bursting with colors so intense they seemed painted. One garden stood out in my mind, which was full of roses, lilies, sunflowers, and morning glories, all of which rose above me.
"Why is everything so… big here?" I asked, squinting through sunglasses at the impossible scene.
Venetia glided alongside me at the window, her veil rustling. "Because, Miss Aria, there are a number of things you do not know about Naal City. Fewer human beings live here. The true denizens of this place are giants. Giants… and shape-changers."
I let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Giants? Shape-changers? Those are legends."
"They are very real," Venetia said firmly.
I crossed my arms. "Then where are they? If they're all over this city, why can't I see anyone?"
"Because you're in the Master's private chambers. No one has the courage to enter here except me… and Sir Magnus, his closest friend."
I gazed at her, my stubbornness faltering. "So… I'm not dreaming, really?"
Just as Venetia was about to respond, the enormous door creaked open once again.
That was when I saw him.
He filled out the doorway, six-foot-four or so, his presence commanding and almost otherworldly. Broad shoulders tapering to a fluid form, every movement seeming studied. Locks of hair framed his face, a melodramatic mixture of midnight black and snow-white, striking against the light that had grown thin. His skin had the smooth whiteness of marble, but was warm and alive. But it was his eyes that took my breath away—piercing blue, luminous and unwavering, locking onto mine with an intensity that made everything else fade away.