Page 23 of Ruby Red Sky

The man beside me waited patiently while I took it all in. Several figures glided past us, dressed in elegant tunics or gowns, their skin hauntingly pale and faces, extraordinary in their beauty. I found myself standing closer to Kiam, all too aware of my position in the food chain.

“I won’t let anyone touch you,” he reassured me.

I scoffed. “I’ve seen how fast all of y’all move.”

He snickered. “They haven’t dealt with me, yet.”

Since we were in a palace, there had to be some type of hierarchy. “Are you a king? What is Lukas?”

Kiam gestured again for me to follow, and we took a left, entering another tall corridor. “Not a king. Again, these are questions you should be discussing with Lukas.”

“He doesn’t speak to me.”

“Have you tried?”

“To kill him, yes. Beyond that, not really.”

He arched a brow and then laughed a little. “I would have loved to have seen that. I’d shake your hand, but I’d like to keep my limbs where they belong.”

I shrank back. “And I’d like to keep mine.”

I’d always been careful and never played any sports. My hands needed to be in good condition if I wanted to draw and paint.

The air shifted as Kiam glanced down at me, the temperature dropping in a fraction of a second. His chilly, predatory focus made the fine hairs on my arms stand at attention.

“I don’t think you quite understand who or what Lukas is.”

My breath hitched, trapped in my throat as what he was saying tried to sink in. I shook my head, doing my best to blot out the prickly thoughts. “I never asked for any of this.”

I cleared my throat and let a wash of oxygen fill me. “Can we go outside? I could use the fresh air.”

My unwelcome bodyguard led me to a patio, passing a multitude of luxurious scenes on our way. There were others around, but I didn’t dare glance at anyone and kept my eyes down as much as I could.

When the doors opened, I instantly indulged in the soft, warm air. It caressed my skin and calmed my racing heart.

I peered around the fantastic landscape, examining everything I saw as Kiam warned, “Don’t even think about it.”

I waved my hand at him, and crossed the bricks, walking over to a stand of roses. The depth of color in their petals was unreal and seemed like an optical illusion.

The richness of the shade, the way the very fabric of the flower seemed alive, was incredible. Obviously, they were alive, but it seemed as if I could see the life in them, the cells forming and expanding, connecting the plant into the gorgeous shape of a beautiful blossom.

Later, when I tried to draw them, I wouldn’t be able to replicate the phenomenon because how could I capture the impression of movement in something that was static?

The backdrop of the jagged mountains that pierced the sky was a perfect contrast to the delicate flowers.

The paths I dragged Kiam down were free of any litter or other blemishes. There wasn’t a decaying bloom or stray stick to be found. Not even a speck of dirt.

Finally, I found myself next to a marble bench overlooking a sweeping view. There was a divide between the mountains, a dark and lush deep valley, split into two by a meandering river. My heart slammed against my ribs and I whirled around.

Kiam was right behind me, and I stopped, not wanting to smack into him. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, with zero idea why the sight behind me inspired panic.

It was impossible to have painted something I’d never seen before.

Next thing I knew, a unicorn would go prancing by.

“Are there unicorns around here?”

“I’m just as new to this Realm as you are.” He peered over my shoulder. “We are going to head back now. C’mon.” He waited for me to step in front of him.