Yet this place?
In the distance, the palace rose before us, looming and imposing and impossibly grand. Black stone towered above, veined with golden traceries. Window arches gleamed with gold leaf and the roof was a mismatch of curves and slopes and turrets—its slate tiles glittering with flecks of mica.
As we followed the main pathway, flanked by hedges and rose bushes, our heads swivelled left and right, drinking in the dozens of extra buildings all spilling out from the main hall.
Fields existed between each pavilion, granting privacy and distance.
Exotic in their design, the entire area, as far as the eye could see, was littered with intricate stone bridges crowning babbling crystal streams, all cutting through the emerald grass like arteries flowing from a pumping heart.
Koi carp swam in the rivers, stone walls and circular archways beckoned into private gardens, while open-air, roofed corridors linked each pavilion, decorated with lattice panels and woven with every flower imaginable.
Floral perfume permeated the air like a drug, making it feel as if we’d stumbled into ancient China where threads of wisteria clung to pillars and gazebos rested on the edges of a sprawling lake filled with snow-white swans.
Every corner whispered of wealth so extreme, it warped reality.
“I...I don’t know what’s going on,” the woman closest to me whispered, almost in tears. Her long red hair was tied in a thick ponytail, her black dress far fancier than my scruffy jean shorts.
“Me neither,” another woman muttered. “It feels like we’ve been shoved into a monster’s cage and any moment now we’re going to get eaten.”
That was exactly what it felt like.
“Let’s join the others,” the redhead whispered. “Safety in numbers and all of that.”
We picked up our pace and attached ourselves to the crowd of women who’d already arrived at the white marble courtyard outside the sprawling black stone palace.
The entrance borrowed East and West architecture, blending the double doorway with English oak trees and snarling oriental dragons.
Evelyn marched up the six sweeping steps and boldly rapped her fist against the huge doors.
We all held our breath.
Time ticked on, cranking our heart rates.
My headache grew worse and soon, I wouldn’t have a choice but to rest. My body would force me to sleep by helpfully knocking me unconscious.
I stepped back a little, ready to flee to a nearby pavilion, but the doors finally cracked open, gliding apart as if manipulated by ghost butlers.
“Hello?” Evelyn called into the dark interior. All I could see from my place at the back was a chandelier dripping from the ceiling, sending rainbows all over the girls in the front. “Mr. Ashfall?”
“Mr. Ashfall?” the redhead next to me asked. “Who’s that?”
“Hush up.” One of the girls who seemed to know why we were here spun to face us. Pressing a finger against her lips, she scowled.
And that was when the screaming started.
Chapter Five
EVERYONE SCATTERED.
My knees threatened to buckle as anxiety washed over me. I bolted back the way we’d come. I didn’t know why we were running or why women were screaming but I didn’t plan on finding out.
I managed to make it to the edge of the marble courtyard before someone yelled, “Stop running, you idiots! Didn’t you read the dossier on him? It’s his pet!”
“Carly’s right,” someone else said. “It was given to him when he was a teenager—mainly to stop him from going batshit crazy. It’s not going to hurt us. Look, it’s just sitting there.”
A few brave girls stopped and turned but not me.
I kept running, streaking into the rose garden and ducking behind a cheery pink-flowered bush. Peering through the glossy dark leaves, I tried to make sense of the commotion.
Women continued to flee but the ones who obviously had an agenda of coming here slowly stopped and forced themselves back.
“Take us to your master,” Evelyn commanded, her eyes pinned on the entrance of the palace.
“Do you honestly think it speaks English?” One of the others scowled. “It’s in the way. We should just move it.”
“Sure, okay. Move it.” Evelyn chuckled. “After you then.”
The other girl didn’t reply, and I couldn’t make out what they spoke about. The cluster of women suddenly broke down the middle, everyone cringing away as something huge and black and sleek stalked down the centre.
My eyes widened as the velveteen predator prowled straight through the women like it owned the place, its tail flicking, its glowing yellow eyes bright as twin moons even in the afternoon sunlight.
My heart chose that moment to cease.
Stress crushed me from all angles and my vision blanked.
I was having another nervous breakdown.
That was the only explanation.
My mind had snapped and conjured a fantasy that couldn’t be real.
It can’t be real.
Hiding behind my rose bush, I did my best to get a grip.
I begged reality to return—
But then the softest puff of breath hit the back of my neck.
The quietest growl sent my skin prickling with panic.
Hurling myself around, I fell onto my ass as I faced a creature that belonged in a jungle, not a country manor. It didn’t make any sense. I couldn’t compute how a panther was sniffing my hair, my throat, and not tearing out my spine with its sharp teeth.
“Stop playing around and take us to Lucien,” Evelyn snapped, appearing by the rose bush and eyeballing the panther.
It was a panther, wasn’t it?
Or was it some genetically modified giant house cat?
Because animal sequencing and gene manipulation weren’t impossible. I’d seen such scientific feats first-hand in Snowflake’s labs...
Evelyn stuck her nose in the air. “Where is he? Tell him to come out and welcome us.” Her bravery was utterly awe-inspiring if not completely suicidal.
Who was this woman?
What the hell did she know about this place that made it seem as if she’d crossed enemy lines for battle while the rest of us were cannon fodder?
The panther quit sniffing me and hissed at Evelyn. Its tail flicked harder; a low whine echoed in its chest, just like an angry tabby cat.
“Eh...” Leaping to my feet, I backed up, casually putting Evelyn between me and the beast. “Perhaps yelling at it isn’t the best idea.”
She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at my obvious and understandable fear. “If it was going to hurt us, it would’ve done so by now. Like the others said, it’s just a pet.”
“A pet?” My eyebrows shot up. “I’ve never seen a pet like that.”
Other women came to join us, forming a small crowd in front of the panther. The giant cat eyed us all, yet I swear its stare lingered on me more than on any of them.
Lucky me.
Had we been brought here to be a movable feast for this creature? Just convenient snacks and I’d been selected as its first course?
Sighing heavily, my headache reached unbearable levels.
When I got this bad, no painkiller or medicine helped.
The only thing that would recalibrate my out-of-whack system was sleep. A long blissful forgetful sleep where—
“Take us to Lucien.” Evelyn stomped her foot, making a few of the women snicker. “Now!”
“Having a tantrum won’t work.” One of the girls—a heavy-set, short-haired woman came forward, her arms thicker than my thighs, no doubt from regular weightlifting. “And I doubt its master likes spoiled little princesses.”
“Oh, and I suppose you think Lucien will like you?” Evelyn spun on her. “Someone who looks like she eats twenty raw eggs for breakfast.”
The woman cracked her knuckles, stepping into Evelyn. “Say that again. I dare you.”
“Easy, easy.” Lydia, the girl with golden-brown hair, stepped between the two. “Let’s not fight so soon into this mission, shall we?”
