Page 59 of Destined Dawn

I take secret little gulps of her scent. Fuck, I love the way she smells – not so sweet and floral it makes your nose hurt, not so subtle you have to strain with all your might just to smell her. No, she’s like Goldilocks – just right, just perfect.

A door slides back and we walk inside, the air immediately warm, the air fragranced, the wide corridor sleek and bare. We stride along this too and though I see no one else, Ican sense their presence all around, out of sight. Then we stop.

The Black Prince steps towards us and little rabbit ducks under my arm and steps forward too. The Black Prince smiles at her and takes her hand in his, an action that has all the dudes bristling around us. Seems they don’t likehimtouching her either.

“I am so glad you have returned, my child. It is the greatest possible gift – one I feared might never happen.”

“I have so many questions,” she says.

“I know you do. Later. First, we feast. Sopherina and Portia will show you to your rooms, where you can wash and change in preparation for the feast. Garments will be provided for you.”

I glance down at my body. My boots are all fucked up from the seawater and my jacket’s covered in sea salt. I’m not taking them off. I don’t care where we are.

I look at little rabbit next. Her sneakers are hanging off her feet, the bottom of her pants soaked with seawater. Her cheeks are ruddy from the wind and her hair tangled. She looks like a sea goddess stepped right out of the ocean. Fucking amazing.

“I will send my man to fetch you in an hour,” the Black Prince continues. He bends low, kissing little rabbit’s paw, and then we’re being hustled away.

The professor steps in close to us as we walk down more hallways, this palace like a fucking maze. There’s something swirling all over his face, the way he used to look as a kid when some other kid pissed him off.

“What’s up, prof?” I ask him.

“Stone,” he mumbles, “could you just call me Stone?”

I stare at him. We both know that’s not his name. He’s named after that bird. The one that rises from the ashes. Ifucking hated him for that name when we were young, wanted so badly to steal it for myself.

“This is strange, isn’t it?” little rabbit says to him, “not like I thought the West would be like.”

“No,” Birdman says, eyes sliding all over the place, “not like it at all.”

“Does it matter?” I ask.

“No,” she says, “I just … I just don’t understand.”

The two dragon riders halt outside another door, one waving her hand so it slides back.

“These are your quarters. There is a room for each of you.”

It’s the first time either of them have spoken and they have those same thick accents. They don’t say any more. They bow and go.

We all wait by the open door.

“We going in?” I ask, “or we leaving?” You can never be sure with these dudes.

“Going in,” little rabbit says, “I need to radio Winnie. Let her know what’s happened.” She steps inside the room, her eyes widening like two full moons in her face as she does. “Wow!” she mouths.

I spin my gaze about. I know fuck all about houses and shit, but this is a palace and I’m guessing it’s enough to impress little rabbit. Her eyes remain wide as they spin over the large room. It’s jammed with stuff. But all I really notice is how dark it is – they really dig the color black here. Even the windows are blacked out.

Little rabbit pats the pig’s head as he snuffles about on the ground exploring, then pulls the radio out of my rucksack. She twizzles a button, presses a few more, nothing happens.

“It’s not working,” she says with irritation.

The enforcer takes it from her hands and uses his magic to bring the device to life. It lights up and static buzzes from its belly. He turns the knobs.

“Can you reach her?” little rabbit asks, hovering by his shoulder.

His brows pinch together and he twizzles the knobs some more.

“No,” he says finally, “we’re too far out of range.”