Chapter 29

29

W hatever I might have imagined about Tartareia proves to be false.

I had this image of a raging inferno and devil-like creatures running around naked holding pitchforks and chasing the next sin to commit. It is supposed to be the primordial hell, is it not?

Instead, Tartareia is quite…normal.

Well, normal for a realm that does not have a sun. The sky is a reddish color, the only light coming from the four moons hanging over every cardinal point. It is not completely dark, but it is also not overly illuminated.

We arrive at the outskirts of a village, and that scenery lends even less credibility to all those hellish legends. There are houses built of timber, with straw roofs and a little area for livestock. People are going on about their daily tasks, tending to the animals and working the field. Yet that is where the difference starts to become more accentuated.

Due to the lack of sunlight, both the animals and the crops are vastly different from any I've ever seen.

The animals have larger eyes to accommodate for nocturnal vision and the plants are of the variety that require minimal light to thrive. That in turn makes the villagers also exhibit some different features that I am sure could be explained evolutionarily in one way or another. The most striking difference is also in the eyes. Not only are they larger, but their irises have a reddish hue.

"Why don't you have reddish eyes, too?" I ask Nykander as we make our way through the village.

"Tartareians are different from the Sons of Tenebreis for the mere reason that our genetic material is different. These people do not live as long as we do, nor do they have abilities. The Sons of Tenebreis still retain their genetics from the Primordial gods. Tartareians are mortals that moved in the realm thousands upon thousands of years ago, and their biology has changed from generation to generation to better adapt to the environment. Due to the increased lifespan of the Sons of Tenebreis, we do not respond to the same environmental pressures," he explains—quite eruditely I might add.

I gaze at him with a dreamy smile.

Tall, dark, handsome, powerful, and smart. Thank you, fates! You really turned my ideal man into reality.

"Wait here," he mentions as he comes to a sudden halt.

I do as he says while he goes to one of the merchant stands by the side of the road. He engages the seller in conversation, and not a few moments later, he returns with some local clothes and three small leather harnesses with leashes for the dogs.

I stare at him wide-eyed.

"How…"

"There is a species here that is the size of our dogs. It's called a pyde and it is normally used by villagers to hunt the rodents that ruin their crops. I merely asked for the smallest harnesses they have. I hope they will fit them, since carrying the house with us will only attract more attention."

"You're right. You think of everything," I murmur, pleased.

We go to a more secluded corner and get the dogs out of the house, getting them accustomed to the harnesses before placing them on. PomPom is used to one, but it seems BonBon isn't, with Ander even less so. But with the promise of some nice treats, they obey and let us put the harnesses around them.

Building the illusion of a dark smog, Nykander shields us from the rest of the world so we can take the time to put on the clothes he'd bought from the merchant. His is a dark tunic that reaches his calves. It cinches at the waist with a thick leather belt. The design is quite medieval, but it would be hard for him to not look good in anything. For me, he'd gotten a simple linen dress in a faded cream color. The irony is that mine is much more conservative than his. It has no belt, or even a string to tie it together at the waist to give my body some shape.

Nope. It's just a sack of potatoes that covers every inch of my skin.

Nykander notices my grumpiness as I glare at my new dress, but he doesn't say anything. Not even a ‘you look good, baby, regardless of your clothes.'

No, he just urges me to get going.

I scoff and trail after him as we get back on the road.

Yet it soon becomes clear that women here do not wear sacks of potatoes. In fact, their boobs are hanging out of their bodices, their waists accentuated by a tight belt, and their legs showing from slits cut onto the sides of the skirts.

"Nykander, why is my dress the only one like this?"

"The only one like what?" He has the gall to ask, and I detect a smirk pulling at his lips.

"You know exactly what I mean." I scowl at him. "Look at those girls! They're wearing actual dresses, not an oversized men's shirt."

"I do not care what other females wear." He shrugs. "I care what my female wears. And your lovely assets are for my eyes only, sweet thing. I will not have any other male ogle you."

"What if I want to be ogled?" I fire back—mostly to rile him up.

He suddenly stops. He turns to me, his eyes blazing.

"Then I feel obliged to show everyone why they call me the Dark One. And murdering males right and left is not a good way to maintain our cover. So you either dress like this and I behave myself, or you get an actual dress and I leave a trail of bodies in my wake. It is your choice," he declares proudly, folding his arms over his chest.

"Nyk!"

He smiles.

"Yes, sweet thing?" He raises his brows.

"You are impossible! How is that even a choice?"

"You wanted an alternative, so I am giving you one. I might even make a small concession. Instead of killing them, I will just gouge their eyes out. Then you can wear whatever you want."

"But, Nyk," I say in frustration. "It's not like I have any asset to put on display. And you're by my side. It's not as if they're going to try something when I'm with you."

"Doesn't matter," he replies flippantly. "I am a greedy male, just like you are my greedy little girl." He smirks. "It does not have to be a rational reaction, or even a sensible one. I am relaying to you what will happen if you decide to wear something else. I will never stop you. But just like that, you cannot stop me from killing whoever sees you either."

"What if it's a female? You're mentioning males, but you have no way of knowing if it's a female into other females," I counter, pushing my chin up in satisfaction when I see an annoyed twitch in his cheek.

"Then I can only thank you for pointing that out. I will rectify my plan and kill everyone who lays eyes on even one inch of your skin. How about that?"

"Good Lord! What is wrong with you?" I exclaim in outrage—well, feigned outrage, since his words make my heart beat a thousand times faster.

He chuckles.

"I am a demon, Barbs. A greedy demon. Do not expect me to be good, rational, or upstanding—at least when it comes to you."

I stare at him, speechless.

"Now that we have gotten that out of the way, may we continue? Or will you change your dress and I will shed blood?"

He smiles innocently at me.

I shake my head at him and start walking.

"Let's go," I mumble.

"See, you can be the rational one in this relationship," he calls from behind.

I pretend to ignore him, though my cheeks are flaming hot.

"Oh, and by the way"—he leans in to whisper in my ear—"you have plenty of assets. Wonderful assets, though I have yet to explore them all. But that is only for me to know, see, touch, or kiss."

"I see you've taken your job for pretty words quite seriously," I murmur shyly.

"I am doing a good job, I trust?"

"Very." I laugh. "And you'll be doing an even greater job if you tell me where we are going now."

"Based on the geography of the area, I would say we are at the outskirts of the fifth sector. There are six such sectors, and while each has its own ruling city, there is only one capital city in Tartareia—Sattoriya. That is where we are headed. My family resides there—or they did before I left. Nonetheless, my brother should be there to scheme his way to the top."

"Oh, okay."

"We will not enter the city for the time being. Velor is nearby, so we will set camp there for your training. And while you cultivate, I will gather intel about the latest state of affairs."

"Sounds good. Let's do this!" I tell him excitedly. "I can't wait to get better at controlling my abilities."

"You will, Barbs. You most definitely will." He smiles.

We walk out of the village until we reach a more populated area, at which point Nykander stops a carriage taxi and asks the driver to take us to Lake Velor.

At first, I expect the journey to be a regular one. But soon it's clear that taxis in this realm are not the regular kind. As we exit the highway, the horses drawing the carriage unfurl their wings and start flying.

"Whaaat?" I let out a squeak of surprise.

Nykander chuckles by my side.

"I forgot to mention that the horses are different here."

"No shit," I mumble.

Once my stomach settles from the sudden flight, I pull aside the curtain to gaze outside.

Lights shine from the ground, with every household illuminated from inside out. And as we climb in altitude, they become bright spots of light that create a beautiful pattern. Despite its dark skies and oddly nocturnal way of life, Tartareia is beautiful. It's not something I would have expected of a demonic realm, but I suppose even the most evil things have a thing of beauty.

The dogs, too, are excited about the scenery, crowding the window for a chance to get the wind to blow in their faces.

Ah, the little rascals. A smile pulls at my lips. At least they aren't scared of the ride. PomPom has never been a good flier, but I suppose flying horses provide a different experience.

"Okay, so let me do a quick recap. Dragons exist, but so do winged horses? What's next? Flying pigs? Cats?"

Nykander laughs at my question.

"Dragons are exceedingly rare. The male Cerenios was looking for is the last blue dragon of his line. Aside from him, there are only a handful of other dragons, most of them in Aperion. They are said to be the species with the purest magic out there, so they were previously hunted to extinction."

"Oh," I murmur. "That's sad."

"As for flying pigs, I am sorry to tell you that I have yet to see one. But I will make sure to keep an eye out for you." He winks at me.

"You're making fun of me again," I grumble.

"Me? Never! But you are so cute when your face lights up with wonder. It makes me want to find a flying pig for you just so you can marvel at its existence."

My lashes flutter as I glance at him.

"Nyk!" I exclaim. "Although you are right. I would love to see one. My mother used the expression ‘when pigs fly' so frequently that I would give anything to show her an actual flying pig." I chuckle.

"Then I shall endeavor to find one for you," he murmurs, drawing me closer.

I sigh in happiness as I nestle to his side, my eyes closing as exhaustion finally claims me.

I don't know how long I sleep, but some time later, Nyk shakes me awake, telling me we have arrived. The horses descend from their place high up in the sky, the landing just as startling as the take-off.

Nykander pays the driver and we get out.

"Where did you get the money for that?" I frown.

He shakes his head.

"You do not want to know."

Okay, got it. He stole it.

I bristle at his answer, but I don't get to dwell more on it as my attention is captivated by the scenery around us.

"Wow," I whisper.

The lake is much, much bigger than I would have expected. It stretches across the horizon line, almost like a never-ending sea. There is a pebbled line that divides the shore from the water, and a distance away, a small bridge leads to a lighthouse overlooking the great expanse of water.

But there is one other startling detail about the lake.

It's red.

The water is a deep red.

I recall Nykander telling me that there is no blue sea in Tartareia. Perhaps all bodies of water have an unusual color here as a result of the lack of sunlight.

"Uhm, Nyk?" I ask as I turn to look at him. "If there is no blue water here, then what do you drink?"

"Oh, that." He mentions as he scratches the back of his head. "The only potable water in Tartareia is in Sattoriya. The rest of the population drinks ale."

My mouth drops open.

"That's positively…medieval."

"You will find that regardless of what world you go to, power is distributed the same. A few hold all the resources while the rest battle for their existence."

My lips flatten.

"But enough of that. Come, let me show you where we will be staying for the foreseeable future—or at least until you open your fourth gate."

I'm surprised when Nykander leads me in the direction of the lighthouse.

Built on top of large boulders that seemingly erupt from the water, the lighthouse stands over a hundred feet tall. There are a couple of small windows on the first level, while the top one is entirely made out of floor-to-ceiling ones.

We cross the bridge and arrive at the entrance of the lighthouse. Glancing right and left, I see the water wash against the dark gray stone, staining it with red.

"How deep is the water?" I ask, my eyes affixed to the opaque red surface of the lake.

"Deep," Nykander answers.

A shudder goes down my back as I imagine diving in it. Somehow, that red hue gives me the creeps, and I don't know why. It's not as if it's blood. The color is probably just the result of the plankton living on the bottom of the lake, as well as the lack of light.

"Come in." Nyk's voice startles me from my reverie.

I force a smile as I steer the dogs toward the open door.

As we get inside, Nykander uses his powers to light up the torches on the wall. The inside of the lighthouse lights up, and to say I am not impressed with the result would be an understatement.

"Nyk… How are we going to stay here? It looks like no one has inhabited it in centuries. And considering how long your kind lives, I'd wager thousands of years."

Thick layers of dust cover the entirety of the first room. There is a staircase that leads to the superior floors, but the wood is old and decrepit. One step, and it creaks loudly, echoing in the entire lighthouse.

"We will make do," he responds.

I scrunch my nose. The dust is already making me feel itchy and unclean. The dogs, too, sneeze, becoming restless in their leashes.

"It's not good for the dogs either. This is too dirty," I complain.

He gives me a pointed look.

"Wait outside for a while," he says, all but shooing me outside the lighthouse and closing the door in my face.

The dogs are trembling with fear as they stare at the lake just a few steps over. I crouch down in front of them to assure them they are safe and that nothing will happen to them—though I seriously doubt it with the state of our supposed new house.

True to his word, Nykander opens the door a few moments later, inviting us back inside.

I blink in shock.

"You… How?"

"Supernatural speed." He winks.

I get closer and note a dark smudge on his cheek. Smiling, I get up on my tiptoes and wipe it off him.

"Mmm, you are the definition of husband material."

"I aim to please," he mentions, bending in a mock bow.

The dust has been completely cleared, and instead of that old and dusty smell, the tower now smells of flowers and chocolate. That is quite an improvement.

We go up the stairs to the first floor where we find a rudimentary kitchen. It has everything we might need—a table, chairs, a stove, and cupboards as well as a small sink.

I nod my approval. The dogs, too, bark theirs.

Nykander smiles.

"There are two more rooms upstairs. One for the dogs, and one for us," he mentions.

Curious, I follow him to the second floor.

The room is indeed small, but it's safe enough for the little ones to not get into trouble. It even has a door that locks so they can't access the stairs and have an accident—they are quite steep for them.

"Oh, I love this. We can get them a few pillows and toys and put them there." I point to a corner. Walking around, I find a sizable closet. "And here we can train Ander to potty. PomPom and BonBon can also go potty here if it's urgent and we're not available to take them down."

I note that Nykander isn't saying anything, so I close the door to the closet and turn around.

My mouth drops open in shock.

Like I suggested, there are now pillows and toys in the corner. I bend to remove the harnesses from the dogs and they dash toward their new space.

"You're really trying to impress all of us now, aren't you?" I ask him.

He hikes a shoulder up.

"I do not know how much time we will have to spend here, so we might as well make the place comfortable."

I go over to his side and kiss his cheek.

"Show me our room, then," I murmur.

He inclines his head.

We leave the dogs behind and close the door so they don't venture out. Going up the stairs, we reach the last level—the one where the walls are entirely made of windows.

The redness of the lake is emphasized by the dim light of the moon shining from up above. There is a beauty to this scenery that takes my breath away, regardless of how dangerous and morbid it is.

"Wow," I whisper. "This view is everything," I say as I go directly to the windows. I trace my fingers over the glass. I barely dare to glance down, though. The fall is steep. One wrong step, and the red abyss will swallow you.

I back away, my smile trembling.

"Barbs," Nyk calls out.

I swivel.

A king-sized bed is in the middle of the room. The mattress, sheets, and pillows are all fresh and new. The smell of clean cotton fills my nostrils and I sigh in satisfaction.

There are a few other items around—a wardrobe, a small table and two chairs. But I barely glance at them as I hurl myself on the bed.

The soft mattress gives way under the weight of my body, bouncing with me.

I release a loud giggle.

"This feels so good, Nyk! Thank you!"

He doesn't join me. He's staring at me from the end of the bed with an odd expression on his face. It's a split second later that he remembers to smile.

"I have filled the wardrobe with clothes too."

Before he can finish his words, I jump up and hurry to the wardrobe.

"They are not fancy since you will use them to train."

"Oh," I murmur when I note the nondescript linen dresses he'd gotten for me. But hey, at least they're pink—sort of. It's a darker shade than I would have chosen for myself, but I appreciate his effort. After all, color is influenced by light, and Tartareia lacks that.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

He nods.

"There is also a bathroom in the back. It is not very spacious, but it should suffice."

The bathroom has a standing shower, a toilet, and a sink.

"What type of water is this?" I ask as I tentatively reach inside the shower to turn on the water. Surprisingly, though, it's not red. It's a greenish color. I hold my hand under the stream for a few moments, satisfied when it doesn't stain my skin.

"It comes from the mainland. The lighthouse was used by soldiers a long time ago. It was a surveillance point for those who decided to go into the lake to increase their spiritual energy."

"Why did they abandon it? If the lake is such a precious resource, why not continue using it?"

A barely detectable twitch appears above his upper lip.

"Because most people who went inside the lake never came out," he replies in a deadpan voice.