Chapter 5

" T he Kingdom of Swords? What's that?"

"The prince will explain, I'm sure. He has requested an audience once you're refreshed."

Prince. Swords. Kingdom. It was all too much. Ember sucked in a couple of deep, shuddering breaths. It was going to be fine. She'd see the … the prince … and ask to go home and that would be that. No need to panic. And in the meantime, she could just enjoy the wonderful weirdness of it all. The food was good, and Lily seemed nice. It was going to be fine.

Lily brought Ember a bowl of warm, scented water to wash her fingers, and a soft towel. She would have dried Ember's fingers too, if Ember hadn't taken the towel from her. Afterwards, Lily adjusted Ember's skirts, and ignoring her protests, tugged the bodice down to expose more of her décolletage, explaining that was how the dress was to be worn.

Ember felt like a player about to take the stage, but she suffered through the primping of her outfit, and then the brushing and pinning of her long dark hair, not wanting to hinder Lily. There were no mirrors, and so she could only guess at what Lily was doing as she piled Ember's hair on top of her head and pulled a few tendrils down around her temples.

Ember asked if there were shoes to match, and Lily looked momentarily flustered, before opening a cupboard, empty save for a pair of soft satin slippers that matched the dress perfectly. When Lily had finished and pronounced her done, Ember followed her out the door.

Her room was at the end of a corridor lined with panels of dark cherry coloured wood, tall candle holders with room for twenty candles lighting the way. This corridor led to another corridor, and then they turned into a wider hallway. Now and then, they passed others moving in the opposite direction, each of whom first stared at Ember and then almost immediately dropped their gaze, as if they were too frightened to stare.

The first time someone walked past, Ember assumed they wore an elaborate headdress of green and purple feathers, but as she turned to watch them pass, she saw it was wings , arching up from the shoulder blades, high into the air and then bowing down to trail along the floor. She stopped in her tracks, watching them glide down the hall. When she had collected her wits, Lily was just vanishing around a corner. Ember scampered to catch her up.

There were more people here, some with wings, some without. Once she felt a draught blowing the stray tendrils around her face, and she looked up to see someone flying overhead, as casually as if they were walking. Ember had to work to keep her mouth from gaping open, but there was no doubt about it. She was overwhelmed and overwrought, with too many unfamiliar sights, sounds, smells and tastes, assailing her senses. She wanted nothing more than to run back to her room and crawl into that big, comfortable bed and pull the covers over her head. Or, failing that, find the nearest corner, sink down, clutch her knees and rock. But Lily was striding on, and Ember had no choice but to follow.

They passed under an elaborately carved archway. Lily said, "This is a common archway," but didn't elaborate, and the question Ember had on her lips died almost immediately as they entered an overgrown forest. A faint dirt path wound in between thick stands of trees, bushes, and ferns. Vines dripped from the branches, and under the trees lay a soft carpet of moss, speckled with white starry flowers. The shades of green were calming, comforting, and Ember felt her fingers itch, the familiar longing of wanting to pick up a brush and fill an empty canvas.

She thought they must have left the castle and come into the grounds, but then they passed a still pool of water reflecting sunset clouds, all pinks and yellows, and she discovered the sky was just painted on the ceiling and the forest was still indoors. The water rippled as they went past, and Ember paused, half expecting a fish to leap out of the water, but the ripples stilled unnaturally quickly, and she continued on.

A glimpse through the trees showed a space where the forest hadn't entirely taken over, a space with four stone columns rising high. On one column was an engraving of what looked like three drops of water, on another, a curling fern frond. She didn't have time to see the others because Lily was hurrying on.

"The common areas are open to all," Lily said, indicating another archway beyond, "but that leads to Prince Cole's domain and his ballroom."

The forest abruptly ended as they passed beneath the arch, and they were back in another hallway. It ended in wooden doors carved with two crossed swords and guarded by two men in silver armour, leather gloved hands resting on the sword pommels at their sides. As one, they moved aside as she and Lily approached, and the doors swung open.

Music swelled and Ember caught an intriguing glimpse of whirling movement inside. Lily gestured for Ember to enter. Ember did so, looking back at Lily, who hadn't moved over the threshold, realising belatedly that the only person she knew in this place was letting her go on alone. She turned back, but the doors had already closed behind her, and she had no choice but to face the prince by herself.