The Portal

II 2.2 Alone

Despite the sleepless night, Hannah woke up at dawn. Used to waking up early on the Island, at that time she would have started her tiring routine of training and meetings. Here, however, there was nothing to do so soon. She stretched out on the wide bed and slowly took in her surroundings, warmed by the heavy wool blankets she'd found in the closets in the middle of the night. Amandeep's first rays were already appearing, but pale clouds shrouded them and she thought the day would be gray – and cold.

She prepared to open the old suitcase Leila had packed. Inside, she found three long, simple dresses she had never seen before. The fabrics were heavy and the seams almost rough. The colors were neutral: light gray, navy blue and beige. A beige dress! Leila was truly committed to the mission of avoiding any attention. If there was a dress that made her see-through, she'd send it for sure. It was better that way.

Determined to get into character, Hannah chose the beige dress. She dressed up to her waist and studied herself in the mirror. She took a thin leather belt from her suitcase and wrapped it just above her navel. It contained a small leather compartment, with two ribbons at the end. She pulled the sleeves of her dress down her arms and, finding an inner button, threaded the ribbons through it so that the compartment would stand upright. This was not part of the disguise designed by Leila. She walked across the room and picked up the small dagger from the table beside the bed. It might be short and delicate, but its blade was sharp. Ornamented in gold and with a green mother-of-pearl handle, it was one of the objects that had been in the box her mother had sent to the Island shortly before she died. With a quick movement, Hannah slid the dagger down her neckline, fitting it neatly into the small compartment.

It wasn't the most comfortable place to carry a lethal weapon, but Shailaja's guards couldn't have known she was armed. If they did, they would think it would be an attempt on Rariff's life and her cover would be exposed. However, she never went out unarmed. Never. She didn't need weapons to defend himself, but she knew that a quick action with a sharp blade solved problems more subtly. That's why she trained so much. As much as possible, she avoided exposing what she was capable of doing.

She took one last look in the large silver-edged mirror. Leila's skills were really impressive. Definitely, she was a palatial girl. Hair tone, skin color and height were correct. However, it was impossible to recognize herself. She decided to look for something to eat. The trip had been so troubled that she was only now realizing that she hadn't eaten since leaving the Island. She left her room and walked down the stairs unconcerned. She had thought that no one would be awake at this hour, but as soon as she looked into the hall Hannah realized she was wrong.

Like the bedrooms, the Mavi Hall also boasted its own balcony. The long porch followed the pilasters and overlooked Shailaja Beach and the stone cliff. She watched as the man sitting in one of the chairs turned the sheet of a long letter. His back was turned, but she could see his black hair, his skin tanned by the summers spent in Palatials, his broad back.

Noa Rariff had become a different man than she had imagined. When she had last seen him, he was a skinny boy. Today, he was so tall, so strong, and so serious. He read the mail. She searched the room. No one else had woken up. Rariff didn't seem to have noticed her presence, so she could slowly turn and climb again... But there was no time to put that plan into practice. Before she even started to move, a young woman came rushing into the hall, hastily pulling her hair into a bun.

- My lady! Good morning! I did not imagine that you woke up so early. I'm so terribly sorry for this delay.

The young woman was panting, her round cheeks turning redder and redder, but she had a big smile on her face and was looking directly at her.

- Uh... Good morning... - Now Noa had turned and faced her. Damn. - I'm Hannah Maël - she told the girl.

- Oh! But of course, miss! I am Berta, your personal maid - informed the young woman, looking very pleased.