a Queen of Butterflies

Chapter 14: I apparently like olives

This is the first time that I descend into the lower levels of the castle. We enter through a passage that just, appears out of literally nowhere.

You said you weren't going to be surprised by anything here anymore.

The lower levels of the palace are more like what I'd expect them to look like and it's also true that they were an absolute maze. The only reason that I can't count the number of straight hallways that aren't swirling or splitting into new passages every three meters on my two hands is because there were none, like literally none.

A soft murmur greets us and - judging by that soft murmur - I'm pretty sure we're near the other gods.

My thoughts prove to be correct as we halt in front of two magnificent doors, lacking the elegant, soft beauty of the doors aboveground but still, magnificent in their very own way.

And then it hits me, something from a conversation I barely remember and I stop dead in my tracks.

Ada's clumsy ass bumps into me with an undignified, "oomph", earning us a disapproving glance from Peter.

"Why did you do that?" Ada rubs her head and continues walking without even waiting for my answer.

"Ada!" I whisper-shout. She quickly turns around and faces me again, nearly falling flat on her face, earning us yet another disapproving glance from Peter, "When is Lucas's birthday?"

She can't answer me because we enter the room and my breath is knocked from my lungs.

I know this probably starts to sound repetitive by now, but it was stunning.

This hall looks like it belongs in a dwarves kingdom, carved out of rock that has been smoothed through years and years of gods walking around through here and with floating lights flying through the room.

Think kingdom under the mountain meets Hogwarts's great hall, but like, ten times better and then, you'd come maybe remotely close to what this looks like.

That, however, is not the very first thing I notice. The thing I notice first is the fact that magic is so... present here. It doesn't quite float around like it does when it hasn't yet been used nor does this room look 'coated' in magic like some enchanted objects I've seen before.

It's almost like the magic is simply enough woven into the stones of the palace, leading me to believe that this palace - the one underground - was there before the one aboveground since this is where the magic - the one that makes rooms and hallways change and appear as it wishes - is strongest. It feels like I can almost taste it, its sound a faint thrumming in my ears.

"What did you ask?" Ada leans closer to me.

I need to drag my eyes away from the gods in the room who are - mercifully - not staring at us, meaning we can just walk to an alcove in the wall and hide there until food is served. I'm just glad I'm not underdressed, all of this feels like just a bunch of friends meeting rather than an official court.

"When is Lucas's birthday?" I resist the urge to roll my eyes when she raises one of her eyebrows at me - or tries to, at least.

"Why?"

"Just because", I try to sound casual about it but I know Ada is not buying it.

"He was born on the sixth of January, why?" she repeats her question and I feign not hearing her.

"Thanks, that's all I need to know. Goodbye", I try to walk away but I can feel a hand wrap around my wrist in a very clear you-haven't-answered-my-question-yet-and-I-would-like-you-to-do-so-now fashion.