Magic's Mark

Chapter 28

The maid smoothed down the fabric of the deep purple dress, the corset of velvet fabric wrapping around my torso and billowing down into a full skirt. She was chatting absentmindedly but it was more like a monologue as I made no attempts to reply. The blood coursing through my veins was icy cold with rage and I had to control my breathing to stop my hands from shaking.

A soft knock on the door, finally forced me to break out of my bubble.

"Ready?" Taylor walked into the room, wearing an old fashioned suit in a matching fabric to my dress.

The maid looked up at him, smiled shyly and started to back out of the room.

"Thank you, Emilia," he nodded at her.

"Yes, thank you," I added quickly.

As the door closed behind her, Taylor's eyes focused in on me.

"Are you okay?" his eyes searched my face.

"Sure. Are you?" I countered. A nagging feeling at the back of my mind told me that there was something he wasn't telling me.

"What do you mean?" He asked quizzically.

"You went to Chinatown?"

He nodded and gesture for me to follow him, as he held open the door for me.

"Yes," he held his arm out for me to link into it.

I rested my arm on his, as we walked down the corridor.

I cocked my eyebrow waiting for an answer.

He sighed, "I needed to check in with Mr. Liu. He's still researching your Mark."

"Why would you go? Didn't you say the outside isn't safe?" Not that being here is any safer.

"It isn't," Taylor agreed. "But don't worry you are safe here," he smiled.

"Not really," I countered.

Taylor's face went pale, as he realised what I meant.

His hand squeezed my arm, "Are you okay?"

I nodded gently, as we made our way down the staircase into the entrance hall.

"You'll have to tell me everything. But right now we don't have time," Taylor whispered as we reached the cluster of warriors waiting at the foot of the staircase.

~*~

The flickering light from the torches stretching out from the stone walls, played across Taylor's face as we descended down towards the royal court. A shiver involuntarily travelled across my shoulders when the thought of all those warlock's sitting at that large dinner table passed through my mind. Turns out the initiation dinner was just a reason for all the royal families to gather for a ceremonial meal, Taylor has explained it to me quickly in the car. Just follow my lead Cara. There is no need to worry. His words echoed in my head as we continued down into the underground.

After reaching the bottom of another spiralling stone staircase, we continued down a narrow corridor. The stone walls seemed grey and cold, water drops trickling down as if we were so far underground that the earth was sweating. I could sense the long line of warriors behind us. My eyes fixed straight ahead, on the backs of King Jaspar and Queen Anastasia. Her hand gently swiped through the air, the small push of magic forcing the carved wooden doors at the end of the corridor to fling open.

My eyes danced across the grand hall, as we stepped through the doorway. A large five sided marble table was the centre of the room. It was decorated with gold leaves, troughs of flowers and high golden candelabras. The candles created a glimmering sheen as the light reflected off the gold table decorations and crystal wine glasses. I spotted the different families, all standing in their own groups. Down the walls hung five banners, one for each of the families. I saw the red fabric of Charlet, the snakes on the crest made me shiver. Their eyes seemed to followed as me I walked further in.