Fifty-One

32K 2.2K 346
                                    

I wasn't sure how late it was when I finally fell in a dreamless sleep.

Finally dreamless. I'd been plagued night after night with visions on Robyn in his life but so far, nothing was useful. In the beginning, after he was gone I dreamt his memories for hours but as the days went by they were shorter, less often and I feared I wouldn't get any answers on what he ultimately wanted from me.

I woke early and showered trying to wake myself despite the short amount of hours I slept. The marble bathroom was spacious and all sound seemed to echo inside the beautiful bathroom. I dressed in a robe emblazoned with the hotel name on the front, afraid that I'd wrinkle or dirty the fine clothes that had been picked for me for the day.

I opened the doors that led to the suite's small living room and stopped. There was a large gold trunk opened with a mountain of chocolate inside. Large chunks of dark chocolate bark cascaded from it with old yellow gold handmade jewelry hanging on the inside. The jade was a deep green like I'd never seen.

I recognized the faces etched on the golden cuffs and the circular calendar made in jade that hung on the end of the necklace. It had to be the present from Ix Chel, the Autumn queen who drew influence from the Mayan culture.

Next to it was a case full of blades. Old carved silver etched with beautiful markings that seemed as old as the Nordic legends themselves.

The gift from the Winter Queen, Aira.

Beyond the table sitting in the middle of the room, was another one. It was rich with more gold jewelry that glistened in the light of the morning. Glass pendant earrings were in the middle with fruits and grains spilling over the case it was in.

Sili, the Spring Queen then.

As my eyes settled in the last of the presents, I hesitated. It was a golden box with mesh in front of it. It was small enough that it reminded me of the carryon bags people would fly their pets with. The box itself was gorgeous with hieroglyphics etched throughout depicting a half woman half cat praising the sun.

I swallowed. The present from the Summer Queen, Rai, then.

I looked at the top of it and saw a small note. I frowned as I looked it over. The text was delicate but I still couldn't understand it.

As I peered into the box, I could hear a deep purring followed by a small, delicate noise.

"Mew."

My heart fluttered and I immediately began to open the box. As soon as I lifted the lid, large green feline eyes looked up at me.

I smiled. "Hi, kitty."

I set the lid aside as it began to sniff the outside of the box. I set my hands at my side, non-threatening.

The small gray feline sniffed towards me and looked at me again. "Mew."

I couldn't help my smile as it jumped out of the gold box and lifted its nose at me. I lifted my hand to scratch its head and it pushed its head into my open hand. The more I continued to pet it, the more it approached until it was in my lap.

The cat was too large to be a kitten. The gray coat was shiny and healthy with different black spots all over that made small patterns throughout its body.

Saving the King of the Underworld | Book 2Where stories live. Discover now