Journey to Psitharis

Chapter 45

Forty-five

A small army of soldiers had come for us, to take us to our uncertain destiny. We navigated upwards through a series of staircases that led to the top of the Cerulean Palace. By the time we made it to the top of the castle we weren't the only ones feeling the pull of exhaustion. The soldiers were all out of breath, and we paused at the top of the tower to catch our breaths. Another long hallway brought us to a set of massive wooden doors that looked exactly like the doors at the entrance. Roland and I glanced at each other as four other soldiers opened the colossal doors, two on each side. I braced myself, certain that I would see my sister's twin standing there waiting for me, as she must have done from the moment I returned to Psitharis. But the throne room was silent, and I took a moment to look around.

It looked nothing like I imagined it to be. I figured the entire room would be draped in pink, with fluffy pillows covering the throne and plush rugs covering the stone floors. But the room was very Spartan, with basic decorations covering the walls, and one curtained area standing off to the side of the throne. In fact, the only object that stood out as ornamental was the throne itself, hewn from one solid piece of Cerulean rock, the very same rock that surrounded us. We were placed in the center of the room, in two sets of chains that seemed to have been put in place just for us. The soldiers forced us to our knees, putting our wrists in chains that were only a foot off the ground. It kept us on our knees, obviously in a humiliating, subjugated pose for Myrtha's arrival. But we were alive, and we were together.

After the soldiers finished locking us in the restraints, they walked out, leaving one guard to keep an eye on us and two guards outside to watch over the door. I watched the curtained area, expecting my sister to appear at any moment, but she never appeared. I guess not even the capture of the usurper could rouse her out of her slumber. I looked at Roland. His face was blue, the first rays of dawn catching the translucent walls of the castle and reflecting on our side of the wall. He looked breathtaking in this light. If it weren't for the nagging pain that was starting to creep into my back I probably would have been a little more appreciative of his profile in this light. My legs were going numb and I was so uncertain of the future we both faced. If only I could wake up and escape some of this...uh oh.

No sooner had the thought hit my mind than I could feel the inescapable change from one world to the other. But something strange happened in that final transition. My mind returned to my bed, my perception firmly lodged in my waking body. But if I closed my eyes I could see my form still locked in those bonds, trapped in Psitharis. I was stuck between both worlds, and Psitharis beckoned to me so intensely I could not fully leave it, just like the beaten version of me that was imprisoned. It was like living in a singular moment of insanity. I was in two places at once. The supreme sacrifice. I was beginning to understand. I didn't belong in two worlds; I belonged in one. And I would either have to put away my world of dreams and fantasies and let it die forever, or put myself completely in it. And in that moment I knew which world I would choose.

I got out of bed an hour late, picking out my clothes for the day, taking a hasty shower and enjoying a bowl of bland oat flakes; my last meal perhaps. At the last moment, I had taped the dagger to my upper back as I had done in Psitharis. I was seeing images of Psitharis in my peripheral vision, so at any moment I could be thrust there and I needed to be armed to face Myrtha. What I planned to do with the dagger, once we came face to face, I had no idea. After all, I couldn't stab my own sister, not even a facsimile of her. Could I?

Before I could get out the door my mother walked into the kitchen. I thought she had already gone to work. She had a smile on her face that unnerved me. What was she up to? She should have left an hour ago. I knew before she sat down at the table across from me it wasn't good...at least for me. She was smiling, and my mother smiling usually equated to bad news for whoever had crossed her path. And since I was the only one there...damn, I didn't have time for this.