Forbidden

Revealed

Van

Van ran her finger around the rim of the goblet she was holding. She'd laughed out loud when her requested sprite was delivered in the gilded cup, but neither her father or the person offering her the drink found her response humorous. So, she'd covered it with a cough and looked at the walls of her father's office with intense interest.

Her father had his back to her while he talked on the phone. The words being spoken were quiet but rushed, and he he would turn to look at her from time to time. Either to assure himself she hadn't tried to run or that she wasn't eavesdropping, she wasn't sure. Probably both.

But to be honest, she didn't know what she would be listening for. This strange place was overwhelming, and while she wanted to believe her father was a few fries short of a happy, there had to be something to this place. There were too many people on the bandwagon, too much organization, for it to just be some hippy cult. Though, really. The Holy Asylum of Light? It was a terrible name.

"Alright, sorry about that," Father said, turning back to face Van. He looked years younger, his green eyes vibrant as he smiled at her. "It's time to show you what we do here."

Van pulled her lips tight and raised her eyebrows as she put the goblet on the desk. She wiped her palms on her pants and stood. "That would be nice. I'd like to know what was so important you had to drag me from my sickbed."

"Vanessa," he sighed, the smile fading. He stepped across the room and opened the door. She went out first, and he shut the door behind him and locked it with a key he put back in his pockets.

"Father."

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he guided her down the narrow hallway. It was dimly lit by sconces, and the sound of their steps against the cool, stone floors echoed. After s few minutes, Van noticed condensation forming on the wall, and she paused to touch it.

"Why are the walls wet?"

"We're moving underground."

"You work in a cave. Fabulous."

"Vanessa, I'm going to tolerate the snark for just a few more minutes. What you're about to see will completely change you."

"Shouldn't I have to sign a waiver for this? I didn't give you permission for anything life changing."

"You certainly received her acidic wit," Father said dryly before stopping in front of metal doors.

They looked out of place, all sleek and silver next to the drab brown rock around it. He pressed his hand against a black pad to the left, and it flashed green. The doors responded by whooshing open, releasing a flood of light that made Van's eyes water.

Where the upper floors of this place had been exactly what one would expect in a castle- stone everywhere, tapestries on walls, and firelight to guide the way- this new area was the epitome of the modern world. Glass and chrome. Open spaces and sleek machines that ran so quietly their hum was barely noticeable. A woman standing behind a glass partition frowned when she spied Van, and she tapped the barrier with one finger, turning the once clear glass opaque.

The people here were not dressed in red leathers. Most wore lab coats or white jumpsuits, and they all bore the same symbol- a round circle filled with lines like one of the maze games she'd played with when she was younger.

"What do the mazes stand for?" she asked.

Father's lips turned up. "Labyrinth not maze."

"What's the difference?"

"You can become lost in a maze, but a labyrinth only has one way in and out. Like life- we are born and then we die."

"Well that's not bleak."