Golden Dawn

|Chapter 29 ~ Thrilling Intoxication|

Next to me, Lex inhaled sharply. I immediately followed her amazed gaze and gasped. In a matter of mili-seconds, the wall in front of us began to shimmer and transform into something far different from what it was before.

I blinked and blinked again. The wall was nowhere to be seen. In it's place however, a long hallway. I spun around. The walls were built from sandstone, the ceiling pure copper and firelight danced across elegant bronze beams. A soft hissing noise immediately caught my attention. The other Lesphares had completely vanished from the hall, leaving us alone with the female Lesphares.

"Sheesh..." Christa stuttered, just as confused as me. The phenomenon was so strange that for a while we all just stood there, looking around in sheer awe. The three females began walking down the hallway and we stumbled after them like pure idiots, not sure what else to do. The hallways of the desert palace were more candid than Angelus's home, the walls and windows structured for the practical purposes of ventilation and space.

After a while we arrived at an archway, decorated with many dark complex designs. The graceful curve created a beautiful entryway to a grand chamber that lay just beyond, a warm evening breeze caressing my flushed cheeks. One of the three female Lesphares stopped in front of the archway while the others continued onwards. Her face was expressionless, deep beige pools entrancing.

"This will be your chamber." She said and bowed, the motion slightly feline. "I will fetch you for dinner later this evening." And with that she was gone, rose petals lingering in the air as she made her exit.

Our chamber was very grand, an area that consisted out of four rooms and two bathing areas, each room illuminated by beautiful golden light that seemed to radiate from the room itself. And the walls... 

I was shocked by the sheer beauty and delicate craftsmanship of the sand coloured palisades. Golden designs of exotic swirls and patterns were crafted atop it with such precision, the art appeared surreal. Our entire wing looked out over the desert metropolis, the houses dim in the darkness of night, only illuminated by the fires outside.

When Christa, Lex and I decided on the left side of the wing, we were struck by the pure beauty of the simple bedroom and bathing area. The water was warm, smoke rising from the clear liquid as if it was burning. The air smelled of scented vanilla and the beds were decorated with bronze and copper. Christa immediately stripped and climbed into the warm water, her gratified sigh immediately drawing Lex and I into the bathing area as well. The water was unbelievably pleasant, relaxing all the tension in my muscles and enveloping my skin a comfortable toasty blanket. Firelight fluttered all along the walls and casted shadows on the sandstone floor.

After we bathed, we found three sets of clothing for each of us to wear. We exchanged quick glances at the wardrobe, but did not argue. We were to dine with Faîzal and his men. No one particularly had a choice in the matter and I was exceptionally hungry after the day's tiring traveling. 

The three garments definitely had similarities to that of the female Sandrîanî style. The material was silky and hung loose around the body. I chose the blue coloured robe that reminded me of the glimpse of ocean I saw back when we had camped out in the mountains. Lex and Christa were clothed in similar fashions, their robes ranging from white to dark purple. Lex looked like a goddess in her argent garment, her blue eyes and blonde hair even brighter than normal. Christa's style on the other hand, looked a lot less flashy. Her dark hair was untied and brown eyes almost hazel. The purple material was a deep colour, very alluring to the eye and a perfect fit for Christa's chocolate skin.

When we exited our part of the chamber, Jacob was already waiting for us. If he was bothered by the fact that he was the only man in the room, he did not show it. His dark hair was arranged messily around his head and tanned skin almost bronze in the firelight. In contrast to our colourful wardrobe, Jacob looked plain in his beige pants and sleeveless shirt. The material fell loosely around his body, the clothing complimenting his muscled chest. When he saw us, his eyes immediately fell on Lex and stayed fixated on her for much longer than I deemed necessarily normal.