Through the Rays of Dawn CH.17

Chapter 17  

Margo's palace felt as though one had stepped into a painting; with dark marble columns vanishing into fog overhead, the foyer was gigantic. The floor looked as if it were made of smoke, the light from seemingly floating chandeliers playing off the smooth black surface to make it rise and fall in a series of blacks and grays. The walls were almost completely consumed by curious plants such as ivy vines, as well as grape vines that bore black fruits. The stairs were blanketed by an almost black, grey rug, the railing like stone vines twisted together. At the top of the stairs was a large clock being held up by two stone angels, their features frighteningly human, expressionless.
"It's like stepping into a renaissance painting," Maer thought, looking around in awe. He looked toward the fog above him, wondering exactly how high the ceiling was; the fog looked about fifteen feet above his head. "Do you like it?" asked Margo while they walked. She seemed to float with the grace in her step, her shining black curls lingering just above her shoulders failed to bounce the way Maer's did. "It's, eh… a little over the top by my standards," he admitted, feeling the heat rushing to his face. He'd never imagined anyone living in a place that resembled a museum, whereas he was used to his simple home in Temple. Or, what had been his simple home.
Margo stepped over to one of the large curtains that covered an entire wall. With a simple wave, the curtains drifted open, seeming to disappear in small clouds of smoke. Light flooded into the dark room, revealing dancing specks in the golden beams. Maer crossed the room toward the window; it was as wide as a school bus, arching up toward the ceiling in a dome shape, the stone carved with what seemed to be hands, all reaching for the keystone. The gray stone hands were cracked, giving them a webbed look, as if they were burning from the inside out.
"My palace was built on the idea of despair," Margo explained, taking a seat on the windowsill. The golden light that shimmered through the glass gave her a golden hue, complimenting her caramel skin. She turned to look at the Elemental standing a few feet from her, "That must explain the lack of visitors." She sounded almost pained in her sad tone, her dark eyes failing to meet Maer's. The boy thought she resembled the paintings of the Virgin Mary, only for a moment before she turned back to the window to gaze out wistfully at the small pond in the middle of the garden. Maer strode over to catch a glimpse of the garden as well.
The garden was a symmetrical maze of vibrantly green hedges, stone paths winding in and out around the palm, under the cherry blossom trees. From the window, Maer looked down at the gazebo on the far end of the pond, standing like a Greek alters in the reflection of the shimmering silver water. As cherry blossoms danced over the pool of liquid silver, leaving circles in the stream, Maer caught a flash of an animal in the water. He leaned forward, as though this would enhance his vision. The animal in the pond did not stir.
"Would you like to take a walk by the pond?"
Maer jumped at the sound of the woman's voice, straightening and losing sight of the pond. He glanced at Margo, forgetting what she had asked for a moment. "Sure," he said, attempting to recollect himself by fidgeting with one of the wrist warmers he wore. Margo smiled her teeth unnaturally white as she stood. "Good, I have many things to share with you." She said, gracefully sliding over the floor toward the hallway. Maer glanced out to the garden a last time before hurrying to follow her.

"This is wonderful, having a guest," Margo said as she led the Elemental through the maze of hedges. The stones under their feet seemed to flow together in a single silk path, all even and level. The hedges were dotted with small buds of unfamiliar flowers, all strange and fantastic colors and shapes. "I can't think of a single person who wouldn't want to see this place, where I come from." Maer said lamely, stepping quickly after her. They turned the corner, coming out into the opening in the chaos of the maze where the pond shimmered. The cherry blossoms were blown over the water in swirls by an unfelt wind, dancing on the surface to leave circles in their wake.
Margo crouched near the water, giving her the appearance of a curious child rather than the elegant woman that she was. She touched the water so delicately with her fingertips the surface did not ripple. Maer crouched next to her, examining the water for the mysterious creature he had seen from the window; instead, he found only cotton candy pink blossoms skimming the surface over his reflection. Maer stared down at the second Earth Elemental in the water, distorted and blurred by the ripples. As he continued to stare, the reflection of the boy grew more focused, as though he were staring into a mirror. The reflection slowly grew paler, its angles sharper and its features becoming distinctly the opposite of Maer's.
Maer gasped, rocking back on his heels as his reflection's hand moved, looking as though it were reaching toward the boy. A pale hand, thin and long, suddenly broke through the surface of the water without so much as a single splash. Maer's eyes widened at the sight of the hand as an arm followed, then a face that was clearly not his own, but that of a beautiful girl. She had soft white skin and lips like cherries. Her face was less angular than Margo's, with two crystal blue eyes and long blonde hair that seemed to be dry despite the fact that she was emerging from the water.
The girl folded her arms over the side of the pond, holding herself almost halfway on land. She smiled a white-toothed smile at Margo, then to Maer. The Elemental stayed where he was, a few feet from the pond. Margo smiled at him, gesturing toward the girl, "Come now, Callidora doesn't bite." She said as another girl peeked curiously out of the water. Maer looked at Margo, then to the girl in the water, her smile widening. He blinked, and then gingerly crawled toward her. She tilted her head, as though she were curious about him. He kept his eyes trained on her, now maybe only a foot away from her. She stretched out her arm, making him flinch away. She hesitated before placing a gentle, soft hand on his cheek. He felt his face burning, but he did not move. She examined his face closely with the expression a child might use on their first trip into the zoo.
The other girl, her hair long and blonde while her green eyes shimmered in the light, hoisted herself from the water to seat herself next to the Elemental. Her thin hands gently tugged at his springy brown hair while the girl in the water giggled playfully along with her. Maer resisted the urge to bite his lower lip, as he always did when he was embarrassed. Were they laughing at him? Callidora also hoisted herself out of the water, her hair barely long enough to cover her chest. Maer stiffened as the girls continued to laugh and play with his hair. A few more curious water women peered out of the water at him, some swimming slowly closer.
"I don't think these girls have ever seen a man, other than their father, maybe." Margo said, sitting a few feet from Maer and the girls. He swallowed, wondering how red his face was. "Gee, I would have never guessed." He said. He looked at one of the girls in the water; she looked younger than the others, with fair skin and orange-gold hair that curled around her shoulders. She smiled, giving her the appearance of a small child. Maer gave a weak smile back as she placed a hand on his leg. She gave a glance to Callidora, who smiled wickedly back.
Maer winced as the girl's grip surrounded his ankle like a vise, her nails digging into his skin through cloth. "Hey!" Maer tried to stand, but Callidora and the second girl gripped his shoulder, pinning him where he sat. A few more of the girls launched themselves at the Elemental, their skin tightening to their skulls, incisors as long as their slashing nails. Their eyes were as black as Callidora's hair as they clung to the boy, yanking him into the pond, snarling and screeching like animals. Maer hit the water, icy whips of liquid seeming to wrap around him like hands. He gripped the earth on the side of the pond, struggling to pull himself out enough to speak, coughing up water, "Help!"
He struggled to see through the water in his lashes, but Maer saw Margo standing tall over the pond. He was sure she was smiling as she waved at him, letting the girls in the water drag him down. He let out a final scream before his head went under, the girls, now grotesque and frightening, ripping at his skin and hair, teeth bearing. Maer struggled in vein as they continued to pull him down, churning up the water on the surface.
"Such a kind, naïve boy." Margo said with a smile as she backed away from the pond, bubbles rising to the surface along with the sounds of the Nereid screaming. She was surprised that she did not see blood blossoming in the clear water by now but brushed it off. She made her way through the maze of hedges effortlessly, reaching the gates in only a matter of minutes. "One down, eleven to go," she thought with a chuckle. "Time to catch up with my old friends."