Soul Ties

Chapter 13: Thysus

The hallway I walk down has ceilings so tall I'm sure if a raindrop fell, it would echo throughout the entire place. Everything was covered in gold, but not in a way that would make you roll your eyes. It was like glitter and gold thread was traveling like veins throughout the walls.

Every pillar was covered in symbols just like the front door was. I wish I knew what they meant. I had imagined butterflies flying everywhere, but the only moving thing here was me. And Thysus, wherever she was hiding.

My palms begin to sweat as I make my way through the endless hall. Wiping the moisture onto my thigh, another huge door appears in the distance. Was that where I was supposed to go? Would Thysus be waiting for me behind it, waiting to officially seal my fate?

My heart pounds the closer I get to the high golden stone door. I can hear my bare feet echoing on the yellowish marble floor, making me more self-conscious than I already was. I shouldn't have been surprised that there were no guards, but the emptiness was extremely uncomfortable.

Though, I would have been more uncomfortable having someone watching me walk down this long hallway the entire time. I peer over my shoulder from where I had come from to see the front door still open. The thought of running right back through it and sprinting to the ship was tempting, but I figure I won't get far.

I probably wouldn't even be able to leave Uthoria without going through with this meeting. I wonder if Barlow would sell me out, refuse to start the ship and drag me in here himself. It wasn't likely but how well did I know him? We had just met.

Halting in front of the door, I hold my breath for a moment. A prickly feeling takes root in the pit of my stomach picturing what could be in that room. Thysus shouldn't intimidate me, she wasn't vengeful or cruel. Yet the nightmares that I always had comes to the front of my mind.

The image of her strangling me with that golden thread, laughing while I choke and gasp for air. Just me and her in that room, no matter how big or small it was, sends a rise of claustrophobia I didn't normally have.

I let out the breath I'm holding, releasing the nightmare too. I have to relax myself before I see her. She wasn't the bad guy here, she never was and I needed to remember that. It was just a tradition that hadn't been broken yet, it was no ones fault. I shouldn't be afraid of her.

With shaking fingers, I reach for the door. Just like before, it opens without me having to touch it. A rush of warm air hits my face which smells like sunrise and burning tree bark. It's so comforting, I close my eyes and take a big gulp of it in.

For some odd reason it reminds me of home. The door continues to open wider, sending the smell and warmth all over my body. It feels almost like the mist outside, a weight wrapping around me.

At first I think I'm walking on my own, but once I open my eyes, I realize the warmth and smell is the thing pulling me forward. Almost like it's beckoning me to come in. I can't fight it, I can't even stop my feet from walking into the room.

The feeling of panic doesn't come like it usually would've, which confuses me. Was I under a spell? I felt too calm over what was happening. There was nothing in my chest except a small sense of tenderness. I seemed more than okay, I was happy.

This was insane. What was this place? With a steady heart I glance around the room, which is just as big as everything else around here. The high ceilings were covered in stained glass windows, unlike the hallway I had come through which was a yellow stone.

The windows above my head were a mixture of bright gold and clear glass, pictures of stars and sunlight everywhere. A couple images of butterflies were scattered around but what kept repeating were two hands almost touching. Each pointer finger had a shining thread around it, with stars floating in between their palms.