White Orchids {BOOK 1 COMPLETED}

Chapter 28 - (part 1)

Deer leads me straight into a forest. It looks like the painting we had entered. It has the same dark and lonesome feeling, but it hadn't depicted the trail in front of us. It's lit up by wooden posts with lanterns hanging from them. Instead of a flame a light-blue orb floats behind the glass.

I shouldn't be surprised of these places anymore, but it's hard to not be impressed when an entire forest exists inside of a gigantic fortress.

"If you follow the trail, you'll eventually reach a garden. Don't go too far," Deer says.

When I turn around to thank it, it has already returned to the corridor and all I see is the gate closing and blending into the wall, until it's completely gone. I sweep my eyes over the path and the dark trees that stands closely together. I would easily get lost if I decided to veer off the trail. Following Deer's advice for now seems like the best decision. I slowly follow the path with the wooden posts.

The first garden I find is filled with light green bushes and trees. It feels like I've entered an entirely different forest, one that is filled with sunlight. A stream runs through the garden, and it fills the area with a gentle sound of trickling water. I can also hear birds chirping, yet I cannot find any when I'm looking around. The path ends in front of a wooden bridge, on its other side, a path of dark-grey stone slabs begins.

I cross the bridge, and continue towards the garden where large rose bushes lie like a crescent moon around the white stone benches. The short trees move in the wind, and sunrays finds its way through the trees' leaves.

Cerberus is standing in the garden. As always, he's dressed in spotless white clothes. This time the tall collar is embroidered in golden patterns that move down the torso. The black dreadlocks are tucked back, instead of loose like I've previously seen him wear it.

"Orchid?" he asks, like he isn't certain I'm actually standing there.

I cannot blame him. First had made it clear I shouldn't be in the Citadel to begin with. Yet, I hadn't expected to see him here either. I'm not sure how to act, the last time we had spoken all of my thoughts and feelings had been written on my face. He had opened up; said things he likely should never have mentioned. Yet it felt like he knew exactly what to say to make sure I only knew what he wanted to tell me.

"Ah, Cerberus."

"Are you alone?" he asks and fixates his eyes behind me.

"Deer showed me the way to the gardens."

"But she let you go here by yourself?" He asks and narrows the one blue eye. The scarred face still looks friendly – if a bit doubtful.

"Yes?" I look around. "Is there a problem?"

"It's easy to get lost here if you step outside of the path. Deer should have showed you the entire way. It's unusual for new soul wanderers to visit the Citadel. What are you doing here?"

I stand next to the rosebushes. He follows me with his gaze.

"I'm here with Sun," I say and study the roses, they're bigger than my hand. "She was supposed to show me the library and the Hall of Memories. But something came up before we had time, so I'm supposed to wait here until they're done."

"Ah, the meeting," he mumbles. It sounds like he's talking to himself more than me.

I doubt that it's meant for him to attend the meeting, since he neither excuses himself nor outright leaves the garden.

I gently touch the roses – a coldness moves over my fingertips – the same feeling as when you hold a hand towards an open freezer without touching anything, if slightly stronger.