Dome of Souls (Book 2 of 2, after Story Less Told)

Ch3: Chateau El-Greg

"We sure do, and boy is it a nice room for our new resident. Spectacular digs even for this house." he insisted.

"Greg, I swear to Odin, if it's a broom closet with a bottle of water and a dog bed, I'll kill you." Izzy snipped out of nowhere.

"Wha-...your ungratefulness abounds. Here I am inviting you to live in my lavish home, I spent 3 days making sure the room was perfect, furnished and the best view on the second floor. Three skylights, beach view windows, your own personal balcony big enough to throw a party of ten guests without crowding. I know you like whitestone so I put you on the second story exterior, all whitestone walls and columns. Oak floors, flawlessly polished tile bathroom. Not one.. but TWO flat screen TV's, and a comfy king sized bed. Here I am rolling out the white carpet for someone I lovingly am letting share my humble home of Château El Greg, and it's just never good enough for princess Izzybell, ruler of Ungrateful Falls." he scoffed.

"When did we start calling it Château El Greg?" Cadence puzzled, "Isn't El Spanish and Château French?" she asked discreetly. Izzy answered.

"Oh he damn-well knows that, because he speaks 19 languages fluently, including Spanish and French. He just knows bad grammar annoys me. And I wasn't lovingly invited; you signed 34 separate petitions to have me banned from the home." She snipped.

"Then why are you living here?" Cadence asked, genuinely lost.

"Because the Council wants an elder in here to make sure he isn't doing anything illegal or hazardous." she explained.

"I'm offended." Greg gasped.

"No your not...you don't get offended." Izzy replied.

"Okay no, I'm not, but I should be. Neither of us wants you to be here, and there was no council notification saying I needed to renovate the place or any special privileges for your arrival. I was told you needed a private room, bathroom, and access to a kitchen, that's it. I could have given you one of the tiny little ground level guest rooms with the bunk beds, but I gave you the new suite that was just finished and furnished."

"Fine, where is the room?" she asked.

"Follow me." he smiled. "I made you a map. It's a wide-ass house."

After walking up a flight of stairs and down 2 long, empty halls, and then to the middle of nowhere, they arrived at a doorway with blue trim, signifying a resident room, they then stepped out into the balcony area, which was as empty and white as a freshly painted hospital wing. Izzy rolled her eyes as they walked another 60 feet or better through the open balcony area to the other door, presumably the only way to get to the new room. Greg stopped proudly with open arms like he was displaying his best work. Izzy left her luggage and turned around to stare at the doorway.

"So is there a door of any kind?" she asked.

"Doors are overrated, I don't have doors for my room." he replied.

"You put me in a doorless room at the furthest end of the unfinished section of the house, so I have to walk half a mile to get anywhere, didn't you?" she asked.

"I thought you wanted privacy, you do have a lot of private moments." he said as if getting in a personal dig. "Lotta secrets." he whispered.

"Privacy suite, but not a door?" she asked annoyed.

"It's 300 a yard hike from the next resident room, who is gonna be dropping by?" he scoffed.