Primous Rising [Book 1 of The Unravelling series]

15. Celestiana

The ride to the royal palace was tense and short. Or maybe Nikolus was driving way over the speed limit. No one uttered a word, but the truth that they might face ugly bloodshed dangled in the car.

Too soon for Celest's liking, they sped over the highway connecting the capital to the hovering earth belonging to the Palace's ground.

At the highway's entrance, they had stationed fifth generation vampire guards to stop unwanted guests from venturing above. They didn't hesitate to slide open the impenetrable glass securing the entryway upon spotting Nikolus' speeding sports car. The lasers covering the following part disappeared too.

As he advanced higher up, the city beneath them grew smaller. Celest watched with sad eyes and an aching heart as once again, she left everything behind to walk into Lyonaurd's claws.

The castle was gigantic, as though being supernatural wasn't enough. They had built it in mid-air, in the middle of a vast expanse of soil, midst a magical forest. A constant reminder they were beyond all livings. In power and station.

The forest came into view, Nikolus did not slow down. A heavy fog hung over the enormous trees as they drove through the paved path in the thickest of it. A spell cast by Juve to immobilise anyone who entered with ill intentions. Bats with black shadows furling about their wings flapped overhead. Owls hooted and some of them flew through the thick woods.

Those birds guarded the area. With magic, they saw through their eyes while sitting before huge monitors in security rooms, and with the chips transmitted in their brains, they controlled them. Nothing remained hidden from the bats and owls. Perfect silent spies, countless of them scattered across the place, patrolling it every second. It had been Valeryker's idea, Nikolus once mentioned to Celest.

She glanced at him. He had been quiet from the moment they took off from her house.

She wanted to comfort and assure him everything would sort out, but how could she? Celest wished she could offer her help or protection, anything to ease his troubled mind, but she was a burden on him.

She scrutinised her clasped fingers laying on her thighs.

A witch Primous who couldn't do much except rely on a vampire with a few extra superpowers.

Eventually, the trees lessened, and they slowed down. Nikolus pressed a button, and the vehicle stopped hovering. The sound of gravel and stone crushing underneath the tyres, an ominous indication they were nearing her cage.

The sun was setting, marking the end of the day, along with Celest's freedom. From blue to pink, turning into orange, a breathtaking sight. Perhaps because the palace was closer to the sky, it made it easier to notice its beauty.

The mist parted, metal bars encircling the official residence building became visible. A monstrous enclosure around the inner grounds. At the top of it, claw-like spikes reached up towards the heavens, or hell. Some rods had silver canines spurting out of them. Others had numerous beasts made of iron and steel.