Caged by Damnation (Caged #2)(22)
Bay's story had been meant to answer questions, but instead had left me with more than I’d had originally. Conflicted, I wasn't sure if I wanted the answers or to stay in the dark where the truth couldn't smother me.
The Hellhounds’ lair was an intricate maze of worlds, intertwined and woven from each of their personalities. Aria had allowed me to visit hers after the bizarre explanation Bay had delivered. I still had questions, but it was a relief to be alone in my head once more. The information I had been given was too much to process so quickly.
Aria's realm reminded me of an ancient world with castles, dungeons, and weapons that had seen better days, beautiful in a Gothic sense, seemingly a testament to her warrior persona. Though the place was dominated by expressions of her strength, it had been balanced with a soft feminine vulnerability as well. I doubted others would see it that way, but it was a clear reflection of her maternal side. She seemed to guard over the other Hellhounds with a mother’s touch. Each sword was complimented by jeweled sheaths. The harsh cement walls were decorated with velvet tapestries, the four poster bed contained a peach canopy and white satin bedding.
Aria then brought me to the domain I would call my own. It was the closest to the library, and I could have sworn it hadn't been there the day before. My private hallway led towards a large wooden door that was illuminated by green orbs, hovering in the air. Sheer drapes with gold filigree aligned the walls, each drape creating a crescent that led to the next.
"What do you think?" As Aria turned to look back at me, the shadow of her hair whispered into my vision, jolting me from the awe of my surroundings.
"It's an amazing place. I still don't know what to make of it. It's tangible and yet it still feels like a dream. Nothing here seems real."
Aria nodded, gesturing to the door, signaling for me to open it. My fingers inched close, hesitating with the barest brush of my fingertips against the metallic handle. It served as a cold reminder that this was my new reality.
The door opened with a whisper, tentatively pushing aside the darkness to reveal a paradise of color. The vibrancy of each item was stark against the plainness of my previous life. It wasn't a garden like Kali's, a haven like Bay's, or a fortress like Aria's, it was so much more. Everything seemed to represent a piece of myself in ways only I would recognize. It was the perfect home in almost every way, but the echo of loneliness stood against my happiness.
My room was the shape of an arch, with my bed against the center wall. Four doors on either side of my bed led to the rest of my suite, but what lay between and above them made me breathless: books. Bookshelves cluttered with old, dusty books aligned the walls up to thirty feet high. Winding staircases resided next to each door, leading up to many levels that were supported by balconies. Along one balcony, I could make out a tunnel, which Aria informed me led to the library itself.
I found that my main room contained all of my essentials, as if my personal objects had been cloned and placed there. In addition to my possessions, I found weapons, a new wardrobe that seemed to have been designed for combat, and gadgets to keep me busy.
"Here, you'll love this." Aria pressed gently against my back to prod me towards one of the doors.
Walking forward, I found myself standing in an atrium. The room was bright with light and exotic plants. A clear, iridescent lagoon resided in the far left corner. The water was an array of aquamarine, sea-foam green, and a deep sapphire blue. Birds flew between trees, and animals wandered freely.
"Wow." I was surrounded by a place directly out of my inner sanctuary. Many witches had a place to send their mind when they meditated or needed to calm their nerves prior to a circle. This was mine. "How did you know?"
Aria's brows furrowed. "Know what?" Her gaze traveled across the room as though looking for a key to understanding my question.
"This place is my fantasy haven." Walking to the lagoon, I sat on the stone exterior and trailed my fingers through the cool water. The atrium intoxicated my senses and I breathed it in, savoring each moment, until Aria's voice interrupted my peace.
"I didn't do this." Aria paused, as if she expected further questioning on my part. "Come."
I followed Aria, taking one last glance at the cascading waterfall that fueled the lagoon.
Aria lingered in the center of my bed chamber, pointing to a door on the right side of the room, closest to the entrance. "When you're ready to visit your friends, walk through that threshold." The door was made of dark cherry wood with thin gold veins threaded throughout.
I was sure I’d heard her wrong. My agreement with Death had been that I would be allowed to visit home, but I thought I would need to fill out a request time off sheet or something. "Do you all have doors like that?"
"This may surprise you, but we don't have many reasons to join the mortal world. Our family is here, this is where we live; we have few connections outside our sisterhood. When we do find the need to cross the threshold, we use the one in the common hall."
"Oh." Suddenly, fatigue swept over me. This place, the entirety of what it represented, was astounding. This small piece of the Hellhounds’ lair felt right. Would it be a betrayal of myself to accept the domain? I shook the thoughts from my mind.