Page 42 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

The scent of cedar infused with subtle mango undertones greets me before my feet even touch the ground. I exhale deeply as Colton releases his hold on me. Surveying our surroundings, a familiar tug of emotion hits me, prompting a quick mental check of my shields. It’s crucial that I don’t project any feelings right now.

“Of all places, you thought of this one?” Colton says, waving his hand to dry us instantly. He walks over, drawing back the translucent black curtains to look outside.

“In my panic, I defaulted to what I knew. I spent a lot of time here in Nighthold, so here we are.” I can’t gauge his emotions—he’s become increasingly adept at keeping me out—but the tension in his jaw suggests he’s not thrilled. My gaze falls on the bed, its black silk sheets still a jumbled mess. Someone’s been sleeping here. Or perhaps Nyx simply hasn’t bothered to tidy up. The room remains unchanged, and I suppress a swallow, pushing back the residual sadness it evokes.

“We should leave before we’re discovered. Or would you prefer to stay?” His question catches me off guard. Part of me believes he might actually leave me here, that he would allow me to go back to Nyx if I wanted. But would Nyx even want me after everything with Colton? Such thoughts are pointless. I chose this place because it was familiar and safe, not out of longing for him.

“I want to leave. Please,” I reply, stepping closer and enveloping myself in his embrace, Chepi nestled between us.

“Well then, my shadow, let me take you to the Dream Forest.” Colton’s comforting citrus aroma temporarily drowns out the cedar, until a gust of wind playfully tousles my hair and we prepare to channel.

The moment we appear, it feels as though we have entered another dimension altogether. I blink several times, letting my eyes adjust to the mesmerizing hues surrounding us. Trees stand tall and lush all around. Their bark shimmers in shades of purples and greens.

The air is thick with an intoxicating aroma, a blend of sweet nectar, and an undercurrent of something else, possibly mint. A soft crackle of electricity travels on the wind rustling through the tree branches overhead, and they respond by sending out little sparks, like fireflies that dance about before settling back onto the branches.

“What is this?” I whisper in awe of my surroundings.

“The Dream Forest might not be as vast as some other parts of Nighthold, but its magic is unrivaled,” Colton says, taking my hand in his. Chepi jumps out of my arms and starts flying off ahead of us.

“Be careful,” I yell, but after all this is his home too. I wonder if he remembers it.

He leads me down a path paved with large stones that seem to illuminate our way.

“This is where I come to think,” he says, gesturing toward a glen where the water flows upward, defying gravity, from a pool into the air where it splits into shimmering droplets that playfully return to the ground. I have an urge to run my hand through the shower of droplets, but I refrain.

I’m so taken aback by the beauty that I almost miss the villa itself. This is merely his backyard. His home looks as though it’s almost grown organically from the forest floor. Enveloped in windows, nature seamlessly blends with the interior. He pulls me along through the ground floor of the villa, and I have no words.

The soft gurgling sound of water draws my attention as we step into a grand room filled with incredibly comfortable-looking furniture organized around a flagstone fireplace. I gasp as a pristine pond comes into view, winding through the villa’s ground floor.

“Watch your step,” Colton chuckles as I nearly trip, mesmerized by the radiant fish that swim beneath the glassy surface, a myriad of colors. He gestures to the staircases spiraling up toward the villa’s heart, a colossal dome made entirely of glass.

“This is my favorite part,” he admits, and I can see why. The dome brings the outside world in, showcasing towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls that seem within reach. I can’t wait to lounge on the settee and stare up at the stars in here at night.

We continue down countless hallways, through the kitchen, guest quarters, and study. Vines covered with luminescent blossoms drape a few of the walls, turning them into vertical tapestries of life. Chepi suddenly comes running down the hall and then back toward the pond, already getting the lay of the land.

“I’ll show you to your bed chamber where you can get cleaned up,” he says, and I follow him up the stairs, glancing out the windows still in shock at how incredibly beautiful this place is. Once upstairs, we pass a couple of doors, then he leads me into the room I’ll be staying in, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Behind the bed rises a towering flagstone partition, punctuated by a grand arch carved directly into its surface. At its heart, sleek black marble weeps with a gentle cascade of water. Underfoot, planks of richly-hued timber span the expanse, and floor-to-ceiling windows stretch two stories high, offering an unobstructed view of nature. A slender, ebony staircase spirals upward, leading to an overlook balcony bathed in the room’s upper half, granting incredible views of the Dream Forest.

Colton pushes one of the windows open, and I realize I’m in a daze again taking it all in. “Do you have anything I can change into?” I ask, looking down at my leather clothes from Zomea that have seen too much for one day already.

“I can have clothes brought here for you tomorrow. For tonight, will some of my clothes do?” he asks, and I nod, giving him a soft smile. “Okay I’ll leave them on the bed for you. The bathing chamber is just through there.”

He points to a door beyond the staircase, and I waste no time heading to it, wanting to get clean. Of course, the bathroom is as amazing as the rest of the home. I strip off my clothes and notice the green tiles underfoot are warm to the touch. I fill the bath, the gigantic bath that three people could easily fit in, and make use of the soap. I lather my hair and body and breathe in the relaxing scent of lavender that will always remind me of Tempest Moon.

I finish up in the bathroom and go back into the bedroom to find a white tunic and brown pants neatly folded on the light-gray sheets. I slip the tunic on over my head and pass on the pants altogether. No one else is here that I’ve seen, and the tunic falls basically to my knees. I venture back to the large staircase and see Colton relaxing on one of the large couches, his clothes fresh and hair damp from getting cleaned up as well.

“On second thought, maybe I won’t have any clothes brought for you,” he says, his eyes slowly trailing down my body. A fire is already roaring to life, and I glance over to see Chepi already passed out on his side in front of the fire. He is always a sucker for heat.

“Come, sit with me.”

I plop onto the cushion, sinking into the soft fabric.

“I could get used to this.” I muse, lying my head back to rest on the cushion behind me. This may be the most comfortable I’ve been ever. In this beautiful house, in a place I’ve always dreamed of seeing with someone who feels like home. My heart feels warm and happy, content for the first time in a long time. Colton smiles next to me, and I realize I must be projecting. I roll my eyes and let my head fall back again, smirking. Keeping a constant shield up is exhausting, and I’ve earned this time to relax. I don’t miss Zomea at all right now, or anything else.

“I could get used to this too.” He tugs on me until my head falls into his lap, and I stretch my legs out across the cushions, staring up through the glass dome at the twilight sky.

“The stars will be visible soon.” I say mostly to myself, because I’m sure he’s looked through these windows at the stars for centuries.