Josian, moving faster than fast, expelled the bags from our hands. “You’re unmanning me. I must show brute strength and carry all packs,” he joked as he threw both into this crazy extra-large pack, custom-made for a nearly seven-foot man.
Lallielle blew him a kiss before turning to me. “I know you are going to say no immediately, Aribella, but I think you should consider freshening up before we leave.”
Looking left and right, I attempted to subtly sniff my armpits. Did I smell that bad?
“I just think it might be a while before you have the chance again, and you’ve already been on the road for a couple of days.”
Since I’d just gagged a little at the smell of my shirt, she made a good point.
“Great idea, Lalli love. Brace and I will discuss some tactics while you show Aribella to her room.” They both dropped their bags and sank onto the couch.
Now that I’d noticed, the smell seemed extra bad. No way was I sneaking up on anyone right now. Lallielle was waiting patiently for me.
“I have a room?”
“Of course you do. I change it from time to time. But essentially it’s the same as when you were born.”
She waved me through the arched doorway. At this point I realized that front living area was the only room I’d seen in this massive house. I was about get a first-hand view of what I had missed out on.
Chapter 10
Lallielle led me quickly through her sumptuous house. I wanted time to explore each and every amazing room, but that would have to wait for another occasion.
From the small glimpses I was getting, the house was stunning. Clean and uncluttered, it still had that homely feel to it. We moved along a hallway. The walls were light and covered in elaborate paintings. On top of that, every corner, crevice and spare indent held a bright sculpture. Colors I couldn’t even describe, but Lucy would be in her element – color chart in hand.
“I love the artwork. It’s so bright.” Each piece further captured my attention. “The artist is amazingly talented. They have a real eye for color.”
Lallielle laughed in delight. “Why, thank you. Josian does love to display my work throughout the house. And I’ve been lucky enough for others to love my art as well. I had a thriving gallery; people would come from all over for my sculptures and paintings.” Her smile dimmed a little. “But lately I haven’t been able to reach my same levels of creativity. Everything feels substandard.”
Well, I was shocked again. Lallielle was the artist? I would never have expected such passionate, vibrant pieces from a woman who was so proper and contained. There was true passion and joy in this work and it opened up a side of Lallielle I hadn’t even realized was there.
I was jealous – as a child I’d struggled with paint-by-numbers and color-in-the-lines. I couldn’t draw a straight line and my people were stick figures at best.
Lallielle was still talking as we walked. “This wing is yours and Sammy’s, along with your childhood playroom. There’s also a theatre room.”
I bounced a little, well ... on the inside. When I found Lucy we were spending an entire day watching movies. Of course, I didn’t have a clue what type of programs were here, but I was going to find out.
“There’s a games room with all the interactive tech devices. They’re probably a little outdated now. Sammy loves gaming. He kept us up to date.” Her hands flew, pointing out different doorways as we walked. “The library – both electronic and old-fashioned books. I know it’s not trendy to clutter your house, but I just love books, something about the sight and smell of a roomful.”
I agreed wholeheartedly, except I had no idea what an electronic library was.
“When you have more time you can explore the entire house. Josian and I have the wing on the floor above. There is nothing off limits, so don’t hesitate to snoop.”
“It’s no fun snooping when you have permission.”
Lallielle laughed. “Even as a child you were a troublemaker. That’s your father’s influence.”
She stopped at a rose-pink door. The word ‘Aribella’ was etched deep into the material; the name glowed for a moment.
“Touch the door, Aribella. Connect.” She smiled. “You’ll be able to control the energy once you connect.”
During our walk, I’d continued my attempts to pull energy to surround my mind. It was becoming a little easier to leave it there for a minute and still perform other tasks.
Letting that go, I took a breath and hesitantly pressed my hand to the door. My name flared, and a vibration traversed my arm. The material was smooth, nothing under my hand to give texture.
Then that spot, my coiled energy, started a low vibrating hum. I felt a response within the door, a similar hum. It took no effort to connect. My strand flew out and intertwined. After that I knew instinctively what to do.
The door slid open.