I clapped my hands. Finally I’d figured out these crazy doors. “Will I be able to open any door that way?”
Lallielle seemed to shake her head and nod at the same time. “It really depends on where you are and the security they have. At night, I set the outside perimeter and you will not be able to open any doors or remove the iso field unless you either have a pre-approved energy pattern or you know the combination.”
“Deralick mentioned iso shields when he captured us.”
She flicked an odd look in my direction, before smiling. “They are simply energy shields to add a little more security. Most people don’t bother with them.”
It would take me another eighteen years to learn the inner workings of this world.
Unwilling to waste another moment, I stepped into my room. The creamy white carpet was soft under my boots. I sank into the luxuriously fluffy depths.
I took a moment to look around. The pale pink walls were covered in painted art, but instead of abstracts they were portraits. Lallielle had painted a timeline mural. I recognized myself as the chubby-cheeked baby, and there was also a dark-haired young boy and a few images of my parents.
I could trace the days, weeks and months I’d been on First World.
“I painted this once you were gone. I needed something to hold on to until we got you back.”
Her presence was strong in the room. She had spent a lot of time here over the years.
A large balcony ran along the front of the huge room, with three sets of double doors ready to be flung open. The center of the room was dominated by a massive bed with four large white posts, over which was draped filmy white netting.
There were mountains of pillows and cushions in lilac and pinks. Basically, this room was any girl’s fantasy room. I wanted to take my time to explore the many shelves of photo frames, toys, stuffed animals, little trinkets. But Lucy was my priority. Lallielle, sensing my urgency, moved toward two side-by-side doors.
“This is your bathing room.” The first door slid open. “And here is your dressing room.” The second door opened. “Every few years I donate the old clothes and procure a new wardrobe.” She paused. “It’s probably not to your taste, but I hope you’ll find something suitable.”
Considering I’d left my other pack downstairs, I wasn’t going to have much choice. The only use for my current clothes was as kindling for a fire, if anyone was brave enough to touch them.
“I’m sure I’ll find something.”
Lallielle smiled. “Off you go, Aribella. We’ll wait for you downstairs.” She left.
Wasting no time, I entered the room. As I looked around, I gasped in pleasure.
It was spectacular and massive, with white and aqua tiles checkered throughout. A mirror framed the back wall, starting halfway and ascending to the ceiling. Just beneath the mirror were two large sinks about two feet apart. They were opaque and shaped like glass bowls perched on a marble shelf. The corner held a tall set of built-in shelves. A glass front protected the contents.
This was mine?
I approached for a closer look and, with almost no effort, used my energy to open the glass door. Inside were shelves of beauty products. The compound hadn’t been much for luxuries. We had basic toiletries, but besides Lucy’s pirated mascara, which I never bothered with, nothing else. But this was a mini beauty store. Once I rescued Lucy, she was going to go nuts over this world. And in order to rescue her, I needed to get back downstairs, like yesterday.
My clothes were stiff with grime. Eager beyond words, I shed them quickly and kicked them into the corner of the room. Once I was naked I noticed my necklace hanging low. There was one thing I had to do before I showered. I pushed the clasp, allowing the necklace to fall open. The yellow light reflected around the room, and I was again covered in my birthmark.
This time, though, I could see every detail. The mark covered the top curve of my breast, down my ribs before curving back to meet the detail on my arm. The pulsing red lace-style network was hypnotizing. It was thicker in some places, and in others just the finest little detail.
I froze as I continued to observe the pattern. It seemed as if the faintest voices were echoing in my mind. Shaking off the feeling, I closed my locket.
Time to figure out the shower.
There was a bathtub in one corner, and adjacent to it a square stall with patterned stained glass separating it from the room. I opened the door and stepped inside, closing it after me.
I looked around – no taps or nozzles to be found. When I touched the wall I could feel the energy stream running through the stall.
Water.