“Perfect,” I muttered. I booked it up the stairs, breathing in jasmine as I raced through the arched white sanded walls of the Temple’s open entrance. I most definitely ignored the glances I got all around from the spirits literally stopping to gawk. I raced over the white and silver tiling, threading through the oglers at certain points and dodging fountain after fountain through the long main chambers. I kept to the center hallway, going straight as the Guardian had stated. But I still pointed straight ahead with my finger, asking a shocked spirit as I raced past her, “This way to the Royal Hall?”
She nodded distractedly, so I kept moving forward, running through many open sitting areas, more white sanded hallways, and lots of gawking spirit Elementals. I asked the occasional one if I was heading in the right direction, and Lord have fucking mercy, after fifteen minutes of straight running I finally came to a stop before enormous, white double doors. Two Guardians were on either side, one letting a well-appointed, regal spirit in before shutting the doors. I bent over, sucking in air directly in front of one of them. With my hands on my knees, I gasped, “Tell me that’s the Royal Hall.”
“It is,” the Guardian stated, clear distaste in his tone as he stared down his nose at me, taking in my appearance. “Only upper families are allowed today, and the last just went in with their request.”
I took in another heavy breath and waved a hand, straightening and putting a hand on my aching side. “The One will see me.”
White brows lifted. “You are not upper family.”
I snorted. “Thank God.” I waved my free hand again. “Just tell me when that upper family is through and I’ll tell you my name.” I grinned breathlessly at him. “Believe me…the One will see me.” I turned and rested against one of the walls, running my fingers through my hair and catching my breath.
I waited…
And I waited…
Waited some more…
Just when I was starting to doze on the wall, the door opened and the spirit who had entered, exited, walking past me. He almost tripped over a flower pot he was gawking so badly. I turned my amused gaze to the Guardian and lifted my eyebrows. He sighed, gritting his teeth. “He’s out.”
“How fortunate,” I crooned. I pushed off the wall, walking toward him. I pointed to myself. “Caro Jules, Prodigy Elemental, the next Queen Elemental, wishes a congress with the One.” He stood frozen, I swear to God not even blinking at me for like fifteen good seconds. He finally snapped out of it, nodded, and opened the door for me. I whispered quietly, “Thank you so much.”
I slipped inside the room and tried not to gawk myself, having never actually been in this Royal Hall before. The place was massive, longer than it was wide. Gigantic white pillars lined each side of the whitewashed room, with sporadic greenery and low furniture along the edges. And what might be called courtiers, but dressed more like sultan’s women, pretended to be bored on the furniture or stand against the wall as they spoke quietly with equally lovely spirit men dressed like the Guardians or in white silk pants. They reminded me of Greek gods.
The middle of the tiled floor was free to walk through, and my eyes started to travel to the end of the room. The conversations minutely came to a halt as heads turned toward me.
A spirit man directly on my right asked gruffly, “And you are?”
“Come to see the One,” I said quietly and peered up toward him. “And you are?”
He blinked slowly at my rude retort, and his chest puffed a bit. “I’m the herald.”
This time I blinked. “Are you supposed to announce me or something?” That was what a herald did, I thought.
His chin tilted up. “You’re not upper family.”
“Christ, not this again,” I muttered on a sigh. I leaned over and whispered who I was. When he only stared like the Guardian outside had, I snapped my fingers in front of his unblinking eyes. “Hello. Start heralding. Or whatever you call it.”
Instantly, he stopped gaping. “My apologies.” He cleared his throat, turning toward the room. With a boisterous voice that echoed throughout the room—he was a real damn herald—he stated to all, “Caro Jules, Prodigy Elemental, the next Queen Elemental.”
Chapter Eighteen
Disregarding the further stillness the herald’s introduction got me, I whispered, “Thank you.”
I took the three calm steps down to the main floor and began walking past the beautiful gawkers on my right and left. Quiet murmurs started up, and I finally peered straight ahead. My feet wanted to stall for all of a heartbeat, seeing ahead of me what I did, but I swallowed back any nerves. I hadn’t suffered any nerves so far and decided now was not the time to have them. My walk was smooth as I moved forward to the end of the long hall…where he sat.