Chapter Six__Part:1

I closed the door behind me, leaning against it with a sigh. The day had been filled with discoveries and challenges, but it was the moments with Kaden that lingered in my mind. As I lay down to sleep, the amulet's warm glow beside me, I couldn't shake the feeling that our paths were intertwined in ways neither of us fully understood.

I stared at the amulet, turning it over in my hands as its soft glow pulsed, almost like it had a heartbeat. Sitting up, I held it closer, inspecting it as if I'd find answers in its light. "Come on, give me something here. You drag me to a whole other realm with zero instructions." With a sigh, I leaned back against the bedframe, frustration bubbling up inside me.

Bringing the amulet closer to my face, I muttered, "You really expect me to just... figure this out? With a man who makes my stomach flip every time he smiles? Honestly, you couldn't have left me a vision or, at the very least, a note?" The last part slipped out louder than I planned as if I actually thought the amulet might answer.

But the glow remained steady, its silent rhythm unchanged. "This is ridiculous," I muttered. "I'm talking to a glowing rock, expecting it to give me advice. I need a drink." Sliding the amulet into my pocket, I stood up and headed for the door. "Where on earth is the kitchen in this place?"

I wandered through the winding halls, thoroughly lost. Spotting two servant girls walking ahead, I quickened my pace. "Hey, wait! I have a question."

They turned instantly, bowing their heads. "Lady Astrid, our apologies."

"Lady? Oh no, no, no. I'm not royalty or anything like that. Please, call me Astrid." I smiled, hoping to ease their formality. "And don't apologize. I'm just lost and, honestly, in desperate need of a drink."

Their stiff posture relaxed, and one of them grinned. "Follow us. We know where they keep the good stuff."

The servant girls led me through a series of corridors, their steps light and confident while I tried to memorize the twists and turns of this labyrinth of a palace. Every corner we turned, the more I realized just how lost I'd been.

As we walked, one of the girls, a brunette with a mischievous smile, glanced back at me. "The kitchen is pretty well hidden around here. It took me months to stop getting lost."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I think I'd need a map to find my way around this place."

"We'll make sure you find your way next time," the other girl, a blonde with kind eyes, said. "But for tonight, let's make sure you get what you need."

Eventually, we arrived at a set of wide double doors, and they pushed them open to reveal a grand kitchen, far more impressive than I had expected. Long tables were covered with ingredients and cooking utensils, while shelves lined with spices and herbs stretched up to the high ceiling. At the far end, a small cabinet stood tucked away, almost unnoticeable. The brunette gave me a wink and headed straight for it.

She opened the cabinet to reveal several bottles of what I assumed were the "good stuff" and grabbed a couple of them before setting them on the table. "This one's my favorite," she said, pointing to a dark amber liquid. "But it's strong. Just a warning."

I smiled. The tension from earlier was beginning to melt away. "Strong sounds exactly like what I need right now."

The blonde handed me a glass, and I poured myself a generous amount of the amber liquid. As the drink hit my nose, rich and smoky with a hint of sweetness, I took a sip. The warmth of the drink spread through me instantly, easing the knots in my stomach and clearing my head.

"Better?" the brunette asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Much better," I replied, swirling the glass in my hand. "I might be able to handle this crazy realm a little longer with this stuff in me."

They both laughed, and the sound was light and easy. "Well, if you need more, you know where to find it. Or at least, we do," the blonde said with a grin.

I took another sip, feeling the weight of the day ease from my shoulders. "You two might have just become my favorite people in this place. Oh goodness, I'm rude. You both know my name, but I don't know yours."

"We'll take that as a compliment. As for our names, I'm Sylphie, and her name is Erica." the brunette replied, leaning against the table. "But, if you don't mind me asking... is it true you came here through magic? The amulet, right?"

I hesitated for a moment, glancing down at the pendant in my pocket. "Yeah. Not exactly by choice, though."

The blonde's eyes widened. "And what about King Kaden? Is it true he's helping you find a way back?"

I nodded, feeling the familiar flutter in my chest at the mention of his name. "He is. Though it's... complicated."

They exchanged a quick look, the kind that told me they knew more than they let on. The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Complicated how? Complicated in a 'magical realms and ancient artifacts' way? Or complicated in a 'King Kaden is more than just an ally' way?"

I nearly choked on my drink, heat rising to my cheeks. "Let's just say... both."

They both burst into laughter, but it wasn't mean-spirited. It was as if they could sense the confusion and tension that had been building inside me since I arrived.

"Don't worry," the blonde said, her voice softening. "He's serious but a good man. He can be extremely cold to many, but he is a good man. He is kind to the servants as long they are respectful, we respect him. Whatever you're feeling... trust it."

I looked down at the amulet; its weight was heavier now in my pocket. The pulsing glow that had seemed so mysterious earlier felt more like a quiet presence, a reminder that my journey here wasn't just about finding a way back. It was about something more—something I hadn't yet fully understood.

"Thanks," I said, offering them a grateful smile. "I appreciate that."

As we finished our drinks and shared a few more laughs, I couldn't help but think about Kaden. The way he looked at me, the way he always seemed to know what I needed to hear, and the way my heart raced whenever he was near. Complicated didn't even begin to cover it.

But one thing was certain: no matter how tangled things became, I wasn't going through this alone. Whether it was the amulet, the prophecy, or Kaden himself, something was pulling me toward the truth. And I intended to figure out exactly what that meant—one way or another.

I stood up, feeling a bit lighter than when I had first wandered into the kitchen. "Alright, I should probably head back before I get even more lost."

The brunette gave me a playful smirk. "Don't worry, we'll walk you back."

As I stood up, a sense of calm washed over me, thanks to both the drink and the unexpected company. The girls laughed as we collected the bottles, ready to head back through the winding halls.

But just as we began to move, the sound of footsteps echoed through the kitchen doorway, making all of us freeze. The figure stepped into the warm glow of the kitchen lights, and my stomach immediately did that familiar flip when I saw Kaden standing there, arms crossed, his expression caught somewhere between surprise and amusement.