to these gated communities than just the need to ward off the curious or spiteful folk. What were the Aeternae hiding that they didn’t want anyone to see?
What were the ancient ones like, that they had to be secluded and isolated like this? Naturally, I immediately thought of asking my brother for advice. Maybe we’d even find a way to go there, to sneak in ourselves and see. After all, we had invisibility potions readily available for such endeavors. No one would even know. Not even Derek and Sofia, in case Tristan and I decided not to tell them—since they could easily tell us to stay out of the Aeternae’s business. There was no harm in looking, though.
“Milady, you are ready for the evening now,” Zurah said after a minute’s worth of heavy silence. “Might I ask that you don’t wander through restricted areas of the palace, if you’re to go out for a walk?”
I couldn’t help but frown at her. “Restricted areas? Which are those?” I asked.
“They’re dark, milady. Anything that isn’t illuminated in this palace is off-limits to the guests and the handmaidens.”
Clearly, Visio had its share of secrets. While part of me wanted to follow the rules and focus solely on getting the day-walking protein from the Aeternae, I was dying to uncover and study everything that they were trying to keep from us. It was in my nature to question everything, to dig deeper, and to burrow through the darkest corners until I got to the truth—no matter how terrible or wonderful it could be.
In this case, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation. “I’ll be on my best behavior, Zurah,” I said, lying through my teeth as I gave her a comforting smile.
Esme
After Zurah was done with my evening style preparations, she tidied the bathroom and left, promising to be here when I returned after dinner. A bit overdressed for my taste but feeling strangely fabulous, nonetheless, I left my chambers and barged into my brother’s, finding him seated in an armchair by the window, reading some history books that the Aeternae had left under his coffee table, as well.
“Have you never heard of knocking?” he blurted, having been so focused on the pages that he hadn’t even heard me coming.
I grinned. “Dude.”
“Right. Sorry, you surprised me.”
“That doesn’t happen very often,” I said, noticing his apartment was strikingly different from mine. The embroidered wallpaper in the lounge room evoked a nocturnal scene in the woods, in shades of dark brown and green. The furniture was sturdier, more masculine, with dark tapestry and lacquered wood frames. From where I stood, I could see the nautical color palette in his bedroom, with a four-poster bed and dark-blue-and-white linens. “Nice digs,” I observed. “Mine are…”
“Different? More to your taste?” he replied, raising an eyebrow.
He wore a suit, much in the style I’d seen on Kalon and the other Aeternae males—a three-piece combination of dark blue coattail jacket and pants, and light gray vest, complete with a white shirt and a silvery scarf loosely serving as a tie. “You look dapper as hell!”
“Thanks. Turns out I have a valet. He did most of the work you see on me,” Tristan replied dryly, clearly uncomfortable in his outfit. I couldn’t help but smile.
“I have a handmaiden, so I don’t know, perks of being guests in the lord and lady supreme’s palace?” I replied, glancing down at my dress.
“Whoever your handmaiden is, do give her my compliments. She turned you into a spectacular vision,” Tristan said.
I did like the way the suit looked on him. It made his dark stubble stand out, giving him the air of a handsome nobleman—and not the tee-loving, tree-hugging unshaved explorer he usually was.
“Thank you very much. The same goes for your valet, it seems. I’m betting a lot of hearts will be broken as soon as we walk you out that door tonight.”
We both laughed, and Tristan pulled a second armchair close to his, so we could sit by the window together. By then, the sky had taken on a dark purple hue, with barely a thread of red and orange still gleaming on the horizon. His room smelled of leather and musk, and I had the inclination to blame the fragranced oils for that. The Aeternae definitely had an appreciation for fine scents and toiletries.
“What do you think of this place, so far?” he asked me, setting his book aside. He fumbled with the scarf for a while but gave up