swear and thump his head. Where does he get off being so arrogant? ‘I have an Apprentice.’ Instantly I realise what an idiot I am, playing right into his hands. When will I ever learn? Everything Carter’s just said about me, I’ve gone and proven correct with my big mouth.
He steps back into the room, his right half reappearing. ‘An Apprentice? They never gave me—’ Shutting up suddenly, he just shakes his head and steps through the doorway.
The door closes behind him, all signs of it smoothly disappearing, and I realise this is not the room I’m supposed to be in. So what brought me here? That nightmare probably put me off course, sure, but I can’t shake the feeling that Carter had a hand in my detour, though just how is unclear. But he does work in the Citadel. According to Arkarian, he’s a coordinator here. Did he bring me to this room on purpose just so we could have this little chat? The man hates me, that much I know. And I’m getting the feeling his hatred is growing stronger every day. I will have to watch my back.
Then again, when have I ever been at ease in his company?
Chapter Nineteen
Isabel
I land with a thump and find myself rolling across a surprisingly springy floor. The light is strange in this room, kind of misty and not coming from a single point but more as if it is … just there. The walls are bare and at first the whole room appears white. But then my eyes drift to each of the four tall, narrow pillars that soar for endless metres to a high domed roof of stained and intricately designed glass. It’s as if the walls were drained of their colour so the ceiling could be viewed in all its brilliance.
I start to get up and suddenly Ethan’s hand stretches out before me. ‘You need to practise your landings.’
I take his hand and, getting quickly to my feet, notice that while I’m in pyjamas, he had the insight to wear a T-shirt and jeans to bed. ‘Thanks for the warning.’
‘Ah, yeah. I thought there was something I forgot.’
I tug at my pyjama top. ‘Just as well I thought of wearing these. I don’t usually sleep with so much on. Anything else I should know?’
He shakes his head, again pulling at his mouth.‘Sorry about that, but I can’t think of anything right now. We have to hurry. It’s hard to tell how long I’ve been here, but it feels like ages. What held you up?’
He takes my hand and leads me up a wide spiral staircase. Each step of it melts away behind us as we go. ‘I couldn’t get to sleep right away, and then I had this freaky dream.’
He goes completely still, the stairway half disappearing beneath our feet. It startles me. ‘Ethan!’
We leap the last few steps to a narrow platform and run straight into another room. ‘The stairwells are very impatient in this place. We’re totally safe now. Tell me about your dream.’
But the room we’ve just entered has me forgetting the nightmare instantly. ‘Tell you later.’ I see rows and rows of medieval outfits, and all four surrounding walls are adorned with floor-to-ceiling mirrors. ‘Do we get to pick?’
‘Just walk past. What you need will select you.’
Unbelievably that’s exactly what happens. I end up dressed in a long full gown of exquisite blue with a low neckline lined with a white cotton bodice, my feet in soft beige slippers. I take a look at my reflection and see that my hair has been changed to a deep russet brown, piled high at the back, most of it secured with clips and fancy crafted combs, the rest dropping to my shoulders in ringlets. Even my skin appears a different shade, much paler, while my nose and mouth have become definitely rounder. I spin around, holding my full skirt out wide. ‘This is unreal! It’s like I’m a completely different person!’
Ethan, who is now dressed in brown tights with a cream overshirt drawn in at the waist with a leatherbelt, has also changed in other ways than simply his clothes. His hair is much darker than his usual brown, longer
He steps back into the room, his right half reappearing. ‘An Apprentice? They never gave me—’ Shutting up suddenly, he just shakes his head and steps through the doorway.
The door closes behind him, all signs of it smoothly disappearing, and I realise this is not the room I’m supposed to be in. So what brought me here? That nightmare probably put me off course, sure, but I can’t shake the feeling that Carter had a hand in my detour, though just how is unclear. But he does work in the Citadel. According to Arkarian, he’s a coordinator here. Did he bring me to this room on purpose just so we could have this little chat? The man hates me, that much I know. And I’m getting the feeling his hatred is growing stronger every day. I will have to watch my back.
Then again, when have I ever been at ease in his company?
Chapter Nineteen
Isabel
I land with a thump and find myself rolling across a surprisingly springy floor. The light is strange in this room, kind of misty and not coming from a single point but more as if it is … just there. The walls are bare and at first the whole room appears white. But then my eyes drift to each of the four tall, narrow pillars that soar for endless metres to a high domed roof of stained and intricately designed glass. It’s as if the walls were drained of their colour so the ceiling could be viewed in all its brilliance.
I start to get up and suddenly Ethan’s hand stretches out before me. ‘You need to practise your landings.’
I take his hand and, getting quickly to my feet, notice that while I’m in pyjamas, he had the insight to wear a T-shirt and jeans to bed. ‘Thanks for the warning.’
‘Ah, yeah. I thought there was something I forgot.’
I tug at my pyjama top. ‘Just as well I thought of wearing these. I don’t usually sleep with so much on. Anything else I should know?’
He shakes his head, again pulling at his mouth.‘Sorry about that, but I can’t think of anything right now. We have to hurry. It’s hard to tell how long I’ve been here, but it feels like ages. What held you up?’
He takes my hand and leads me up a wide spiral staircase. Each step of it melts away behind us as we go. ‘I couldn’t get to sleep right away, and then I had this freaky dream.’
He goes completely still, the stairway half disappearing beneath our feet. It startles me. ‘Ethan!’
We leap the last few steps to a narrow platform and run straight into another room. ‘The stairwells are very impatient in this place. We’re totally safe now. Tell me about your dream.’
But the room we’ve just entered has me forgetting the nightmare instantly. ‘Tell you later.’ I see rows and rows of medieval outfits, and all four surrounding walls are adorned with floor-to-ceiling mirrors. ‘Do we get to pick?’
‘Just walk past. What you need will select you.’
Unbelievably that’s exactly what happens. I end up dressed in a long full gown of exquisite blue with a low neckline lined with a white cotton bodice, my feet in soft beige slippers. I take a look at my reflection and see that my hair has been changed to a deep russet brown, piled high at the back, most of it secured with clips and fancy crafted combs, the rest dropping to my shoulders in ringlets. Even my skin appears a different shade, much paler, while my nose and mouth have become definitely rounder. I spin around, holding my full skirt out wide. ‘This is unreal! It’s like I’m a completely different person!’
Ethan, who is now dressed in brown tights with a cream overshirt drawn in at the waist with a leatherbelt, has also changed in other ways than simply his clothes. His hair is much darker than his usual brown, longer
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