Gold bars were welded together and bent into a diamond shape, and rubies lined the bars, drawing my eyes upward. I could see that many of the other structures had similar fixtures, along with large balustrades and arched windows. Dozens of umbrella-shaped trees had blocked the mountain from view, but from our new position, I could see everything.
Twelve guards stood at attention at the entrance to the grand structure and in equal intervals, ending at the bottom of the staircase. Each of the hulking men were bare-chested and tatted with intricate designs all over their torsos and arms. Long saber swords hung from their waists and were thin near the hilt but widened at the tip with a vicious curve. Leather pants and boots adorned their lower halves, while gas masks hid their faces from view. A sneering skull formed the mouthpiece for them to breathe through and their violet eyes stared out through two small glass domes connected to the steel band that latched behind each of their heads. If they were supposed to be menacing and scary, mission accomplished. They wouldn’t ever get any trouble out of me.
Irving killed the raptor’s engine and dismounted the bike. He held his hand out to me, and I took it to balance myself as I climbed off behind him.
I yanked off my goggles and cap. “Where in the hell are we?” I asked, staring up at the glittering sphere in awe. The guards didn’t move a muscle or acknowledge us in any way.
Irving chuckled and looked at me like it should have been obvious. “This is the Sultan’s palace. Welcome to Shrinelyn, Glory.”
“We’re in Shrinelyn !?” My head jerked back and forth like a cartoon character, trying to figure it all out. “How in the hell…”
“Don’t try to work it over too hard, Glory. Just take my hand and let me open your eyes to this beautiful place that I call home.”
“But I thought humans weren’t allowed here!”
He grinned. “I lied about that because I was trying not to like you.”
“What happened to ‘lies are for cowards’?”
He wiggled his brows in a shameless confession of his cowardice. “That’s exactly why I lied.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Irving had finally admitted that he’d been too chicken to say he was digging me when we first met. I thought it was cute.
“But I like you now and so I’ve brought you,” he said. “And now I want you to meet the Sultan.”
“The Sultan? ” I looked down at what I was wearing. “I’m not dressed to meet any Sultan!” My pants were too tight and my shirt was too short, exposing my pierced naval. With all my tattoos and gothic jewelry, the Sultan was sure to think I was just some dirty rocker chick who’d lucked up on a Djinn and hadn’t utilized any of her wishes to make herself look presentable, despite the fact that the guards had more tats than I did.
Irving smiled and grabbed my hand when I refused to offer it. “You look beautiful, Glory. As always. Now come. The Sultan waits.”
I allowed Irving to lead me up the staircase toward the entrance to the palace. The armed guards each dropped to a knee as we ascended and the two stationed at the twenty foot tall doors pushed them open to allow us access to the palace. We entered and I almost passed out from awe. The Sultan’s palace was beyond my imagination.
On the way to the Sultan’s assembly chamber, which apparently was where he took meetings and met with the Grand Council, I looked and admired, and tried to not breathe too hard as to not disturb any of the plush beauty I was surrounded by—the exotic flora, the golden effigies, the glittering light fixtures. I walked on my tiptoes because the rich red carpet that covered the floors looked like it cost a fortune, and I didn’t want to leave a single footprint, let alone any dirt from my shoes.
I could never have imagined such luxury, let alone ever dreamed I’d be in the presence of it. Everything glittered and sparkled. What wasn’t made of gold was made of
Twelve guards stood at attention at the entrance to the grand structure and in equal intervals, ending at the bottom of the staircase. Each of the hulking men were bare-chested and tatted with intricate designs all over their torsos and arms. Long saber swords hung from their waists and were thin near the hilt but widened at the tip with a vicious curve. Leather pants and boots adorned their lower halves, while gas masks hid their faces from view. A sneering skull formed the mouthpiece for them to breathe through and their violet eyes stared out through two small glass domes connected to the steel band that latched behind each of their heads. If they were supposed to be menacing and scary, mission accomplished. They wouldn’t ever get any trouble out of me.
Irving killed the raptor’s engine and dismounted the bike. He held his hand out to me, and I took it to balance myself as I climbed off behind him.
I yanked off my goggles and cap. “Where in the hell are we?” I asked, staring up at the glittering sphere in awe. The guards didn’t move a muscle or acknowledge us in any way.
Irving chuckled and looked at me like it should have been obvious. “This is the Sultan’s palace. Welcome to Shrinelyn, Glory.”
“We’re in Shrinelyn !?” My head jerked back and forth like a cartoon character, trying to figure it all out. “How in the hell…”
“Don’t try to work it over too hard, Glory. Just take my hand and let me open your eyes to this beautiful place that I call home.”
“But I thought humans weren’t allowed here!”
He grinned. “I lied about that because I was trying not to like you.”
“What happened to ‘lies are for cowards’?”
He wiggled his brows in a shameless confession of his cowardice. “That’s exactly why I lied.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Irving had finally admitted that he’d been too chicken to say he was digging me when we first met. I thought it was cute.
“But I like you now and so I’ve brought you,” he said. “And now I want you to meet the Sultan.”
“The Sultan? ” I looked down at what I was wearing. “I’m not dressed to meet any Sultan!” My pants were too tight and my shirt was too short, exposing my pierced naval. With all my tattoos and gothic jewelry, the Sultan was sure to think I was just some dirty rocker chick who’d lucked up on a Djinn and hadn’t utilized any of her wishes to make herself look presentable, despite the fact that the guards had more tats than I did.
Irving smiled and grabbed my hand when I refused to offer it. “You look beautiful, Glory. As always. Now come. The Sultan waits.”
I allowed Irving to lead me up the staircase toward the entrance to the palace. The armed guards each dropped to a knee as we ascended and the two stationed at the twenty foot tall doors pushed them open to allow us access to the palace. We entered and I almost passed out from awe. The Sultan’s palace was beyond my imagination.
On the way to the Sultan’s assembly chamber, which apparently was where he took meetings and met with the Grand Council, I looked and admired, and tried to not breathe too hard as to not disturb any of the plush beauty I was surrounded by—the exotic flora, the golden effigies, the glittering light fixtures. I walked on my tiptoes because the rich red carpet that covered the floors looked like it cost a fortune, and I didn’t want to leave a single footprint, let alone any dirt from my shoes.
I could never have imagined such luxury, let alone ever dreamed I’d be in the presence of it. Everything glittered and sparkled. What wasn’t made of gold was made of
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