Ro's eyes snapped open. She shot upright her head darting around as she took in the bed chamber. Her eyes widened in horror. She had not meant to sleep off. Ro cursed under her breath and got off the bed. Moonlight filtered in through the windows, illuminating the vast chamber in a dazzling soft glow.
She rushed to the door and paused. How would she make her way to the garden? A lot of the hallways didn't have windows, and the lights… she had no clue how to turn them on.
Her gaze shifted to the ceiling. An assortment of small glass shards hung from the high surfaces, vastly different from the glowing stones that were embedded into the walls and ceilings of the homes back in Erzi.
She went to her dressing chamber and sorted through a box she had asked the attendants not to touch. She felt around in the dark till her fingers brushed a cool stone surface.
Ro sighed with relief and took out the crystal. It sparked up with a soft blue glow that lit up her face and the immediate space around her.
'Perfect.'
She left her quarters and moved through the carpeted hallways barefoot. Luckily, she did not cross paths with anyone. Even after nearly getting lost twice.
The slowly cooling air let Ro know she had almost reached her destination, and she let out a relieved sigh as she saw moonlight seeping through the windows that led to the verandah.
The doors required effort to push, but she finally made her way out. Ro shuddered as the cold air clung to her skin. She rubbed her arms, wishing she had worn something over the flimsy night gown.
Ro looked around. The moonlight cast disturbing shadows, especially with some taller bushes. She found a spot behind a tall, uncut bush. It provided a safe vantage point, shielding her from the numerous windows lining the nearby walls.
She dropped the crystal and sank to her knees. As the glow began to die down, Ro started digging into the soil with her bare hands.
Dirt got under her nails, uncomfortable, harsh, and coarse. But she pressed on.
Sweat riddled her skin, and parts of the nightgown began to cling to her body. Panting, Ro sat back to examine the horizontal pit she had just created.
Her fingers were raw and aching red. Ro bit her lip and closed her eyes, stifling the pain.
When was the last time she had done this?
She lowered herself into the hollow ground and scooped sand back over her body, covering every single surface except for her face.
She took in a shaky breath as she looked up at the sky.
'An hour. An hour should be fine. I just hope no one finds me here.'
She closed her eyes and lay still, fully expelling the air in her lungs. Her breathing stopped.
Her heartbeat slowed, and her skin started to pulse. Low rhythmic vibrations that spread out. Grains of surrounding sand clumped to her skin, and the surrounding soil pressed against her frame. Within seconds, the earth swallowed her whole… including her face.
The soil shuddered once, and then began to throb as if it was alive.
A large shadowed frame leaned over the balcony railing on the ground floor. It stood, unmoving, as sharp amber gold eyes locked onto the breathing earth.
__________
Ro's heart roared violently in her chest, snapping her consciousness back to life. She tore at the soil, sand bursting out as she rose from the ground. She gulped in air with ragged breaths, the sound of her pulse thrashing in her ears.
Along with it came a disturbing rush of loud noises.
She could hear everything.
Her breathing. The rustling of insects across the soil and plants. The low tones of the air. The harsh sway of leaves brushing against one another. It had worked. She had been able to stabilize her essence and even boost it with the rich soil.
But the noise…
Her hands snatched up to cover her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to drown out the noise.
"What are you doing?"
As if on command, every sound ceased.
Ro slowly turned towards the owner of the voice. Her heart lurched to her throat, ready to shoot out of her mouth.
She had never seen him. Neither had she heard his voice before.
But she knew it was him.
Her throat constricted as his shadow loomed over her, his sharp eyes drowning out every other object in the environment.