Deal Breaker (Heart of the Nebula Book 2) by Heather Long & Rebecca Royce

Author:Heather Long & Rebecca Royce [Long, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

The screens shimmered before parting and allowing me to enter. Inside, the cool walls reflected the dancing symbols. I studied them. Goran said the nanos would handle the translation for me. Was that only for spoken language?

I caught the symbol for monarch in a few of the lines, but not enough to translate it. Moving along the hallway, I plunged deeper into the shadowy recesses. The corridor began to climb, the incline subtle, and it circled. No symbols danced on these walls, but I kept going.

The scent of water teased at my nose. Fresh water and lilies—I’d smelled something like this at the arboretum at their water garden display. The narrow corridor I followed suddenly opened as I rounded the curve to reveal a gorgeous stone terrace.

The garden I’d wandered through extended all around. A breeze brushed my cheeks as I walked to the stone balustrade. To my left was a lake. It seemed the garden bordered it, but I hadn’t seen it in my wanderings.

Trailing my fingers along the stone, I made my way along what must have been a massive structure, but it was all carved from the stone. A glance below didn’t reveal the gazebo. So maybe that was a tunnel that led into this stone cliff, and the building was carved from it.

“You know,” I said aloud. “You could make this easier. I’m going to work on the language, but I don’t know enough of the symbols yet.”

No answer rushed out to greet me. Really, what was I expecting?

“You have to meet the challenges,” a voice said, startling me, and I whirled around. Only no one was there.

“Who said that?”

Laughter greeted my question.

“Not cool,” I said. “In fact, gardens and laughter from ghost children is flat out creepy.”

It had definitely been a younger voice.

“You have to meet the challenges,” the voice repeated, and when I turned, I saw her sitting on the edge of the balustrade, kicking her feet. Her hair tumbled down her back in a startling array of carefully arranged ringlets. When she glanced at me, she grinned and her eyes shimmered. Power surrounded this little girl, so much power. “You don’t know the language. You will learn. Then you will meet the challenges.”

“Who are you?”

“Your language is strange,” the girl continued as if I hadn’t spoken at all. “You should speak more than one.”

Irritated, I sighed. “I’m working on that.”

She shrugged. “Work faster.”

Folding my arms, I glared at her. “Who are you?” When the little girl didn’t answer, I said, “Answer me, I command you.”

Climbing to her feet, the girl laughed. “You can’t command me.”

“No?”

“Oh, no. I’m a princess. Just like you.” She twirled in a circle, her ringlets hopping. “So you can’t command me.”

“Won’t you tell me who you are?”

Laughter sobering, she ceased her spinning. “You’re not ready. You have to meet the challenges. I have to go.”

“Wait!” I didn’t try to grab her, but I did close the distance a little. “What are the challenges?”

“Finally, a good question to ask.”

Then with a fresh peal of laughter, she disappeared.

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