My head is buzzing. Gripping the blades of grass, I try to keep my balance. I've only been touching the ground for a few seconds, yet it feels like minutes. Swallowing hard, I fight to keep my stomach's rebellion at bay. I feel nauseous, as if I had been slammed to the ground and kicked in the stomach.
I sense Elis's thin arms and the stronger grip of her bodyguard lifting me off the ground. They're talking to me, dusting me off, but their touch feels like nothing more than a passing breeze, their voices as distant as a fading horn. I can't look up at my friend, who is shaking me urgently—my head is filled with a sound beyond comparison, like a mute person miraculously screaming out a lifetime of rage.
My eyes suddenly shut, drained of all strength, no matter how much I resist. It's hard to control yourself when your own body fights against your endurance. The unbearable must become bearable if I want to get through this.
Okay. Deep breath.
I feel the wind hitting my face, carrying with it the fresh scent of daffodils. Its silence soothes me; its strength empowers me. Slowly, I can sense my eyes finally opening after their stubborn refusal—until my nose catches a scent I can't associate with anything living or dead. My whole body trembles as the fragrance washes over me: daffodils blended with vanilla, the spiciness of peppermint, and something else—an additional aroma I can't identify. It doesn't belong to anything human. This combination is neither recognizable nor natural. It is simply… forbidden ecstasy.
My wandering thoughts are abruptly cut off, as if someone had yanked a string. My eyes snap open, and a wave of pure, honest terror crashes over me. I have no idea whether I'm sitting, standing, or lying down. As I start to move, I realize it's the latter.
"See? I told you it wasn't just heatstroke! Otherwise, she wouldn't be grinning like a satisfied little foal for the past twenty minutes!" Elis's playful voice reaches my ears, offering some reassurance, but the moment I sit up and look around, that feeling vanishes instantly.
"Bring some water," a figure in dark clothing commands.
I find myself in a massive hall—though it resembles more of an open-roofed terrace, albeit an elegant one. Towering white walls adorned with ornate arches and windows surround me. The ceiling is split in two: on either side, glass-built platforms rise high, while in the center, nothing but open sky yawns above. It's as if all the sunlight in the world had gathered here to breathe as one.
Yet, rather than beauty, an eerie unease takes over as I see who surrounds me.
Elis stands before me, two elegantly dressed women behind her. Beyond them, a sea of black-clad figures with stern, watchful expressions. Dozens of them. They even line the previously unnoticed staircase in neat, orderly rows, extending far beyond what my eyes can perceive.
As I try to get down, I realize I had been lying on a high table made of pure white marble, its base carved in intricate patterns. Elis swiftly grabs a goblet from one of the dark-clad figures and presses it into my hands.
"Are you okay?" she whispers hurriedly.
"Yes."
"Great. Listen—" she grips my hand, looking deep into my eyes. "I'm so sorry, okay? I really am."
"It's fine, but what is all this? Did we get in?"
Elis gives me an awkward smile, speaking so quietly that I barely catch her words. "If we get out of here, I'll explain."
My forehead instinctively wrinkles. "What do you mean, if we get out—"
Before she can answer, one of the elegantly dressed women sharply cuts me off.
"Tell me, girl, how did you get in here? Who let you in?"
I stare at her, confused. "My friend Elis, of course. Who else?"
"Tell me, girl, do you realize that no human can simply walk in here?"
Her words freeze me. Their attire and presence radiate something… angelic. Their appearance is unusual, yes, but I won't let them talk down to me like this. I've always had a short fuse for injustice.
"Well, since flying isn't an option for me—" I reply sarcastically, catching the controlled amusement in Elis's expression.
"Insolent fool," the woman snaps, which only irritates me further.
"I apologize if I've offended you, but we live in modern times. I know how your city operates, and I didn't just 'wander in.' I've lived among angels for years—they are my family. I have no intention of being disrespectful. And I know the laws."
The woman narrows her eyes. "If you truly know the laws, then you know that only those with permission may enter. Look at them!" She gestures toward the motionless figures in black. "Do you know who they are?"
"Of course!" I say confidently. "Angel guardians. And yes, they're human!"
"Exactly. Humans who have been granted permission to be here. Unlike you. Your little friend's invitation means nothing. That's why the alarm system activated immediately, paralyzing you within seconds."
I'm speechless. I don't know what shocks me more—the information or the sheer arrogance in her voice.
"If you were truly as knowledgeable as you claim, you'd know we aren't foolish enough to let just anyone stroll in—or to allow people to simply read about us online. Since you brought up the modern world," she adds with a sneer, "this alarm ensures that meddlers like you forget they ever heard of us. That is what will happen to you as well. But first—"
Her sharp words are interrupted by the other woman, who has remained silent until now. Her voice is softer, kinder.
"But first, please tell us—who let you in?"
Though I prefer her tone, I still don't understand. I could repeat my answer, but they've already made it clear—Elis wasn't supposed to be able to.
"Honestly, I think it's you, since I woke up here."
"It's definitely not us!" – I heard that arrogant voice again. "Tell me, child, are you deaf, or just pretending to be?"
"Dahlia, enough!" – spoke the voice of the more sympathetic one.
"But it's obvious they're lying! They shouldn't have woken up! How do we know they didn't conspire with a traitor of ours, who brought them here to leak secrets to their kind?" – she rattled on nervously.
"Enough!" – said the kind woman firmly. "With this accusation, you're insulting your own kind as well… Questioning their loyalty is unacceptable!"
"But you know just as well as I do that what is fiction today can become someone's truth tomorrow. We hide behind the belief that our existence is too unbelievable for the human mind to grasp, but let's not forget that the world is changing, and there are more and more big-headed lunatics out there." – they continued to argue.
Yet, the kind woman simply smiled soothingly and placed a hand on the nervous woman's shoulder.
"The world will always turn in its own cycle, even if we are stuck among them. Because we are not driven by anger, emotions, or the tension of the situation. But by a pure heart. Return to your quarters, your duties await you there. Leave this matter to me."
She spoke with such calmness that even I forgot the heavy feeling that had been weighing on me. The arrogant woman bowed without a word, gave me one last sharp look, then turned towards the exit. A handful of dark-clad figures followed her in disciplined silence. Their sheer presence exuded strength and unwavering determination. Seeing them in real life only deepened my desire to be among them.
"And you, my child, come with me." – the velvety voice addressed me again. "Elis, you too. You must be hungry and tired."
The mentioned girl, who had been unusually quiet, huddled close to her bodyguard, now lowered her gaze and crept towards me hesitantly.
The crowd finally started moving. No need to explain the order. The woman led in front, followed by a dozen dark-clad figures, and then there was us—trailing behind like two awkward fools. More guards positioned themselves behind us, presumably in case we tried to escape. But why would we? Or were they just replacing the bodyguard Elis had brought along for her own protection, who had been standing around the whole time as if he were on an exclusive family vacation?