Catalyst(22)

I bit my lip, unsure if I wanted to. Then I realized that he was a wizard and would understand the things that confused me, or that I wasn't comfortable talking about. I relayed my entire story from the time I met the princess all the way to now. I told him about the mistakes I’d made with the fire, but I didn’t tell him about what I’d almost done to Kenneth or what I did to Nathan.

“You saved the Princess of Alexandria?” he asked in a whisper.

I nodded, thinking about it. While I was scared of what had almost happened to me and her, I couldn't help but remember her smile and violet eyes, and the quiet time we shared together by the fire. I smiled myself, wondering what she was doing right now.

Stradus said nothing while I thought about the princess. He seemed to be deep in his own thoughts, though I couldn’t tell what they were. His brow was deeply furrowed, and the globe on his staff swirled and became clouded. I wondered what I’d said to make him so concerned. Did it have to do with the princess, or my powers? Or was it something else entirely?

The wizard brought himself out of his trance, and his staff globe became clear. “You've already learned that emotions can be tied to a wizard's power. That's how you saved the princess. That's how your power manifested.” I hoped he would explain more, but he changed the subject. “Come, let me give you a tour.”

The inside of the White Mountain was far bigger than I had imagined. A whole network of caves had been dug out and constructed. I thought Stradus had done it, but he said that someone had lived here before him and designed the cave complex, though he never found out who. When the gods led him to the place, it was already abandoned, with nothing remaining but a few torches and some leftover crates of supplies. Whoever it was had left in a hurry.

Stradus thought it might have been dwarves, since they were known to make their homes in caves and mountains. The way the White Mountain was designed seemed to say yes, but not all the stones had been smoothed and carved out in the dwarven manner. Some of the archways were uneven, and holes were not completely filled in. Not signs of a battle or struggle, just sloppy workmanship. The dwarves were many things—sloppy wasn't one of them. Not when it came to building and engineering.

I couldn't tell the difference. I had never met a dwarf or seen what they could build. It amazed me that such a place could exist and be protected from the harsh elements outside.

Stradus took me all the way back to the cave entrance to start my tour. I shivered, glad to be out of the storm, but still too close for comfort. The caves I had seen earlier were where Cynder dwelled. One was his sleeping chamber and the others were where he kept his food. The huge caves had plenty of room for him. He could even stretch his wings and fly in one of them.

After a quick tour of Cynder’s domain, we ended up back at the room where we had eaten. The second I stepped through the doorway, the same force tugged at me again. I stopped and looked over my shoulder.

“Is something the matter?” Stradus asked, cocking his head.

I paused and put a finger to my mouth, thinking. “I'm not quite sure. I get a strange feeling whenever I pass through this entrance.”

“Your skills are more developed than I thought. I put a web there. A weak and simple web, made to detect someone's presence. It also allows those with the slightest hint of magical skill in them to pass.”

“A web? You mean like a spider?”

“Exactly, my boy,” Stradus said. “Webs are spells you must create with your hands. They're commonly used as detection systems or shields. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to see this web and undo it.”

The wizard led me through the left door and down the passage that went past my room. A bit farther on, the cramped tunnel split in two. We stopped and he pointed down the left branch.

“Down here are three rooms: the garden, the spring, and the storage room.”

The huge storage room was full of barrels and wooden crates containing various supplies. After that room was a small one containing the spring, which bubbled out of an elaborate marble fountain. I had no idea where the water came from, but it was good to have fresh water easily available, though it was no Peaceful Pond.

The last room was amazing.

Wondrous flowers and plants colored the room. Some shined and glowed, despite having no sunlight. Sweet aromas tickled my nose. There were many plants I had never seen before. I didn't understand how they could survive, considering there was no light except the torches. I shook my head. It must have been magic.

As we walked around the room, I touched the soft plants, feeling the tenderness of their petals and leaves. I bent down, examining a bright purple flower.