The Ruby Fortress (Kingdoms Of Oz Book 1) Read online

  “You had better start explaining,” I demanded, after I was finally able to take a deep inhale.

  To his credit, the suit looked apologetic. But he didn’t offer up any explanation. Instead, he smiled and said, “Welcome to the Opal Palace, home of Glinda the Good.”

  Glinda.

  He expected me to believe that Glinda the Good from my great grandmother’s stories was real and had a tangible palace? Not only that, but that she was still alive after all those years? He turned his palm up and spread it before himself and added, “As her guest, you will be afforded every luxury. Please make yourself comfortable, she will join us presently.”

  I looked around us, and despite my awe I managed not to react. It was incredible. The walls and floors seemed to emit light as they glittered around us. Opal. He’d said Opal Palace and he wasn’t joking. Turning around, I took the place in. From the opulent white furnishings to the huge, paneless windows framed by heavy cream drapes, it was incredible. Everything was white but framed with gold, adding to the gleam of the room. The décor wasn’t to my taste, it was too clean, but it was stunning nonetheless.

  “Sayer, you’re back,” a girlish voice announced with glee, “and you found her. Thank goodness.”

  I turned around and watched her float into the room. I say float because honestly, she couldn’t have been walking. Not in that stupid pearlescent gown. Based on the amount of fabric, I figured it must have weighed two hundred pounds. She was short, well, shorter than me, and blonde. I mean yellow blonde. Her blue eyes were piercing and framed by unnaturally dark eyebrows and long, black lashes. A mop of golden waves framed her whole face. She didn’t look a day over thirty. She swept across the room toward me and grasped both my hands before I could say or do anything to stop her. “Dorothy.”

  “No…” I said glancing to the attractive dude in the suit. Sayer, apparently. “I’m Ellana, Dorothy—the one you want was my great grandmother.”

  I thought I saw a flicker of annoyance in her bright eyes as she glanced at the man, but it was instantly gone. Then he spoke, “My lady, may I present Miss Ellana Rose, descendent of our ally and savior, Dorothy Gale.”

  She seemed to brighten considerably at that news and squeezed my hands tighter. “Oh, thank goodness, I was losing hope. I thought…” Swallowing hard, she released my hands and fanned her face as though trying to waft away tears. Not one for dramatics, it was an effort not to roll my eyes at her antics. “Never mind. You are here safely now, and with the slip—oh. Interesting choice.”

  Hell, she was annoying… and apparently condescending, despite her chirpy tone.

  I looked down at the killer heels, which were now, oddly, slut red, and shrugged. “I don’t know why they look like that. I prefer something more comfortable.”

  Her stupid girly giggle made me want to slap her, it was so forced and I was too tired for this, but I managed to hold myself together and just raise my eyebrows a bit.

  “They will conform to your needs, D-Ellana. As a descendent of Dorothy, the gifts she inherited may take time to manifest in you. Until then, please make yourself at home here.”

  She looked up at me all doe-eyed and smiled the sweetest smile. I bit my tongue and held back my retort. I mean, with her smiling at me like that, telling her to stop talking shit and send me home would be like kicking a puppy. A clearly crazy puppy, albeit one who resembled a manic doll, but I still couldn’t kick it.

  “While this is all really impressive, having your man servant drag me to… here, and while these shoes are pretty and all, I really should be getting home. I just finished work and I’m tired. Plus, you seem to have me mixed up with someone else.”

  “There is no mistake, Lady,” the suit interjected quickly, before turning to the annoying ball of energetic fabric nearby. “This is the great granddaughter of Dorothy Gale, savior of Oz. She holds the annals of Dorothy’s conquests in her home. I have read them myself and she passed the test. The slippers knew her immediately.”

  He sounded desperate. Like he was terrified she would punish him for bringing the wrong person, but she didn’t look threatening, just fake, and honestly that wasn’t my problem. He was becoming my problem. “You broke into my house?”

  He glanced from her to me. “Apologies, miss, but I had to be certain…”

  “Well that was very naughty, Sayer,” Glinda chided in what sounded like mock reprimand. She pouted at him, then looked back to me and smiled that sickly sweet smile, before taking my hands again. “But there is no harm done. He was sent to find you and find you he did. I knew I could count on him.”

  I wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. She’d sent him to kidnap me. In what world was that normal? I supposed here, since they’d sent my great grandmother wandering around on her own at just twelve years old. I snatched back my hands and stepped away, the ridiculous heels on my feet clicking on the glimmering floor beneath my feet.

  I could have been dreaming, but dreams didn’t feel like this. Maybe I was hallucinating. Great Grandma Dorothy wholly believed her imaginings were real, so it made sense I would too—especially if the madness was hereditary.

  But with the hair on the back of my neck prickling, the warning traveling down my spine, and the twisting in my gut, I was beginning to think that maybe there was more to Oz than girlish dreams, even if it was in my head.

  “Look, I don’t know what you want from me, but I’m pretty sure I can’t help you. Those stories my grandma used to read me were just that. Stories. Oz isn’t real. There’s no brick road. No lion or scarecrow or other crazy stuff like flying monkeys. I just finished a hellish shift at work, and I’m tired and hungry. So, if you don’t mind, I want to go home and sleep off whatever this is,” I lamented.

  “Ellana, I would never have brought you here if it were not vitally important. Please, rest here for tonight. Sayer will ensure all of your needs are met and, in the morning, I can explain why your presence here is so important,” she argued in a singsong voice.

  I looked at the suit. He didn’t look comfortable, and to be honest, I didn’t blame him. The cream puff witch seemed dead set on the idea of me staying and, despite my unease, I didn’t really want to argue the point. Not until I knew what I was dealing with. I knew those stories backward and forward. Glinda was the good Witch of the South, but that didn’t mean she would appreciate me telling her how to handle her own mess and send me home.

  Could imaginary people from fucked-up dreams take offense at being told what to do? I didn’t know, but I still refused to believe this was real. I didn’t want it to be, but maybe if I kept playing along I would wake up—or something.

  “Stay here?” I asked, looking around the room again, trying to think of a solution. “Fine, but I need to go back tomorrow.”

  She blinked at me. It looked like it took some real effort with the weight of those lashes. Then she inquired, “Why?”

  Becoming really irritated with her ditzy act, I glared at her. “I have a job… a house. I can’t just vanish—”

  She cut me off, wafting a hand around in the air. “You will hardly be missed. Your grandmother was here for well over a week in our time and it amounted to just a few hours back in… Kansas, was it?”

  I felt a bit stupid for forgetting. Of course I knew that. “Oh… yeah. Right.”

  She grinned then nodded her head. “One step at a time. You have no idea how important you are.” She bounced on the spot and clapped her hands together, then danced toward the door she came in through. Before she disappeared, she turned back to me and squealed, “Oh, this is wonderful! And I’m sure that once we’ve gotten to know one another, we’ll be the greatest of friends.”

  I tried to smile but I’m pretty sure it was a grimace. “Yeah. Can’t wait. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

  I watched the puff of her dress disappear from the room and tried not to look too relieved as I turned to Sayer. He was looking at me with a curious expression. “What?”

  He looked away and move
d in the opposite direction Glinda had, opening a white door with gilt handles. “Nothing at all, Miss. You must be exhausted. Please, follow me to your room. There are refreshments waiting for you and you will be able to settle down for a good night’s rest. The lady will meet you at breakfast and answer your questions. Until then, simply call and I will attend you.”

  There wasn’t much point in arguing. Glinda was clearly unhinged, the manservant, Sayer, was at her beck and call, and I was stuck here until one of them took me home. Maybe if I slept here I’d wake up at home? If I didn’t, I would know I was losing my damn mind and then it wouldn’t really matter what I did, since then I’d just had to wait for someone to pump enough drugs into me to stop this shit.

  Figuring time would tell, I nodded and followed him, hoping for an uneventful night and at least a few hours of sleep.

  Chapter 3

  I woke up surrounded by stars. At least, that’s what it looked like. I wasn’t even sure I’d woken up until there was a gentle knock on the door and I sat bolt upright in bed.

  I squinted toward the door that had opened wide, allowing bright daylight to stream in. Well okay then, I guess this wasn’t a dream, and either I was insane or there was something real going on here—but I stopped that thought in its tracks. I wasn’t ready to consider the possibility.

  “Good morning, Miss Rose.”

  It was the suit—Sayer, I remembered—speaking as he bowed by the door. While it was probably every girls dream to have a hot butler at their disposal, the reality was quite different. I didn’t like him doing that, it made me uncomfortable.

  The manners could stay, though, I liked those. And the smile. “Yeah… umm, is there a light in here?”

  I watched him cross the room and reach for something on the wall. As he pulled on it, a pair of heavy black curtains opened, and more light burst into the room. They weren’t stars, I discovered when the room was displayed properly, but glittering black and blue stones. The blue had shone, reflecting a dim light around the room, and in the daylight, it looked like azure water flowing through a black landscape.

  Everything in the room was made from dark wood, blending with the dark walls to create the opposite effect of the reception room I’d seen the night before.

  “Black Opal,” Sayer informed me, and I looked back to where he stood, waiting by the window. “The palace is made from opal, each room is different, but they all offer serenity and restoration if you stay long enough to absorb the benefits from them.”

  Of course, they all bought into that healing crap. Why wouldn’t they? Bigger question was, why wasn’t he looking at me in horror? I must have looked like crap since I hadn’t taken off all the makeup I’d worn for work the night before, and considering the amount I wore, I was sure I looked downright terrifying. There must have been globs of mascara and eyeliner smeared all over my face. I really didn’t want him seeing me in such a state. “Right… Umm, I take it there’s a bathroom?”

  He sprang into action, striding away from the window and toward a door on the opposite side of the room, not far from where I sat. “Apologies. You will find all the amenities you require in this room. There is a dressing room to the right. If you cannot find any suitable garments, please let me know and I shall have something made available at once. When you have tended to your needs, the Lady is waiting for you on the veranda.”

  He remained waiting by the door. There was no way I was getting out of bed in nothing but my bra and panties with him standing in the room. I know I dance around a pole in underwear for a living, but he wasn’t getting a free show I didn’t care how hot he was, so I pressed my lips together in a thin line and watched him. He didn’t seem to take the hint.

  “Don’t you have something else to do?” I asked eventually.

  He shook his head. “No, Miss. My orders are to…” The realization seemed to hit him like a slap to the face. Under any other circumstance, I would probably have laughed, but I wasn’t really in the mood. “Oh. Yes. Of course. If there is nothing more, I shall wait in the hall.”

  When he was safely out of sight, I set about getting myself washed and dressed.

  Okay, getting dressed was a challenge.

  The dressing room was generously stocked, and I’m sure any woman from eighteenth century England would have been excited about the choices, but I was accustomed to wearing far fewer… layers.

  After having met me, I don’t know what made Glinda think I would wear anything in that dressing room. I wasn’t surprised to see a small line form between her eyebrows when I approached the table, escorted by Sayer, wearing my own clothes. I ignored it and looked around, taking in the details of the landscape that stretched out before me. The view of the north was completely unimpeded, and I could see for miles in the clear, bright morning light. Everything was clean and bright and, well, it was perfect. The trees were all pruned into flawless circles, looking like massive green lollipops on mahogany brown sticks, the flowers were all vibrant reds, oranges, and blues, and the grass was an unnatural shade of apple green. The clear, cornflower blue sky was dotted with birds, all swooping and flitting happily. I listened. The only sound was of birds singing, and they all sang the same tune.

  “Ellana. Please, take a seat and help yourself. You must be famished after such a long rest,” she encouraged in a saccharine sweet voice that made my toes curl in annoyance. Her voice grated on my nerves, but I managed to smile and sit opposite her while Sayer pushed in my seat. “You look as though you slept well.”

  “I did, yeah, thanks,” I answered, scanning the table. I was starving and picked up a fork to take a delicious looking pancake. “So, you wanted to explain all this to me?”

  Sayer poured what looked like fruit tea into the cup in front of me and I dug into the pancake. The flavors that burst in my mouth were incredible, and I shoved another forkful in before Glinda managed to say anything. Sayer huffed a quiet laugh through his nose. I glanced his way to see him smiling. A genuine smile this time, one that made his eyes crinkle in the corners, as he watched me.

  “It’s been awful,” Glinda squeaked. “When your great grandmother returned to your world she left a happy and united Oz behind. My tyrannical sisters were defeated, and the people could live in peace once more. My remaining sister, Tati, took control of the lands to the East, and I took guardianship of the lands to the west, so that we could keep the people safe and ensure everyone lived harmoniously. The corrupted people were integrated back into their societies, and the Wizard lived happily in the Emerald City. But then Tati asked too much of us. She made unreasonable demands. She upset the happy balance that your great grandmother restored, and our world was plunged into yet another war. The Emerald City was destroyed. I was forced to pull back from the lands to the west, and many of our people have died because of her refusal to work with me. Tati will not see reason. That is why we need you.”

  Basically, she just told me I was expected to sort out a sibling squabble. I wasn’t sure how to respond and looked to Sayer for some kind of indication. His eyes were fixed on Glinda, and I couldn’t make out his expression, but he didn’t look happy.

  Glinda noticed and held out a hand to him. Schooling his features, he lowered his head and stepped toward her, allowing her to take his hand and press it against her cheek. “Poor Sayer lost everything. Most of his family was in the city when it was razed, only one survived. We need you, Ellana. We need you to help us defeat my only remaining sister before she destroys all of Oz in her quest for total power and control.”

  She released him and he stepped back from the table, returning to his position and waiting for further instructions. His face was expressionless. His eyes fixed on something far off to the south. I picked up my cup and sipped at the fruit tea. Strawberry and mint were the two overriding flavors and bizarrely, they worked. I took another sip, thinking of what to say.

  “I don’t know what you think I can do,” I replied after a few long moments. “I mean, from what I know of what happ
ened, Dorothy killed the two witches by accident. It’s not like she had any massive advantage. She was just lucky.”

  “Perhaps,” Glinda said with a twitch of her lips. “But the fact that she took their lives meant their power was transferred to her. The slippers, for example, attach themselves to their master. They recognized you. You, by genetic inheritance, possess my sisters’ powers, or the ability to take both of my sisters’ powers, which means that you have the strength to overcome my third, errant sister and bring peace to Oz.”

  I didn’t have a response. I mean, this was all a bit heavy for breakfast conversation. I had half a pancake and a cup of fruit tea in front of me, so I carried on with my breakfast in an attempt to delay having to give one.

  What was I expected to say? Oh, sure I’ll go find this magical power my great granny the witch killer left lying around, then use it to fight your sister for ya! I was worried that would feed into the delusion.

  Safer to say nothing at all, I reckoned.

  Glinda watched me eat, which was uncomfortable, but she didn’t press me, so I kept my eyes on my plate until I was finished. Sayer refilled my cup, forcing me to look to him. There was something in the way he was looking at me… like he was imploring me. “Thank you,” I muttered, feeling uncomfortable.

  “You needn’t make a decision right now,” Glinda added, as she picked at a bowl of fruit. She sounded calm, but I saw a weird twinkle in her eye that made me uneasy. “Tati has been quiet for some weeks. I suspect she is plotting her next move. Perhaps you would allow Sayer to show you around?” She looked at him. “The falls are beautiful and not far away. You should take a walk.”

  It wasn’t a terrible idea. From what I’d seen just at the palace, and from what I knew from the book, it was worth exploring while I was here. “I can’t walk anywhere in these,” I said, tapping one foot on the gleaming white opal floor. “And I didn’t see anything without a heel in the dressing room…”