The Nightshade Palace.
Adina let those three words sink in. She was journeying to the capitol. Not only that, but she was going to the very heart of it, where the great minds of the kingdom all gather to hone their respective crafts and skills.
She only knew of these from the things she had heard in the Trade Center, and it all sounded like a dream. They spoke of structures as high as the sky, new inventions yet to be heard of, and thousands upon thousands of books for the kingdom's scholars to peruse.
To think that she's actually going there! And yet... there's a nagging voice inside her head telling her she shouldn't go.
To tell the truth, she had always wanted to go to the capitol. Everybody who wanted a better life goes there, and she thought why not? It would be a grand adventure. But every time she makes up her mind, something happens that stops her from doing so.
An injury. A flood. Her possessions being stolen. Not to mention, the voice. A woman's voice, reverberating inside her head.
"Whatever you do, Adina, do not go to the capitol." It was so vivid. So clear, as if the woman is standing right in front of her.
She had pondered this voice for many seasons, and concluded that it must be from a memory. She could not recollect anything else, not even the face of the speaker, but she was sure that whoever it was, that woman loved and cared for her.
Tonight, in this carriage, the voice is back and ever so adamant. There was a difference, however.
"Adina," the woman echoed in her mind. "Whatever you do, Adina, do not go to the capitol. You mustn't go."
Mustn't go? The voice had never said that before.
"There's a reason I kept you hidden. A reason I cannot tell you even now. But promise me, Adina. Promise me, Adina. Promise me you're going to stay away and leave a peaceful life."
Adina shook her head in frustration. This warning was longer than usual. More vivid than usual. More disturbing even. With the voice, she could smell smoke. Foul black smoke suffocating her nostrils.
"You must run, Adina. Don't let them find you. You must go, now. Go!"
Adina's eyes snapped open as she jolted in her seat. Goddess, she hadn't even realized she had fallen asleep. On the bright side, it was just a nightmare. A vivid, realistic, utterly terrifying nightmare.
"Everything alright?" Viperia whispered. "You look like you just swallowed essence of scorpion."
"I'm alright," Adina lied, causing the other girl to lift her brow.
"Well, get ready, then." She tapped the others awake and began to stretch. "We've arrived at the capitol."
Adina gasped as she took in the imposing gates of the Nightshade Palace. It was still twilight, and the luminescent blue light of the moon cascaded over it in ethereal brilliance. She had heard tales of the Nightshade Palace, but the stories do not give justice it at all.
As the carriage rolled deeper into the palace grounds, Adina's eyes traced the intricate architecture and sprawling gardens that surrounded her. The flowers, the landscaping...who knew people of such skill and danger would live in such pretty surroundings? It was as regal as she was told, but terrifying? Far from it.
The interior of the palace was even better. It dripped of opulence, a symphony of shadows and candlelight dancing upon the walls. Arsenia and Viperia led the way down a labyrinthine corridor, while Morgana fell behind her, their four pairs of shoes click-clacking gainst the marble. Adina's gaze flitted around as they walked, taking in the grandeur that surrounded her—a grandeur that seemed to contrast with the weight of her own growing discomfort.
Upon reaching a door, Arsenia turned to face Adina, her eyes a pool of calm authority. "Welcome to the Nightshade Palace," she said, a small smirk playing on her lips as she opened the door and pushed Adina inside.
Adina can only manage a shaky smile in response, her heart still pounding as she surveyed the place she'd call home for the next few months.
The room was elegant, the furnishings a blend of comfort and refinement. Adina's eyes darted around, taking in every detail—the plush bed, the ornate mirror, the delicate vials that adorned a nearby table. Her gaze lingered on the vials, a reminder of the purpose that had brought her to this place.
The three poisoners remained by the door, their gaze unwavering as the eldest (Arsenia) began to speak.
"This will be your room for the foreseeable future," Arsenia explained only a few feet behind her. "It's the third hour now, so you may sleep, but remember that breakfast is served during the 7th hour. I suggest you don't sleep in because people start to get seconds at half-past and then all you might be left with are the scraps."
"We eat at the mess hall," clarified Morgana from the doorway. "First floor. Right wing. The big room with its doors open wide. Follow the smell and you should get there just fine."
"The bathroom's that way." Viperia pointed to an obscure little door at the far end of the room. "You can shower now if you want, but it's cold as ice. Hot water doesn't go up until the eighth hour."
"We'll send fresh clothes for you tomorrow," Arsenia added. "And we're going to make time to show you around help you review the rules and regulations."
Adina nodded, trying to remember all of this useful information. "Thank you," she said rather meekly.
"Sleep well, new poisoner."
With those parting words, the three poisoners took their leave, the door closing behind them with a soft click. Adina stood there, feeling a sense of solitude settle over her like a heavy mist. She was alone, in a dark but opulent room, with an unknown future ahead of her.
As the moments stretched on, Adina's thoughts returned to her aunt's voice, to the memory of her warning. To the echoes of what is now a broken promise.
She looked out the window, to the lights in the distance, let her thoughts drift to the trade center where her friends (who served as her family) now are.
Do they think of her? Do they worry? Do they mourn? "I'm alright," she whispers as if they were a foot and not hundreds of miles apart. "I pray you will be too," she whispered again, this time to the sky.