appeared and grew until I had to cover my eyes. It was loud as the gate opened, the vines curling back so quickly a rumble echoed through the city. As I opened my eyes again I saw the last few tendrils of the wall curl back to form the giant archway.
There was a rush of happy clicks as the merfolk’s eyes began to adjust to the brightness as well. Before us stretched a huge hall, shining and perfectly preserved for nearly a millennium. What truly was impressive about it, though, was not the sparkling marble or the delicate statues that lined each wall, but the ceiling – an impressive geometric dome made of transparent crystal, sunlight filtering down through the ocean above.
I cautiously stepped forward, glancing at the king and queen as I passed. My hooves clicked across the polished stone tiles, eyes to the ceiling. Julreus and Ixnia followed a few feet behind, followed by Levent, Rio and the rest of the merpeople.
I watched as the group milled around the large hall, looking around with excitement in their eyes. They traveled gracefully across the shining floor, examining each statue in turn.
I stood in the middle of the room, trying to stay out of the way. My eyes followed the curves of the walls until it reached the far end of the hall. A stone dome sat opposite the entrance like a toad, its door held shut by a familiar-looking lock. It was just like the one on the door to the temple near Readimina.
I looked to the kin to see if he was seeing the resemblance, but he refused to catch my eye. He was, however, staring at the lock with a frightening intensity.
The queen beckoned to me from across the hall. Rio eagerly ran forward to speak to her, but I was a little more distracted by Julreus’ serious gaze. As we approached, he pulled me aside and spoke soft enough so that the crowd of merfolk was still pouring in through the archway would not overhear.
“This is no place of worship. There are no symbols of the temple here,” he gazed meaningfully at the stone dome, then to me.
I smiled nervously. “I’ll take a look,” I said and then set off toward the dome.
The lock in the other shrine had fallen off at my touch, and I still had no idea why. I was aware of the kin following me, but I did not look back. The merfolk watched me with curiosity. I stared at the floor to avoid their gaze and the fifty feet of water above our heads.
When I reached the door, I just stared at it.