The four of us make our way up to the twentieth floor, to the lobby of the hotel in the clouds. From this point forward, guests need a personal access chip that is easily embedded in the palm of your hand, but not so easily jacked. Daxell is quickly welcomed and our room situation is handled very efficiently. His parents are waiting to greet us in their suite which is just one floor above us. They are the only ones that occupy that level which tells me just how well they have been received by Mammon. As it is, we will be staying in a suite on the two hundred and ninetieth floor. Only the elite stay anywhere above the two hundred and fiftieth floor, well that’s what we’ve been informed. Daxell arranges for clothing to be delivered to our rooms. Everything from evening wear to lingerie, and I can’t help the tiny smirk that tugs at my lips in anticipation of our little shopping extravaganza.
“Come on, honey cheeks, let's get to our room. We’ll get settled, and then you and Poppy can shop to your heart's content in the privacy of our suite before changing and heading to my parent’s residence here. What do you think of that?” He pulls me closer as we enter a lift labeled express. It’s more like a bullet-shaped capsule. We are encouraged to strap into the harnesses against the walls of the lift, including Cara. She’s feeling rather unsure of this and I soothe her worry as best as I can. As soon as we have strapped in, the lift rockets upward at a dizzying speed. At some point, we begin to feel weightless before the lift decelerates and comes to a stop. Holy guacamole, that was unsettling.
Gingerly, we exit the elevator and step toward our suite. As we walk in and close the door behind us, Poppy goes a bit zany, “There’s something not right about this place! Can you feel it? Please tell me you can feel it. It feels off, like in a really bad way. There is a lingering darkness, a feeling of evil intent woven throughout the fabric of the very air we breathe here. As luxurious as this place is, it feels like a … like a trap.”
I’ve never had one instance where I would not trust Poppy and her instincts, narrowing my eyes I pull from Dax’s hold and concentrate. Closing my eyes, I tune everything out, just like my Nonna and aunt Lexy taught me. I let everything around me drop away until I can almost visualize the pulse that is coming from the center of this place. It’s cloying in its deception, promising whatever the heart desires in exchange for … My eyes fly wide open as I turn to Dax and Poppy and exclaim, “Souls. He’s dealing in souls. He’s tainting them all, slowly but surely he’s reeling them in, like a fish on a hook. That’s how he’s feeding his greed. He gives them a taste of ecstasy and then throws them back into the pond, their everyday life, letting them come back to him. Each time they come back to him they lose a little more of their soul until he owns them, for an eternity. It doesn’t matter if they indulge in gluttony or sloth-like behavior or sexual favors, in the end, they are all greedy for more.” Now that I’ve isolated the intent, it’s easy to recognize, it’s hypnotic.
Dax nods, “Since this place has been erected, he has grown in power. Even my fathers are being fed by this place. They are loyal to Luc, but we fear that civil war is brewing within the Underworld. If it comes right down to it, my fathers will side with Luc but the other two ruling princes will more than likely side with Mammon. They are being fed by this place in return for their allegiance.”
“What does that mean for Luc? For The Underworld?” Poppy is quick to ask.
Dax moves away to the fully stocked bar and pours a drink, shaking his head sadly, “Nothing good for any of us.”
Before we can analyze this conversation further, there’s a knock on the door to our rooms, Dax is quick to open the door and allow rack after rack of clothing to be brought into our suite. Poppy squeals in delight but I can only dwell on our previous conversation. Somehow all of this is connected. I’m conscious of what is going on behind me, but for the moment, my attention is drawn to the floor to ceiling windows that showcase nothing but clouds. I’m drawn to the expansive view before me. I’ve never been so high above the ground. Not even when dragon flying. The day has drawn out and I’m surprised to see that sunset is upon us. This high up, all I can see is the blazing orange and red globe sitting on the horizon. I’m mesmerized as I stand toe to glass and lean my forehead against the barrier to see if I can see the ground below us. All I can see is the cotton-like clouds that blanket the building below us this high up reflecting the pink and orange colors of the sunset.
“Lillie JoBug, you have to come see this! This is awesome! What are you waiting for?” Poppy demands in her excitement.
Turning, I watch as my best friend in all the realms pulls one outfit after another off the racks, holding them up to her. A kindly older woman smiles and compliments her profusely,
