Chapter Thirty-Eight:
"The Taste of Lies"
The bath was nothing short of decadent. A vast pool of warm, perfumed water stretched across the chamber, inlaid with polished marble that gleamed beneath the candlelight.
The ceiling arched high, painted with celestial constellations that wove intricate trails across the expanse, their forms subtly refracting as candlelight played over the lacquered surface.
Stained glass windows framed the walls, their radiant mosaics bending bands of all colors that shimmered across the water’s surface.
Ornate brass fixtures lined the edges, steaming spouts pouring fresh scented water in shades of amber, rose, and violet, swirling into the depths of the pool.
Raya sat submerged to her collarbones, her shoulders tight despite the heat seeping into her skin. The palace was beyond anything she had ever dreamed of.
She had walked through its endless halls, past veiled handmaidens who drifted in silence, past towering guards in featureless helms, their rigid forms as unyielding as forged iron.
Every surface sparkled, flawless and carefully designed to impress rather than comfort. Even with warmth surrounding her, the luxury felt staged, like a scene she was expected to play a part in. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone, somewhere, was watching her every move.
Ani lay at the bath’s edge, his massive paws tucked beneath him. Though his body remained still, his eyes never closed fully, his ears flicking at the faintest movement. Even here, in the heart of supposed safety, he felt it too.
Hex lounged beside her, arms draped along the rim of the bath, her expression one of careless amusement. Unlike Raya, she seemed utterly at ease, sinking into the heat like it was a throne made for her alone. She exhaled slowly, watching as another handmaiden approached, a delicate crystal pitcher in her hands.
The woman bowed, pouring another stream of scented colored water into the bath, the fragrance of lotus and sandalwood thickening in the air.
“You know,” Hex murmured, tilting her head toward Raya, “you’re supposed to be relaxing.” Her voice held an edge of mockery, but beneath it was something else, something sharper. “You’ve been like this since the moment we met.”
The bath’s heat wrapped around Raya, yet the stiffness in her shoulders refused to melt away. Across from her, Hex reclined against the marble edge, her expression one of effortless tranquility, as if the water existed solely for her comfort.
The dim candlelight glowed against the water’s surface, streaks of color drifting through the steam-filled air. A handmaiden refilled a crystal pitcher, then poured another stream of fragrant water into the pool before stepping away in silence.
Hex exhaled a slow breath, stretching her arms along the rim. "You’re still holding onto something," she mused, tilting her head toward Raya. "Maybe talking will help. Why don’t you tell me about where you came from?"
Raya hesitated, her fingers tracing the surface of the bath. The idea of explaining it all, what her world had been, what had happened to Ani, what she had expected to find here, felt overwhelming. And yet, the words began to slip free.
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"It was nothing like this," she admitted. "Where I come from, everything was crowded, noisy. The air was thick with dust in the summer, heavy with rain in the winter. I struggled every day just to get by. People weren’t dressed in silk and gold. They weren’t waited on by handmaidens. It was... real, I guess."
Hex listened, unmoved, as though none of this surprised her. She didn’t question the strangeness of Raya’s world, nor did she ask how it could be possible. Her acceptance was effortless.
Raya continued, her voice quieter now. "Ani wasn’t always like this. He used to be just a dog, a friend, but nothing like he is now. Gameweaver brought him back for me, changed him so he could protect me."
Hex's lips curled faintly. "Seems like he was always meant to be that way. Maybe it destiny for you and Ani to be here."
Raya frowned. The ease with which Hex accepted everything unsettled her, but she didn’t press it. Instead, she turned to another question that had been weighing on her since she arrived.
"Where are they? The others?" she asked, meeting Hex’s gaze. "The people from Israel. The ones who entered the Dive with me. I haven’t seen anyone else like me. Where did they all go?"
Hex hummed thoughtfully, lifting a hand to idly swirl the water. "I haven’t seen anyone else out of place like you are," she admitted. "But my father might know. We can ask him in the morning."
The answer felt like a dismissal, but there was nothing more Raya say about it. Hex offered no speculation, no doubt, just certainty that her father would have the answer. But for now, she didn't seem interested in chasing it.
"For now," Hex continued, a languid smirk returning to her lips, "we should finish enjoying this bath. You’ll feel better once you settle in for the night. I’ll have some food brought to your room after."
Raya glanced toward Ani, who remained unmoving at the bath’s edge, his watchful eyes never straying. She exhaled slowly, nodding, though the flutter in her stomach remained. Hex may have been at ease here, but Raya wasn’t sure she would ever be.
Raya sat cross-legged on the plush bed, staring at the lavish spread of food before her.
The room was luxurious, draped in deep silk fabrics, golden accents gleaming against rich jewel-toned walls. A large open window let in the cool night breeze, carrying the distant hum of the city beyond. It was everything a dream should be, everything she had never dared hope to have.
Yet, something was wrong.
The food smelled incredible, each dish crafted to perfection, the scent of roasted meat, spiced fruits, and freshly baked bread filling the space.
Her stomach ached with hunger, her mouth watered as she reached for a piece of the warm, buttered bread. But the moment she took a bite, her stomach turned violently. It tasted fine, more than fine, it was exquisite. But something inside her rejected it immediately. The sickness came fast and unshakable, forcing her to swallow hard against the nausea.
She tried again, picking up a piece of ripe fruit, its sweetness promising relief. One bite, and the same overwhelming sickness returned, stronger this time. Raya set it down, wiping her mouth, frustration growing inside her.
Ani, lay restless near the bed. He sniffed at the food before wrinkling his nose. He gave a soft huff, turning away in disinterest. Then, unexpectedly, he let out a low growl, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. His ears flattened, eyes narrowing at the untouched dishes.
“You feel it too, boy?” Raya said, running a hand through his fur. “Something’s wrong here.”
She couldn’t place it. Was it nerves? Was it the fact that she had yet to see another Player? Everything about this palace was perfect, too perfect. Like a dream someone else had crafted for her to step into.
Ani let out another growl, sharper this time, his head snapping toward the far side of the room. Raya followed his gaze, frowning as she spotted the unlit torch fixed to the wall. Ani barked, his stance shifting, his fur bristling as he stared it down like it was a threat.
“What is it, Ani?” Raya slid off the bed, moving toward the wall. She hesitated only for a moment before dragging a footstool closer, climbing up just enough to reach the torch. Her fingers wrapped around the cold iron handle, and with a steady breath, she pulled it down.
Click.
A deep, mechanical sound rumbled through the walls.
With a heavy groan, a section of the wall slid aside, stone scraping against stone as a narrow passageway revealed itself. A dark stone staircase spiraled downward into the unknown.
Raya stared, heart pounding. She turned to Ani who was already standing beside her. “Well. That’s… convenient.”
Ani let out a short, knowing huff.
The passage loomed before them, silent and waiting. The dream of luxury had just fractured into something else entirely.
This place was hiding something. And now, she was about to find out what.