Chapter 22: THE JADE PALACE TAVERN

Ellen Evans

I soon arrived at the Jade Palace inn using the directions that the trader who I met earlier had given me.

The tavern was lovely with a huge sign post that said: JADE PALACE and an array of decorative lights.

I walked into the place with a smile on my face.

The interior was more beautiful than the exterior. The inside was even bustling more than the outside.

People of all sizes and shapes filled the place to its capacity.

There were drinking companions, tired and weary travelers, hungry persons and just wanderers like me I guess.

I walked further into the tavern and found a table that was empty. I lowered myself into a seat. One of the servers had noticed me and came over. She smiled softly at me with her green eyes glittering.

"Welcome to the Jade Palace," she told me. I smiled back at her.

"I am hungry. What can I eat around here that is good?" I asked her. She thought for a while.

"I will bring you today's special," she informed me. I decided to trust her. People with pretty smiles were always right.

My twin sister Elena did not have one.

"Alright, I will take it," I told her. She nodded and left to go and bring my order. I took the chance of her departure to look around the tavern.

The walls were tall and painted white. There was a huge chandelier in the middle of the entire lounge.

The bar was at the further left corner, stocked full with different types of alcohol. Two women sat at the bar counter laughing and chatting so care freely. I smiled, wishing I was them, as happy as that now.

I had had to run away from my pack, my family, my world.

Now I was in another world, one that apparently had only me inside. I opened my luggage and took out the phone that Zedd had given me.

I unlocked it with my finger print and the screen lit up, the phone now opened. I swiped through the contact list.

There was only one contact.

It belonged to Zedd.

But this was not his main number. It must have been one that he had gotten for this purpose, for me to contact me.

I wanted to dial the number, contemplating whether I should or I should not.

"Miss, your food is here," the voice of the serving girl interrupted me. I retracted my hovering hand and looked up with a smile that matched hers.

"Oh, thank you," I replied her. She nodded as she set down the tray of food in her hands. She placed it on the table, arranging the four dishes.

The smell of food wafted into my nostrils and my mouth salivated, my stomach grumbled.

"Thank you," I said again when she was done with everything. She smiled.

"You are welcome." Then, she took her tray and went away.

I began to savour the dishes. The meal was truly worth its special name. It was sweet and savory. I really enjoyed every bite of the lovingly prepared meal.

When I was done, I requested for the bill and paid, not forgetting to tip the serving girl who thanked me once again.

Then I asked her how to get a room and she offered to get one for me. I gave her some money and she came back with a room key and a dining pass.

She explained to me that the payment she had made covered breakfast and lunch for tommorrow. I could leave before or after dinner.

I liked it.

I would be on the road after breakfast anyways.

I thanked her and allowed her to show me to my room. I settled down into the room. It was pretty. The bed was made with polka dot sheets and the ceiling and walls were painted a sky blue color.

I locked the door and dropped my luggage in a corner. I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

My mind wandered back to the Harné pack. I was beginning to miss a lot of things.

I missed staying in my bedroom all day, reading. I missed staring at the stars, the moon and the sky from my bedroom balcony. I missed making meals for my father. I missed welcoming Zedd home and giving him a massage while I heard tales of his adventures catching rogues or snippets of supposedly confidential state affairs.

I missed it, all of it.

My life.

All this was happening because I had listened to my twin sister.

Elena was cruel.

I stood from the bed and went to my luggage. I opened the bag and retrieved the things that I would use to take a bath. I took off my clothes and slipped into the bathroom.

I took a cold shower though the water was not exactly cold due to the weather.

"The weather is warm," Layla said in my head. I smiled at her words.

"Where have you been?" I asked her. She sighed.

"I have been no where. I have just been here wondering when exactly we would meet our mate," she told me.

I paused in the shower.

I had forgotten all about that.

What If my mate was in the Harné pack? Would we ever meet again?

I felt pained.

"The moon goddess has her ways," Layla told me. I nodded.

"I hope so."

I finished in the shower and came out to dry my hair and body with my towel. I applied a bit of body cosmetics that Zedd had been nice enough to include.

It seemed to me like my brother was the king of escape in how past life. He knew just how to pack luggage meant for that, light but with all necessities.

I slipped into a night gown and helped myself to the bed after double checking my doors were locked.

I did not know when I fell asleep.

I saw blue eyes, sharp and beautiful staring back at me.

"Mate," I heard Layla say.

"Ellen, my mate," the owner of those forget me not blue eyes said to me. I stared harder at him but I could see nothing but his eyes alone.

"Where is this?" I asked. It was dark and I could see nothing but those eyes.

"I am here, in your dreams." Then suddenly the eyes began to disappear till they were gone.

"No, no!" I screamed as he faded away. My ears began to ring. I covered it with my palms but the sound would not stop.

The shrill ringing grew louder and louder as I begged it to stop.

My hand hit something and I opened my eyes, to reality.

I had been dreaming.

My hand had hit the head board. I stared at my surroundings. It was morning and my phone was ringing on the bedside table.

I took the call.

It was Zedd. It could not be any other person.

"Good morning," I said.

"Ellen, leave Clux. They are after you," he told me.

Fear gripped me at his words.

"Zedd," I said in a shaky voice.

"Will you listen to me Ellen?" he asked me. I nodded forgetting that he could not see me. "Where are you now so I can guide them away from you?"

"The Jade Palace Tavern."

"I will stall them for an hour. Get on a boat and go east. Do it now."

"Yes," I told him scampering out of bed and gathering my things to leave.

"Take care of yourself Ellen."

"I will Zedd," I assured him. He nodded. "I love you Zedd, you are the best brother any one could ever have."

"I love you too Ellen, stay safe."

"And you too."