The Skin Thief

Chapter 25

Kiora

Kiora stares out of the window as the procession gets closer to the huge arches of The Great Portals. She can only see the portal to the Fifth Realm from the window of the carriage.

The great golden structure rises from the ground with its huge, thick, golden frame. Even from the carriage, Kiora can see the intricate carvings that run all the way up its body. It is so tall, that the tops of the arch are surrounded by thin, fluffy white clouds.

Kiora looks at the world beyond it and her eyes sting with tears. It is bright with sunlight. White sand covers the ground, and in the distance are great mountains covered in a sea of rich, tropical jungle trees.

Of all the realms, Kiora has visited the Fifth Realm the least. It does have winter, like every realm. But their climate is the warmest and they usually only receive the smallest sprinkling of snow.

The thought of that place becoming her home makes her chest tighten and ache. As they pass through the portal, Kiora closes her eyes. The pressure pushes against her body, making her limbs feel heavy and her stomach churn.

Then, as quickly as the pressure began, it stops.

Heat fills the carriage almost instantly. Kiora's skin tingles uncomfortably. The air grows thick and stuffy. Larissa starts to fan herself. Sweat dribbles down the king's forehead.

Kiora looks out of the window and sighs. A crystal clear, vibrant blue ocean laps calmy at the shore. It would look so much better frozen, Kiora thinks and sighs.

She still can't figure out how this happened. How had she gone from her winter temple to somewhere hot, and tropical?

Her eyes sting once more, but she forces herself not to cry. She won't let them see her as weak.

The carriage comes to a stop and Kiora's stomach lurches with fear. Is this it? Is she about to meet him? Her hands begin to tremble in her lap and she licks at her dry lips.

The carriage door is opened. Hot, stuffy air fills the small space and Kiora winces and brings her arm up to block the beaming sunlight from her burning eyes.

"Come on, out you get," Larissa urges. The man who opened the carriage holds out his arm and Kiora reluctantly takes it and elegantly steps out.

The carriage sits on a stone road that's been built into the sand. For that, she is grateful. The thought of sand scratching her skin makes her feel physically sick. That would be perhaps the last straw. The thread keeping her from falling to the ground and breaking down in paralyzing, heaving sobs is very thin and close to breaking.

Kiora takes in a deep breath to settle her nerves. It doesn't work. Instead, the fluttering and churning of her stomach increases. Her body trembles and her grip around the attendant's arm grows tighter.

She turns back and looks at the portal longingly. Is this the last time she'll be looking upon the lands of the Second Realm?

Her eyes water as she stares at all five portals, the great structures sitting equidistant apart and looming over them all.

Her heart sinks further as she realises that she'll never even travel again. She is going to be stuck here.

Her head spins and she starts to lose the feeling in her legs. To make matters worse, the heat is nearly painfully uncomfortable against her skin. She looks at her bare arms, relieved to see them still looking their normal colour after half expecting them to be blistering and pink.

"One more thing," Larissa says, interrupting her thoughts. Kiora looks at her as she approaches, carrying some sort of sparkling, silvery-white material. Gently, Larissa sweeps it over Kiora, attaching it to the headdress.