It really was remarkably relaxing she thought as she took more deep, measured breaths and closed her eyes. There was no noise but a soft, barely-there humming that was oddly tuneful. And the Mists seemed to support her, like a giant, invisible hand. She felt…cradled was the best word she could come up with. It was a lovely sensation…incredibly soothing, actually. As though someone larger and stronger than her had taken her in hand and lifted away the burdens she’d been carrying. So peaceful…
As Em finally felt herself relaxing, a new sensation began. It felt like tiny bubbles landing and then bursting all over her naked skin.
One might have thought the odd sensation would have made her tense up again, but by now she almost seemed to be in a kind of trance. It was like floating in champagne, she thought, with the little bubbles dancing all over her skin—a most refreshing sensation.
“Curiouser and curiouser,” she murmured drowsily, and then actually laughed. When was the last time she’d done that? Not in a very long time, Em acknowledged to herself. Things had been so damn tense lately, what with everyone up in arms about the Monstrum and the constant threat of another Darkling attack. Her daughters were grown and gone and she had no one to help her bear the burden of public life, ever since Nigel had run off with that silly little girl that was half his age…
No, I don’t want to think of that, Em told herself. It’ll ruin my mood. I just want to relax. I just want to drift in this marvelous floaty champagne bath and think of nothing at all.
And that was exactly what she did. She relaxed in the swirling-colored Mists and let all the cares and burdens that had been piled on top of her like a lot of heavy stones, roll away until her mind was a blank slate and her body was as light as a feather.
Later, she couldn’t have said if she drifted through the Mists for hours or only minutes. It could have been days, for all she knew, but at last she heard someone calling her name in a soft, melodic voice.
“Minister Oxley…Emilia,” it called.
Em opened her eyes to see that Elfa was floating right beside her.
“Mmm…yes?” she asked, trying to wake up from the half-dreaming state she’d fallen into.
“At last, you are purified,” Elfa told her, smiling gently. “The Mists have drained away your troubles and cares and so it is now time to emerge.”
“Oh, is it?” Em struggled to sit up, but there was nothing to push against. She wound up simply flailing in the air, feeling rather foolish.
“Don’t disturb yourself so, please.” Elfa looked worried. “If you get too agitated, you will need to be purified again and you have already spent much longer than usual in the Mists. The cares upon you must have been very great indeed.”
“Oh, er, all right.” Em stopped struggling. “But how do I get down?” she asked.
“Like this.” Elfa took her by the hand and began a swimming motion with her other arm. “Stroke with me,” she urged Em. “In this way, we may descend together.”
Em copied her motions and soon found that they were moving downwards, almost like one does when swimming in a pool. She had thought before that the Mists offered no resistance and nothing to push against, but now she found there was a bit of resistance, though not nearly as much as if she’d really been in water. It was enough, however, for the two of them to finally reach the glass door that led to the changing room.
Only, when she finally made her way through the door and found her feet on the floor again, Em saw she wasn’t in the changing room at all.
She was someplace completely different.
13
“What is this place?” Em looked around in confusion at the room she found herself in. It looked nothing like the bare locker room she’d been in before. For instance, it had a crystal chandelier hanging overhead. Or well, hovering anyway, she saw, since the huge glittering piece didn’t seem to be attached to anything—it simply floated near the ceiling, emitting golden light on the room below.
The room itself was opulent, with a thick, white rug underfoot that seemed to be made of some ultra-fine fur. It tickled and caressed Em’s bare feet as she stepped on it. There were clear crystal chairs, carved into marvelous patterns sitting on the carpet. They were arranged in a semi-circular pattern around a raised crystal pedestal. And around the pedestal were five, large mirrors in crystal frames.
The whole setup reminded Em of a bridal gallery, a place where brides-to-be could come and try on dresses until they found the perfect one. But why would Elfa take her to someplace like that?