"I believe you. I'll take a rain check."
Torina smiled. "Shall we have a look around? Or should I just show you to your room?"
"I'm kind of tired."
"Of course you are, dear. But you must also feel unsettled, a stranger in a new place. Let me at least show you the aquarium, then I'll let you get some rest."
"You're the boss."
Torina led the way into the hall, heels clicking, hips swaying. Kendra followed, impressed by the decor. What would it cost to furnish such a large house so lavishly?
"Our aquarium is unique," Torina commented, pulling open an ornate pair of doors. "It doubles as our library."
Kendra halted in the doorway, astonished by the sight before her. Bookshelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, interrupted by an occasional niche displaying antique scientific instruments. Bulky leather sofas and recliners offered plenty of places for a reader to relax, accompanied by a variety of handsome tables for added convenience. Aside from the lights in the ceiling, plentiful lamps contributed to the even illumination. But none of this held Kendra frozen in the doorway.
Dozens of fish drifted through the air, as if swimming in water. The more Kendra stared, the more details registered. Rays of various sizes patrolled the room, winglike fins flapping gently. An octopus clung to the side of an ottoman.
Exotic fish with vivid stripes and splotches swam in synchronized schools. Crustaceans crept across the floor, antennae probing. A spotted, six-foot shark prowled the library in ominous circles.
In contrast to the bizarre vision before her, Kendra inhaled what seemed like normal air. Nothing in the room was even damp.
Torina sashayed into the spacious, fish-infested library. "Isn't it a marvel? Come on in!"
"What about the shark?" Kendra asked.
"Shinga? He's a leopard shark. We've never had any serious trouble out of him. The eels can get nippy--just stay away from the globe."
Kendra hesitantly stepped into the room, enchanted by the fish swimming all around her. "Can I touch one?"
"Sure. Try the big one with the yellow stripes."
The fish drifted within reach, fins flowing as if in water, and Kendra brushed a fingertip along its side. It felt slightly slimy, and surprisingly solid. "Are these real?"
Torina grinned. "Absolutely."
Kendra noticed an orange fish with an elaborate series of spines nearing the doorway. "Should we close the doors?"
"They can't get out."
Kendra crouched down beside the octopus, tipping her head so she could see some of the suckers on the tentacles. The body of the octopus flexed, pulsing strangely, and Kendra hastily stepped away. Three seahorses hovered nearby. Off to one side, beside a lamp, small fish gobbled up tiny fragments of floating matter. "This is so cool. How does it work?"
"The easy answer?" Torina asked, manicured hand on one hip. "Magic." She compressed her lips thoughtfully. "How could I put this in layman's terms? Imagine that in an adjacent reality, this library is full of water. A sturdy container holds all of it in place. Then imagine that these fish are able to inhabit both realities at once. They are fully interacting with both realities, while we remain oblivious to the water. That description isn't exact, but it conveys the proper idea."
"Unbelievable," Kendra breathed, warily watching the sleek shark glide by almost within reach.
"We may be surrounded by barnyards and outnumbered by livestock, but not even countless miles of farmland can deny us at least a few truly sophisticated amenities."
"How do you feed them?"
"Sometimes they devour one another, though we have some magical deterrents in place, particularly on the shark. Normally we just do to their food what we did to them, leave it floating in both realities, and they find it without much trouble." Torina clapped her hands. "I have tested your patience long enough. Allow me to escort you to your room."
Kendra let Torina usher her back into the hallway. Stealing a few backward glances at the surreal aquarium, she wondered how anybody would get any reading done in there. Torina directed Kendra up some stairs to a third level, where numerous doors flanked a narrow hallway. Kendra glimpsed an old man peering from one of the doorways, but he ducked away as they approached. Paying him no heed, Torina escorted Kendra to the third door on the right.
Beyond the door awaited a frilly trundle bed, a dresser, a bookshelf, a pair of nightstands, a modest desk, and a small private bathroom. The simple room had a single window and unadorned walls.
"This will be your room while you remain here," Torina said. "You're welcome to explore this floor. Please do not wander the rest of the house except by invitation. I would rather not resort to less comfy accommodations."
"You've been pretty nice for a kidnapper," Kendra said. "Too nice. It's really weird. Are you going to fatten me up and eat me?"
Torina pursed her lips and gently scratched at the corner of her eye. "The witch references are getting tiresome, dear."
"What will you do with me? You mentioned the Sphinx."
"You answered your own question. I'll do what the Sphinx tells me."
Kendra's mouth felt dry. "Will he be coming here?"
A sly smile crept onto Torina's lips. "I am not his keeper, but I expect he will, sooner or later. Look, darling, I have no desire to make your situation harsher than necessary. Believe me, you can't escape, and nobody will find you. Don't rock the boat, and I'll keep things bearable."
Kendra doubted she could get more useful information out of Torina. "Okay. I'll try to be good."
"Sleep well, Kendra."
Torina closed the door.
Kendra sat on the edge of the bed. What would the Sphinx want? Information? Cooperation? Would he torture her? Could she resist torture? Ancient as he was, he probably knew a million ways to get people to talk. There were plenty of secrets that she needed to protect. Would he want to use her fairykind ability to recharge spent magical objects? Would he find ways to use her abilities to harm the people she loved?
She pictured the false Kendra currently sleeping in her bed. What was the impostor doing? Would she harm Seth or her parents? Supposedly the impostor had access to her memories. Was she already divulging secrets? Kendra lowered her face to her hands. By the time the Sphinx arrived, whatever secrets she possessed might be irrelevant.
There came a soft knock at the door. Kendra scooted off the bed and opened it. A pair of elderly men waited outside, one in a wheelchair, the other pushing.