Chapter 26: Safe Zone
Blanche followed Nicky across the frozen plain. Despite the thick cloak draped over her shoulders, the cold bit her skin mercilessly. The winter wind whistled, carrying errant snowflakes that still danced in the air. Low clouds filtered the light, making it impossible to distinguish the two suns. Night seemed ready to fall… or perhaps she had slept longer than she thought.
She didn’t have time to ponder further: Nicky had disappeared.
Confused, she scanned the surroundings. Everything was open, swept by the wind—there was no way he had simply vanished. Then she saw it: a titanic building, all stone and metal, perched on the edge of a cliff plunging into the ocean. Next to it, Rauõr’s hut could have passed for a garden shed.
" This way!" called Nicky, standing in front of a massive open gate.
When she reached him, Blanche noticed the fences surrounding the compound, bristling with barbed wire, and a winding path leading up to the structure.
"Welcome to our place, " he said as they began the ascent. "Well… officially, it’s Argy’s place."
The salty sea wind whipped her face. The smell of iodine mingled with the cold, sending shivers down her spine. Ahead of her, the building loomed, massive, intimidating. Two stories, a rooftop terrace, and an aura of contained power.
Nicky stopped in front of a door perfectly fused into the wall. No handle, no visible cracks—just a keypad.
"The code is one, two, three, four," he explained with a smile.
She raised an eyebrow. Not at the simplicity of the code, but at the fact that… there was electricity here. In the Otherworld?!
The door opened with a gentle hiss. Nicky let her enter first.
Inside, she was speechless. A vast entryway, almost empty, bathed in yellow light when he flipped a switch. And that soft warmth that enveloped her immediately… central heating. She was stunned.
At the center of the room, a pool shimmered, made of immense pearlescent scales, iridescent with purple and green reflections. The clear water lay there, mysterious, almost alive.
"Yeah, it always has that effect," Nicky laughed, seeing her expression.
"Those are scales of…?"
She caught herself just in time. But she knew. Dragon scales. The idea fascinated her as much as it chilled her.
" Drakion," Nicky clarified." Fossilized, apparently. That one could transform into a human. Don’t touch it: they’re still sharp. Gift from a certain jeweler to Aaron—a rare, royal type. Dead for centuries. A single scale is worth a fortune on the black market, but he keeps them all. So be careful, he values them above everything."
Blanche lightly touched the surface. Smooth, cold, almost alive.
A glint on the wall caught her eye: a map engraved in stone, above a richly decorated cast-iron radiator. She could make out rooms of varying sizes, with no apparent logic.
Nicky led her on before she lingered.
"To the right, "he indicated," is Aaron’s office. A full map of the Otherworld is displayed there, with discovered cities and red cursors. No one enters without him; he always keeps the key."
They walked down a long L-shaped corridor. A concrete staircase led to the upper floor. Nicky, methodical, turned off each light and closed every door behind him—electricity must cost a fortune here.
"Upstairs is the sleeping area," he explained.
He pointed out each door as they passed:
"Derek, Argy, ours for Glen and me, Aaron’s at the end. The last one, next to it, is free. You can take it."
The room she discovered exceeded her expectations. Simple, yet spacious: a clean bed, a desk, a copper lamp, and a radiator radiating comforting warmth. No wardrobe, just the essentials. She dropped her cloak on the chair, relieved to finally feel safe.
Nicky led her to a second staircase.
"This one goes to the rooftop terrace. Still frozen, but the view is incredible. We go there to clear our heads… or shoot targets, if you know what I mean, "he added with a mischievous smile.
Seeing her confusion, he added:
"Or not."
She stifled a laugh behind a fake cough. This boy did her good. His lightness contrasted with everything else.
They went back down, and he opened another door. Behind it stretched a vast locker room: metal lockers, open showers, aligned sinks, and in the center, a majestic freestanding bathtub.
Blanche let out a joyful squeal when she turned the tap and felt the hot water flow.
"Best day of your life, huh? "Nicky teased.
He pointed out the rest of the amenities.
"Toilet paper, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste…"
" But how? " she asked, astonished.
"Aaron, " he replied simply. "Except the toothpaste, Argy makes that."
"Aaron uses his gift for that?"
"For all of us, " Nicky corrected. And it’s part of his training. You have to survive in this damn world."
He glanced at her sharply.
"What size are you?"
She told him. He disappeared for a few moments.
Taking advantage of his absence, Blanche stepped into the first shower. After a few pipes creaked, the water became warm, enveloping. She sighed, eyes closed.
" I left some clothes here," he called on his return, "placing a pile on a bench."
In the kit: hairbrush, solid toothpaste, soap. Rub the brush on it, and you’re set. Your clothes, you can toss them in this bin; I’ll show you the laundry after.
He pointed to a large steel tank, then concluded with a mocking tone:
"And don’t forget to close the door to keep the heat in, "he said in a deep voice." You’ll find me across, preparing a real breakfast, not some awful white stuff."
She smiled at the memory of Rauõr’s goat milk. He returned her smile before disappearing.
Blanche was alone.
She waited until his footsteps faded, then bit her lip. The idea of shared showers embarrassed her, but… never mind.
She quickly undressed, threw her clothes into the bin, and slipped under the water.
The soap smelled of lavender. She used it on her hair too, which gradually came back to life between her fingers. The water draining from the plug was black—she felt almost ashamed.
When she finally emerged, wrapped in a surprisingly soft towel, a calm smile spread across her lips.
In this frozen, hostile world, a simple moment of warmth felt like a miracle.