When Ava opened her eyes, she was lying on the white marble floor of a large salon, dimly lit by torch-like wall lights. She tried to sit up, but her heart was pounding heavily, making her feel dizzy and extremely tired. She decided to lie still for a few more minutes until she regained control. Taking deep breaths, she regulated her heartbeat. Once her vision cleared, she looked around and saw several carved wooden doors at one end of the salon. One of the doors was as old and heavy as the one in the Cappadocia cave; the others appeared to be newer copies. On the opposite side of the doors were two staircases, one descending and one ascending.

  Ava slowly regained her strength and sat up. Marble statues of Roman emperors, their heads crowned with laurel leaves, stood near each door. The stairs leading up were adorned with marble statues of roses and lions, while the stairs descending was narrower and lacked decoration. She looked at her hands to see if any light remained, but it seemed all her energy had been consumed during her time with the Ghull in the darkness of the portal. The Ghull was nowhere to be seen.

  “I know you are here. I can feel you,” said Ava in a quiet whisper. “Why are you hiding?”

  She heard his voice deep from behind the old wooden door.

  “There is one more important thing you should know about Ars Pherians,” said the Ghull. “They can see your light fumes, and all the other emotional aura colors you disseminate. They not only see your colors, but they also feed on your colors. Your aura is a feast for them. The harmless monsters Ars Pherians are. When they see you, they will see your fumes in reds when you are happy and yellows when you are excited, and blues when you are sad and purples when you are in fear… They will want to be near you and touch you to feed on the colors. You will see their joy. Yet, do not fear, they will not hurt you.”

  Ava wasn’t sure she fully understood the Ghull’s words.

  “What.. what do you mean? Do they see if I’m happy, sad, or fearful?”

  “They can understand exactly what you feel from the colors of your aura. Right now, you’re more on the purple side of the spectrum because you’re afraid. There’s no need to fear the Ars Pherians. They were designed to be harmless and rational, the least animalistic of all human creatures.”

  “This is cruel. They need to feed on the colors of emotions because they can’t produce emotions themselves?”

  “A cruelty that may be a chance of survival for humankind. Emotions are destructive in one way or another.”

  “You’re wrong! Emotions are the reason for survival. How have they survived this long without emotions?” asked Ava.

  “Because they can think rationally. And when you think rationally, survival becomes the best option,” answered the Ghull.

  “Alessandro?” Ava asked. “Can he see my aura?”

  “He could, and he can, but he doesn’t need to anymore. He will be true to his feelings. Go to the Prince. He needs you, and he will always need you,” said the Ghull, his voice growing fainter with his last words.

  Ava walked slowly up the stairs and climbed to the top. She reached an opening that reminded her of the cave in Cappadocia, but this one had a ceiling much higher, almost as tall as a building. It was decorated like a garden of Eden, with dozens of colorful flowers, marble columns, trees with vibrant leaves, and stone statues of animals like lions, pumas, and jaguars. She wandered through the flowers, inhaling their intoxicating scents, her jaw dropping at the beauty of her surroundings. She slowly stepped through the open main door, which was fully drawn back to the sides, and found herself on a massive terrace balcony overlooking the city of Terra Nova. The terrace was surrounded by smaller garden terraces, each bursting with different colors of flowers.

  A wide avenue stretched from the entrance of the gardens all the way down to the seaside, vibrant and colorful under the early morning sun. In the distance, Ava could see small, car-like vehicles moving up and down the road. The city spread out on either side of the main avenue. On the right, closer to the sea, she saw larger buildings with towering white domes. The view was breathtaking, with the calm bay waters evoking a Mediterranean city feeling. She felt a little lighter, as if the gravity were weaker, though she wasn’t sure if it was just her lightheadedness. The scents of the flowers were strong in the air, overwhelming her sensitive nose. The position of the sun in the purplish-blue sky suggested it was almost midday. The scene was beautiful, familiar in some ways to Earth, but also strange in a way Ava couldn’t quite place.

  It took Ava a while to tear her eyes away from the view and find her way down from the terrace. She made her way toward the stairs, and from the top, she saw two men and a woman standing at the bottom, staring up at her motionless, their eyes wide open. They seemed startled, unsure of what to say or do. To Ava’s surprise, they didn’t rush to hug her or touch her immediately. Instead, they watched her until she was only a few steps away. Then the woman muttered something to the two men, as if Ava couldn’t hear. Their words were in a language very similar to Italian. Ava could pick out some of the words, like "palazzo," "imperatore," and "tu vai." One man left, and the others continued to watch her.

  The Ars Pherians were dressed in silk garments, mostly in earthy tones like white, beige, and brown. The woman, slightly taller than the man, wore elaborate jewelry, while the man had two large rings on his fingers, both stylish, as if plucked from the set of a historical movie set in a French palace, redesigned for the future. They didn’t carry any weapons, not even a small knife or a club. Ava guessed the third man had probably run off to call the police or guards. She decided to show them she could speak and asked the first Italian phrase that came to mind.

  “Il mio nome e Ava, come ti chiami?” she said after clearing her throat.

  “Mi chiamo Isabella e lui e Roberto,” said the woman slowly finally when she could open her mouth. She could clearly see Ava was not fluent in Italian.

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  “Come sei arrivato qui?” asked Roberto. Ava could guess he was asking how she could get there but her Italian was not good enough to answer.

  “Siz buraya nasil geldiniz?” the man who introduced himself as Roberto tried asking again in Turkish. Ava could understand he was trying possible languages she might speak. Turkish made sense since the portal was in Turkey.

  “I speak English,” she said.

  “Oh, English,” Roberto replied. He seemed fluent in many languages, but an English-speaking visitor appeared to surprise, and perhaps disturb, him even more. “Ava, how did you come here?”

  “I need to see Alessandro De Rosa,” Ava said, unsure if it was wise to reveal she had been following him.

  The Ars Pherians exchanged glances but said nothing. Before they speak, they turned their heads to the vehicle approaching from the gardens.

  “Let us walk you to your vehicle,” Roberto said, visibly relieved. He put his hand on Ava’s arm with a firm grasp and escorted her to walk down the park. “Whoever will be taking care of you can tell you more. Please, follow Ava.”

  They made their way to the main gate of the gardens, where Marcus was waiting in front of the solar vehicle.

  “Ava L’Ambert?” he asked. “Please, come with me.”

  As Ava climbed into the vehicle, which resembled a horse-drawn carriage but without the horses, Marcus spoke briefly with Isabella and Roberto before sitting next to her. The driverless vehicle accelerated onto the Camino Royale, the avenue leading to the Palace.

  “How do you know who I am?” Ava asked.

  “Please, Signorina,” Marcus replied. “Let’s discuss everything once we’re in a more private setting.”

  The carriage sped down the wide avenue. As they drew closer to the city, Ava saw people going about their daily lives. Everyone appeared clean and stylish in their silk outfits. The streets were immaculately clean, and the city smelled like a bakery fresh out of strawberry pie. As the avenue neared the sea, more shops and restaurants came into view. Some intersecting roads were for pedestrians, while others were for vehicles. The carriage vehicles were all similar in design, with only minor variations in size. Each building had its own architectural style, but somehow, they all seemed like parts of a larger artistic vision. Ava noticed not a single person was looking at a smartphone or talking on the phone.

  The carriage parked itself in a space behind a grand white building with seven imposing columns at the front. This was one of the buildings Ava had seen from the terrace of the portal. People walked around the square in front of the building, going about their business.

  Marcus asked Ava to wear a cloak with a large cape to cover her Earth clothes. The Ars Pherians weren’t ready to see her safari shorts and tank top, or her flashing aura of emotions. She draped the cape over her shoulders and followed Marcus at a brisk pace toward a smaller door on the back side of the building.

  They passed through one corridor after another until they reached a door, which Marcus opened with a key from his medallion. The scent of lemons and jasmine mixed with the salty sea air as Ava stepped into a waiting hall, decorated with antique furniture and vases. A large nineteenth-century Persian silk rug in dominant reds and dark blues added richness to the delicate furniture. The large windows overlooked the calm bay, where a marina filled with white sails glistened in the sunlight.

  White marble stairs with golden handrails climbed from the two corners of the room, leading upstairs. Classical paintings adorned the walls, depicting sailboats and fishing vessels, adding to the room’s elegance.

  An elderly woman descended one of the stairs. She exuded elegance and wisdom, her long brown dress flowing gracefully and her gray hair neatly knotted at the nape of her neck. She studied Ava for a moment with a look of disbelief before greeting Marcus.

  Marcus spoke to her in Latin, and she nodded her head in understanding as he spoke, occasionally stealing quick glances at Ava.

  “Lady Ava, Lady Concetta will guide you to your guest room. Please rest for a while,” Marcus said hastily before leaving Ava with Lady Concetta.

  Lady Concetta was the head of the maids at the Emperor’s palace. Nearly ninety years old, she had never set foot on Earth. Despite having been offered the chance several times, she had always refused. To Lady Concetta, traveling through the portal made little sense when everything she needed was already here in Ars Pheria. She wore heavy pearl jewelry around her neck, and her English was impeccably spoken in a neat, clean British accent, just as precise as her carefully styled hair.

  “Lady Ava, welcome to the palace of Emperor Sephianos and the De Rosa family,” she said with a formal nod. “I am Lady Concetta, and I have the honor of serving as head of the maids. Please follow me to your room. You must be tired after your journey.”   “Thank you, Lady Concetta,” said Ava, doing her best to sound polite. “But I need to see Alessandro as soon as possible. I didn’t risk my life for comfort and rest. I must see him at once.”

  Lady Concetta paused, considering Ava's words. She had never encountered a situation like this in her entire career. She wasn’t sure whether to share what Marcus had just told her. After a moment of deliberation, she realized that Ava would not be satisfied unless she was assured that she would see the Prince soon.

  “Prince Alessandro will be informed of your visit shortly, Lady Ava. You may rest here until he returns to the palace,” Lady Concetta replied.

  It was mesmerizing for her to watch Ava’s colors shift between purples and greens, constantly in flux. Lady Concetta felt an inexplicable urge to touch Ava, curious about how it might feel to touch a real Earthian, but she resisted the impulse.

  Ava followed Lady Concetta to the guest room. After a quick shower in the gold-adorned bathroom, where the soaps and shampoos smelled of roses, she noticed a cream-white silk dress laid out on the bed, along with a short cape to cover her shoulders. As she slipped into the dress, her thoughts wandered back to the morning she had woken up in Alessandro’s apartment. A white dress seemed to be important for his guests.

  She stood before the mirror, taking in her reflection. She looked like a princess from a movie. The feel of the soft silk against her skin was joyful, almost uplifting. Ava felt a wave of hope and happiness wash over her as the sweet scent of roses enveloped her. It was one of those moments when an unreasonable happiness and hope filled her heart, like the relief and excitement of a picnic day when the clouds finally part and the sun breaks through.

  Lady Concetta knocked gently on the door before entering with a room service cart. She lifted the lids from the plates and offered Ava a selection to eat. Each dish was beautifully decorated with flowers and vibrant sauces. Ava savored the cheese and strawberry pie, which tasted almost identical to Earth’s version, but each bite seemed to nourish her heart as much as her body. She sipped the rose liqueur alongside her coffee, the delicate sweetness lingering on her tongue. The flowers of Ars Pheria seemed to have a richer fragrance, or perhaps the Ars Pherians knew a better way to extract it. The taste of rose liqueur lingered in her mouth, and the scent of roses clung to her skin, inside and out.

  Ava embraced the waiting time, allowing herself to sink into the rhythm of her new environment on Ars Pheria. She gazed out the window, watching the sun rise higher over the grey shadows of the eastern slopes of the bay. In the distance, the grey ruins of low-rise structures stood as if an earthquake had shattered the city years ago. A sudden shadow passed through her heart. The happiness, hope, and excitement that had enveloped her only moments before slipped away unnoticed, leaving no trace, just as fleeting and reasonless as they had arrived.