Aideen was the first to go through, then Lila. She stepped down onto a floor of polished obsidian. All of the walls were open, with thin gilded railings to keep people from falling out. The jade ceilings arched overhead in domes with elaborate carvings in the design. There was no furniture in this room or any other decoration whatsoever. It made Lila wonder what the room was for, why it was so big when it was so empty.

She stepped forward to allow Kira to enter, and wandered to the center of the chamber, at the heart of the dome. She stared up to be greeted by the statues of twelve dragons peering down at her with golden eyes—just like in her nightmare. All of the dragons were holding small tokens carved of gold and distinct against the jade, although Lila couldn't determine what all of them were. 

Perhaps the one that called to her most was the one with a crown under its claws. There was something hauntingly familiar about it. 

"You should come check this out!"

Lila was pulled away from the statues and the ceiling to where Kira had climbed up onto the golden railing, with Aideen leaning on a section of it beside her. 

How had they gotten over there so quickly?

Lila ran over to them. Only to halt and gasp when she saw what they were looking at—a city skyline unlike any she'd ever seen before. 

Towers that resembled medieval castles or feudal Japanese mansions stacked together artfully filled the skyline, with golden lanterns strung between arched entryways. Fountains and waterfalls were everywhere, with glimmers of light all across the darkness of the night. It all reflected the pale golden light of a moon that Lila couldn't see, because it seemed to be directly above their heads and obscured by the ceiling. And there were people in this city—people who were going about their day-to-day business, completely unaware of the three girls looking on. 

What was most interesting about them to Lila's eye were the clothes they wore. There were elegant capes, jackets and skirts with long trains reminiscent of tails, and horned headdresses. 

Lila yearned to see them up close, to determine the fabric type, to see what patterns existed, what seam-lines constructed the clothes. But from what she could see on high, she wasn't in Kansas anymore—or at least, Massachusetts. 

"Never fails to amaze me," Aideen said breathlessly. "No matter how many times I see it. And to know that someday it'll be mine—ours—" she added hastily with a guilty glance at Lila.

"What do you mean, 'ours?'" Lila asked.

Aideen smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid you'll just have to wait a little bit longer. The Council should be here soon. They'll explain everything."

Kira paled visibly. "Council?"

"The Council of Crowns." Aideen waved a hand dismissively. "Again, it'll all make sense when you meet them. Don't worry, they don't bite."

"At least, I don't anymore," a lilting male voice answered, carrying across the open chamber. 

The three girls turned around and for a second, Lila was afraid Kira might fall off the railing. 

There was an entire crowd of people who had entered the room. All of them were ethereally beautiful, ageless in that while their features were young, their eyes revealed what could only be the wisdom of age. They wore robes and capes and cloaks and gowns in jewel tones, embroidered in gold in patterns that reminded Lila of scales. They had the flowing sleeves and princess seams characteristic of both the clothes of medieval Europe and feudal China, and other details from Persia and everywhere in-between. 

At the front, the leader was a tall woman with a magnificent golden headdress bedecked with jewels. Her red-gold curls flowed over her shoulders and trailed to her waist in perfect spirals, drawing attention to the slender gold belt cinching the waist of her jade-green chiffon gown. It was much simpler than what the others were wearing—but in the context of all the gilded intricacy, simplicity was arresting. A relief for the eye to fall over.

The woman's rain-colored eyes flicked up and down over the trio. "I never thought the day would come that I would finally meet my successors."

"Successors?" The word tumbled out of Lila's mouth.

Her smile resembled the Mona Lisa's, mysterious and carrying unfathomable emotion simmering beneath the surface of mere amusement. "I see you were not raised in this world."

"We should take the time to explain it to them, then." The lilting voice that Lila had heard first came from a short man at the woman's side, whose emerald cloak was askew and his dark bangs were cut at a strange angle, not befitting of a man of his supposed maturity or regality. "It would be so nice to have a tea party."

"Indeed, Lord Salamandir." The woman's smile brightened at him with what could only be fondness before she looked back to the three girls. "Lord Rhodri, if you would—"

"I'll run ahead and make the preparations." A gentleman, taller than the woman with dark brown hair and a more distinguished persona in sapphire blue and jet-black gave a little bow before walking off gracefully. 

The woman clasped her hands together. "In the meantime, I could perhaps introduce myself to my successors and learn their names." 

"Aideen Llewellyn, Your Highness." Aideen proceeded to give the revere of a ballerina, the deep and theatrical bow. 

"Rise, Princess Aideen." The woman's laugh tinkled like little bells. "I already knew of you—please do send my guards to Lady Angharad."

Princess?

"Oh, um, hi, I'm Kira." She averted her eyes and a blush rose in her face. "I've never heard of this place either."

"I'll admit, I haven't heard of you, either." The woman's eyes blazed, and a shadow crossed over her face. Briefly she looked troubled, but before Lila could be sure of it, her composure resumed. "I welcome you all the same, Princess Kira."

"Oh, okay." Kira gave a little bob, tugging down the hem of her skirt.

The woman moved on to Lila, meeting her eyes. There was a gleam of recognition—and with it, regret. "You're Jinn's daughter, aren't you?"

Lila stumbled back, off-kilter. "You know my mother?"

"Once." The woman glanced off to the side. "I believe Lord Rhodri has finished preparations."

She turned back to face the crowd. "The Council of Crowns is dismissed. Lord Salamandir, Lady Rana, and Lord Absalom, if you would remain please?"

The majority of the crowd shuffled off, leaving four figures amongst the original.

The woman frowned. "Lord Ajax, I believe I did not call for you to remain."

Lord Ajax smirked, a tall young man with bright amber eyes and the lithe physique of a warrior. "I believe my uncle will request that I stay."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Our uncle is within his rights to make his request, just as I am within my rights to refuse it."

Lord Ajax shrugged. "You're making a mistake."

"I believe the Regent asked for you to leave once already." Lady Rana, with a jet-black high ponytail secured with delicate-looking hairpins covered in flowers and emerald green eyes was the one to speak. Her voice reminded Lila of a river in its even flow and melodious quality. And yet like a river, there was the threat of more beneath the surface. 

Lord Ajax said nothing to her, and instead trailed after where the rest of the Council of Crowns had departed. 

The woman—the Regent, Lila had heard her called—stared after him for a long moment, lips pursed together. 

She smiled again at the three girls. "I apologize for his insolence. Welcome to Agartha, the City of Dragons. I do hope you will come to love this world as your own."

She glanced over her shoulder again, then made a sweeping motion. "Now, follow me."