Page 32 of Crown of Briars
Silence blared against my ears, making each step and thump of my heart sound like an avalanche. The cold stone floor bit at my bare feet, and I deeply regretted not grabbing a pair of slippers from my room. Behind me, the clicking of Azure’s talons rang out in the hall, making me wince.
I knew it was foolish, creeping around the castle in the middle of the night with a rare and unique dragon accompanying me. What if we encountered someone?
But the terror seeping into me was too intense, and I couldn’t do this alone. I needed my friend with me.
Besides, if we came across any fae who gave us trouble, I knew Azure wouldn’t hesitate to rip them to pieces.
My steps were slow and steady, and it seemed to take an eternity to reach the end of the hallway. But when we did, nothing but a dead end awaited us.
Frowning, I glanced behind me. Azure blinked slowly at me, her blue eyes seeming to glow in the darkness.
Touching my amber necklace, I whispered, “I definitely remember there being a staircase at the end of the hall.”
A moment passed. Then, Azure replied,“Well, clearly, you were mistaken.”
Biting back a growl, I turned and walked toward the other end of the hallway. We passed my room and Ramia’s, then continued onward.
This, too, led to a dead end.
I curled my hands into fists in frustration. Azure nudged my leg with her snout to get my attention, and I clutched the amber stone again.
“I smell magic.”
My heart stilled, and I looked around, sweat beading along my brow. “Who’s there?” I whispered.
“It’s not a who. But a what.”
I shook my head. “Explain, please.”
“It’s the castle.”
My throat went dry as I recalled Enzira telling me the castle was enchanted. But I had believed this only applied to the opening and closing of doors.
How foolish of me to assume that magic worked according to a strict set of rules. If the castle was enchanted, there was no reason why that enchantment shouldn’t affect everything and anything contained within these walls.
Which meant I was trapped inside a prison that could deter me from my mission over and over again.
I chewed on my lower lip, wracking my brain for a way around this. Could the castle sense my intentions? Did it know I planned to kill the king? Or did it only know I was a stranger who had just arrived here only yesterday?
“Okay,” I muttered, thinking fast. “We have to try opening a door.”
“We do?”Azure sounded uneasy.
“Yes. We won’t know what we’re up against unless we take the first step and see where the castle wants us to go.” My voice sounded more sure than I felt.
“If you say so.”
I glanced at Azure, arching an eyebrow. “Do you disagree? Can you sense any… foul magic afoot?”
Azure inhaled deeply, then angled her head slightly. “It’s magic I’ve never encountered before. But I don’t sense any ill intent with this enchantment. Only… curiosity.”
Interesting.So the castle was…curiousabout me?
I sighed. “Okay then. Let’s give this a try.” I turned and faced the door in front of me. It looked like all the others, its brass handle gleaming in the low bobbing lights along the walls.
Steeling myself, I turned the handle and swung it open.
On the other side was a low burning firethat cast an amber glow on a thick, black fur rug that looked like it had come straight off the hide of a bear. The room was dark, lit only by the dying embers of the flames. On either side of the walls were shelves of what looked like old books.
