Page 51 of A Kiss From Death
I chuckle. “You’re too good to me, you know that?”
Patting her round stomach, she smiles back at me. “If you don’t take those, I would have eaten them all. So really, you’re doing me a favor. Plus, this world needs some more good in it.”
I nod in agreement. She’s not wrong, and I know firsthand just how cruel this place can be. Cradling the goods to my chest, I thank her and turn on my heels. It’s time to make my way back to the castle before I’m caught.
“See you tomorrow morning?” she calls from behind me.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I shout over my shoulder.
Rounding the last corner,the looming gothic castle towers high above me, sticking out among the rainbow the rest of the city produces. It’s just as dark and haunting as the inside, with its high, pointed arches, black gargoyles, and steeply pitched roof. It’s here to make a statement of power against the warm, colorful hues of the city.
Making my way to the back, I pass the garden, but I freeze when I see two Vanquishers having a conversation right in front of the door into the ballroom.
Shit.
Turning, I rush away before they can spot me and decide to walk to the other side in hopes of finding another door to slip through. Crouching behind a long, rectangle trimmed shrub, Iscan this side of the castle, and to my luck, pressed back in the corner of the courtyard is a small door.
I’m not sure what this door opens into, but at this point, it’s my only option, so I break into a sprint. Placing my hand on the handle, I twist, thanking the Empress when it moves smoothly. It creaks open as I swing it wide open.
It’s dark when I step in, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dimly lit, abandoned hallway. Quietly, I close the door behind me and look around. I don’t recognize this hallway; with all the cobwebs draped from the ceiling, it looks to be a place not often frequented.
The walls are plastered with dark gothic wallpaper like the rest of the castle. Three vintage Victorian paintings are hung on the wall. The left depicts a woman with red hair who almost looks like a younger version of the Empress, her hand held up, holding a ball of flame. The one in the center shows a young girl, maybe aged six, in a beautiful black glittering gown. The last one on the right shows a man with slicked back black hair and strong features, black mist swirling around him.
They are covered in dust, as is everything else stashed here. A few odd trinkets wedged here and there look aged and well loved. I make my way down the hallway towards the light flowing in from the other end, assuming this is the way back to my room.
Peeking out from the end of the hallway, I notice it opens into the main entryway of the castle where I spotted the piano on my first day here.
Footsteps click on the floor, approaching me, so I roll my body, blending into the shadows. Something hard jabs me in the back, and I hiss between my teeth. Turning around, I notice a handle to a door I missed the first time I scanned the dark hallway.
A small window sits high in its center, and, being the snoop I am, I press up on the tips of my toes and peer in through the window. I let out a small gasp when I take in the room. It’s a librarywith shelves stocked full of books, probably hundreds stacked on the shelves in all shapes and sizes.
Surprisingly, this room looks well-kept and cozy. Two velvet lounge chairs sit across from each other in the center of the room, separated by a short wooden table. One is smooth, but the other shows a round indent in its seat, like someone sits in it regularly.
The wheels start spinning in my head with all the things these books could contain. Stories for entertainment. The history of Lunaria, maybe. Potentially the background of the Empress. Thinking about the riddle, I decide this could be a great place to start my search for the answer. Just maybe, there will be something in here that could give me a push in the right direction. Making a plan to come back when I have time, I rush back to my room, knocking three times on Winston’s door on my way to get ready for training with Ray.
“You should have seen Winston’s face when I told him there was an orange shortage in Lunaria,” Des wheezes next to me, snuggled under the covers of my bed, same as me.
Each night, she shows up with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and two books tucked under her arm. We read in my bed, shoulder to shoulder like inseparable sisters while giggling over the books. I don’t know where she finds them, but at this point, I’m so invested, I don’t care. Anything to take my mind off this cruel world is welcome. Each night with her heals me the smallest amount. We nibble on the strawbana bread I bring from Knead It and plot new ways to annoy Winston.
“I wish I was there to see it. I’m sure he acted like the world was ending.” I laugh softly while knocking my shoulder into hers, sending her into another fit of hysteric giggles.
Holding her palm to her chest, she tries to calm herself. “You would have thought the pants he was wearing wereon fire. I eventually had to tell him I was kidding because he started to have a panic attack. Can someone saydramatic!” She sings out the last word at the top of her lungs, and I have to cover my ears before she ruptures my ear drums.
She winces. “Sorry. Sometimes, I forget how to use my inside voice. I’m just a girl with a big personality.” She pulls me into a tight hug that constricts my breathing and plants a big sloppy kiss on my cheek. Pulling away, I drag my hand down my face, wiping the spit away.
“Too much?” she asks.
“Too much,” I respond with a laugh.
“But you still love me?” she pleads with big pouty eyes.
I playfully roll my eyes. “Yes, I still love you.”
She beams back at me, and I can’t help but get swept up in her positive orbit. She’s everything I wish to be one day: strong, independent, loyal. She loves fiercely and is unapologetically herself. She’s my hero.
She lets out a loud yawn next to me, stretching her arms above her head. “I think it’s about time this rollie pollie rolls on back to her own bed. I have a date with the rest of this book…and maybe my hand.” She wiggles her fingers, and I groan as I shove her out of my bed.
She skips to my door, laughing the whole way, and then turns serious. “Always and tomorrow?” she questions me.
