Page 80 of House of Roots and Ruin
“We take the stairs.” His voice sounded strange and strained and he seemed completely out of breath. Had a handful of kisses truly put him in such a state? Why couldn’t I stop overthinkingthe moment and join him?
“What stairs?”
“The ones down there,” he murmured, pointing to a second tunnel on the opposite end of the room.
“Another tunnel?”
“Mmmm,” he said, snaking his arms around my waist, trying to draw me back.
But I was already pushing myself from his lap, brushing out my skirts as he protested.
“Where does it go?”
Alex’s face was adorably flushed, pink and rosy, and he ran his fingers through his hair, attempting to straighten the muss I’d created. “Great-Grandfather knew there needed to be two exit points, just in case something were to happen in here. That tunnel heads back to shore. There’s a little gatehouse just around the corner from the dock. We’ve walked past it before. There’s another spiral staircase and then we’ll be back at Chauntilalie.”
“And Frederick will be there, waiting for us?”
He took my hand in his, trying to draw me back. “But I don’t think he’d mind waiting a few minutes more….”
“It’s tempting,” I said, with no intention of giving in and returning to his lap.
“Is it?” Alex’s voice was low and husky as he wheeled closer. “How tempting?”
“Very…,” I said, easing back away. “But there’s the dinner and your parents will want to know all about this before then, I’m sure.”
“They already know,” Alex admitted. “I had to ask Father to retrieve the ring from the family vault and of course Mother wanted to hear everything. They’re going to be so, so pleased.”
“But they don’t know that I said yes,” I pointed out. “Let’s go tell them the good news.”
With a great sigh of resignation, he agreed.
We made our way down the tunnel. It was far longer than the first, and much darker. The air felt charged and I was terribly aware of the amount of water surrounding us now, pressing in, heavy and horrifying.
I trailed my left hand along the side of the wall for balance. Even in the dim lighting, I could make out the giant cluster of diamonds upon it.
Alex reached the exit first. More circular skylights illuminated a winding staircase rounding up to a landing above us. The light they offered was faint and I realized that bank of dark clouds must have finally arrived at the estate while we were tucked away, hidden in our own little world beneath the waves.
“Frederick?” Alex called up uncertainly.
There was no response.
“Why don’t I go up and find him?” I offered, climbing the stairs. They were slick with green growth and the handrails were covered with spongy moss. This side felt abandoned, clearly not used as often as the more impressive and surprising lake entrance.
When I got to the door at the top, I tried the handle. It rattled in its casing but did not budge.
I tried again, wondering if the rusted metal needed a little extra force.
There was no give, no turning.
We were locked in.
Locked.
We were locked in.
In a ballroom.
Under a lake.
