“Anasté Kaelith, you can come out now.”
My breath is stuck in my throat.
Fucking Annie.
More footsteps enter in front of us and Braxton’s mom huffs loudly and frustrated. I totally see her standing there with her arms crossed together. If Annie really is a witch, I suspect that she will drive us into those nightmares.
“What is your mom’s name?” I ask Braxton, trying to distract myself. I think I have read it somewhere, but I don’t remember anymore.
“Sibylla.”
Well, he doesn’t want to talk about her it seems, because that is the only thing that I get, but I need to talk, or my anxiety will drive me into a panic attack. I feel so much. Anger, pain, anxiety and somewhere in my bones I feel trust.
“I know you have a tattoo off her signet, but what is her signet exactly?”
“She is a psychic and mind controller, for what I know of at least. She was a star reader besides being a queen, but I amnot sure what she has done for the past sixteen years.”That explains the tattoo even better.
“You have all met Anasté in the second trial. She is a witch and has been working at my palace for a bit now,” the king speaks up. “She has been covered up as a servant for her own safety, while working behind the scenes on potions, blood marks and these trials with me.” People clap loudly as the king explains that he knew Annie all along.
Why, just why.
“She has been helping me make potions and will help me succeed in these trials. She will do a spell, using a blood mark to get them in,” he explains. Did she make those potions we drank?
“Probably, we don’t have another potion maker at the palace. Not that I know of at least,”Braxton answers my unasked question.
“Anasté and Sibylla, ladies, it is your time to shine!” People cheer, shout and clap, but all I hear is my heartbeat pounding at the same beat as the drums off the band. As the music starts again, everybody goes quiet and my blood pulses so fast through my body I get dizzy.
“Hold on tight, Honey, hold on for me. We will find each other there.”
I press my eyes close tightly, and frown so hard my head aches. I hear Annie’s nails scratch the floor, covering the floor in bloody marks. Darkness fills me up, my ears keep drumming so loud I can’t hear my own thoughts anymore. Everything tingles, the magic rushing through my veins.
Light comes through my closed eyes, and I relax my face.
I open one eye, seeing if I am somewhere else. And as I suspected, I am.
I scan my surroundings.
The only thing that gives light in this dark place is my skin that gleams because of all the magic draining through me.
I am in the dungeons of the palace.
I am not alone, but Braxton isn’t the one accompanying me.
Chapter 31
Braxton
I have to blink a few times so my eyes can get used to the light. I know this place, but I am not in my usual position. Cells cover the hallway and the few lanterns on the grey stone wall shine dim, not allowing me to see the floor. They don’t have to, because I know this place out of my head.
The underground dungeons of the palace.
Except this time I am not locked away. I am standing on the side, I usually crawl to after hearing the redeeming words.
“Where are you?”I slip in her mind, testing out if our connection works the same here. She doesn’t react to me, but I feel her presence so she must be here somewhere.
A high scream fills the hallways.
My ears ring at the high pitched note the scream reaches. The light in the hallway starts to shine brighter.
