I take another two steps before my heart sinks.
“Help us,” a small voice says behind me. Frozen, wood from the banister splinters under my nails. I glance over my shoulder. Was that in my head?
“Please don’t leave us,” another voice says.
My body stiffens
No. Those are not the voices of my demons. Turning fully, I see only my cell. My cell and the dead guard and nothing but darkness. Scanning the dungeon, I can’t make out where the voices are coming from, so I grab the torch from the wall and against every instinct, I head back down.
Turning to the right of my cell first, I pat the keys attached to my hip as a reminder that I am no longer caged.
As I round the corner, the torch slips from my hand. I stumble backward into the wall. Gasping, I cover my mouth and use my free hand to shakily pick up the torch.
After a few deep breaths, I step closer to the voices and angle the torch to illuminate not one, but six other cells identical to mine. And within each of them, an Enchantress.
Seventeen
Sorin
“Would you stop fidgeting?”Sam slaps my hand then pushes down forcefully on my shoulders until I’m planted back in the chair.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble, “but I hate this.”
She laughs from behind me, her fingers working the ties of my mask again, pulling it tight against my slicked back hair. The clothes from Evren fit, but they’re stifling. The green and black fabric of the structured pants and shirt have my skin crawling.
“It’s either you wear this mask or you’re thrown in a cell, which do you prefer?” she asks, pointedly.
I roll my eyes, only because she can’t see them.
“It’s only practice, you’ll need to be able to do this on your own for the Autumn Moon so just sit still for another minute.”
“Fine.” I hate when she’s right. Which is always.
“Besides”—she steps in front of me—“you look annoyingly handsome in a mask.”
“Oh my.” I throw my hands in the air. “So, does my sisterstill care for me?” I don’t expect her boot to collide with my shin so forcefully, but when it does, I give out an embarrassing shriek.
“I always care about you.”
“Yes, but lately you can’t tell me something hasn’t been off.”
Her posture tenses and her eyes avert mine.
“See.” I stand from the chair, already hot from the mask and garb I’ve been forced to try on. “So just tell me what it is.”
“It’s everything. I worry about Elora and Galen. I worry about Mum.” She pushes my shoulder lightly. “I worry aboutyou. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with all of this worry and it builds up and turns to frustration.” She sighs, brushing my shoulders and straightening the lapels of my black jacket. “Anyway. I think this is it.” She nods to the mirror.
I turn over my shoulder and glance at my reflection.
The mask Sam chose is black, with intricate carvings. I run my fingers along the delicate outlines of the sculpted fur and whiskers. Evren mentioned he has met the king on one or two occasions when he was a captain in his guard, which makes me even less confident this mask will be enough to conceal me. But, Evren also made it clear the king often does not attend the party for long, so there’s a chance I won’t even run into him.
I sigh, the pressure of the next few days pushing down on me.
The wolves outside the keep howl, a reminder that the time for us to leave is drawing near.
Ruse and Alaric were hesitant to join the Jade Guild, but something in them must have snapped because they’ve been with us for several days now.
It’s as if they sensed a change. As if they understood me when I said I was going to get her back.
