“Thank you.” She paused briefly, and I realised she was waiting for the servant to provide her name.
“I am Elies of Ardens, my Royal Highness,” the woman introduced herself.
“How long have you served here, Elies?” Selene questioned, her tone almost accusatory.
“For less than a year, my Royal Highness,” Elies answered. “The late Marquess appointed me,” she continued diplomatically when Selene did not speak further. Valen’s name was not allowed to be spoken. I wasn’t sure if it was an official law, but I hadn’t heard anyone say his name since the execution.
“What happened to Bethany?” Selene continued, with an inquisitor’s tone.
“She retired, left the grounds to live with her daughter in Newtown village,” Elies explained quickly.
“Hmm,” was all Selene replied. I saw Elies, a woman who looked to be somewhere in her early thirties perhaps, with dull brown hair and bright green eyes, swallow uncomfortably before doing a little nod as if giving herself an internal pep talk.
I knew that type of effect Selene could have, the way she could manage to make you nervous with nothing more than a hum or a look.
Elies gathered her confidence and continued, waving her arm outward towards the castle-like mansion.
“If you would follow me, please. Your bags will be collected and brought to your rooms shortly,” she said, and began to lead the way towards the open door.
“I understand that the journey from Sanguis to Ardens is long. Lunch is ready and will be available at your request, but I presumed that you and Lady Flores,” she glanced at me briefly and smiled awkwardly; I returned the gesture. I didn’t think I would ever get used to being referred to formally—“would like to freshen up after your journey first.”
“Yes,” Selene replied curtly.
We followed Elies along a hall and up two flights of stairs.
“This is the private wing for the Marquess and Marchioness,” Selene told me quietly as Elies produced a large key, unlocking and pushing open a door. The turning of the lock produced a loud clatter, as if something was falling, and the way Elies had to shoulder the door open suggested it was heavy.
The door appeared to be made of steel or iron. Nothing like any door I had seen before.
“The door is reinforced, designed to be barricaded from the inside if necessary,” she explained. My look of confusion must have been apparent.
“A pulley system, activated by the turning of the lock, helps the door to be opened more easily, without which the weight would be unmanageable for almost all apart from pure-blooded vampires.”
“In case we’re attacked?” I asked.
“Hmm, or perhaps for other purposes.” She paused and looked away from me.
“What other purposes?” I asked, my curiosity spiked. I didn’t catch the slight quirk of her lips, until it was too late.
Before I could react, she turned on me—quick as lightning—wrapping her arms around my waist, lifting me from my feet, and spinning me around and over her shoulder.
I squealed in surprise and was rewarded with the sound of Selene’s muted laughter vibrating through her back to me.
“Your assistance is no longer required. Have our bags left at the door,” Selene said, as she walked quickly past a stunned Elies.
The woman’s face was pale. I watched her from my position hanging over Selene’s shoulder, feeling heat in my own cheeks,embarrassed by the way Selene handled me in front of this stranger. But my heart beat wildly in excitement, all the same.
The ground spun as Selene turned and easily shut the thick metal door, pulling a large bar down into place across the door. I saw symbols, signs of very old enchantments.
“You’re trapped now.” Selene laughed.
“Put me down,” I demanded as we turned a corner and began to ascend a spiral staircase.
Selene only laughed harder and climbed the stairs three steps at a time until we reached the top.
I heard the click of a door and watched the floor as Selene carried me over the threshold of a room before Selene placed me on my feet in the centre of the room.
The room was circular, with tall but slim windows, covering one-half of the walls. Even the bed was circular, with a white canopy draping from the ceiling. There was a closed door, but the room itself was sparse and relatively small. I turned to Selene, and she looked at me expectantly, a slight smile on her lips.
