I flicked a spider out of its web, then proceeded to polish the intricately carved mantle. As we cleaned, the tension I’d created with my questions eased. “I’ve never seen a room this dirty. How long has it been since anyone set foot in this place?”
Apparently, I’d hit on a safe subject since Myrna answered, “Quite a while, I’m afraid.” Her stout arms swept at a steady pace.
When she didn’t elaborate, I prodded, “So, the dragon doesn’t capture helpless women and hold them captive often?”
“You’re the first.” Azuk beamed. “Most exciting thing to happen in this dusty old place for a long time.”
“Oh, it’s exciting, alright.” My hand paused on a carved rose, its stone petals shifting under my rag. The rest of the mantle was solid. Why would this piece move—unless…
My mind raced with possibilities, but I forced my cloth to keep moving, dusting elsewhere before either woman noticed. “I can’t imagine the trogg would want to live in any of these rooms.”
“Oh, we don’t,” Azuk said. “It’s far nicer in the caves and tunnels beneath the surface. Down where it’s cool and cozy. It was the surface dwellers who once lived up here. In happier times, we existed in harmony with them, mining rich pockets of crystals from deep within the mountain.”
“I’m surprised you can even get in without wings.”
“Silly, there are plenty of ways,” Azuk said. “Through our stables, the hidden trails, the corridor be—”
“Azuk, enough,” Myrna snapped, setting her broom aside. “Come, girl, before you say something to get us both set on fire. I’ll come back later with clean linens.”
“Can’t wait.” I offered a tight smile to hide my frustration.
Once the trogg were gone, I hastened back to the fireplace, whispering, “What kind of secrets are you hiding, little rose?”
I waited for ages for Myrna to return, pacing while the sun set and the shadows lengthened. By the time she brought fresh linens, I was in such a state that I jerked them from her hands. After thrusting my empty tray into her arms, I all but pushed her into the hallway. She raised one arched brow but, mercifully, didn’t question my haste.
With my ear pressed to the door, I listened to her fading footsteps before racing to the mantel. Could this be it? The key to getting me out of here? I shoved the center of the carved flower,gasping when it sank a bit. A secret lever! All the best castles had them. At least they did in Gingus’ stories. I set my fingertips in the same place and pushed harder.
Beneath my hand, the rose sank deep into the mantle, stopping with a hearty clunk. Unseen gears whirled and knocked. The sound of stone scraping hit my ears, and I gasped, pressing my palm to my chest. Someone would surely hear.
I took a step back, glancing between the mantle and the door. When nobody stormed into the room, I exhaled a cautious breath. Now to figure out what I’d accomplished.
I turned in a slow circle. One of the tapestries along the wall rippled in an invisible breeze. I hurried to it, peeling the fabric aside to reveal the faint outline of a door. A cool draft seeped through the cracks. I pressed my palms against the stone and shoved.
The wall gave under my push, grinding back to reveal a narrow opening. Chilly air, thick with damp and decay, wafted from the opening. A hidden passage. Excitement pulsed through my veins. This could be my way out.
Hold on, Speck. I’m coming.
Inside the passage, it was pitch black, so I borrowed a lamp with a glowing crystal from the bedside table and hustled back, stepping into the corridor.
Stone walls surrounded me, the space only slightly larger than my body. The weight of the mountain pressed in, the air thin in my lungs. Despite the panic that threatened to rise, I couldn’t afford to stop. Not if I were to escape this place.
The dark tunnel twisted and turned. I counted my footsteps. First, to keep my nerves in check, and second, to measure the distance I’d traveled.
Two hundred ten. Two hundred eleven.
Three hundred.
Four.
Five.
Tiny claws scrabbled in the path behind me. Memories of the attack threatened to rise. The strange clacking noise the monsters made. Blood. Screams.
My legs moved faster. Breath panting. Pulse pounding.
A stone barrier filled my vision. Dead end. My heart sank, and I held the lamp higher. Dark shadows split the wall in opposite directions.
“It’s a crossroads,” I whispered, my voice booming in the quiet. What if I chose wrong and ended up lost in the tunnels for all of eternity? I closed my eyes and heaved a slow breath.Calm down, Sera. Don’t let panic rule you.
