They’d probably even prevent it if they were aware of my intent.
No one saw me though, and I reached the third floor landing, pausing a moment to look one way down the hall and then the other.
In one direction there was a long corridor with numerous doors. In the other, the hallway walls were smooth, and at the end there was only a single door.
So that’s where I went.
Heart pounding and breaths shallow, I scurried down the hall and reached for the door handle.
Shaded stars.It was locked.
Of course it was. Pharis wouldn’t be likely to warn me about staying out of his chambers and then leave the castle with his door unlocked.
But I couldn’t let a small thing like a locked door stop me. The fact that itwaslocked made me want to get inside even more.
What could be in there? The question was too tantalizing to ignore.
This was my chance to quench my incessant curiosity, while Pharis was away from home. It might be the only one I would get, and who knew when he might return?
Going back down the hallway toward the servants’ quarters, I started trying doors.
The first one was unlocked, and I peeked quickly inside then shut the door again, moving down the hall in search of the housekeeper’s room.
All the staff were downstairs, but I was nervous anyway. I had no intention of snooping about in their belongings, I only wanted one thing. A key.
Finally at the end of the hall, I tried the last door.
Success. It was apparent by its contents that this was the housekeeper’s room. Going inside, I turned a full circle, hoping beyond hope she kept a spare set of keys in here.
There, on the far wall.
My heart tapped against my ribs as I spotted a large round ring hung from a peg. It contained what had to be a copy of every key in the castle.
I’d figure out which was the right one later. For now, I grabbed the heavy metal ring from the wall and hurried back down the hall to Pharis’ door.
Standing in front of it, I held up the ring and began sifting through the keys, hoping one would be larger or marked with an obvious P or somehow more significant than the rest.
Eventually I came to one with a jewel in the bow part at the top. That seemed promising.
Inserting the end of it into the lock on Pharis’ door, I turned it.
And it clicked.
Chapter 11
Shocking Discovery
Raewyn
My fingers tingled, and my stomach rolled with nerves.
All it took was a twist of the door handle and a little pressure, and I was in. Where I definitely should not be.
I stood there, indecisive, blood whirring in my ears like the buzz of hummingbird wings.
It wasn’t too late. I hadn’t crossed a line yet. I could close the door again, lock it, and go back downstairs.
With no answers.
