I seized the opportunity, stumbling up the path into the castle.
If Narcisa was to kill me, then so be it, but I was not going to simply lay down to do so.
The scene in the castle interior was thrusted into chaos. Villagers against ghosts, shadows diving onto poor men to eat away at flesh. Ghosts wailed as they staved off exorcisms others from committing acts against the living.
I stumbled up the stairs, clutching at my stomach.
“Where do you think you are going?” one man sneered. He held a large wooden stake in hand with the other holding a gun.
I brandished the knife and smiled. “It would be best if you turned around.”
The men did exactly that, flesh turning pale upon seeing Ebony. Blackened hair set free from her prim, proper bun, lips curled to gruesome sharp teeth and eyes red as a burning ember. Sinew and blood coated her apron, while she held a man’s head. Eyes rolled back to reveal the whites.
The men both ran past, stumbling down to get away from the heinous ghost.
I leaned against the banister, the scent of blood rising higher and coating my nostrils. “Ebony... I need... I need—your help.”
Ebony flickered back to the black coals and rushed to my side. “You’re hurt. Oh my, we need to get you medical attention. So much blood, you’ve lost so much blood. Perhaps we need to find Si—”
“There’s no time,” I wheezed.
With the banister as support and Ebony’s cold touch, I started to climb the steps up to the west wing clinging to life for as long as I could.
“Get me to the library.”
The west wing was in chaos.
Ebony guided me down the converging hallways, stones falling and slamming into the red carpet.
Terrible shrill voices screamed out within,LET US OUT! LET US OUT!
Determined in my mission, I pressed onward, cradling the keys in my palm and prayed the library was intact.
I had no idea how long it would take Narcisa to track me down or how long Silas could hold them off.
“Hold on a little longer,” Ebony cried in my ear. She held me upright with what little form she carried.
I used the wall as support, leaving a trail of blood smeared to the walls the closer we came to the familiar doors.
With haste, I unlocked the door.
The library was in ruins. A large stone had collapsed onto the piano and tore through many of the book cases. Books were scattered alongside chunks of stones embedded into the wood. The tall spiral was in shambles but still stood gallant.
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Quickly, we must find the key!” I limped to the stacks, begging my mind to remember where Silas had placed it.
Ebony worked through stacks of books scattered along the floor. I traced fingers against the shelves of the tower, leaning against them for support. Among the books, I found the volume and the silver key shivered with anticipation. “Ebony, the door.”
She took a hold of me, guiding us up the long spiral stairs to the door, one I’d never thought I would come to again.
The dark voices urged from behind the door,You’re back, child! Come to free us now?
They shrieked as I pressed the key into the lock and twisted it open. The door swung back to inky blackness and the curling of shadows.
“Gotcha.” Narcisa’s arms looped around me, and a knife pressed to my throat. “Out ofplaces to hide, huh.” The blade bit into my neck. “Surely, this was not the best you could come up with. I’m a little disappointed.”
From the depths, the shadows watched with eyes pulled to the scene and heinous grins stretched wide.Say the words... Say you release us from our prison, and we shall... assist you.
Throat bobbing, I didn’t spare another second. “I release you from your prison. Come forth, shadows.”
