My shoulders hunched. I tugged at my ringing right ear and then my other smarting ear. I growled, “I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”
Eeeeee-eee.
I gritted my teeth.
Perhaps it was best to ignore it.
I traveled down multiple hallways, attempting to keep in sight of the druids walking by—from servants to guards to the upper-class. They rubbernecked all around—that was for damn sure—but I was making myself known to them. I wanted their eyes on me. I wanted witnesses in case Devin or Ysander tried underhanded tactics to take me out.
All while I opened all my senses.
I searched for power.
It led me to a courtyard in the center of the castle, all four golden surrounding walls towering and rising high into the sky, shielding the open outdoor area from the outside village.
Guards filled the private space. Their feet trampled over the dead winter grass while their swords clashed against the swords of the others. White, glowing druid power sizzled over the steel blades and glistened under the sun, creating white sparkling tracers in the air with their efficient strikes. The guards weren’t in full battle gear, simply dressed in golden practice attire.
And there was a shit ton of them.
All with weapons.
Cracked-and-Nosy waddled up beside me.
She squatted and took another piss.
While staring up at me.
Hint received. This was not a safe place for me.
But fuck. I turned my attention back to the druids.
This was where the most power was.
My brows puckered. I backed away slowly.
I ducked back into the castle and took a survey of my surroundings while I continued to think this through.
I hadn’t been able to feel any power from the Original vampire amulet. It was quite possible I wouldn’t be able to feel the Original druid amulet either. If that were true, I was searching this way blindly. I needed to think of a different angle, one more personal in nature. I needed to delve deeper into Master Niallan’s psyche.
Shit.
I might actually fail at this. I may be of no help.
Because the man truly confused me at times.
I started walking again and kept to the main hallways. I turned my thoughts around and around in my head while I strolled and evaluated everything in view. And I meaneverything. I kept track of the flowers. I counted the women working here. I stopped and examined every piece of art. I looked for patterns in the tiling or in the carved white ceilings full of angels. I paused at every window to look at the view. I listened for which hallways were quieter than others, compared to how worn the tiles were under my feet. I even studied the designs and colors of the drapes hanging from the open windows.
In the end, as the sun started to set, I slammed my bedchamber’s door on Cracked-and-Nosy’s face and moved to stand in front of the lone portrait inside the room. Master Niallan’s mother blinked down on me. This painting was truly exquisite if you studied the care with which each brush stroke covered the canvas. I lifted my eyes to hers, and asked calmly, “You loved her very much, didn’t you, Master Niallan?”
The lilies gave it away.
There were fucking lilies everywhere all over this castle, including in the painting behind his mother.
She blinked rapidly.
I sighed and started removing my weapons. I placed each one on the desk with care, watching my hands work. “I don’t know the whole story, but I am sorry you lost someone you cared that deeply for.” His mother may have been a criminal or a peasant, but to Master Niallan, it didn’t matter. She had been hismother. I cracked my neck and peered up with tired eyes, exhausted from my long day, and the fact I hadn’t found what I was truly searching for—not even a hint of it. I asked, “Did you pass your first Challenge?”
His mother blinked swiftly.
