I steered her down the corridor, surreptitiously scanning for any movement or noises. I never saw any staff in the corridors, except for Clement, and this was the only time I was thankful for the eerie vacancy.
“The Plough is most visible at this time of year. The different points, as I’m sure you know, represent wisdom, strength, and protection. The cup at the end is the portal through which people are known to pass into the spirit world after death and...”
The floor sloped gently downwards, the already dark windows squeezing more and more light from the corridor. I was so used to feeling my skin prickle from the eyes always on me that I couldn’t help the flood of gooseflesh when I realized the castle was not watching tonight. It was peaceful, slumbering. Dead.
“...then on crystal clear nights, the wishing star can be seen bisecting the entire plough. It shoots directly through the center and if you’re lucky enough to witness it and attach your wish, it fires straight through to the afterlife, directly to the Goddess.”
Maybe the castle was exhausted after using all its energy for another task, like watching me. I studied the ceiling—no ash, no scratching. I shivered.
Our feet passed onto the boards of the old castle, the rough wood groaning beneath us. I dislocated a sconce from the wall and held it out, forcing a way through the shroud of darkness that had fallen.
Lilyanna went silent. She pressed closer, her nails digging into my arm. A plain door appeared at the end of the corridor just within reach of the torchlight.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
I clamped my lips together.
“Tam?” She halted, folding her arms and planting her feet.
“Okay, fine.” I moved behind her and pushed her toward the lone wooden door. “We’re not going to see the stupid stars. It’s cloudy. It’s always bloody cloudy here.” She opened her mouth to argue, and I cut her off. “I’ll find you something else to wish on.”
“No, I’m not going back in there.” She grabbed the door frame, blocking me with her body.
I reached under her arm and twisted the knob. The door swung open with a groan as stale air and rot strongly laced with blood gushed out.
“Look. You can go back to the room by yourself and stare at that Goddessdamned hearth by yourself or come with me.”
She ground her teeth. “This is not what I signed up for. You were supposed?—”
“I didn’t sign up for this either,” I snapped. I slid the dagger from my holster and shoved it at her. “Here.”
She stared at it for a second before rocking it back and forth in her palm, weighing it, familiarizing herself with the heavy hilt. A flush of warmth forced away the chills. I bet she was more adept at wielding that thing than I was.
“What about you?” she asked.
I stopped and grabbed my small blade from my boot. “Don’t worry, I have more where that came from.” I threw the knife in the air and caught it, unable to stop my grin.
She snorted. “What are we doing?”
I moved her to the side and entered the circular chamber we’d been in just yesterday. “We’re going to free that woman.” She looked at me blankly. “The one from the trial. I saw the men being released, but they kept the woman and when I tried to find out why, Clement locked me in my room.”
“Clement did?” Her eyes narrowed and even in the gloom I could see her suspicion.
“He had nothing to do with it. With the woman, I mean. He said the prince detected magic on her after we left, and she wanted to stay at the castle to atone rather than being sent South.”
She pressed her lips together.
“Oh, just leave it, it’s not him.” Heat prickled my chest and itched its way up my neck. “Something links these murdered women, and the prince’s ex-fiancées, you of all people should want to find out what it is. And if it is blood magic, they shouldn’t be killed for something they have no choice in.”
“Blood magic has been hunted since the dawn of time,” she replied. “Only recently have the queens outlawed it. And, I agree, it’s not fair, but when have the royals ever done anything not directly for themselves? Except for the prince, he’s generous and forgiving and”
I elbowed her. “Focus.”
“Fine,” she said. “It started slowly, the perpetrators rounded up in secret, but now the search is more desperate. It’s had a domino effect on all our towns up here because people are afraid to use any type of magic. So, the soil is less fertile, the mines more dangerous.” She rolled her shoulders back. “It’s why I’m stuck here. It’s the only lifeline we can see.” She gripped the knife tighter. “Let’s go.”
We moved slowly toward the central pit, our footsteps echoing around the circular room. The smell of blood, sweat, and excrement belched from the crater. Lilyanna gagged and turned her face away. I leaned over the edge, holding my breath, inching the flame out. The light barely penetrated four feet into the darkness when its flame swooshed and guttered. I yanked it back.
“She must be down there. I can’t see a thing, but it stinks.” I said, trying to avoid the fumes emanating from the pit.
