Even without access to my magic, I knew how to forage, what mushrooms to eat. I could survive.
With a newfound hope, I turned down another hallway.
It was hard to tell my location with no defining decorations, no tapestries in this area, just stone after stone. There was another winding staircase that led down and I thought that maybe that's where the servants’ quarters were. Following the steps, I searched for anything. There was no one, not a servant, not even a rat.
A white light drifted ahead, not the warm, orange hues of a lantern, but the bright light of a star.
Curious, I followed the stone steps deeper.
If I didn't have the collar on, I would have been able to feel the earth around me and find my way out of this castle.
The white light bobbed up and down in the middle of the stairwell, which curved, similar to the spire. I looked at the white light, which was not a light, but a thing. A tiny, glowing spirit.
“Are you a will-o’-the-wisp?” I whispered.
It didn't move, allowing me to get closer.
“Did you call my name?”
Its thin body was all white with two black eyes, which were difficult to see with the bright glow around it.
“Can you show me how to get outside?” I asked.
It turned and flew down the stairwell. I ran, chasing after it, cupping my hand around the candlestick to keep it from going out.
It wasn't until the air changed that I worried. There was a damp, putrid scent of rotting mushrooms, nothing like the fresh, dewy scent of the forest.
I shouldn't be in this part of the castle.
The stairwell ended in a circular area with another hallway that went to the left and a set of big wooden doors in front of me.
The will-o’-the-wisp darted to the left, down the corridor shrouded in darkness, the bright-white light illuminating the arched stone.
Deciding that this creature knew the castle layout better than me, I went to follow.
The door opened behind me.
Slowly, I turned.
A gnome, no taller than my waist, wore all black clothing and a red cap.
Instantly, my mind flickered among facts. Gnomes were not inherently dangerous, but there was some significance about the ones with the red caps.
The answer dawned on me too late and the fear must have shown in my eyes because the gnome grinned, and in the candlelight, I discovered the dark patches in his white beard resembled dried blood.
I dashed down the dark hallway after the will-o’-the-wisp, unable to get back to the stairs I had come from.
Clamoring footsteps chased after me.
A sharp prick hit my neck and I froze.
With shaking fingers, I pulled out the dart lodged there.
The gnome had a little brown tube in his mouth, which he put in his pocket and smiled wider. His razor teeth reminded me of the bogey in the pond. I was beginning to think any fae creature with sharp fangs wanted to eat me.
My back muscles tightened.
Paralyzing, shooting pain went down my back as my entirespine locked. I cried out and fell to my knees. The candle fell next to me.
