Rooms begin to line the walls; each thick wooden door has a serpent on it that winds in a different direction, open mouth pointing to the ornate door handle. The snakes look so realistic, as if poised to strike the second you touch the handle, ready to sink their sharp teeth into your hand.
A thought crosses my mind: Silas has never discussed the meaning of serpents within Andorwood. But then again, Silas hasn’t revealed much to me, it seems. My stomach churns with anger, and the urge to talk to him intensifies with every step.
“Here we are.” Fen claps her hands together. “Briar, your room is here to the left.” She throws her head in the direction of the door. “Don’t worry, Silas’s is next to yours.”
A golden snake with ruby eyes is engraved on the door that she indicated as mine.
I peer around her and Warrick to see a larger wooden door right where she said Silas’s is. Black jewels sit where the snake’s eyes should be, and the serpents are bright gold, standing out against the darkness. Curiosity moves through me.
What does his room look like?
“I can’t believe it. I’ll get to see the Prince of Andorwood’s childhood bedroom,” Oak jokes, cutting into the silence and offering us a quick chuckle. “Seriously, it’s a bucket list moment.”
Laughing, Fen points across the hallway and says, “Oak, this room will be your accommodation for your pleasant stay in Andorwood.”
We all look, and Oak’s door is similar, but the snake’s eyes are adorned with a royal blue jewel.
“Nicest room in the castle, I’m sure,” he quips.
We all ignore him this time and wait for Fen to continue. “Maines, your room is here.”
Pointing a few doors down, Maines is the furthest from ours. Her door is jeweled with a dark violet and looks smaller than the others.
Her reaction is cold, but she dips her head. “Thank you.”
Fen grins, shifting her gaze back to mine. “Dinner is in an hour. You should all freshen up. Father has prepared quite a show for tonight’s entertainment. You’ll find all the clothing you need in the wardrobes.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“We also had a few people shift any belongings we could find on the ship for you,” Warrick says. “You all should be comfortable.”
“When you’re ready, head down this hallway and down the grand stairs; the Great Hall will be on your right. We will wait for you to arrive and enter together,” Fen says, stepping to take her leave down the dark hallway.
“Where is your room, Fen?” I can’t help but ask.
She smiles, but Warrick answers before she can. “We stay down the hall and to the left, near Larkin’s room.” He smiles. “We’re close, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything.”
“You two have a room together?” Maines asks.
Warrick laughs. “When she allows me to stay with her.”
Fen gives him a nudge and rolls her eyes. “He’s so melodramatic.”
He pinches her side, and a playful laugh leaves her lips.
“I can assure you I am not the dramatic one here,” Warrick responds, flashing a glance to Fenmore.
“Like I said,” Fen continues. “We will see you all very soon.”
“Don’t be late,” Warrick adds, and his tone is a warning to us, returning the conversation to the night ahead.
Warrick and Fen make their way down the hallway toward the Great Hall. He wraps his arm around her shoulders, andI hear a chuckle leave her throat, brightening the dim hallway around them. As they round the corner, they vanish, leaving Oak, Maines, and me alone for the first time since our arrival.
“What the fuck is going on?” Maines snaps, after making sure we are alone.
“That was quite the arrival, I’d say,” Oak chimes in.
They both look at me, waiting for me to add anything to their conversation, but I remain silent, unable to find the right words.
