They moved on, and I looked around.No one.
Descending the stairs, I reached the grand foyer. I pressed myself against the wall, crouching behind a wooden side table near the coat hangers, my cloak blending in perfectly as if it were just another garment in the shadows.
The clock struck ten.
My stomach knotted as the guards entered through the main door, chatting wearily and looking worn out from their shifts.
As they passed, I crept through the door, sticking close to the walls, my fingers brushing the cold stone.
For a brief, precious moment, the courtyard was nearly deserted, watched only by two mages awaiting the new shift. From their stance, it was clear they had a better view of the opposite entrance than of the tunnel. As long as I stayed within the shadows, I would be hard to notice. I timed my movements carefully, slipping forward whenever their backs were turned, stepping into the footprints already imprinted in the snow.
I have to make it today.
Voices drifted from the entrance. My heart hammered in my chest, and I quickened my pace. The last stretch of wall was exposed, clearly visible to the two mages. My eyes flicked to them and to the windows above. No faces peered down; no one watched the tunnel.
The voices grew louder.
I ran, reaching the tunnel just as the next shift of battle mages appeared in the courtyard.
That was the easy part.
I turned toward the dark tunnel, not daring to turn on my lantern yet. Moonlight shimmered at the archway, where the long stairway descended toward the forest, looming ominous and still, like a treacherous illusion. I scanned the darkness for any sign of life.
Swallowing hard, I reached the final step, the stone pathway stretching out before me, visible under the thin layer of snow. The same path I had come from when Reagan had led me to the castle. All I had to do was follow it.
After a quick, steadying breath, I stepped into the forest.
CHAPTER 7
A bright yellow light flickered beside me, and I blinked, disoriented as my eyes adjusted from total darkness to the sudden glare.
The streetlamp flared to life, set off by my movement. I let out a shaky sigh, my pulse pounding in my ears.
I couldn’t see the castle anymore. The dense canopy of trees blocked out nearly the entire sky. Every flash of light cast new shadows, and my gut twisted with the feeling that they were moving, watching.
The Grim crossed my mind. And here I was, armed with a pathetic can of pepper spray and a flower. At least I had the hunting daggers in the satchel, but the thought of using them was a joke.
I hoped Gwinifer was right, and the flower would hide my scent.
Every rustle of the leaves sent a fresh wave of tension coursing through me until a sudden thud broke the silence, and I halted.
The forest was dark, and I could barely see more than a few steps ahead; the shadows seemed too thick, oppressive.
I waited for the lights to flicker off, then crept to the nearest tree, pressing my back against the rough bark, my eyes scanning the darkness around me.
Only trees. Nothing else. But if something was there, I needed to see it coming. My hand slipped into the satchel, fingers wrapping around the hilt of the dagger, heart pounding louder than the wind.
I hesitantly peeked from behind the tree.
Nothing.
I exhaled. After a few tense minutes, I pressed forward, walking deeper into the forest and away from the streetlamps.
The newly fallen snow on the ground weighed heavily on my cloak, dragging as I trudged through the white powder. I could still make out the path to my right. Ten minutes must have passed by now, nearly halfway there. My nails bit into my frozen palms. I could make it.
The wind howled, hopefully masking the sound of my footsteps. Its eerie song was almost soothing, and I pictured the station doors ahead, imagining the relief of seeing them. If I could just reach it—
A streetlamp blinked to my right. I cursed under my breath, frozen, not wanting to draw attention, thinking I’d been far enough away. But the light didn’t turn off. I squinted—it wasn’t a streetlamp. It looked more like...a lantern.
