Page 43 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

No—it was something deeper, something almost primal. A steady, rhythmic pulse that sent a strange sensation crawling down my spine.

I froze, pressing my back against the cool stone, straining my senses.

Heartbeats.

I could hear them. Distant but growing closer.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to shake it off. Now wasn’t the time to unravel whatever that was.

I slipped into the nearest alcove, ducking just as a pair of patrolling guards rounded the corridor.

Their footsteps echoed in the hallway, slow and deliberate, their armor clinking softly with every step. I held my breath, waiting, my body as still as the shadows.

The guards passed, never sparing a glance toward the alcove.

Good.

I exhaled and continued, my mind fixated on the map Siergen had burned into my thoughts.

Winding through twisting hallways, I followed the unseen path, my steps purposeful, my heartbeat steady.

And then—I reached the vault.

I had expected guards.

At least two. Maybe more.

But the vault entrance stood unguarded, as if daring anyone to try.

That wasn’t right.

I hesitated, my instincts flaring, but then I took a closer look at the iron door, at the runes meticulously etched into the stone surrounding it.

I let out a slow breath.

Siergen was right.

Not even I would have been able to break into this vault.

My father had sacrificed people for less. If he had sent me in blind, I would have died trying.

I would have died for nothing.

Shoving down the bitter thought, I traced my fingers over the ancient symbols, feeling the faint hum of magic beneath my touch.

Ten runes.

That was what Siergen had shown me. Ten specific symbols, pressed in order.

I focused, following the precise sequence burned into my mind.

Press. Press. Press.

Each rune warmed my fingertips as I worked through the sequence, the magic pulsing faintly beneath my skin.

The moment I pressed the last rune, a deep click echoed in the silence.

The vault cracked open down the center, the massive door splitting apart seamlessly, revealing the dimly lit chamber within.