Page 45 of Once the Skies Fade (Immortal Reveries #2)

Chapter 45

Calla

T he solar had grown considerably darker with the coming night as I lay on the sofa, nursing another glass of brandy. I’d spent the entire afternoon fretting over what was happening in Lake Vestia. We had agreed not to tell the competitors that the stones they were to retrieve were actually an ancient stash of gold sunk in the lake and guarded by a water dragon that had become little more than a myth for most in my kingdom.

Who would survive?

How many?

And why did I care?

I don’t care. I can’t.

I took another sip of brandy, or tried to. My damned glass was empty again.

What was I doing here, drinking alone in the dark like a common village drunkard?

“Time to stop, Calla,” I said to myself, nodding as I slid my feet down to the floor and set the glass beside them.

Standing proved difficult—walking even more so—but I made it over to the small table where one of the kitchen staff had deposited my dinner not too long ago. Hopefully it was still hot, but even if not, I needed something in my stomach to combat the drink.

Poached fish, potato mash, roasted vegetables. They all smelled divine, and tasted even better. I wondered if Isa and the males had returned yet. From up here, I couldn’t hear much of what happened outside. While the far wall was primarily windows, it was thicker than normal for security reasons, and blocked out most of the sound outside. Actually, the quiet was why this was one of my favorite spots in the castle.

Brennan used to sit up here with me for hours just reading whatever tome he pulled from the shelves while I sat and stared out of the windows. I had originally balked at the idea of holding my meetings with the competitors here, but when all was said and done, it hadn’t tainted the space as I’d feared it would. It had actually helped to set me at ease—somewhat.

Letting myself think of Brennan was risky, though, and I should have known better than to allow it.

The lonely ache of loss settled in my bones until I couldn’t even enjoy the last bites of my meal. It dulled my senses while pricking my shattered heart. I wanted to forget the pain, to forget all that had been taken from me, to forget that I was alone.

Before I could think better of it, I stood, grabbed one of the lanterns from beside the door, and left the room, thankful that Isa had agreed to not post a guard here. It had taken some persuasion, but in the end I’d convinced her the extra security wasn’t needed with our guests off the premises for the day.

At the end of the hall, I found the tapestry—skillfully woven to depict the crowning of my father as King of Arenysen—and pushed it aside to reveal a crevice in the wall, just big enough for me to slide in sideways.

My father had had this castle built with a slew of hidden passageways connecting all the rooms—and some of the corridors—to a tunnel that led out to the forest—a precaution in case of siege.

Tonight, though, I didn’t use it to escape.

This was quite possibly the stupidest idea I’d ever had, but the general’s words—careless and flippant as they might have been during the first trial—would not leave my mind.

I’m yours to handle, whenever you need a little release.

Release was exactly what I needed tonight, and I was going to get it.

Assuming he’d made it out of that lake alive.