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T ime couldn’t pass fast enough. I was eager to be rid of the book and the notes inside it. When the afternoon light shone through the library windows, I made my way up to the lab.

The double doors were closed, but I knocked and waited.

As dreadful as Jesmine was, at least she didn’t put on a charade like Lord Embers with his charming smile and subtle gestures—trying to mask his malicious aspirations.

I thought he was sincere; the truth hurt just as much as it made me feel like a fool.

Jesmine herself answered the door, throwing me into a flustered mess.

Her gaze traveled down to my fidgeting hands, then snapped back up to me with annoyance. “I hope you took advantage of the opportunity I provided. Do you have something to share?”

“Yes, my lady.” I reached into my apron, not feeling a bit remorseful about the intrusion of Lord Embers’ foul interests. I pushed the book forward, wanting it out of my hands. “There were some notes about Slips and … other things,” I stammered. “It seemed to be what you were looking for.”

“Very good.” She opened the book and briefly skimmed the contents.

“I’ll study this and leave it with Jarret in the morning.

You can collect and return it to his chambers tomorrow.

I’ll make sure Lord Embers is otherwise engaged.

” She turned her back, head tilted down at the open pages, and kicked the door closed in my face.

I made a vulgar gesture at the carved wood flames, let out a huff of air, and withdrew, happy the ordeal was almost over.

Taking the main stairwell down, the echo of movement drifted up from below. The shuffling sounds reached me well before the source emerged.

A guard hobbled up the steps one by one. When he looked up, it was Arden. “Hi Nova.”

I gasped. “What happened to your leg?” A bloody gash was visible through the torn fabric around his shin.

“Just a little trouble in the Shadow Wilds.”

“You came from the Shadow Wilds?” My heart raced at the thought. “What were you doing there?” I tried to keep my tone even with the next question, “How were you able to get out of the fortress?”

His eyebrows pinched as we locked eyes. “Jesmine sent me, of course. I’m her personal assistant. She grants me permission to leave for my duties.” He looked down at his leg and continued, “She needed me to deliver a statement to the Crown.”

I should have known he wasn’t able to leave without her permission. There has to be another way out of this monstrosity.

“Here, let me help you.” I tucked my shoulder under his arm.

“Thanks.” He shifted some of his weight on me as we climbed the stairs to the third floor.

“Do you think it’s broken?” I asked.

“No, probably just a sprain and a few scratches. I was struck by a branch. It gave way as I was passing under. Could have been worse.” He directed us right when we reached the top landing—the opposite direction of the lab.

We traversed through a series of foreign hallways. The area was much less decorated than the section near Jesmine’s quarters, almost simple in comparison.

Stopping in front of a plain wood door, Arden used a key to open it, then revealed some sort of supply closet. Inside was a chair, a cot, and a desk, all cluttered with odd-looking equipment and old weapons.

I helped him to the chair, and he propped his leg up on the cot.

“There should be some gauze in the top drawer.” He nodded toward a tall cabinet.

I crossed the room and shuffled through its contents until I found the wrapping. “I thought Jesmine would have something … you know—more potent, to help heal an injury like this.”

“Oh, she does.” He let out a humorless laugh. “But not without a slathering of insults and a debt owed in return.” He looked away. Maybe he had learned that lesson the hard way.

“But you are her assistant, and you got injured following her orders.” Arden shot me a dubious look, and I realized what I was saying. “You’re right. That sounds like her.”

Arden did his best impression of Jesmine’s clipped speech and stiff posture. “A suitable aide wouldn’t let themselves get injured in the first place.”

I smiled at his impersonation.

“I’d rather suffer a sprain than deal with that.”

“I don’t blame you. She is pretty insufferable,” I said. “So, you were in Fernton?”

He gave a nod.

At the thought of our hometown, I hesitated, but couldn’t resist the urge to ask, “Did you have time to deliver my letter to Clay?”

“Actually, I delivered it a few weeks ago … but didn’t mention it because I didn’t want to get your hopes up. Like I mentioned before, humans aren’t allowed correspondence in the fortress.”

I swallowed against my dry throat. “I know. You told me not to expect a reply.” I shrugged. “But it’s nice to know it was delivered.”

He looked up, studying me. “I wasn’t going to mention this, but I left a forwarding address to my family home. However, my mother said nothing had been delivered when I was there last week.”

It was sweet and unexpected. “Thank you for trying,” I said.

His eyes drifted to my lips, and without warning, the mood shifted. Suddenly, Arden was looking at me with an intensity that I didn’t feel in return. “I should go.” I stood to leave.

He held my gaze. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful, Nova.”

“Arden, I … Thank you.” My cheeks burned, and I took another step toward the door. “I better get to my chores. I hope your leg heals quickly.” Flashing a tense smile, I crossed through the doorway and didn’t look back.

I hurried down the hall. Frazzled, needing distance, my legs moved without thought. I didn’t know where I was going, I just wanted to create some distance. My instincts were right for once, Arden is interested in being more than friends.

I stopped—nothing looked familiar.

I turned back on my steps, thinking I could find the room where I left Arden. When I traced my path back, there were only closed doors.

Maybe I had turned left instead of right?

All the doors were the same natural wood, making them indistinguishable from one another.

After going up and down the hall another time, there was no denying it—I was lost.

My cheeks still burned from Arden’s unsolicited attention as I wandered about the maze of curving halls. Lost on the third floor—a floor I had been warned not to wander without permission.

“Arden?” I called. My voice echoed off the stone walls. I cursed myself for not being more careful.

I didn’t know where I was, but it did not seem like Arden and I had walked too far from the stairs. Just a few turns. I chose a hall, hoping that I would cross paths with something familiar … the owl tapestry … the bust of the unknown man … or the carved door of Lord Embers’ chambers.

But as the hall grew long, the decoration remained sparse.

I was desperately lost, probably traveling in circles.

After another unanswered call for Arden, I had no choice but to take a chance and began knocking on one of the plain wood doors. Maybe I would get lucky and Arden or another servant would greet me, help direct me to the stairs.

After no answer, I moved to the next door. Again, nobody came to my rescue.

I knocked and waited in front of a third door. When no answer came, I decided to try my luck and turned the crystal handle.

My hand tingled and a sudden pressure fill the air. A hard clunk sounded at my feet.

I looked down just as the section of tile underfoot dropped away—a trap door.

My effort to jump away failed. There was nothing to grasp onto as I fell straight down into the darkness.

My hip and elbow slammed into a slick stone surface.

A scream shot from my throat. I panicked and writhed, scrabbling for anything to slow my descent. A jelly-like grime jammed beneath my fingernails.

Down and down, I slid. Slippery walls propelled me deeper into the unknown.

Water rushed around me.