Page 51

T he storm overhead roiled angrily—the sky streaked with dark, furious clouds.

Lightning flashed through the sky with explosions of light as our group made our way through the forest, towards the mountain pass that would bring us to the back of the castle.

I had let go of the storm raging above—it wasn’t mine any longer.

The Stormshades of the resistance could use it to pull energy from during the battle.

As we approached the edge of the thicket, the distant sounds of clashing blades and cries filled my ears.

I pressed my eyes together, sending one last prayer to the Mother to keep my loved ones safe.

Tess grasped my shoulder, and my gaze met hers with a question in my eyes.

She didn’t speak, only squeezed in reassurance.

She had faith that I could do this. That I would get through what lay ahead.

I knew in a matter of moments adrenaline would take over, pumping through my veins and driving me forward.

I relished my last moments of silence.

Despite every warning in my body telling me to turn back as the sounds of battle drifted towards my ears, I didn’t.

I pushed forward. Annelise led us towards the portcullis that led to the secret chambers beyond.

It was open, the extinguished lantern resting at the entrance.

Just as we had left it when we escaped the Stormvault.

I adjusted my grip on Stormslayer, wiping the sweat off my palms as we followed Annelise into the shadows.

Alastir brought up the rear with Amiyah, Puck and Tess at my side.

I had only a brief chance to meet the other resistance members that would follow us into the castle, but I thanked them for their bravery.

While we weren’t out on the battlefield facing Donika’s forces, we were facing the villain head on.

This was arguably the more dangerous mission.

We ascended the first set of stairs and the sounds of battle trailed off in the distance until I could hear nothing at all except the soft breaths escaping me as my heart rate increased.

We passed through the round room we had met Zion in that day we had escaped, passing through the passages single file until we reached the next antechamber.

We had been lucky that we hadn’t run into anyone thus far.

I found it hard to believe Donika still hadn’t found the secret passages after we had escaped the castle. A suspicion settled in my gut that perhaps she had , and she was leading us directly into a trap. Letting us infiltrate the castle only to be slaughtered .

The hairs on the back of my arms rose as I watched the shadows of Annelise and the resistance members traverse the narrow passageways ahead of me by lantern light. Their silhouette’s cast against the stone walls hauntingly.

I wasn’t as familiar with the different parts of the castle having only been taken from the Stormvault to the throne room. Almost every time I was moved, I had been drugged and blindfolded.

Annelise knew the halls of this castle like the back of her hand—this had been her home once. She led us down the last stretch of hallway that would take us to the main part of the castle, but instead of passing through the secret doorway Puck had initially led us through, we took a sharp right.

The chamber narrowed here, and I cast my gaze backwards to ensure we were all safely filing into the passage. I was in the middle of the pack now, protected in case we were to be ambushed.

We had successfully breached the castle.

Step one in the plan was effectively in place.

I had no idea where we were headed now and had to trust that Annelise knew the way. We didn’t know for certain where Donika would be hiding, but we had a hunch it would be the throne room. She would want to protect her throne at all costs, we suspected she was too proud to leave it unguarded.

We reached a hidden doorway and Annelise pressed her ear against it, listening. She brought a single finger to her lips, signaling for us to be as quiet as possible. I all but held my breath as she listened, her eyes narrowed .

I raised my brow at her in question.

She shook her head.

She couldn’t hear anything in the chamber beyond. I tilted my head at her in question.

“The only way to find out, is to open the door,” she whispered, despite the sound insulation the thick rock provided.

I adjusted my grip on Stormslayer. Setting my jaw, I nodded.

As soon as Annelise pressed against the door and the click of it opening could be heard echoing through the chamber, I rushed forward to slip through the narrow opening. Tess followed—Puck close on her heels as well as the rest of our group as we poured through the entryway.

I skidded to a stop on the familiar black-and-white marble checkered floor. That floor my blood had been spilled on so many times before.

The throne room was empty.

I turned back, my brow furrowed at Annelise as she surveyed the room, her sword held out before her. She approached the dais, searching for any marks that a spell had been cast, that maybe Donika was cloaking herself. Annelise turned back to me, her head moving back and forth in a finite shake.

Donika wasn’t here.

Her throne sat atop the dais, unoccupied.

Unprotected.

The red velvet that adorned the seat was brighter than I had ever seen it. The marble sparkled as if it had been freshly scrubbed .

Confusion swarmed my thoughts as I turned. There was nowhere for her to hide. The room was long and narrow, windows with thin red drapes adorning them lining the walls. The throne and the dais were the only furniture in the room.

“Where is she?” I muttered.

Right as Annelise opened her mouth to reply to me, the throne room doors burst open. I was expecting Donika herself—a devilish grin across her lips—but the person who sauntered in was not the one that I expected.

He held his sword out before him, a breastplate signifying the queen’s army strapped to his chest. A cloak was tied around his neck, billowing out behind him as he casually strolled in.

When my gaze traveled to his eyes, they were endless black.

He came to a stop halfway across the room from where I stood.

He set his jaw—feet apart—ready for battle.

I couldn’t discern the amount of soldiers that filed in behind him, my only thought was that I was relieved he was the only Noctani among them.

As they continued to fill the throne room a desperation settled deep in my core.

I pulled on my magic, allowing it to travel to my fingertips, ready for when I called upon it.

Because I would need it.

It was no stranger who led Donika’s forces towards us as we backed towards the dais… but one I was quite familiar with.

An expert swordsman.

One I had thought was dead .

Warrick didn’t smile, he didn’t even flinch as he set his shoulders, his expression determined.

Between one blink and the next, he moved.