Page 27 of Queen of Wrath

My hand glided down the concrete, taking me deeper into the small room.

I continued over the corner and onto the back wall. It was more than a hunch. It was like my hand was being guided.

A crackling sensation began tingling against my fingertips. It encouraged me to keep moving until it felt like I was touching an open flame with my hand—the telltale sign of powerful magic clashing with my essence.

“Found you.” My eyes flew open as I retracted my hand. “Now, how do I pass through?”

Wait, I remember learning about magic doors when Akil was teaching me. Think, Lea! What did he say?

My mind faded to black as I tried to recall the memory.

His voice sounded muffled in my head, but I tried to focus on it. “A magic door operates the same as a regular one. That is you need a key. It could be something as complex as a spell or as simple as a word.”

A spell or a word… How am I supposed to figure that out?

I looked around the empty closet as if it was going to give me a hint. Then I placed my hand over my robe, where the scroll resided.

Maybe I already know it.

I locked my eyes on the wall, summoning all the power in my body to commune with the magic before me. Then I cleared my throat and spoke the words that followed with certainty and determination. “Tenebris locus.”

There was a spark of glowing light at my feet.

My eyes followed that spark as it formed a thin blue line, starting from the floor and moving in an arch over the wall, outlining a doorway.

No way that worked!

As I walked through, I was met by a dark hallway. Luckily, there seemed to be no one around, but there was no guarantee I wouldn't be caught if I continued either.

I was elated. After months of endless searching, I finally found it! I was so excited that I didn't give entering a second thought. It wasn't until the door closed behind me that I began to rethink that decision.

If I got caught here, then the mission would be over. Failing Rowan, my family, and everyone at Ryklira was something I simply couldn’t live with.

I better come back with reinforcements.

I turned around only to find a solid concrete wall where the door had been just a second ago.

“Tenebris locus,” I uttered the words again, but nothing happened. I let out a nervous laugh before repeating the words.

Still nothing.

I pressed my hands into the wall as if I expected to pass straight through it at any moment.

Why isn’t it working?!

I tried not to panic, even though the only thing I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears. I smacked my hands against the wall before frustration overtook me and I made my forehead collide with it as well.

Dammit, I have no choice now. I need to find another way out.

I turned around and made peace with my fate.

“Here goes nothing,” I murmured to myself, and started making my way down the dark corridor, following only the light at the end of it.

After tiptoeing for a while, I could make out a door ahead of me. A physical one this time.

Once I reached it, I extended my hand out but hesitated after hearing someone speak just on the other end of the door. Thankfully, it sounded like they were moving away.

I waited until I couldn’t hear their footsteps anymore before I pushed open the door, and stepped into the huge potion-making lab.

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