Page 45 of The Shadow Heir

But no matter how much I seethed at the sight of him, the way he’d danced at my party had left an impression I couldn’t shake. No man I’d ever danced with had moved with as much passion as he had, and I loathed the fact that I craved another dance with him. Craved the way his hand had directed me with graceful confidence. The way his fingers had gripped mine with ferocity that never hurt. The intoxicating energy that had flamed off of him, leaving me breathless for more.

The heir glanced up from his book, locking eyes with me across the vast space.

I sucked in a breath and stared down at my mostly empty plate until I was certain his attention had returned to his book.

Ivy studied me, a tightness in the skin around her eyes. “They are handsome, but it’s only a glamour. They are the enemy, Zara.”

I scoffed, unable to meet her gaze. “I know, Ivy. I hate him more than you know.”

A voice boomed out over the cavern, startling me so much I let out a small yelp.

“The heir wishes to speak.”

When I glanced back at Cas, he was still staring at the uplifted book in his hand hovering over his plate. It didn’t look much like he wished to say anything at all, but he set his book down, flipping it over so he wouldn’t lose his page, and stepped onto the stone bench and then the table. When he was in the center of the table, he lifted his arms beside him and turned around to address everyone in the cavern.

“Tonight is a special night. Until the sun rises, all rooms are open to you and all doors will open for you. Nothing is off limits.We have everything here that you could possibly want. After all, we want you to enjoy yourselves.” The way he lingered on the word “enjoy” made my skin crawl. “Whatever your heart desires, you will find it within these halls tonight. And in the morning, we will see you all at the arena for a little entertainment. I’ve crafted the next trial with particular enjoyment.” He completed his full turn and lowered his arms. Then he leaped down from the table and plopped back down at his seat with his book, his face resting on two upraised fingers.

All eyes in the cavern lingered on him as the fae exchanged excited whispers and the servants shifted uncomfortably where they stood awaiting orders. Ivy and I shared a glance, her crinkled brow and worried eyes reflecting the same unease I felt in my bones.

The next trial awaited us at dawn.

This could very well be the last night for some of us. A violent shudder shook my frame as my imagination painted vivid images of my companions sprawled across the sandy arena floor, never to rise again.

I stood and climbed up from the bench.

“Where are you going?” Ivy asked, voice laced with concern. “I know you wander the halls, but tonight is not a good night to wander.”

I pressed my hands against my middle, trying to calm the roiling inside. “Ivy, I can’t stay here. Twelve months is an eternity.”

Ivy glanced at Casimiro again, clearly reading my intentions. “They won’t let you escape.”

My hands twisted a wayward curl. She was probably right, but I had to try. After a moment, I said, “Come with me?”

She shook her head.

I nodded once, smoothed out the wrinkles in my dress, and visualized the hallways that led to the door I wanted to try.

As I walked away, Ivy hissed in a loud whisper, “Don’t do anything foolish.”

My lips quirked. “They’re going to try to kill us in the morning, Ivy. I’m not going to sit back and wait until then.”

She chewed her lower lip as she nodded once. “Be careful.”

I hurried toward the cavern’s exits, where several of the fae and mortal servants had already disappeared. I thought I saw a fae in deep green walk away hand-in-hand with one of the servants. Two female fae dressed in tight blue and purple jester suits danced and spun and turned flips as they vanished down the wide stone steps that led to the lower levels. Their magic crackled off their skin and buzzed in the air, snapping in tiny sparks against the stone walls. Maybe that was why these fae lived entirely encased in stone—so that when their magic threw sparks, they wouldn’t burn down their castle.

I peeled away from the cavern doors, heading toward the stairs leading up, toward the door carved with a familiar sight.

20

Zara

Ihurried up the steps, checking behind me to see if anyone was following. At the top, I turned left, pleased to find the next hall empty as well. At a wide intersection of four halls, a pair of fae in their shadow forms evaporated into the darkness as I approached. They seemed more concerned with avoiding me than following me.

My heartrate jumped as I snaked through the heart of the mountain, hunting the door that I’d found earlier today—a door to Avencia.

The doors to other worlds were all the same, I’d quickly learned this week in my wanderings. Carved directly into the stone walls of the palace, these doors looked like mere artwork, full of perfectly composed etchings of the world beyond. Superimposed over these carvings was always the same eye that would pulse blue at my approach but nothing else. These doors had never opened for me, no matter how hard I pushed or how ardently I screamed at them to open.

But Casimiro had said all the doors would open for us tonight.

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