Page 34 of House of Ydril

All that almost makes me miss it. This weird, violently negative energy and the stench unlike any I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know what overcomes me, but I find myself sniffing the air like crazy, trying to figure out where it’s coming from.

The smell takes me down a gravel path leading from the cemetery and straight into a little grove. I walk inside and see a moss-covered bust on a pedestal.

Almost instantly, my heart starts pounding and without thinking, I take a step back.

But it’s not the bust that has that effect on me. It’s what I see splayed out on its crumbling pedestal.

Hearts. A blood-curdling, mushy pile of cut-out hearts. I shake my head, not even daring to think which species they belong to. But it’s over. I’ve already pictured a pile of dead people with all of their hearts missing.

Panicked, I take the diary out of my bag and open it right then and there, despite Moswen telling me never to do it anywhere other than my room and the graveyard.

She immediately materializes next to me and I can see her opening her mouth to scold me, but I just motion to the bottom of the bust.

I guess a part of me wishes for her to use that flat voice of hers and ask me what it is that I’m so shocked by. But Moswen just stares at the hearts, the uneasiness clearly visible in hers.

“Is it just me,” I start, my voice low and strained, “or is this… not good?”

“No, you’re right,” she says as she points at something I haven’t even noticed. Drawings that have been almost completely covered by the blood. “This is dark magic. Dangerous magic.”

“What is it…” I mean to say ‘supposed to do’, but I don’t. I don’t scare easily, but this keeps sending shivers down my spine.

“It’s dangerous,” she says, “that’s what it is.”

“I’m going to report it,” I reply, already turning to walk as far away from the place as possible.

“Don’t,” she blurts out.

What? I stop midstep and squint, looking straight into her eyes.

“I think,” she starts, obviously hesitating, “it could have something to do with your parents.”

The shock almost makes me topple over. “What?” is all I manage to squeeze out.

“I’ll explain,” she replies, “but first get me somewhere safe.”

I don’t even say anything. I just close the diary and put it back in my bag.

I’m already out of the grove when I see Faust Senior walking out of the graveyard. His eyes are already on me, his eyebrows pulled down.

He appears in front of me, immediately making me panic. “Young lady,” he starts, “you know that this part of the castle grounds is currently restricted.”

“I’m so sorry, I had no idea,” I squeeze out, realizing he’s not talking about the…thingthat I just saw.

But he’s still squinting at me. “I thought I heard you talking to someone,” he says, gesturing at the grove behind me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. “No, there’s no one there,” I reply, choosing the present tense to avoid lying to his face.

“Good,” he says, his eyes softening. “Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not a stickler for rules for no reason.” He pauses, throwing me a look filled with concern. “Especially with someone such as yourself.”

At least my heart’s stopped pounding in my chest, but now I raise my eyebrows at him.

“You’re new in our world,” he explains, throwing me a kind smile. “You still have no idea how much its balance depends on making sure you don’t overstep any lines.”

If I could do it without seeming suspicious, I’d breathe a sigh of relief. Instead, I give him a weak laugh and say, “Thank you, Your Majesty, that’s solid advice right there.”

I don’t know what’s made him amused, but he lets out a chuckle before he gives me a quick nod and turns on his heel, heading straight for the castle.

It takes all I have not to break into a sprint right then and there, especially with what Moswen told me stuck on repeat in my head. But I don’t want to walk with him, so I force myself to slow down.

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