Page 144 of Kingdoms of Night

The sun had started to rise by the time he worked up the courage to nudge her and offer her food.

Her mouth twitched. Whether in a smile or a frown, he couldn’t quite tell. Both seemed right at once.

“Thank you,” she murmured. She broke it in half and returned the other to him. “You are kind.”

The way she said it sounded like an admission of some sort. But there was a sadness in her voice. Probably disappointment as well. More proof why he should never be with anyone. Although if she would accept him, he’d be happy to pleasure her again, but it didn’t seem wise to offer that now.

With each hour, they drew closer and closer to the castle. It looked as perfect as a sculpture from this distance, perched atop the butte. It seemed as if it might even be the highest point in the land. At last though the path ended in front of a stone-walled labyrinth, the one he’d seen from the top of the clock tower back when they’d first started. That stone wall was just as pristine here as it had been from a distance. Simple gray stones, polished down and sealed with white mortar. Mostly clean. A few dark speckles and imperfections here and there. Almost impossible to pick one out from all the rest.

Everything seemed to have come to focus on this one spot. With the exception of a silver-tipped hawthorn tree, there was nothing but green grass for quite a long way. And the now bright rose-red path ended beneath the tree rather than leading to the labyrinth’s entrance. That was at least fifty paces from the labyrinth. A ring of gold and silver mushrooms surrounded it, the colors weak and many of the caps snapped off. Two had been gouged out entirely, the earth dry and crumbly around them.

A large wooden sign several feet from the wall had broad white block letters on it.

Feron circled it and then turned his gaze back to the outer stone wall. What a strange place this was. What did the sign say?

“Do you see or smell anything?” Idalno set her hands on her waist as she stood in front of the sign. “Because I still can’t see an entrance. I don’t care what the sign says. If there is an entrance here, it’s not obvious.”

He sniffed, trying to sort out all the scents. Well, one mostly. Ever since yesterday, she was almost all he could smell. Not just the remnants of her smoky plum perfume. But her. Her body, her sweat, her heat. Including what sometimes seemed like hints she was still aroused. That intoxicating blend that was so distinctly her.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind. Clear his senses. He drew in another breath. All that really came through—other than her—was green plants and trees. If only he had to track her and not something else. Then he’d be set. The rest of this place smelled...planty.

Thank the gods she couldn’t hear what he was thinking. He sounded stupid. Really, he was stupid. Stupid man. Stupid werewolf. Stupid him.

“Obviously we must be missing something. It has to be here.” She set her hands on her waist and clicked her teeth as she studied the wall.

Damn, she cut a fine figure. Those thick thighs and proud shoulders. That perfect elegant dip in the small of her back. And the way she’d arched it the night before—

He dropped his head and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck.Focus, Feron.The castle was in sight now. They just had to make their way through this final stage, and then they would rescue the girls. How long could it take to get through a labyrinth?

As for what happened after that—well—he tried to put the thought aside. She’d been clear about what she wanted. About how she was going to leave with Lalko once she found her. He’d planned on the same when he found Annette. And what could he offer her really? He was a scared homeless farm boy who’d been recently bitten and turned into a werewolf. He’d done unspeakable things and failed at practically everything that mattered. What future could he offer anyone? Let alone someone as incredible as Idalno? She was destined for great things, and all the things he had to offer were meager.

No. He’d promised her that he would give her a night of pleasure; he’d taken the challenge. It wasn’t as if she wanted more. And he didn’t deserve more. Asking her further—well, she’d already said she wanted someone intelligent. Well educated, of course. Someone who knew how to read, because that’s what intelligent well-educated people did. That obviously ruled him out. Maman had started to teach him before she’d died, but then Jacques had worked him in the fields since four years old with no qualms. His so-called education had consisted of hard labor, farming grain, building and repair, and whatever the family had needed. Nothing but the very basics that anyone could do, if they tried. And Idalno deserved more than just anyone.

She deserved to get everything she wanted and more.

For now, they needed to figure out this labyrinth. When looking at it from the clock tower, it had looked decent in size. Here beside it, well, the walls alone were easily twelve feet in height. Maybe bigger. It’d be a bit of a challenge for him to jump up, but he could if he had to.

The first question was where was the door? Or an opening of some sort. He didn’t like the idea of wandering around just trying to figure out how to get in.

She walked up to the wall and put her hand out onto the smooth stones. “The Tiablos sometimes pull tricks like this.”

Sure. Whatever the Tiablos were. Intelligent people probably knew, and he nodded as if he knew, too.

“And that means either there isn’t a door at all or it is hidden.”

“There has to be a door if they want us to get inside. Assuming they want us to get inside. And we are assuming they do.”

“It could also just be an entrance. Not an actual doorway.” She placed her hand along the stone and started walking slowly. “Tiablos disguise more than they actually transform. So… that means I should be able to feel something.”

“Like what?”

“A seam? A handle? A—” She stopped short and tilted her head, her hand seeming to slide between the stones. “A gap.”

Oh, she was smart. At least one of them was.

He crossed over to her, grinning. “It is. You found it.”

She offered him a half smile, her expression a little softer now. More as it had been in the cave and when she was in his arms. “Shall we, then? Oh. The wolves. Should we wait for them?”

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