Page 25 of Dewitched

They were, after all, a gift from the princess. A gift she had insisted they all wear to show team spirit while they navigated the Haunted Escape Room.

Honestly, he thought they were hilarious.

Plus, it could have been a lot worse. At least the tops were black, but it had been a close call. It had taken nearly half an hour to talk Iliana out of the neon pink shirts she had preferred.

“Are you ready,talei?”

He popped up from the floor with a big smile. “Ready.”

“Good. Let’s get this over with.”

“What kind of attitude is that?” he scolded with a chuckle. “I’ve never been to an escape room before. I wonder if I’ll be any good at it.”

Sighing, Fenix crossed the room and pulled him into his arms. “You’ll be amazing.”

He hadn’t necessarily been looking for reassurance, but he damn sure wasn’t going to refuse it. “Thank you.” He pressed a kiss to his mate’s jaw and stepped out of the embrace. “Come on. Everyone is waiting for us.”

As they crossed the south lawn to the castle, he became acutely aware of the elixir coursing through his veins. Not in a bad way, though. Actually, he felt amazing. Focused. More confident. Completely at ease in his own skin.

They found Iliana and the other Guardians waiting for them near the entrance of one of the conference rooms. As predicted, no one looked happy about their “uniform,” with the exception of the princess. They all wore scowls of obvious distaste, and some of them shifted uncomfortably as they tugged at their sleeves or collars.

Once they had gathered and said their hellos, a hotel employee, dressed as what could only be described as a zombie bride, led them into a magically altered gothic library. A large black desk with a leather chair stood as the centerpiece, while floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined the room. A massive fireplace took up the far wall, and a sitting area with a sofa and a couple of armchairs occupied the corner.

What really struck Owen, however, was all the artifacts that decorated nearly every flat surface in the space.

An hourglass about the size of a wine bottle sat in the center of the desk, its golden sands twinkling in the light from the table lamps. The staff member crossed the room, flipped the timer, then left without a single word of instruction. Worse, when the door closed, it disappeared with the young female, leaving only a smooth stretch of wall.

“I guess we have to find a way out.” Seneca wandered around the room, her hands linked behind her back as she surveyed the various objects scattered about.

“How?” another Guardian asked.

Owen had learned earlier in the day that his name was Corbin, and he seemed to be the most easygoing of the group. That didn’t make him any less dangerous, but it did make him a little less intimidating to have a conversation with.

Seneca shrugged. “Spread out and start looking for clues.”

Since the desk had been placed so prominently, Owen figured it couldn’t be a coincidence. So, he started there.

Whether instinct or dumb luck, it turned out to be the perfect decision. In the top drawer, he found a square piece of stained parchment with tidy script.

A weary traveler, unaware of what lies in store,

Wandering from Night’s Plutonian shore.

Freedom lies not with the radiant maiden,

Nor shall it be found in distant Aidenn.

Find the key, unlock the door,

Or suffer here for evermore.

“Hey, guys,” he called, rising from the leather chair. “Look at this.”

“You found something!” Rushing over to him, Iliana looped her arm around his and peered over his shoulder. “Read it out loud.”

He cleared his throat and did as commanded. Then, at the request of the others, he recited it again.

“What does it mean?” Draven asked, though he didn’t sound as if he really cared about the answer.

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