Page 120 of Enchanted Crown
Just as Malachi pointed to the nearest water source to the border, Avril slapped her hand down on the table, making a few people jump.
Her eyes slammed closed, a deep crease between her eyes, and though her eyes were now shut, her eyes seemed to be darting back and forth from under her eyelids.
“Is she?—”
“Shh,” Esta cut off.
In what had to be just a minute later, Avril’s eyes opened, the crease still present between her eyes. She immediately looked to the map and the rest of us. “Is there one of these for Dra Skor?”
While Amory moved to get her one, I tried not to let hope take root. Avril could have seen anything. It could be about Morana. It could have been about our first trip to Agria. I was going to assume it wasn’t another inappropriate one about Dex because she looked worried and not excited, but there was too much at play to be sure.
As her eyes scanned over the map, she asked, “Is there an underground tunnel system in Dra Skor?”
“No,” Esta answered.
Avril looked up to meet her eyes. “I do not mean to pry, Your Highness.”
“You aren’t,” she answered calmly. “I am not intentionally withholding information from you. We do not have a tunnel system. There isn’t a point to have one when our winged shifters can simply fly to wherever we need to go.”
Avril closed her eyes a moment as if thinking. Or seeing.
Otis said, “But there are the cells which are underneath the castle. Could it be that?”
“Give her a moment,” Esta snapped.
For another minute, Avril sat, pinching her nose. “It wasn’t all that clear. I just saw our traitor in a damp darkness.” She mumbled more to herself than to us, “She has a way out. She always has.”
Malachi was immediately standing, fists clenched at his sides. “Does this mean she will soon be in the castle underground?”
“I didn’t think it was anywhere in the castle, which is why I asked for a map,” Avril explained. “But she was on her way out—I think.”
“So she could be down there right now?” Malachi asked.
“She is somewhere dark,” Avril clarified. “That is all I know.”
My eyes went to Esta’s, hers to mine. The hallways were interconnected, far more complex than a mere tunnel, but truly what was the difference? I knew from experience how dark those hallways were. I said to Avril, “You haven’t seen the darkness of the cells and hallways down there though. They are entirely underground.”
Esta gestured to the door and said to Malachi, “Go. Start in the cells.” She gestured for Zaire and Whit to join, both of whom immediately shifted out the balcony doors to speak to and call on their teams.
Avril explained, “I only saw her shove something in a dark, damp place. A tunnel of sorts is what I assume because I saw a light at the end. I am so sorry I do not have more. Nor do I know what it means. You can take me to these underground hallways, and I will tell you if that was the location I saw.”
I smiled at her tightly. “Maybe when it is safe to do so.”
How could one person be so damn nonchalant about rather repetitively asking to be put in danger’s way?
“Esta,” Jagen said gently.
“I know,” she said from where she sat with a hand to her forehead. She gave a defeated sigh and looked to me. “There is an emergency exit not far from the cells out of the castle. I wouldn’t call it a tunnel, but it is there. It opens up near the bottom of the cliffs of the gateway. Only a few of us know about it. It’s a secret passed down from royal family to royal family. She could know about it.” She turned to me. “I suspected that was how she got to the cells the night she tried to go after Jagen. Was the first place I flew to, but the door is stone and rather heavy. Heavy enough she cannot move it in a human form.”
“But with Silas’s help?” Amory asked.
Esta sighed. “It could be possible, but she doesn’t have him now.” She looked to Avril. “Thanks to our help from Corsha.”
I had to stand and release my wings. The mere thought that Morana could be coming and going from the castle, under our noses this entire time without us knowing it, made my anger burn hot beneath my skin.
Avril asked, “May I go to my room? I’d like to revisualize and wait. In case the vision expands.”
“Of course,” Esta responded. She turned to Zaccai. “Can your team keep guard over the wing Keir is staying in? Charlotte and Avril specifically.”
