Page 19 of Beneath the Flames
And what did Rhydian mean byuseful?Useful how?
I was just about to ask him when I realized I was alone.Nico had disappeared up the stairs, and Rhydian was no longer standing next to me.I glanced around, taking in all the white once again, but I didn’t find that smug face and gold-ringed eyes anywhere.
Had he purposely left me alone to see if I would run and try to escape?Or was I so unremarkable that he simply walked away, forgetting that he kidnapped me in the first place?
My inner curiosity begged me to snoop around, to explore this gigantic castle, and see if I could find someone—anyone—who might be willing to help me get home.Based on the way Nico responded to Rhydian, I doubted that he’d be willing to help me escape, but in a place this big, therehadto be someone besides the two of them.
I considered following Nico up the staircase and seeing if I could locate him, and ask for more information.I needed to know exactly who I was dealing with here, and if Rhydian had been lying when he said I’d have to die if I wanted to escape this place.
A shudder wracked through me at the reminder of his words.
I’d survived nineteen years of fear and abuse.I wasn’t about to give up now.
There was a way out of Eroth—there had to be.
My family needed me, and I was going to get home if it was the last thing I did.
With new resolve settling into my bones, I decided Nico was my best bet—at least until I found someone else.I stalked toward the stairs, noticing how my steps echoed in the cavernous room, like a discordant song in a quiet place where noise was forbidden.Everything felt sowrong.
I carefully stepped on the white velvet-covered stairs, praying I didn’t leave any footprints behind, even though my boots were caked in the ash and dirt from outside.Much to my dismay when I looked behind me, there were dark, ashy prints in my wake.Panic had my stomach twisting into knots—at least until one by one, stair by stair, they disappeared.
What?
What kind of magic was in these stairs?I supposed if Rhydian had golden death rays, he could handle making a dirtless staircase.Right?
Turning my back on the magic that made me uneasy, I quickly climbed to the top and headed in the direction I saw Nico go.The hallway was endless with countless doors on each side.How would I ever find him?Just as I was beginning to lose hope, finding door after door locked, a voice spoke behind me.
“I can take you to your room now.”
I turned to find Nico standing ramrod straight, looking up at me with those bright blue eyes.
“Nico, right?”I asked, and he gave a single nod, apparently uninterested in talking much further.That didn’t bode well.He turned on his heel and led me down the opposite hallway.
“What is this place?”I dared to ask after a few seconds of silence that made my skin crawl.This place was too quiet.With it being so large, I expected there to be plenty of servants rushing around, or the sound of people talking, or even the noise of bugs or birds outside.But there was nothing.Just the slow, low rumble of the lava moving across the earth.
“Shadow Ire Castle.”The words were bland, as if I should already know that information.
I reined in my annoyance.“Whereis this place?”I tried instead.
“Eroth.”
I scowled at his back.Clearly this boy was going to be about as helpful as Rhydian.My heart sank in a pool of defeat at the thought.I tried not to sigh in exasperation, but the boy’s ears twitched, and he looked at me over his shoulder.
He studied me for a moment, and I wished that I could tell what he was thinking.Did he feel sorry for me?Or was he in on whatever Rhydian had planned for me?Would they both stand there and watch me die, smiles on their faces the entire time?The Dark Fae must have been monstrous creatures if they repeatedly brought humans to Eroth to die, but I had a hard time believing such a young boy would be capable of cruelty.
“Eroth is one of the four kingdoms of Avalea,” he explained.“It’s dark, and dreary, and cold, and you’re safest in the castle.”Nico stopped in front of a door at the end of the long hall.“This is your room.In the past, there would have been someone to assist you while you’re here, but I’m the only one left.”
“The only one left?”
“Yes.”
How was that possible?Weren’t castles supposed to have hundreds of servants to take care of everything?How couldNico be the only one?I waited, hoping he’d elaborate further, but he avoided my gaze.
“If you need anything, let me know.I put a few items of clothing in the closet, but I guessed at your size.If they don’t fit, I’ll have to search for new ones since they’re all that was left behind.”
“Left behind?”
Nico’s eyes widened, as if he hadn’t meant to speak those words.“Never mind,” he rushed to say.“Everything else you should need is inside.If you can, I’d stay in your room as much as possible.It’ll make this easier on everyone—including you.”
