Page 108 of Once Upon a Crown
My eyes scanned the wall close to the thrones. Now, I just had to find the right spot, as the secret door was quite well concealed. I let my hand trace across the stone wall until I felt a change in the texture, and then I pushed. There was a clicking sound, and the door popped open. Well, that was easy enough. An eerie feeling crept over me. Cai’s words were still in my mind, of him asking me not to make use of the objects to findthe last remaining one. But they were like a foggy memory now, drowned out by a strong urge to explore the tunnels. Was the third object calling out to me?
I didn’t remember deciding to step inside the dark hallway. It was so pitch-black that I could not see the end of it despite the small lamp I carried with me. The same stone had been used to make the walls and floor, and it was clearly very old, the feel of it rough against my hands. I decided to leave the door open, not wanting to risk the chance of getting stuck in there.
The hallway was deathly quiet and so every step I took echoed into the dark void. Holding the lamp up above my head, I tried not to let my imagination run wild. It was just a hallway. There was nothing to be afraid of.
When I reached the end of the hall, there were two ways to go. One was another tunnel, and the other was a small flight of stairs leading down. It might have been my imagination, but I swore I could feel a very light draught coming from the tunnel on the left. If my suspicions were correct, that was the escape route that led out of Mistwood. Which meant the stairs had to lead down to the catacombs. At least I hoped they did, and I wouldn’t end up in some tunnel maze that I wouldn’t be able to get out of.
I slowly took the stairs, one by one, until I reached the bottom. There were a few torches lining the walls, so I removed the glass from my lamp and used the candle to light the torches. They illuminated my surroundings rapidly.
The walls here were much older than the ones above ground, clearly built when Mistwood Palace was first erected, before all the changes had been made throughout the centuries. The tunnels were a little bit wider and the arched ceiling higher.
Here and there the walls were carved out, with stone coffins lying in them. Cai’s ancestors. I tried to read some of the names as I passed by: Jaehaera, Maegelle, Espen, Remington. The others were unrecognisable, worn away by age.
I moved further on, away from the torchlight and into the depths of the catacombs.
If there was anywhere in the palace to hide something valuable, this would be it.
I was making my way past a burial chamber when something scurried over my foot and I jumped, nearly letting out a scream. It was most probably a rat, but being alone in the dark put me on edge.
I reached a vast chamber where the ceiling was even higher, and six pillars stood along the centre. There were a few sarcophagi around the room, the marble carefully etched with the figures of the old kings and queens.
I looked down at the necklace lying heavy on my neck. What if the third object had been buried inside one of these coffins with one of the old rulers? There was no way that I would be able to remove the stone tops myself.
In the darkness, the Myrgonite stone on the necklace seemed almost to glow. So small and delicate, hidden well between all the other gems, looking entirely insignificant and yet being able to carry so much power.
If the stones were linked, had the voice in my head purposefully led me down here? Was the tug I felt towards this place something more than a gut feeling? My fingers reached for the gemstone. It was slightly warm to the touch. Maybe it had truly wanted me to come down here. Maybe it was calling out to the third Myrgonite object like one calls out to a long-lost sister.
I suddenly got the eerie feeling that there was a presence down here apart from my own. Could it be the last object, pulling me towards it? Or was it something much darker and more sinister? Part of me wanted to leave, to return to the stairs and escape tunnel, but my feet were firmly planted.
Where are you?It had to be close. I knew it had to be. But it was as if I could no longer trust my thoughts or feelings. As if the stone was playing tricks on my mind.
I walked over to the nearest sarcophagus. To my surprise, it had the name Erik carved into the stone. My breath caught in my throat. This was Cai’s father. I reached out to place my hand on it, but as soon as I touched the stone, it wasn’t King Erik’s coffin before me but Cai’s. His body was inside, dressed in his royal armour, his soft golden locks framing his face. But the rest of him was covered in blood.
Dead.
Cai was dead, his soul departed, and I could do nothing to bring him back to me.
I quickly pulled my hand back, looking around me, but I was still alone. I didn’t know what this place was, but a fear was beginning to grow inside me. I stepped away from the sarcophagus, turning to leave. I needed to find Cai. It would be better to do this together. All the while, I tried not to think of the horrible image of him being dead. Were the stones trying to give me some kind of warning or were they making a promise? I was almost at the base of the stairs when a voice came from the darkness.
“Leaving so soon, Your Majesty?”
Something hit the back of my head and the world around me was enveloped in darkness.
Chapter 43
Elara
I woke up to the smell of meat roasting over a fire. My eyes took a moment to adjust to the light.
I was in a tent. This much I could tell. Warm blankets of fur covered my body while a piercing ache erupted in my head.
I sat up, the blankets falling down and exposing me to the cold air. I still wore the dress I’d worn to dinner, but my crown and the necklace were gone. A sinking feeling went through me. Not the necklace.
I looked around the tent. There was the small cot I was lying on, a chest and a small table. Loud noises came from outside.
I stood up, which made my head spin and caused me to sway.
Focus, Elara. You need to get out of here.
