Page 103 of Enchanted Kisses
It twisted and curved, making me more curious with each turn. The scent of hornbeam blended with floral fragrances. A few more curves, and I came upon a vine-tangled gate. I pushed it open and entered a beautiful garden. Flowers of every color edged the small courtyard. A tiered fountain stood in the center, and the floor was a mosaic of stones and pebbles. Colorful spheres, glass butterflies, and musical chimes decorated the shrubbery. Trickling water and bells filled the air with enchanting sounds. I strolled around before stopping at the fountain.
Was any of it real?
I extended my hand. Cold water dribbled over my fingers.
Feels real.
I turned to pick a flower and caught sight of a roof with turrets, chimneys, and spires in the near distance. It looked familiar. Where had I seen it before?
“The manor!” Could I be in the maze Caiden had mentioned?
The gate to the garden squeaked open and closed with a bang. I spun to see who had entered. Caiden stood by the gate, dressed in a dark suit much like the one he had worn for his grandfather’s celebration. As always, he looked incredible, as if he were born to wear clothes of that era.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, unable to keep from smiling.Too wide. Tone it down.I didn’t know why I was nervous.
“I followed you here. I wanted to ask you something.” His tone was flat, his eyes blank. “Do you have feelings for me? Because you stare at me like you do.”
I stepped to him. “You know I do.”
He moved away. “I’m trying to understand why.” He picked a flower from a bush, sniffed it, and then tossed it into the bottom tier of the fountain.
“What do you mean?”
“We hardly know each other, and you know I’m with Bianca.”
“What?” I lost my breath. The sky blackened and darkness surrounded me.
Lightning streaked the horizon, brightening the space for a moment. I wasn’t in the garden anymore. I stood outside the gates of the Realm of Death. Instead of the gray skies that always greeted me, it was night. If not for the lights flickering in the castle windows, the place would have been invisible.
I stomped through the snow to a side entrance. I’d never used it before, but somehow, I knew it was there. A small door led to a dim, dank tunnel. Flamed torches cast an orange glow over the murky stone walls.
I followed the winding tunnel downward. The stench of something foul, like rotten meat, grew stronger with each step. I covered my nose. Had it not been for the chill in the air, I might have believed I was descending into Hell.
The farther I went, the colder it became. The scent of burning hair and mold mixed with the foulness in the air. I shivered and tried not to gag. Every nerve inside me tingled, warning me to turn back.
Ahead, a loud bang sounded, like someone was hammering stone. I flinched and covered my mouth to muffle a scream. My body quivered, but I kept going and stole quick glances behind me. A second from turning and running away, I felt a pulling sensation in my heart.
Caiden was nearby.
I inched my way farther down the tunnel until I reached what looked like dungeons. Wooden doors lined stone walls covered with oleander vines, but no trace of the flower perfumed the air. I went to the first door and looked through a square cutout about the size of a sheet of paper. A man sat hunched in a corner, his spine protruding through his skin. Dirt covered his thin body and his clothes hung in scraps around his waist.
“Caiden?” I whispered, afraid to speak loudly.Please don’t let this be him.
The man moved.
“Caiden. It’s me, Lily.”
He turned his face my way. A gash sliced across his sun-weathered skin, going from his ear to his chin. His arm hung limp, as if detached from his shoulder, and his leg turned at an unnatural angle.
It wasn’t Caiden. I sighed with relief, so thankful. Immediately, I felt bad about it. No one deserved to be treated like this.
“Sir, are you okay?” It was a stupid question, but I didn’t know what else to say.
He stared at me, his bloodshot eyes yellow and empty.
I tried opening the door, but it wouldn’t budge. “I’ll find something to get you out.”
Before I moved from the door, he appeared at the cutout. I had no idea how he had moved so quickly—or at all. He’d looked crippled.
