Page 121 of Drawn in Blood
The Price for Change
Ember sped through the corridors, the boys and Odette close behind as she ran as fast and as quiet as she could toward the door leading to the dungeon. Everyone in the ballroom had crowded the terrace, running into the gardens to try to get a view of the fire and what had exploded. The group took their chance, sneaking through the crowd and slipping out of the ballroom into the quiet castle.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Fen puffed as they stopped to catch their breath.
Ember spun around to take in her surroundings. “I think so.” She nodded. “It should be this wa?—"
“There.” Odette pointed and, at the end of one of the hall, right next to a wooden door, was a blue ball of light shining brightly—beckoning her.
Ember tore off down the hall toward the dungeon door.
“Starshine, slow down!” Killian whispered, as they ran after her, but she didn’t. She came to a screeching halt in front of the door, the runes in the rounded frame glowing blue as the wisp lit them up.
“Is this it?” Fen asked, as he sucked in air.
“Yes,” Ember whispered, nodding as she felt the magic pulse off the brass doorknob.
“Thank the gods,” Fen breathed, sighing as he leaned against the wall.
“So, let’s go,” Killian said, as he jiggled the lock, but it didn’t budge.
Ember rolled her eyes. “It’s locked.” She laughed. “Here, let me.”
The wisp broke into dozens of tiny pieces, wrapping itself around the locked doorknob and setting it ablaze with blue light. She grabbed the knob, feeling the familiar sting as magic coursed through her palm, molten lava pulsing through her veins. The lock popped open, and she winced as she let go, gripping her wrist and holding her hand at her chest.
“What was that?” Fen asked, wide eyed.
Ember shrugged. “A long story. Let’s go.”
They sped down the spiral stairs—down, down, down, the light of the wisp leaving a trail of blue light only visible to Ember and Odette.
“Can we light one of these torches?” Fen hissed through the darkness. “Or maybe, I don’t know, flip on a damn light switch?”
Ember continued forward. “If we turn on a light, someone could see it from the hallway, and they would be down here before we could do anything. Just stay close. We're almost there.”
The stairs leveled out, and they walked down the first dark corridor. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath, leaning against the wall as moonlight from the small windows danced like waves across the floor. The wisp hovered around Ember’s hand, wrapping itself around her wrist, tugging her on.
“We need to keep moving,” she whispered, shoving open the door to the next set of stairs. “Rowan has probably stalled as long as she can, so they’ll know something is up soon.”
They’ll see that we’re all missing,she thought.
They sped down the second set of stairs, landing quickly at the bottom.
“Listen,” Odette said, as they slowed.
Fen didn’t wait another second as he shot in front of her, led only by the light from the moon and the voices coming from the end of the hall. “Maeve!” he cried, as he gripped the rungs of the cell door. “Are you okay?”
Maeve grinned as she looked at her big brother. “I’m okay, but how did you find me?”
Ember got closer and grinned at the girl. “I told you I would be back for you,” she whispered, tears pricking at her eyes.
“Get her out,” Fen demanded, fire burning in his eyes.
Ember began to fiddle with the lock, waiting for the wisp to wrap around it again, and that was when she heard shuffling behind them. “Rowan?” she whispered into the darkness. She took a few steps into the darkness. “Took you long enough. We could really use some help back here?—"
“Not. Another. Word,” Collum said, as he grabbed her by the arm, a knife pressed against her neck as the rest of her words died in her throat. “I knew your mum was a bleedin’ fool for thinking you’d changed. I saw right through you.” He spun her around, pressing her back against his chest, the knife still resting on her pale skin, so close that if she moved if would slice clean through. “The way you pranced about, suddenly the perfect princess. I could see it in your eyes—the plotting, the planning, the scheming. Did you really think you would succeed?”
“Let her go, Collum.” Killian’s nostrils flared, a flame burning in his palm—ready, waiting.
