“Hadreah’s wards start here,” she said pointing to a spot on the ground a few yards away. “This is as far as we can take you, Evelyn.”
I saw nothing on the ground. I felt nothing. Maybe I could do this.
“Remember this mission is to obtain the grimoire and nothing more. Do not try to kill her even if she is sleeping. She may not be able to use her magic on you, but she could still trap you and torture you,” she warned. I nodded, feeling for the small vial of felonwort poison around my neck that I asked her for. I would drink it without hesitation if I was caught.
“Are you sure no one will be awake?” I asked, doubting the whole thing to be true.
“Hadreah trusts no one, not even her own consort. She puts everyone to sleep at night. No one has ever broken in. Anyone who crosses the barrier where the wards begin trigger them and become ensnared. There aren’t many people foolish enough to try it.”
Except me. My mission was to walk right in, obtain the book, and walk right back out without waking anyone. I wondered if I would survive this. Princess Emeley and her guards went over the path I was to take again. Feeling as prepared as I was going to be, I decided it was time. Dressed in my black belted tunic and leggings, my white and hot pink sneakers sort of stood out, but they were quiet and more comfortable than boots. My light hair had been fashioned back in a tight bun and my head and forehead covered in a thin black head wrap. I really need to ditch this pirate look. Princess Emeley herself had painted the beautiful and strange black butterfly-like markings with swirls and whorls on my cheeks to try to conceal my identity should I be seen. I felt like a superhero, maybe Batman or Catwoman for a few seconds. I took a sip of the ale that was offered to me and started walking in the direction of the castle. I think I heard them hold their breaths as I walked past the area where the wards had been erected. I paused, turning back and the princess smiled at me and nodded. I guess the so-called magic hadn’t noticed me and I continued to walk on, calmly and steadily for what would now be a dark and silent journey.
According to Princess Emeley’s ally, Hadreah cast the nightly spell on the castle and the village, placing wards around the perimeter so that no one could enter or exit her kingdom while she slept or harm her in that vulnerable state. Except me maybe. I knew one thing, if I was caught; I would probably be tortured before I was killed. That thought did not sit well with me at all; I simply had to succeed. If not, I might have to drink the poison hanging around my neck.
Just as I had been told, nothing seemed to be stirring in the village as I approached the gates. Silently, I veered off to the left and counted to fifty like I had been instructed. I stopped near a circular metal grate in the wall. Carefully, I pushed on it and it swiveled half way up, purposefully left unlocked by whoever our ally was. Quickly, I climbed through it and eased it back into position, making sure it did not lock behind me. I stood for a moment, now officially inside the village. How I wished for more moonlight. The death-like silence here started to freak me out. I spotted a fountain, the landmark I had been told to look for and walked towards it and saw the path to the castle gates off in the distance.
I walked slowly and purposefully, having been coached not to run in case the noise would somehow wake the inhabitants here. I began singing my song of directions to the beat of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance in my head to keep myself occupied trying to keep it together. From what I could see of the village glancing around in the dark, it actually seemed pretty nice. I didn’t notice the stench of garbage or animal waste wafting around. Instead of dirt roads, my feet walked upon smooth dark cobblestones. I guess someone as nasty as this witch queen was had to be good to her villagers in order to have any. Why else would anyone want to live near her? I wondered what the inside of the castle would be like. It wouldn’t be long now.
I neared the massive elaborate stone and iron gates to the castle entrance. Raising my gaze, I checked out the two stone gargoyles on either side just to make sure they weren’t enchanted or moving or anything. Instead of trying to go through the gate, I veered off to the right for about twenty yards. Princess Emeley’s informant had told her that a service door would be conveniently left unlocked for me. I sure hoped we could trust this person; otherwise I would be walking straight into a trap, if I hadn’t already done so. I located the door without difficulty and gave it a gentle pull. It swung open silently and I quickly entered and pulled it shut behind me. I immediately looked around for the servant’s door nearby that also was never locked according to the ally. The first one I came to didn’t budge and I started to panic a little bit before I decided to go further down to the next one.
Success! This one was heavy, but moved easily for me. I eased it back into position behind me. My adrenaline kicked in, making me more alert as I was now officially in Hadreah’s castle. I started to sing my directional song mentally, telling me which way to go to find her chambers. I had spent time practicing it until I knew it by heart. Memorization was the only way. I could not be caught holding a map or a list of directions to possibly alert attackers as to where I had come from to protect our ally, nor could I even read such documents in a dimly lit castle. A few turns later I cautiously entered a great hall. Dark banners hung from the ceiling, however I could not see what was on them. Only a few large torches burned here and there, but not enough for me to see the colors very well. The torches did not emit sufficient light and I could not tell much about my surroundings. The place seemed empty and eerie in the dark. I heard nothing but the occasional pop from the fire in the great hearth nearby, which made me jump slightly whenever it happened. It sort of felt like I was in a creepy deserted museum. My shoes proved useful as they made not a sound as I continued on.
Reaching the entrance to the throne room, I hung a left and continued on slowly as it was darker here. Walking carefully like a blind person, I came to the next intersection of statues and a torch and turned right again. Winding around, I saw the grand entrance to the stairs. A single torch burned and flickered there. Gathering my courage I slowly descended the stone steps being careful to be silent, counting them as I went. There should be thirteen of them. Princess Emeley’s ally had not been wrong and I felt a little more at ease when there were the number of steps I had been told. Now at the bottom, the grimoire was supposedly kept in the cauldron room to the right of her chambers. Slowly, doing my best to see in the bleak darkness, I made my way to the door of the chamber Hadreah used to cast her spells. Gently I felt for the door frame and then the door and pushed. I freaked as the door groaned slightly before giving way. I flattened myself against the wall for a few moments before deciding it was safe to move and hopefully no one heard the noise.
I could barely see anything in the dark underground room. I put my hands out in front of me, moving at a snail’s pace as I moved towards what I could barely recognize as a pedestal at the far end of the room where I had been told the book would be. At last I felt a wooden structure and moved up to it. I put my hands on the platform expecting to feel the book, but it was not there. I felt around again. Nothing. I sensed fear creep up inside me. What do I do now? Slowly I looked around the dark space. I scarcely had any light but I did not think I saw anything that looked like a book anywhere. Then it dawned on me. She must have it in her bedchamber next door. I’ve come all this way, I can’t give up now.
Retracing my steps back to the entrance I eased the door shut and followed the stone wall, keeping my hands on it, towards Hadreah’s chamber. I paused, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the faint light and studied the door. It was ornately carved in some sort of dark wood, maybe mahogany. I looked at the frame, it appeared in good shape. Looking down, I saw a faint glow of light under the crack in the door. Perhaps she had left a candle burning. I listened carefully but my ears were met with silence. My mind was torn with ambivalence. Should I even try to go in there or should I leave while I still could? I thought of Prince Eythan. No matter what I had tried to do to help him with my herbal remedies, it hadn’t worked to qu
ell the poison. If I failed and did not get them the book, he would surely suffer and die or be sired into a full-blooded vampire by his father and this witch would continue to wreak havoc until no one was left to stand up to her.
Closing my eyes, I took a silent grounding breath to calm myself. I pressed carefully on the door. I almost fell over in relief when it gave easily. I could not believe my luck. I pushed it open just enough for me to peek through into the large chamber. I saw a large grotesquely ornate four post bed on the left side of the room. Then I saw her through the draped voile. I looked at the sleeping form of Hadreah. She lay on her side facing away from me half uncovered, baring her naked back, clutching the covers in the front. Her unbound raven hair trailed behind her. I shifted my gaze to the right and saw a smoldering fire in the hearth, nearly burnt out. Then . . . jackpot! At the far end of the room lay a huge bound book upon a table. That has to be it, I thought to myself. I can do this.
I had never stolen anything before in my life. It felt wrong, but after seeing how evil she was and what she had done to my prince, I began to feel no remorse as I gingerly inched open the door little by little until I felt sure I could walk through without waking her. I methodically placed one step after another silently making my way to the table at the far end of the room. Turning my head I monitored her during my trek as she continued to breathe deeply and slowly. I noticed another door in the wall on the side of the room next to her bed that was cracked open. I wondered where it led to but returned my focus back to reaching my target. At last I approached the table and looked upon the book. It seemed fairly normal to me. Bound in black leather, it lay open two thirds of the way. Dark letters were scrawled neatly for whatever spell it was, written in a language I never wanted to understand. The book could be someone’s diary for all I knew but my gut instinct told me this was it.
Back at Silverstone, Princess Emeley made me practice closing and lifting large books of various sizes and weights until I mastered doing it silently. At this moment, I felt very grateful for that training. The royals and others from Eteryn said that the book murmured all of the time in a creepy whispery voice as if it were alive. I heard nothing. Slowly I reached up and placed my hands on the book, wondering if I truly was immune to her magic. If not, surely she would wake up and probably kill me. The book felt surprisingly ordinary as I slowly grasped the pages and closed it without making a sound. I glanced back at Hadreah, who was still sleeping, before I lifted the book. Turning quickly I took baby steps, clutching the grimoire to me. I could not risk fumbling to put it in my messenger bag at the moment. Moving slowly but surely, I crossed the room. Something in the corner of my vision made me freeze as I realized Hadreah had moved. I stopped and turned my head, ready to bolt. Panic swept over me for a split second as she shifted slightly in the bed without opening her eyes and settled again. I continued to wait without moving for a few moments before I heard her breathe deeply again.
Relief washed over me when I reached the threshold of the door and slipped out of her chamber, turning to slowly inch the door back into its closed position. I forced myself to be calm and walk despite my brain screaming at me to run. Calmly, I counted the steps as I ascended them. Eleven, twelve, thirteen! I wanted to jump for joy when I reached the top, but I couldn’t. With a death grip on the large book, I eased it into my messenger bag and mentally started singing my return song to help me find my way back. Navigating a dark unknown castle was wearing on my nerves, even if everyone was supposed to be asleep. I saw nor heard no one as I walked, but I could not shake the feeling that I was being watched. I seriously wanted a whole lot of wine punch to calm myself down once I got back to Silverstone.
Fear swept over me again as I paused at one intersection of a hallway. It looked different. Had I missed my turn? I repeated my song. No . . . I don’t think that I did. I made a right and kept walking slowly. My mind raced. What if I got lost? How much longer until sunrise? I tried not to panic but my nerves were shot. I kept moving forward. The great hall should be next. After several tense seconds I nearly collapsed in relief as I recognized the statues I had seen on the way in.
I could feel the sweat drip down my back as I made myself walk calmly and steadily back the way I had come, mentally coaching myself to breathe slowly and steadily without hitching from the stress. Turning down another hallway I felt elated as I spied the servant’s entry. Quickly I eased open the door and shut it behind me. Spying my way out into the courtyard I hurried to the exit door. Relief washed over me as I took my first breath of cool night air. It was still pitch black out. My mood soared as I realized that I did it! I accomplished something even King Edreyan could not do! I stole the grimoire and now I needed to get it back to heal Prince Eythan.
I turned to follow the path back towards the fountain and found myself face to face with the harsh glare of a scary, withered old man with rotten teeth. I stifled a scream and instinctively tried to run but he grabbed me with strength that seemed unnatural given his appearance. I started to panic. I had no weapons on me and if he woke the neighborhood, I would surely be dead.
I struggled trying to free myself from his grasp as he spoke, “how did a simple human cross the barrier?” he hissed.
I realized I had seen him before, on the night we ambushed Hadreah in the meadow. He whirled me around and grasped me by the throat with extended arms.
“Queen Hadreah will be . . .” was all he got out before my senses alerted me to someone else’s presence behind my captor. He watched as my gaze shifted to a man behind him. Swifter than a bolt of lightning, the new man silently unsheathed his sword and harshly swung it at my captor, slicing his head off as easy as could be. I dropped my grip on the corpse’s arms and stumbled and fell backwards, instinctively using my sleeves to wipe away the spray of blood that had splattered on my face, willing myself not to vomit at what I had just witnessed. The brutality dealt out without a care in this world is something that I would never get used to. If this new man was capable of that, I was surely going to die.
The stranger sheathed his sword and stepped around the corpse, extending a hand to me. I reluctantly took it and I rose to my feet. We stood staring at each other for a long moment. He appeared young, somewhere in his twenties and was tall and powerful with dark brown hair and the coldest blue eyes I had ever seen. He raised a hand and pointed towards the grate. “The sun will rise soon. Go now, Wayfarer, and save us all,” he said in a low voice.
That was all I needed to hear to turn and run like hell, grasping my messenger bag like my life depended on it. It dawned on me as I eased myself through the metal grate and back out into the exterior of the castle wall that I had just met Princess Emeley’s ally; the king consort that I had shot.
My chest heaved and my sides ached as I ran as fast as I could carrying the one thing that I hoped would save Eythan’s life. Following the landmarks I noted on the way in I rushed past the so-called magical barrier and collapsed at Princess Emeley’s feet. Everyone in our party came rushing at me.
“Are you all right? Did you retrieve the book?” she asked eagerly.
I sat up and nodded, dragging the bag into my lap. With shaking hands I lifted the flap and pulled out the hideous grimoire. Gasps erupted from a few of the soldiers. Some even stepped back.
“That cannot be it . . . why it is not even making a sound,” declared one guard after a few moments.
I’ve been told that the grimoire whispers and chants endlessly in a vicious cycle, driving some people mad, but I heard nothing. It just felt like an ordinary, heavy old book to me. I was too out of breath to say anything.
“It is not speaking because Evelyn is in possession of it. She is immune to Hadreah’s magic,” the princess explained. “Well done, Evie!” Princess Emeley exclaimed, throwing her arms around me in a hug, lifting me up onto my feet.
“Were you seen by anyone?” Sir Leonard asked.
Suddenly, everyone’s eyes were on me.
“When I was leaving in the courtyard by
the fountain I was attacked by a scary old man, and then another man came and beheaded him . . . he helped me up and told me to go.” I rambled. Princess Emeley took my right hand in hers and lifted it up to her nose and inhaled deeply.
“Marstyn,” she whispered dreamily.
“Who?” I asked.
“I will tell you another time. He is on our side. Come, let us get back to Silverstone. Hadreah will wake soon and all hell will break loose when she realizes her grimoire is missing.”
We rode hard through the break of dawn and were quite a distance away when we witnessed a flash of lightning and claps of thunder looking back at Shadowlea. She knows, I thought. I wonder if she will guess who took the book. I wondered if I was at the top of that list. Perhaps it is a good thing that she has so many enemies. By some miracle all of us made it back through the gates of Silverstone without any signs of Hadreah.
Princess Emeley and I marched up to the royal apartments to present the book to King Edreyan. My heart ached to see Prince Eythan. We had only been gone a little over a day but no one knew when his strength would give out.
“I have the book, Your Majesty,” I said with a low curtsy, extending it to him. To my surprise he did not seem to want to touch it.
“Marstyn’s prophecy was true, . . . you have silenced Hadreah’s grimoire,” he remarked.
“Yes, Father, it must never be removed from her presence, or Hadreah will be here as soon as it calls out to her,” Princess Emeley explained.
The thought of a book being a living thing that could influence others seemed absurd to me, but I went along with it.
“Send for Rosalind,” the king ordered. “She may be able to help us decipher a spell to save my son.”
The Twilight Star Page 33
