“How did you get the stone out?”
“Very carefully. I had the sapphire smuggled out in a special box just in the nick of time. With all the chaos around us, a servant had the perfect opportunity to escape on horseback.”
“Why didn’t you go too?”
“Because I couldn’t. They were all focused on me, the royal subjects, and my soldiers. We hadn’t a chance. But nobody paid attention to a young servant who escaped in the shadows.” She looked away. “We had no idea they’d kill everyone in the castle over the matter.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“This is why you mustn’t tell anyone about this in your normal realm of reality.”
“You mean when I get back home?”
“Yes. If it is discovered that you own it, many vile, greedy beings will hunt you down for the power it possesses.”
“This is all so much to handle,” I said. “I feel so lost and confused.”
“I know, Zoey, and I’m sorry. It is a great burden to bear, but you are my descendent, my kin, and I am here for you.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled. “Just know I love you.”
I smiled back.
“You look puzzled,” she said.
“Well, I still have many questions.”
“Of course you do. Perhaps I can answer some of them.”
“For starters, am I princess too?”
“You have royal blood running through your veins, and this castle belongs to you, even if the authorities have not acknowledged that.”
“Wow,” I said, looking around the attic. “It’s inconceivable.”
“You are a royal princess, my dear.”
“How did your bloodline survive?” I asked.
“My stepmother forbade me from marrying Alexander, so we took matters into our own hands. We were going to run away together, but my father found out about the marriage and my pregnancy. I was sent away to have the baby, and my darling daughter was given up for adoption. Alexander and I swore we’d find our child and raise her together, so we again made plans to leave. I hated my stepmother and stepsisters, and in my beloved Alexander, I saw a chance for a fresh start, a new beginning. A day before he was supposed to come for me, the castle was attacked, fast and hard, and there was nothing we could do to stop it. I was shot in the heart by an arrow that horrible day, but my daughter lived on.”
“Alexander was devastated. I watched him bury me in the cemetery. He vowed to find our daughter and raise her, because he loved me more than anything, and she was a piece of me.”
A tear slipped down my cheek. “I’m so sorry you didn’t get away.”
“I know, dear. It is a horrible tale, but I am grateful that my daughter lived on. If she had not, you wouldn’t be here today.”
I thought about her statement long and hard.
“Thank you,” I said.
She smiled.
“What happened to Alexander?”
“I haven’t seen him since. He left and never came back, and I was trapped here, in this spirit realm, held in limbo. The only memory I have of my daughter is the day she was born. But I know she lived on, because you are here.”
“I’m so sorry you were taken from her,” I said. Instinctively, I hugged her, still surprised that I could feel her solid form in my arms. “I can’t believe I can actually feel you,” I said.
“Your gift is very powerful,” she said. “Once you tap into it deeper, you’ll be able to do even more.”
“I only want to use it for good, and that starts with freeing you from this cursed place.”
“I appreciate you trying, Zoey.”
“I can only imagine how much you long to see your daughter and husband.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I very much want to be with them.”
“I know, and I’m going to help.”
“You must recite the inscriptions embedded in the wood in my room, as William told you.”
“Will it help?”
“Yes. The sooner, the better, as we are all living in such torment.” She walked toward the trapdoor and yelled down, “William, I’m going to take Zoey to the other side.”
“You most certainly will not!” he shouted back angrily.
“No worries. I’ll keep her safe.”
“No, Isabella! That is a very bad idea,” he called up.
“She must see what we are up against.”
Sighing in defeat, William yelled back up, “Do not keep her long. You know how dangerous it is over there.”
“Yes, I know. Do not worry, brother,” Isabella said, grinning at me. She then pointed around. “There are different portals in this castle to get from your world to mine.”
“Portals? Did the orbs I saw up here last time have anything to do with that?”
“Those were my stepsisters. They hate intruders of any kind. You are fortunate they were not more aggressive with you. They are not friendly, but when you put the items back in place, my oldest sister released the trapdoor and let you all go.”
“Well, at least she was nice about it.”
“Only because she didn’t want the undue attention if three youths were harmed here.” She motioned me to a closet. “This small portal leads to my world.”
“But how can I cross? I’m only human, after all,” I said with a wink.
“Remember, dear, that your necklace holds great, unspeakable power…and you will not need your torch,” she said.
“My torch?” I said, confused. “Oh, this!” I said, holding up the flashlight. I set it down on the ground and left it on so it would be ready for me when I got back. Then, I bravely opened the closet door, took a deep breath, and walked inside.
A huge wave of electricity washed over me, and the burst of light was blinding. I glanced around, squinting and trying to focus on my surroundings. Everything was bathed in a colorful glow I couldn’t explain. “Why does everything look like that?”
“The aura is an energy field created by vibrating atoms and molecules, such as plants, buildings, rocks, people, and animals—anything comprised of matter.”
“So I’m in the same room, just another dimension…the spirit world?”
She smiled and nodded. “We are trapped in the same place where you live and reside. We’re forbidden from crossing the property lines, but you can break that curse, Zoey. You’re the only one who can free us. You are the chosen descendant to free us.” She hurried over to a long spear leaning against the wall. “Time is of the essence,” she said.
I couldn’t help giggling.
“What is it?”
“Your brother always says that,” I said.
“Well, in that, he is quite correct. We haven’t much time, so let’s make good use of it.”
“Where are you taking me?” I asked.
“We must find an open window. Come.” We walked down a corridor, and she led me into one of the huge rooms. She pushed the drapes aside, and light flooded in.
I peered between my fingers. “You have daylight too.”
“Our world mimics yours. Please have a look.”
I walked to the window and peered out. I jumped back when a black creature with huge, feathered wings flapped past. “Was that a dragon?” I asked, swallowing hard.
Her eyes widened. “Far worse, luv. That is a demon, and there are dozens of them.”
CRASH!
I jumped again when another creature with red eyes and two huge horns pounded its clawed hands against the glass like some crazed beast in a zoo exhibit.
“Does it want in?” I asked.
“It wants to torment us, day and night. Only you can stop it by reading the incantation in my room. You must light fifteen candles, release droplets of your blood, and read the inscription. That will keep these monsters out of our castle.”
“I’ll do it,” I said, staring out the window, wide-eyed.
Isabella gripped the spear tightly. “Good. Come now.” She then pulled me out of the room and led me down
another corridor.
“How long can you hold them of?” I asked.
“We cannot stave them much longer. If you perform the incantation, it will help, but it will only serve as temporary protection. Spirits are still coming through the gateway. We must close the portal.”
“And how do we do that?”
“The necklace can destroy the gateway, but there is a sizable problem.”
“What?”
“The energy required to shut down the gateway will kill you. Only the emerald ring of Rantia will keep you safe. I’m trying everything in my power to find it. Once we have it, you can close down the portal using the power from the necklace.”
“Why was it opened in the first place?”
“The fault lies with your teacher, Miss Shila.”
“What!? You’re kidding, right?”
“I do not kid.”
“Why did she open it?” I asked.
“That is one thing I do not know. She is summoning certain spirits here for some unknown purpose. She desires the portal to remain open, but we must take matters into our own hands.”
“I’ll look for the ring.”
“The horned monster pounding at the window is the bad man Elizabeth spoke of. He is King Geoffrey, and he has learned how to shift forms. He wants this castle for himself, and he wants you out of it.”
“Why? Is he just greedy or power-hungry?”
“That…and revenge. If you leave, you can’t help, and he will win. That is why they are tormenting you, to convince you to leave this place.”
“I won’t let him scare me off,” I said. “Just tell me what to do with Lady of the Lake.”
“As we have mentioned, we cannot tell you how to break the curse. If I do, I will be bound to this place for all eternity.” She gripped my hands. “This is something you must figure out on your own, Zoey.”
“Not even a little hint?” I begged.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot,” she said sternly, shaking her head.
Suddenly, the castle walls began to shake, as if something was pounding on them from the other side. The room filled with fog, like a creepy cemetery on an old horror film. A humanoid shape came into view, covered in black slime. The being was completely solid, but it hovered two feet off the ground. I was petrified and couldn’t breathe, but Isabella jumped right into action and stabbed the thing right in the heart. Instantly, it dissipated into a million droplets.
“Did you kill it?” I asked.
“They cannot be killed, per se, but we send them back to Hell, but some of them are quite strong and persistent and just come right back. Please, Zoey. You must help us initiate that barrier of protection.”
“There’s a full moon tonight,” I said. “I’ll do it then.”
“The blood must be your own, for it contains the purity of our ancestors.” She looked at me with a panicked expression on her face. “I know there will be pain and a bit of fear involved. Can you do this?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“You are strong and brave,” she said.
“Must run in the family,” I retorted, pointing at the spear in her hand, oozing with black tar.
Chapter 26
I softly knocked on Hunter’s door just before noon. He didn’t answer right away like he usually did, and his door was locked, which I found odd.
Shantal glanced around. “Did he fall asleep?” she asked. “He knew we were coming.”
“Keep trying,” Pam said. “I’ll go get Eric.”
After she tiptoed down the hall, I knocked a little bit harder. “Hunter!” I whispered.
Finally, he opened the door and stepped out.
“It’s about time,” Shantal said. “What’s the deal?”
“Sorry. Didn’t hear you.”
Eric and Pam came from behind, and we walked down through the dark castle. It was kind of spooky as we made our way to the stairs, and I wondered if that was how it felt for Isabella, before electricity was invented. Shadows moved in the dim light as we made our way down the twisting corridor.
“Here,” Eric said.
I opened the door, and we walked inside the huge bedroom. Pam and Eric started lighting candles around the room, just as Isabella had instructed. Hunter led me to the window and ran his fingers over the etchings in the wood, ancient symbols with words written all around them.
“Just read the words,” Shantal said.
“Yeah, I’ll bypass the symbols and pictures,” I said.
Hunter then handed me his hunting knife. The blade was sharp, and I knew it’d work quite efficiently. Taking a deep breath, I slit my hand and let my blood drip over the words.
For a short moment, I considered that I might have totally lost it, gone totally insane. There I was, standing in an allegedly haunted castle, cutting myself and reciting ancient words that made no sense. What kind of a moron am I anyway? I wondered. It was all so farfetched, like something out of a show on CW, but I continued nonetheless.
“Protege castrum omnino gratuita,” I said, pronouncing the words as carefully as I could, even though they made no sense whatsoever.
“Is that Latin or something?” Pam whispered.
“Shh!” Shantal scolded.
As I uttered the strange words, a huge clap of thunder rang out, followed by a flash of light.
“Da nobis auxilium de malo quaerit, torquere nos. Donec nunc protectorem claustrum. Aut malum non sit in patria castelli causa.”
I felt no wind, but the candles flickered, even though everything else was deathly still. Jagged bolts of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a loud, earth-shattering clap of thunder. The wind began to howl, as if screaming out in protest. The chandelier started to shake, mirroring my rattled nerves.
“What’s happening?” Pam asked.
“The barrier is being created,” Hunter said, darting his gaze around.
I smelled smoke, and in an instant, a crackling fire roared all around me. Great, I thought, but I knew if I was going to play with ancient fire, there was a chance I could get burned. I was nearly done reading and started to read the last few lines. “Ho—”
Before I could pronounce another nonsensical syllable, Eric pulled me aside. “We’ve gotta get outta here…now!”
“No! I have to finish.”
“You can do it, baby,” Hunter said. “Just read a little faster.”
“They’re trying to stop you, Zoey, to scare you out of it,” Shantal said. “We can’t let them win.”
Flames leapt hungrily across the room, and smoke swirled about in gray billows, causing us all to cough. It was hard to breathe as fire and smoke consumed the room.
“Hoc titulo, pro tutela Isabellae posteros. Ut agere de ea valde minutis agere verbis. Isabellae in sanguine potest aliquis operatur. Ego sum, ego sum ita et semen, quod Isabella movere itaque opposita uidebantur.”
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the fire disappeared, and not a splinter of wood was burnt or singed. It was as if the inferno had never happened in the first place. The windows burst open, and a huge gust of wind hit my face, reminding me of Katrina all over again. I swallowed hard as the electricity went out and rain began to pour down on us. Lightning flashed, and thunder tore through the sky. I wasn’t sure if I had done the incantation correctly, but something supernatural was definitely happening. The candles flickered violently, and I was shocked that they managed to stay lit.
The next noise I heard was a strange scratching sound, coming from within the walls. Lightning illuminated the room in blinding flashes, and wings flapped around me. I glanced up and saw dozens of ravens swarming above us, cawing. I covered my head and squinted against the wind. A chill shot down my spine as heavy breathing echoed in my ear, followed by an evil laugh.
“What’s happening?” Pam shouted. “It’s like something out of freaking Hitchcock!”
Shantal spun in a slow circle. “Hitchcock? It’s more like we unleashed Hell!”
Another crack of lightning rang thro
ugh the castle. My hair swirled all around my head as the wind grew even wilder, mercilessly rattling Isabella’s bedroom and causing the heavy velvet curtains to flap violently.
“Are you sure it was Isabella who told you to do this?” Pam asked. “Maybe it was just some demon pretending to take her form.”
“I thought it was her,” I said, ducking as a bird flew past my head.
Eric swatted at another feathered nightmare, then looked at me. “I think we’ve angered them or something.”
“Guys, I don’t think staying here is such a great idea,” Pam said. “Let’s go. We’ve read the words, like they told us. Now let’s scram!”
We ran out of the room like bats out of Hell, but when I tried to open the door for the stairwell, it wouldn’t budge. It was like an invisible force was preventing us from going any father, and that was terrifying.
Pam gripped my arm so tight that I feared she was going to cut off all my circulation. She was scared to death, just as we all were. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea,” she said. “Now we’re caught in Poe’s worst nightmare!” she said, swatting at another raven that had made its way out of the bedroom.
Hunter and Eric combined forces to try and get the door open. When I turned around to make sure nothing was coming, something caught my attention: One of the portraits seemed to illuminate like a backlight poster, and the skin of the young, handsome king started to decay. He turned into a rotting corpse right before my very eyes. I gasped, and Pam, who obviously saw it as well, screamed like a banshee.
With his eyes wide, Hunter glanced over his shoulder. “Oh my gosh!” he said. “What’s going on?”
“Keep trying that door!” I shouted.
Suddenly, an arm burst through the portrait, and the creature fought its way out of the painting with a growl straight from the pits of Hell. The corpse crashed onto the floor when it fell from the portrait.
“Run!” Hunter said.
“That’s the best advice I’ve heard all day, man!” Eric said, then took off.
We bolted down the dark corridor after him and took a few turns. I was pretty sure there was another entrance on the north side. As we ran for our lives, the ground grew sticky, as if we were running through melted marshmallows. I began to sink, and when I blinked, I realized we were all swimming in a lake of fire. Flames leapt up at me, but I didn’t feel their scorching burn.
Enchanted Dreams - Book 3 Page 16
