“Zoey,” Pam whispered. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin. “You scared me! What’re doing here? What time is it?” I squinted up at her silhouette, outlined by the silvery moonlight peeking in the window.
“There’s something you’ve just gotta see!”
I couldn’t deny the excitement in her voice. “Now? What time is it anyway?” I rubbed my eyes and shook my head to clear the grogginess.
“It’s three a.m. I’ve been texting you like crazy, but you wouldn’t answer.”
“Hmm. Maybe that’s because I was sleeping—you know, what normal people do at three in the morning.” I let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled over. “Please let me get back to my dream.”
She let out a tiny huff. “Fine. I’ll just tell Hunter you didn’t want to come.”
My heart skipped a beat at the sound of his name, and I bolted upright. “Hunter’s joining us?” I said, suddenly wide awake.
“Yeah, and Eric too. C’mon and get dressed. We’ll be waiting for you in Eric’s room.” She flicked her long, blonde hair and bolted out, slamming the door behind her.
Not even waiting for me, huh? Typical. Yawning, I wriggled into my favorite blue jeans and pulled on a sweatshirt. I couldn’t do much with my hair, so gathered it up into a ponytail. There was no time for a shower, but I did manage to brush my teeth. After dabbing concealer under my eyes to hide the dark circles, I headed out to the designated meeting spot. I lightly knocked on Eric’s door, hoping I wouldn’t be caught in the boys’ area of the castle. When the door swung wide open, I peeked inside.
Eric smiled widely. “Glad you could join us,” he said.
“Thanks for inviting me for…uh, whatever this is.”
“Call it a double-date,” Pam joked, gripping my arm. “The greatest castle adventure ever!” she squealed in utter delight, with more energy than I could fathom anyone having at that hour.
I looked up at Hunter. “What’s going on?”
He kissed me on the cheek, then handed me a flashlight. “Eric found something really cool.”
Eric cut in, his voice excited. “A secret passageway. The panel was jammed shut, so we pried it open with a crowbar I found in the maintenance closet.”
I smiled. “And you want to explore it…now?”
His eyes widened. “You know what they say. No time like the present.”
I yawned. “I’m sure it’d be just as exciting tomorrow, in the daylight,” I half-joked.
“But your ghost might be gone by then.”
I cocked a brow.
He continued, “I saw your little phantom girl float through this wall in this exact spot. Maybe we can catch up to her.”
I was excited at the prospect of another adventure with Hunter. I wasn’t sure my heart could take another scare, but my curiosity was piqued. I was dying to know where the passage led, and I desperately wanted to see Elizabeth again. I had a slew of questions to ask her.
Pam pulled me off to the side while the guys talked. “Isn’t this cool? The four of us sneaking off into secret passages that people used hundreds of years ago?”
“I thought you said spooky dates weren’t the way to go,” I whispered.
“Well, with these two, it’s about as romantic of a double-date as we’re gonna get,” she whispered back and nudged me playfully.
I playfully rolled my eyes.
“Are you girls in or not?” Eric said.
Pam rushed over and reached for his hand. “Count me in, babe.”
“Zoey?” he asked.
I shot him a daring look. “Of course I’m in.”
“Whatever we do, we can’t get lost,” Pam said.
“Tell me about it,” Eric said. “They won’t find us for days if we get lost in the catacombs.”
“If they ever find us at all,” Pam said, then gulped. “We might end up as mummies or something.”
Eric and Pam pushed a wooden panel in the wall and squeezed through it, stepping into the darkness. I was totally mesmerized and shot Hunter an amused look.
He smiled and wrapped an arm around me. “As much as I love exploring the unknown, if you want me to stay up here, I will.”
“And let Pam outdo me. I think not! She’s usually the scared one. Remember how she acted when she saw those orbs?”
“I can’t believe she’s actually going down there,” he said.
“A girl will do anything for love.”
He laughed.
I gingerly stepped through the opening. Glancing up, I saw a carved stone arch with odd symbols deeply etched in it, though I couldn’t decipher any of them. For all I knew, it was an ancient “No Trespassing” sign that we were effectively ignoring. My heart fluttered as my gaze drifted down to the narrow stone staircase. “Guys,” I called, “aren’t you the least bit curious what those symbols mean? Maybe they’re some kind of warning.”
“Just hurry,” Pam said.
My heart started to beat faster. I needed to see that little girl again, and I needed a chance to make good on my promise to help her. Part of me wanted to run straight back to my room, but the curious part demanded that I keep descending into that darkness.
Holding on to the wall, I climbed slowly down the five-foot wide, rickety stairs. They creaked and groaned with every step I took. About twenty feet down, I noticed a narrow archway off to the left, which I assumed to be a tunnel or tight corridor. A foul stench lingered in the air, and I had the odd feeling we were being watched. Since it didn’t exactly feel welcoming, I was sure it wasn’t the little ghost girl. I let out a long breath and dismissed it as my imagination.
There was a maze of corridors, and I had no idea which one to choose.
Eric pointed to the left. “Let’s try this one.”
We followed the corridor, and I could see light flickering at the very end. We made our way to a metal grate, and I peeked through and glanced down at the giant room below us. “Oh my gosh!”
“We’re behind the upper walls of the living room,” Hunter said. “I don’t believe it.”
“It’s amazing,” Pam said. “We could spy on anybody from here.” She let out a small laugh. “Okay…just kidding.”
“Let’s go back,” Hunter said, “and try another one.”
I swung my flashlight beam in front of me as I walked through the musty dimness. I swiped at the dangling cobwebs and wiped my hand on my pants.
“We’re back where we started,” Pam said. “Now what?”
I pointed ahead of me to the corridor that twisted to the right.
“You first,” she said. “I’m starting to get the creeps.”
“What happened to all of your newfound bravery?” I asked.
She laughed. “I can only put on an act for so long. It’s just that…well, if Princess Isabella’s down there, she won’t hurt you.”
“Why? You think we’re BFFs now or something, just because we look alike and have the same necklace?”
“No, but she’s obviously trying to communicate with you, so she’ll protect us from all the other spirits in this castle.”
“Who says they’re all bad?” Eric said. “They were just ordinary people living their lives until the attack happened and they were all murdered.”
Pam shook. “Ew! This is giving me goosebumps.”
Hunter chimed in, touching her shoulder. “There’s no proof they’re here to hurt us. They’re just lost souls, stuck in this plane.”
“You know what, guys?” Pam said. “Talking about how haunted this place is isn’t really helping. I’m not sure I wanna go trudging into the unknown. I was never cut out for this stuff.”
Eric gripped her hand. “We never actually saw a spirit—just orbs.”
“Zoey and I saw the little girl outside,” Hunter said.
“Well, I’ve only seen the orbs,” Pam said, “and I have to go by what my eyes have seen and witnessed. An orb can just be some kind of paranormal energy, right?”
“According to my mom,” I said, “ghosts are very real and share the same space with us in this life, though they’re in a different form of existence.” The others lingered on my every word as I continued, “My mom says orbs are believed to be ghosts in the form of balls of light—human souls or life forces of those who used to inhabit a human body on Earth. They’re stuck here for whatever reason.”
“Maybe they need our help,” Eric said. “That is, if they’re even real.”
“Wanna find out?” Hunter asked, his eyes wide.
“What are you saying?” Pam whispered in a terrified voice. “You wanna go grab a Ouija board and some candles so we can have a good, old-fashioned séance right down here in the basement?”
Eric’s gaze narrowed. “Why not?”
“Why not!? For one thing, you don’t know what kind of doors you’d be opening into the spirit world,” she spat back.
“I’m ready to meet these orb spirits,” Hunter said.
“You don’t seriously think those orbs are people, do you?” Eric said.
“I can’t believe I’m gonna say this,” I said, “but I am. My mother claims to talk to them on a regular basis. They’re people who used to live here.”
“Ghost hunters see them all the time,” Hunter said.
“Yeah, and they always show up in those videos and pictures,” Eric said, “but what if it’s just paranormal energy?”
“I’m leaving,” Pam said, her voice wavering. “You’re freaking me out.”
She turned to leave, but Eric gently grabbed her arm. “No more talk about ghosts. I promise. Just come on, and let’s explore a few of these passages and see where they lead. You can’t tell me you’re not dying to know what’s down there.”
“Well…a little.” She smiled.
I didn’t want Pam to feel uneasy, as it was supposed to be a fun adventure. No matter how much I wanted to be with Hunter, I had to look out for my friend. “If you really want to go back, I’ll go.”
“Nope, I’m good. Let’s keep going.”
We walked softy, and I swung my flashlight beam back and forth around the curvy, twisting, turning corridor. The passageway started to narrow, and I began to get claustrophobic.
“Stop!” Hunter said. “See that?”
“Yeah.” Light shimmered through a metal grated vent. I peeked through the tiny holes and saw couches and chairs, and I wondered if we could bust out the vent and crawl through. Those dreams were dashed when I saw Mr. Geo talking on the phone.
“We’re by the teacher’s lounge,” Eric said.
“Guys,” I whispered, “shut off your flashlights.”
The teacher paced the floor. “Good news. Everything is going according to plan. The spirits are definitely riled up by our presence here in the castle.”
I looked at Hunter and silently mouthed, “What?”
He just shrugged at me, obviously as clueless as I was.
“No,” Mr. Geo continued, waving his arm about. “I don’t know who it is, but I’m doing all I can. While your research has been helpful, it’s not conclusive enough.” He paused, then carried on. “It won’t get out of control. The spirits will reach out to the chosen ones soon. According to our psychic, I know The Lady of the Lake is located by a waterfall.”
“Lady of the Lake?” Pam whispered.
“I know there’s not a literal waterfall on the property. It’s got to be some kind of metaphor, symbolism. According to the Fonera Tablets, they’re…Listen, I’m positive it’s on the property.” There was a pause, as if he was listening. “They can’t be freed from the castle without it, and I know they want nothing more than to be free from this eternal prison.”
Pam shook my shoulder. “This is crazy!” she whispered in my ear.
“Shh!” I responded.
“Do you have the medallion yet? None of this will work without it.” A pause, and then he continued, “Once I examine the medallion, it’ll help me to understand what The Lady of the Lake is. There’s a fundraiser dance here at the castle in a few weeks. If you find it by then, bring it.” Another pause, then he spoke again. “Because I need to show you where the medallion is supposed to be placed, according to the myth.”
My curiosity spiked. Medallion? Lady of the Lake? What were these guys up to?
“I’d love to meet in person,” Mr. Geo said. “I’ve got some more info. All right. I’ll talk to you then.” Mr. Geo shut his briefcase and rushed out the door.
I looked at Pam. “Why would a history teacher want to rile up spirits?”
“He thinks they’ll tell him where this Lady of the Lake is,” she said, her voice echoing in the small, confined space.
“Why would they?” Hunter asked.
“Because they can’t be freed without it,” I said.
Hunter peered at me. “What do you think it is? An artifact? Treasure? A painting?”
“I didn’t read anything like that in those history books about the castle,” I said. “Do you really think there’s hidden treasure somewhere in this castle?”
“I think our history teacher is a whacko if he’s trying to communicate with spirits,” Pam said.
Eric wrapped his arm around her. “We should watch him closely and see what he’s up to.”
Pam glanced up, smiling. “Reporting him isn’t going to help us one tiny bit, so stalking it is.”
I started down the passageway. “Guys, we’ve gotta keep this quiet for now, even though my curiosity is killing me. What is The Lady of the Lake?”
“I think it’s a portrait,” Eric said.
“But the psychic said it was by a waterfall,” I said.
“Let’s check out all the paintings inside the house with a waterfall,” Pam chimed.
“Brilliant,” I said.
“Then what’re we waiting for?” Hunter asked. “Let’s go.”
We took a left when I was sure we should’ve taken a right. “Um, guys, I think we went the wrong way.”
“Are you sure?” Pam asked. “I’m sure we don’t take a right until we pass the bend.”
We followed the twisting passages, and I wondered where we were headed. I suddenly stopped at another set of stairs. “I don’t remember this,” I said. “Do we go down, or should we turn around and try a different way?”
“Let’s go down the steps,” Eric said.
“Seriously?” Pam said, her voice wavering.
“Yeah,” he said. “Just watch your step and don’t fall.”
Letting out a long breath, I descended, wondering what I might find beneath me.
Chapter 14
Hunter shined his light around as he climbed down the stairs. “Looks like we’re heading into the basement.”
I bit my lip. “Sure does,” I said, putting on my brave face. At the bottom, I estimated we were about 200 feet underground. I shined my flashlight on the stone archway. “There are those weird symbols again. See them?” There were triangles, squares, octagons, squiggly lines, and combinations of triangles and circles.
“Hieroglyphics?” Pam’s voice echoed. “That’s weird. I thought we were in a castle, not some Egyptian pyramid.”
Hunter inched closer, his flashlight waving over the strange inscription. “I wonder what they mean.”
“There’s Latin too,” Eric said.
I stared up at the dark, ominous tunnel. “Shine more light,” I said. “I’m gonna take a pic. We can go to the library and look it up or research it online.” I took out my cell phone and snapped the best photo I could.
“Do you think we should go in there?” Pam said, taking a step back. “What if some crazy kind of curse is unleashed on us?”
“You watch too many movies,” Eric said, pulling her close. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
“Wow. Now I feel completely safe,” she said sarcastically.
Ducking his head, Hunter eased through the narrow, granite entrance. I ran my hand across the wall, feeling the jagged stone beneath my fingers. Shaking a little,
I followed him into a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels. I broke through more spider webs and flicked them off my hands. Narrow beams of light roamed over the path ahead of us. “If we get lost, we could be wandering down here forever,” I said.
Hunter turned to face me, and a confident smile spread over his face. Our eyes locked, and I loved the way he looked at me. “Don’t worry,” he said in the most calm, reassuring voice. “We’ll just go a little ways.”
I nodded, holding his gaze. I couldn’t stop looking at him, at his bright smile, at his eyes, at his messy hair. He was simply gorgeous, even in the dark.
He reached for my hand and pulled me forward. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out in a futile attempt to calm my nerves. The attraction between us was undeniable.
Suddenly, a soft rattling sound echoed in the air and jolted me out of my fantasies. It sounded like the rattling of chains, the perfect sound effect for the ghost story we were living.
“Do you hear that?” I said, clutching my heart.
Hunter squeezed my hand as he glanced around, flashing the light beam along the stone walls. My heart began to race, and I didn’t want to take another step, not even an inch. In that instant, I decided we should have left the paranormal alone. I’d been through enough odd experiences to know I shouldn’t be down there.
Hunter blinked, glancing down at me. “I don’t see anything.”
“It’s probably just the furnace,” Eric said. “They’re big and loud in these old buildings.”
I let out a breath and kept walking. “Yeah, that’s probably it.” It felt like I was walking through a dark cave. My flashlight beam swung on the cold, dark stone, and I saw more weird symbols etched into the rock. What do they mean? Who wrote them? As these kinds of questions raced through my mind, I began to hear the distinct notes of music. I listened closer and realized it was some kind of classical music.
“What the heck is that?” Pam asked.
My Haunted Fairytale - Book 2 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 12
