Deviant Descendants (Descendants Academy Book 2)
Page 17
I nodded. “Good to know.”
I would have to be extremely careful. If I was going to pull this off, I couldn’t take any chances.
34
The hard part was over. I had a way inside. Now, I just needed to execute my plan. I gave myself the night to rest; but I didn’t waste time, readying myself the very next morning.
“Hitch a ride with the fruit carts,” Riley suggested before I left. “I see them travel to the castle every day.”
“Good idea.”
She gave me a once over. I was dressed all in black, and in matching boots that didn’t make any noise when I walked. My hair was pulled back into a tight bun, my roots freshly died too. Not that anyone aside from Xander would know my hair or face. But if I needed to remove the invisibility robe, I would appear less conspicuous. The only noteworthy thing I wore was Xander’s charm bracelet. I was as ready as I could be.
I slid Jonah’s robe over my body, placing the hood well over my head.
Riley sucked in a breath. “Incredible,” she breathed, reaching out to touch me. “I see right through you, Sheridan.”
Her hand found my shoulder, patting it.
“Good,” I said, relieved. That meant Grey and Toad wouldn’t see me leave, and Petra would never find out.
Now that it was time for me to go, her brow knotted in worry. “Take care of yourself, sister.”
I swallowed. “I will.”
Grey was leaning against the side of our building, reading a newspaper. Toad was at his usual corner, eating a sandwich. I snuck past them both with ease.
Taking Riley’s advice, I hitched a ride on a fruit cart, making myself comfortable atop a mound of oranges. It was a long ride to the castle, and I had been so anxious that I didn’t get any sleep the night before. So, I closed my eyes and drifted off, letting myself take a nap. Two hours later, I awoke to hollowed guards directing our cart through the castle gate.
I sat up and took in my surroundings. From this vantage point, the Hollowed Castle looked like something out of a nightmare. Built of black stone, its twisty turrets and towers stretched high into the clouded sky, a fortress built on intimidation, fear, and reckoning. Somewhere inside were the doors to the seven hells, places where they sent prisoners as punishment. Just looking at it made me shiver; I didn’t want to go in there, but I had to—for Xander.
I hopped off the cart as people mulled about, exchanging wares and discussing mundane things. No one noticed me; my invisibility was holding strong beneath the trusty robe. From there, it was easy to get inside. I made my way through the servants’ entrance, following a group of delivery men. The next room was some type of storage area. Beyond that was a busy kitchen, where several cooks prepared meals. I kept following the hall, which led me to another supply room, and then a staircase where a maid was getting scolded. “Everything must be spotless for the ceremony,” said a plump woman with graying hair. “Smudges and footprints are all over these stairs. It is unacceptable.”
I rounded the corner, staying close to the wall to give myself a wide birth. My biggest worry was of someone discovering my presence by knocking into me.
Upstairs, the rooms looked more formal, making me think I’d found my way out of the servants’ quarters. A mural of a black lion with a serpent twisted in its mane decorated the wall in the next room—symbols of the union between the hollows and Leo family. I stopped to stare at it for several seconds, then shook myself. My goal was to find Xander.
Voices traveled from up ahead, and I followed them. Two mages dressed in fancy clothes discussed politics and smoked on magic cigars that created pictures in the smoke as they exhaled.
In another room, several ladies in gowns at their breakfast, gossiping over ongoings in the Underworld.
For a long time, I continued on like this going from room to room, in awe of how expansive the castle was. Eventually, I found myself in what I believed was the main hall, where servants were busy decorating in preparation for whatever celebration everyone was talking about.
A mage who was spelling the ceiling said, “Seems like this ceremony is the biggest event in the Underworld’s history.”
“Everyone is talking about it,” agreed a maid who was busy dusting.
I turned to leave the hall, nearly colliding with a girl who was on her way inside. I blinked, in shock. It was Jett. She wore a long black gown with the hollowed emblem.
Unable to recover, I stood there and stared for several long seconds as Jett continued on her way, none the wiser. I wanted to follow her, find out what she was doing in the Hollowed Castle, but I stopped myself. I would figure out what she was scheming later, but for now—I needed to find Xander.
So, I carried on with my search, going through each room, hoping to find some sign of him. When I came upon shut doors, I made sure no one was around before carefully opening them.
The longer I searched, the more frustrated I’d get. Before long, I was lost, with no idea which way was which. The castle was too big, and I was beginning to think I’d never find Xander.
“No, don’t go in there,” a servant said to a maid. “The king is dining with his son. They’re almost done with their breakfast. You can clean it after.”
At hearing that, I perked up and headed toward the room they were talking about. Two seconds later, Xander emerged, slamming the door behind him. He stormed past me, his face a mask of fury.
My heart pounded furiously as I hurried to keep up with his quick, determined strides. He marched up a set of stairs, and I followed along, trying to keep my feet light on the steps. At the top, we entered a private chamber. I slipped through the door just as it was closing.
Xander kicked and cursed, and I raised my brows—I’d never seen him so upset. He leaned over the dresser, pressing his palms flat against the surface. “Damn him to hell,” he muttered, shaking his head.
He straightened suddenly, peering over his shoulder, almost as if he suspected someone was in the room with him. “Dragontooth,” he whispered. The blue sword appeared, and he came after me so quickly, I barely had time to react. I stepped back, until I was up against the wall.
His blade, glowing a bright blue, was mere centimeters away from my throat. If he took even one step forward, I was dead. “Show yourself,” he demanded.
Slowly, I reached for my hood, sliding the fabric away from my face and off of my head.
Xander’s sword fell, clanking loudly against the stone floor. His face drained of all color, as if he were struck by the sight of me.
“Sheridan?”
I swallowed. “Hello, gladiator.”
He dropped to his knees, shaking his head. “No, no, no. You can’t be here.”
“Why not?” I’d gone through a lot of trouble just to see him. He better not dare try to make me leave now.
He gazed up at me, terror in his deep blue eyes. “Because if they find you here, they’ll kill you.”
I kneeled down beside him, reaching for his face. “Who’s they, Xander? And why the hell didn’t you tell me you’re the Hollowed Prince?”
But he didn’t get a chance to answer.
Hollowed Guards began entering the room one by one, swords drawn. At their center, was an older man wearing a ruthless expression. Hate-filled, powerful magic radiated from him, smelling like metal and blood. “Seize the girl,” he said, glaring at me like I was a bug he wanted to squash under his boot.
Small hiccup, I thought, inwardly groaning. Everything would be fine. This was just another hiccup.
Okay, maybe not so small.
Giant hiccup was more like it.
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