She grabbed my face between her hands, her nails cutting into my flesh. “Then you will suffer along with him. I will take your magic for my own, and there will be nothing left of you but an empty shell. Is that what you wish?”
Panic made my heart beat wildly, but as I stared into her cold eyes, I knew she was deceiving me. I’d been raised by dragons, and although I was certain she was certifiably off her rocker, I prayed she had a little sanity left. If so, I would call her bluff.
“You have no claim on me,” I said. “I haven’t made any bargains with you. Fan’twar would tear this castle to pieces if you harmed me.”
She held my face for a moment longer, but then she released me.
“If you refuse my offer, then I have no further use for you. I shall banish you from my mountain, and you shall never return again.”
Two of the creatures approached me as she backed away. Rough, bony hands encircled my arms. I couldn’t let them take me away—once she banished me from her castle, it would be nearly impossible to get back inside.
“Wait!” I called as she walked toward the door.
She stopped and turned around.
“Can’t we reach some sort of arrangement? If I allow you to train me, will you release him?”
“No,” she said, her back still turned to me. “But perhaps we can work out another sort of agreement.”
She turned around and walked back toward me, her quiet footsteps reminding me of a panther stalking its prey. Her eyes narrowed as she stared me down.
“It has been a long time since I had a human in my fortress. Perhaps we will do this the proper way, as civilized creatures. My servants will help you get cleaned up, and I will provide you with a change of clothes. Then, you shall meet me in my chambers. We shall discuss what to do with you and your companion.”
Her eyes grew dark, and I sensed the dragon lurking beneath her human skin.
“Do not try to deceive me, Earthlander. I have placed you under no spells for the time being, but know this—if you try to escape this castle, I will kill him.”
Chapter 7
My full skirt rustled as the morrigun wraiths guided me down a dark hallway. It had taken me twenty full minutes just to change into the dress the witch had given me, and I still wasn’t sure I’d figured out how to properly lace up the corset. The heavy petticoat beneath the midnight blue skirt was overly warm, and the bodice made it difficult to breathe.
I didn’t know why the witch was making me wear it now, except I supposed it had been some time since she’d had guests, and I was sure she didn’t want to share her morning tea with someone wearing dirty questing gear.
The wraiths led me down yet another hallway. Without their guidance, I was sure to have gotten lost. The castle was a maze of stairs and hallways, lit with torches placed in sconces that were spaced too infrequently to give much light.
Our footsteps, coupled with the wraiths’ deep, rattling breaths, were the only sounds to break up the silence. Now, with the creatures so close, I was able to see them more clearly. Greenish scales appeared in patches over dead, flaking skin. I couldn’t look at them for too long—there was something so unnatural about them it repulsed me—as if they were created to mock humanity.
“Can you understand me?” I asked.
One of the creatures grunted. If they had been human once, I doubted they remembered their past. It was a sobering, disheartening thought. If the witch were capable of doing this to people, I didn’t want to know what else she could do.
I wasn’t sure what to expect once we reached the witch’s chambers, although I had trouble understanding her motivations. Why did she want to train me? Did she really think she could stop a prophecy from happening? As far as I knew, there wasn’t a way to do it. She must have known something I didn’t.
We turned down yet another hallway, and I gave up trying to remember the path we’d taken. Tall, dramatic windows framed the narrow corridor, and on either side were breathtaking views of the Dragon Spine mountain range. It was morning, and the first rays of pink and golden sunlight streaked across the sky, highlighting the clouds that spread out beneath us.
We approached a set of tall double doors carved with images of dragons in flight. One of the wraiths pushed a door open, and it gave way slowly with the squeal of ungreased hinges. I wondered how long it had been since Silvestra had spruced up the place. I supposed her time was better spent in taking away people’s free will, making underhanded bargains, and generally being everyone’s worst nightmare. Sounded exhausting.
We entered a domed room made of glass and stone. The wraiths closed the doors behind us, and we crossed toward the center of the space. Overhead, the glass dome glinted in the morning sunlight. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the brightness. At the room’s center sat a round table with a marble top. An assortment of fruits and breads were arranged on its surface. Silvestra sat in one of the chairs at the table, her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized me. I wanted to shrink under her calculating gaze, but I stood tall instead. The last thing I needed was her thinking she intimidated me. She did, of course—she scared the living daylights out of me—but she didn’t need to know that.
“You’ve got a nice place here,” I said, “but you should fire the decorator. It’s putting off a sort of creepy vibe, if you know what I mean.”
She didn’t crack a smile.
“Guards, wait outside,” she said to her wraiths.
The two creatures turned around and shuffled out of the room, closing the door with a loud thud behind
