I saw a large front door closing with a loud sound, keeping all evil outside and keeping my thoughts and memories safe. A strong wind abruptly blew from behind me and got my hair flying into the air. As I turned around, I caught the sight of a familiar silhouette with the corner of my eye. It was the black-clad woman with the black veil fascinator and the red lips standing still at the corner, staring at me without any expression or emotion on her face. Beads of sweat poured over my forehead as a million unsettling thoughts flooded my mind. I was nearly hit by a car as I hurriedly crossed the road without checking the green lights. Frozen to death, I stood still on the pavement, trying not to give away my panic. My hands started shaking again and my heart was racing wild.
I shivered as I carefully turned around to get another look at the woman. She was gone. Maybe it was my imagination, maybe she had never been after me. Maybe it was all in my mind. Maybe she did not even exist. A throbbing vein in my neck almost exploded, that is how terrified I was. I had to get back home as soon as possible. Arthur did not need to know about this.
Suddenly the whirlwind stopped, and everything was peaceful again. I was standing in the living room. Dindrane was standing in front of me, holding a silver button with a white flashing light on one end.
“You definitely need to work more on your skills,” she said and gave me a disapproving glance before she wielded her button again and blue and white lighting strikes surrounded me.
CHAPTER 12
*
It felt so warm and snuggly. A thick, fluffy blanket was wrapped around my body, offering delightful warmth. The sound of a crackling fire woke me up and I reluctantly opened my eyes. I was in a dark bedroom.
“Where the hell am I?” I muttered shocked after I realized that I was not in Arthur’s home anymore.
The iron bed I was lying on, covered in etchings of large flowers, glowed in the light of a marble fireplace set against the opposite wall. A round table was placed in the middle of the room with a shiny iron candlestick on its surface. I raised my body and sat up on the soft mattress. It looked my own room.
“How did I end up here?” I asked loudly.
I stood up and carefully approached the heavily carved rectangular mirror that was next to the fireplace. Everything looked right on me. I picked up the iron candlestick from the table and explored the room under the candlelight. The emerald embossed wallpaper covering the walls gave a happy tone in the beautifully decorated pink and lime room. A green velvet curtain on the wall behind the bed caught my attention. I pulled the heavy fabric forcefully, and a quatrefoil window was revealed. It was dark and quiet. A shudder ran down my spine.
The flame of the candle flickered. I looked around for a light switch; it was beside the door. I approached the steeply pointed ogive door and took a deep breath. It looked like my room in the Academy, but it was not.
I should get out and explore. The heavy door opened with a scratching creaking that made me jump. I looked through the ajar door but there was no one in the dark hallway. A wrought iron lantern over the entrance to a stairwell gave off the only light. Walking on my toes, I headed to the staircase and began descending timidly. The dim light from the starry sky passing through the skylight above the stairs lit the shiny balustrade. The end of the staircase led to a hallway. I continued climbing down the stairs until I ended up in another hallway with an arched colorful stained-glass window between two ogive doors.
After briefly thinking, I chose the door on the right. I opened it cautiously and entered a cold room with a few pieces of furniture, a burning fireplace to the left, and two stained glass windows on the right. Trying not to make any noise, I closed the door behind me. I had the feeling that the exit was close and that I only had to take the right path to find it. I turned the knob of the east door and pushed it timidly. A half-lit chamber was revealed behind the small opening. On the opposite wall, there was another door leading to a strong light source. Crossing along the elongated chamber, an arched bookcase full of old books got my attention.
“Wow!” I let a small cry on enthusiasm to slip out of my throat. It looked like the Academy’s library room, but it was not. It was cleaner and with more expensive decorations.
A second exclamation shout almost slipped from my mouth, when I felt a thick oriental rug under my feet. An old leather sofa was placed in the center of the room with the expensive luxurious furniture. Just like a firefly is attracted to the light on a dark night, I continued toward the door and the shining light.
The robust male voice that came from the couch made me jump and made me raise both my arms in a defensive karate posture. I took a step back and looked over to the leather sofa. A man was sitting in the dim light.
“Who are you?” I asked trying to maintain a strong voice.
“The man you were waiting all your life to meet,” the man replied.
“You’re nuts,” I yelled. “Don’t come close to me. Stay where you are,” I said still in a defensive posture.
A heavy wooden chandelier with dozens of candles was hanging from the ceiling and a huge iron gate
