I nodded and followed after him as we stepped through the threshold. If I concentrated to listen past the patter of the rain, the noises I’d heard from afar were clearer. I was faced with another towering wall that stretched higher. My neck craned to look all the way to the top, and I still couldn’t see all of it. The castle was huge. Rian turned sharply to the left and knelt. I shaded my eyes from droplets as he pulled up a latch in the ground and waved me through. I hesitated at the ledge, reminded of the cell I’d been locked up in. What if this was all a trick to get me here? I took a step away and smacked into Rian.
He had no qualms about nudging me forward. With my Fae speed, I caught myself before I fell face-first. I shot him a glare and stomped down the staircase. It was pitch-black, but my sight quickly adjusted to see a dark stone hallway.
“I really like Cora,” I said, trying to fill the silence with inane chatter.
“She is a wonderful woman,” Rian said a few steps behind me. “She is also the only known human Fae blood to go through the transition. So, if you have questions, she would be the one to ask.”
That was where I’d heard her name before. Excitement simmered in me. I wanted to find her ASAP.
“How did she get here?” I forgot about the creepy hall I was being led down at the prospect of hearing what happened to Cora.
“That is a story for her or Conan to tell.” He smiled slightly as if in remembrance. Damn Fae and their secretive ways. He turned down another dark, cobbled way. “Here we are.”
He reached down to what almost looked like a sewer cover and lifted it. I followed his lead when he stepped through the hole. I did the same but wasn’t expecting to fall nearly ten feet. I screamed as the ground vanished. Rian shushed me. Soon, I landed on my feet. Squeezing my eyes shut, I patted myself, and when I realized there were no aches or pains, I let out a relieved breath. Rian was already walking down the dark walkway. I raced after him until we reached a silver metal door.
He reached out and fiddled with multiple locks. Seconds later, it swung open, and golden light flooded the darkness. I blinked and found a shit ton of stairs leading up with seemingly no end. Candles on both sides of the walls guided the way, creating a soft yellow glow. It felt like ages, but finally, we reached another door at the top. Rian stepped to the side and waved toward the knob. My hand shook as I pushed the door open.
5
My jaw dropped when I saw the opulence. A soft grey glow lit up the hall and darkened the interior tan walls. I’d thought the dark fortress was gorgeous with the beautiful granite walls, but this… it was ten times that—especially in size.
The spanning hall was huge, and as I took a step in, I realized where the grey lighting came from. The ceiling above me was made of glass. I stared up, open-mouthed, at the pouring grey skies. The droplets splashed across the glass surface, breaking on impact and creating a strangely mesmerizing effect. I walked dazedly behind Rian, looking up at the intricate swirls adorning the glass above me. It was similar all the way down the hall, sometimes turning into multicolored sections that threw colors across the cream tile.
“This looks like some fairy tale castle.”
“The architecture was partially inspired by a sixteenth-century French chateau.” My high school French was a little rusty, but I, at least, remembered the word for castle.
An art course I’d taken in college had a section on structures. I recognized the Italian inspiration mingled with French tradition.
“Why French?”
“The design of this entire building is a mix of architecture throughout human centuries. The last update on the building before magic was bound was in the sixteenth century.”
Ah, that explained the old-fashioned ambiance of the place. It was all a mix, but I recognized the medieval to renaissance feel.
I was so riveted by the ceiling that I didn’t notice somebody step in my path until it was too late. I grunted at the impact and fell back. A strong hand wrapped around my upper arm. Auburn eyes connected with mine. I gasped at the striking color that contrasted with his caramel-colored, shoulder-length hair. A roguish grin crossed his face. It reminded me of someone familiar…
“You must be Rae,” he said. His voice was deep and sexy. If I weren’t already enraptured by Roark, this guy would have caused major swooning.
“Yes,” I forced out, unable to articulate more.
“Lovely to meet you.” The tall, broad-shouldered male bent at the waist with a flourish. Were all Fae this attractive? My face heated.
“I’m informing Cora you are flirting,” Rian said from the side with a smirk.
The man shot him a glare. “Don’t go spreading lies. You know she’d cut off my bullocks if I ever thought it.”
“I’d enjoy watching.” Rian shrugged, a wicked look in his eyes. This was the first time I’d seen Rian playful. Hell, up to this point, I hadn’t even though he was capable of it.
“What are you two going on about? Flirting again, Con?” Cora’s lilting voice came from the corner, and a physical change came over the man Cora called Con. Cora strode up, and her fisted hands settled on her slim waist. There was a scolding look in her eyes, and if I was discerning right, a slight suspicion to her gaze.
Con walked up to her without a word, and his big hand went up to cup Cora’s face. The hands that looked so deadly seemed so gentle. Teagan. That’s why he’d reminded me
