That black head focused on our hiding spot, and I sensed his gaze zero in on me. I felt naked in the storm under his penetrating stare.
I used more magic and pushed it into my voice, letting my words carry on the wind with the compulsion. Go back. Your prey is getting away.
He shook his head and looked over his shoulder at his retreating men. Whether it was my spell or the storm, I didn’t know, but he turned and rode after them. I stood frozen in my spot. Unable to move, for fear of the bladesman returning for me.
A hand grabbed my shoulder, and I jumped.
“It’s me, Miss Rhea,” Herst whispered. “This is our chance. We need to go. The storm will only get worse.”
I sighed and relaxed, patting his hand. “Yes, let’s go before he comes back.”
CHAPTER THREE
With the side transport doors missing, I became a victim of the storm’s violent wrath. I felt worse for Herst, who was bearing the brunt to get me to my destination. In Nihill, our winters were short and mild. Nothing like the monstrous howling wind and blinding snow that we were trying to navigate through in the Ragnar Mountains.
The carriage struggled up the mountain path; the snow getting deeper with each passing candle mark. I shivered in my seat, pulling my wool cloak closer to my body. We stopped.
“This is it . . .” Herst sounded unsure as he looked at the map. “I think.”
I stepped out of the transport and took in the snow-covered forest beyond. This is where my mother’s childhood home was supposed to be—but there was nothing here.
Herst pointed to the map and the gray stone mile marker that sat about waist high. “This is where she said to bring you.” His breath left white puffs of frozen air after each word. “Sorry, Miss. I must have taken a wrong turn. We could continue north. There’s another settlement there. Returning to Verdan would mean taking a chance of running into that black knight again. We have to make a decision soon.”
I chewed on my inner lip as I debated. Yes, of course, I would rather wait out the storm somewhere nice and warm, but that was supposed to be the manor house.
I looked at the stone marker and knew we were close. “I’ll stay,” I said.
“You can’t be serious, Miss. It’s too dangerous,” Herst argued.
The wind picked up, causing the snow to blow sideways. I squinted and turned my head away from the blast of freezing air, and as I did so, I caught a glimmer. I blinked. It was gone. Was it a trick of the light?
Stepping a few feet past the stone marker, I reached out with my senses.
There.
It happened again. I could see a stone pillar about ten feet high. It would suddenly appear, and then quickly disappear. I reached out into the air and should have touched nothing, but my hand brushed against cold iron.
An illusion.
I smirked. Of course, Mother would protect her home from unwanted intruders. I should have expected that.
Stepping back, I breathed out the revealing spell under my breath.
“Revelare.”
The air shimmered and revealed a ten-foot arched gated entrance.
Once, the name Eville stood out across the top of the iron in great flowing letters. But age and time had taken their toll, and an L and E were missing, spelling out the word EVIL instead.
I smiled at the subtle nuance. If only they knew.
“What in the stars is that? Where did that come from?” Herst asked in a panicked voice, crossing his chest when he saw the great evil gate looming over him.
“It was always there. Just hidden by the storm,” I said, pointing to the marker. While I’d used magic in front of him, he hadn’t made mention of it. It was still in my best interest to play dumb. “Just where my mother said it would be. Now let’s go.”
Herst hesitated, debating on whether to follow me through the gate or leave me. “Okay.”
Even with the reindeer, it took us another full candle mark before the manor house came into view, and I couldn’t believe what I saw.
A three-story gray stone manor stood tall against the looming winter forest. I assumed it was once white stone but had turned from years of grime. Dead ivy clung to the sides, hiding beautifully arched windows. Even from a distance, I could see that many were missing panes of glass. Beyond the manor house, there were outbuildings, stables, the servant’s quarters, and even the garrison for Lord Eville’s private troops. There were the remains of an overgrown garden and hints of an orchard. Small houses lined the property for the tenants that once farmed the land. But without a Lord or Lady to govern the property, it had slowly gone to waste.
Lord Eville had lost his fortune when his merchant ships went down at sea because of Sirena, the sea witch. Unable to pay his debts, the Lord had lost everything of value, his honor, and eventually his life when he had a heart attack at court. He died a beggar, pleading with the prince to honor the betrothal to his beautiful daughter. The princes laughed in the face of the penniless man until they saw Lorelai’s beauty and reconsidered. Each begged her to be his bride, but she saw through their cruel and selfish hearts. That’s when Lorelai, my adoptive mother, swore to never return home. Now decades later, the past still haunted this once beautiful manor, and I wondered what secrets lay within.
“Well, I’ll be—” Herst said, as he tied up the reindeer and came around to help me out of the transport.
We both took a moment to stare up at the manor house in awe. “It’s like something out of—” I began.
“A nightmare.” He brushed his hand across his mouth.
I frowned. It was in bad shape, but I’d seen worse.
“These snowstorms have been known to last quite a few days. I just don’t feel right leaving you alone in a place like this. Who knows what could have taken up living inside?” Herst tried to plead his case for me to leave.
“It’s fine.” I rested my hand on my satchel. Inside were all the possessions I had to my name, which included a few coppers, one glamour charm and the spindle made of an enchanted thorn.
“But you don’t have any supplies.”
“I’ll manage.” I lifted my head high and gripped my bag closer.
Walking up the stone steps, I paused at the old mahogany door and the elaborate door knockers that had turned dull from age. My hand reached for the door. Running my fingertips over the iron, I could feel a slight hum of magic that made my body tingle. It was sealed with a ward of protection.
“Lochen,” I whispered.
The lock clicked, and the doors swung inward, revealing a checkered tile hall and a dimly lit interior. I did not want to go in there. Stars, it was creepy.
“Are you sure you’ll be safe, Miss?” Herst peered over my shoulder, and then retreated as if he’d seen a ghost.
“I’ll make do,” I said with more confidence than I felt. Something scuttled across the floor, and a chill ran down my spine. Was that a rat?
Herst shuffled on the steps before pointing north. “A few miles that way is a guard tower, if you run into trouble.” He brushed the snow from brim of his hat, pulling it low over his eyes. He shivered and waited for my decision.
With the enormous rat still in the back of my mind, I was too nervous to speak. I nodded, my teeth already chattering loudly from the cold.