Alara walked through the dimly lit hallways of the castle alone in the night hours like a shadow. She was brave when she told her husband that she would find another chamber to stay the night. But now, the deeper she got into the hallways stretched endlessly before her like the mouth of a monster, she felt shivers of fear skimming through her skin.
"I should remind you, Alara, that you're safest in my shadow. It's the rest of this kingdom that you should be scared of."
Kael's words rang in her ears, tempting her to go back to his chambers and stay out of trouble. But she was a little too prideful for her own good and it compelled her to move forward into the dark hallways.
There were a lot of chambers in these hallways, but every single one was locked from the outside and it frustrated the hell out of her.
She didn't know how long she wandered through the hallways like a ghost in the night when a certain chamber in the nook called out for her attention. It was opened!
Alara rushed to the chamber, she finally found a place where she could sleep the exhaustion off. A lot had happened today and it had sucked the light out of her. She needed to calm down and probably try to warm up to this castle and her new life and maybe her new husband.
She cautiously slipped inside the chamber, and was instantly thrown back by the ambiance of it. This wasn't a chamber, but almost like an ancient library. Towering bookshelves, carved out of glass, touched the ceilings, twisted and swirled like ivy. The scent of magic and age old papers and ink hung heavy in the air. The few lanterns here and there are the only source of light in the room.
Alara slowly flitted toward the shelves flooded with books, the tips of her fingers slithered through the covers of the books. Even though it smelt so old here, there was no speck of dust on the surface. It gleamed in the lantern light like star dust.
As she moved forward, she found a different set of shelves made out of wood in the furthest corner of the room, the books in it looked hauntingly inviting. There were strange symbols of eyes etched to the wooden shelf. It glowed in the dark as if it was alive and watching.
The closer she got to it, she started to hear strange whispers of breathy words. She freezed in her spot, eyes flew wide and heart beating wild. Her eyes ran to every corner of the room to see if anyone was in this room with her but she found no one. Yet she still heard the breathy whispers.
With shaky limbs, she walked closer to the nook even though her instincts screamed at her to run off there and find Kael and stay with him. The books were luring her toward them. It was like she was hypnotized, her body moving on its own.
The closer she got, the louder the voice got. Her breath hitched and heart stopped when she realised the voice wasn't just a meaningless murmur. It was calling out her name.
Alara, come closer, dear.
She wanted to run and scream but she couldn't. Her legs are frozen, her tongue too heavy in her mouth to move it. A thousand horrible scenarios played in her mind, her blood freezing in her veins.
Come closer, dear.
The sound started to turn horrendous. A scratchy voice that send shivers down her spine. She was too stupid to wander through this cursed palace at this hour of night, all alone! She should have stayed with Kael. Tears of fear started to prickle from her eyes. She needed to leave as soon as she could. Before things could get even more worsening.
Drawing up the magic in her veins, Alara broke free from the trance, the warmth of her magic filled her from within and she turned to walk back to the entrance of the room. Trying to move away as much as she could from the haunted shelves that are calling out for her name.
Just as she was about to flee from the room, the huge doors slammed shut with a loud bang, making her flinch back with gasp. Her hands trembled wildly, her heart trying to break free from her chest. She yanked the handle of her door with all her might, her loud breathing echoing in the vastness of the room.
"Nice try, human."
Alara's heart dropped into her stomach as she turned around with a start. In a surge of panic, she threw her hands in the air, breathing out a spell. Magic bolts of simmering light emerged from her palms and it shot forward like lightning streaks.
The person in front of her dodged it with a yelp and the blot of magic crashed with one of the bookshelves, burning down the few books into ashes.
"You little shit! How dare you—"
"Uncle!" Alara exclaimed. Now the person before her took a few steps forward, the light from lanterns lit up the side of his face, making his face identifiable. The man is none other than Kael's uncle. "When did you get here! I swear I didn't see you before!"
"Let me tell you something, little human," Eryndor's voice was a low growl, laced with a mix of warning and dark amusement. His figure emerged from the shadows, his piercing gaze locking onto her with unsettling intensity. "You cannot wander around this castle and stumble into chambers like this without permission."
Alara's heart pounded, her breath uneven as she took a hesitant step back, the lingering hum of magic still crackling faintly in her palms.
Eryndor's lips curled into a cold smirk as he tilted his head, watching her closely, like a predator studying its prey. "I guess you've just learned that lesson by now."
His tone was mocking, but there was an edge to it, a dangerous undertone that sent a shiver down her spine. Alara straightened, swallowing her fear as she lifted her chin, determined not to let him see her falter.
"And what exactly was I supposed to learn?" she shot back, her voice sharper than she felt.
"That some doors," Eryndor replied, stepping closer, his boots clicking softly against the stone floor, "are better left closed. But curiosity, it seems, is a reckless little thing." He gestured toward the still-glowing door behind her, his expression darkening. "This chamber does not welcome trespassers."
"What do you mean?" Alara's words came out shallow.
"What I mean, stupid human," Eryndor whispered, his eyes lighting up with dark amusement, "is that there are things in this castle that could eat you alive. Just know, it's not only your husband's touch that is lethal here—there are far worse things in this castle. Things you will wish you never knew."